Day 2, Another Day

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I had to drop off my receipts from my trip for our admin to do my expense report. It was weird coming in through the visitor entrance, but it was even weirder how disassociated the place felt. It was like a place I knew from a recurring dream where I knew where everything was, but it felt like a place I had never been to before. How weird is that? The last four years have somehow been relegated to a Dali like dreamscape.

So, I know you're dying to know. What's the plan? I finally got a hold of my grandfather yesterday, and decided not to go visit him. He really didn't seem up for it. So, I'm off to Vegas with Mr. mouse for a two day conference. I'm back Sat and Sun for the big move. Then, we're going to do something "productive, but relaxing" for three days. I'll head back here for Thu and Fri wrap up. And, then, head out Sat for my new adventures. It'll happen that quickly.

Don't know what the Mon to Wed thing will be yet. We have five days between now and then to figure it out. I'm glad Mr. mouse is taking the time off with me. It closes the loop on the summer of '99 and the fiasco we had about taking time off from work. We've come a long way in the past seven years and I am very proud of him and us.

Gotta do some quick packing before I head out.


Cheers!
mouse

Day 1, A New Chapter

Dear Friends and Family,

Good morning. In case you're wondering why I'm up so early on my first day off, I had to drop Mr. mouse off this morning. He came over last night to keep me company, see how I'm doing and be the generally supportive person that he is.

I feel a lot better today. A lot of the shock has worn off. I have a list of stuff I want to do over the next week and half. And, I'm 90% of the way towards planning out a little trip over the next couple days. And, we got our New Year's invite out so people can start planning.

Overall, it feels good.

Being up, having my tea and blogging is strangely comforting.


Cheers!
mouse

The Big Day, Part II

Dear Friends and Family,

Today started out as an ordinary enough day, give the circumstances, but ended up taking an unexpected turn for the different. I went into to work, had my personal training session, stopped by a friend's desk and walked to my desk...

My boss was on the phone and motioned me over. Long story short, HR thought it best if they walk me since I am going to a competitor. At least, in their eyes it's a competitor. How archaic. So, I have the next two weeks off with pay while I prepare for the upcoming transition.

Still in a bit of shellshock. Not sure what to do next. There's a piece of me that's tempted to get on a plane to Hawaii or to go see my grandfather or something. And, there's a piece of me that just wants to chill at home. And, there's a piece of me thinking about going to see Mr. mouse tonight.

Deep breath. One day at a time. Better yet, one hour at a time or one minute at a time might be the way to go here.


Cheers!
mouse

The Big Day

Dear Mouse Manager:

Please accept this letter as my formal notice of resignation. My last day at work will be Friday, December 15, 2006. The associations I have made during my career here will be memorable for years to come. Thank you for the opportunity to work for such an outstanding organization.

Sincerely,
mouse


Yesterday was the day. Surprisingly, no big brouhaha. Just a good discussion with my manager, who I really do like and respect, and a quiet announcement to the team. It felt good. What a relief. I wasn't sure what to expect so I had to manage my own expectations... Still waiting for a response from HR, but until then, I can continue to contribute to the team and finalize good-byes.


Cheers!
mouse

12.04.06: Last...

Dear Friends and Family,

It was a weekend of lasts. We spent most of the weekend doing the last of the packing. Most everything is done. I'll do a couple more boxes this week, but 95% of it is done.

Friday night, I picked Mr. mouse up at the airport for the last time. And, this morning, I dropped him off for the last time. In between, we had our last home cooked supper together. And, I did one last back-up of the computer hard drive.

We went over to our neighbors house on Saturday, but fortunately, that wasn't a last get together. We'll still be coming back for lots of those. And, we're on for this upcoming weekend and again for New Year's Eve. And, we built a fire in the fireplace Sunday; I've got one more of those to look forward to, the night before we close.

It's all coming together so quickly. It's a little scary. Deep breath. I can do it!


Cheers!
mouse

Silicon Valley, Day 4

Dear Friends and Family,

Last day of meetings yesterday. Headed to the airport today for our flights home. Wow, what a week. I'm glad I had the chance to come on this trip.

Last night was the toughest. We went out for beer, burgers and trash talk. It was a good way to unwind and to get to know each other better. Other groups I had worked with did happy hour on a regular basis and it was a great outlet to create bonds that wouldn't form in the normal course of business interaction. I guess it's fitting that I had the chance to do that last night.

All in all, this past week has been a great learning opportunity and an excellent time to reflect on what I truly enjoy doing and where I get my energy. Good for me.

Back to boxes and the real world when I get home.


Cheers!
mouse

Silicon Valley, Day 3

Dear Friends and Family,

Help! I've been bitten by the bug and caught the disease. I can't help but be excited by and enamored with the start-up atmosphere here in the Valley. What do I like? The small group atmosphere, the innovation, the humility, the smartness, the scrappiness, the sheer persistence, the openness to new ideas... The list seems endless.

I was telling Mr. mouse about it all. And, maybe, after another couple of years with a large corporation, I might be willing to do the start-up thing. Mentally, I'm trying to balance being a good corporate citizen and being selfishly self-centered. The traditional model, you know, have a steady job, get a smaller but steady paycheck, save for a modest but comfortable retirement. The job is just a job. And, then there's the new model... Job hop, go big, take risks... The job is life enrichment. Not sure where I land on this. Actually, I know exactly where I land on this.

I'm moving in with Mr. mouse. I'm trying out a new job and seeing if I enjoy it or not. I'm going to save some $$$ by going down to a single mortgage and all that it entails. This will buy me LOTS of flexibility... Maybe more flexibility than I really want or need, but, hey, I'm not complaining. I'm going to see how the next 2-3 years go. And, we'll go from there.


Cheers!
mouse

Silicon Valley, Day 2

Dear Friends and Family,

Not sure what's going on back at the home front. Got two separate calls from two separate girlfriends. Not enough to create mass panic, but enough to make you go hmm... Since I'm in a vanful of colleagues all day, I'm hoping I can touch base with them somehow today. Feel free to email me. The syntax is myfirstinitialmylastname@yahoo.com. Don't leave me hanging, please. Tonight, I might panic.

More geek speak. Another day, another three blogs. Actually, make that six. Three on tech/the valley in general. Three on new gadgets. Not sure if I'll begin following all of these, but I might. The problem with blogs is few are updated daily. Most of the ones I read are updated 1-2 times a week. More content in the morning while I have my tea is a good thing. But, how to find good blogs? And, what's the format to organize them all? That's what I'm trying to figure out.

Technology news:

• GigaOM
• Techcrunch
• alarm:clock

Gadgets:

• Engadget
• CrunchGear
• Gizmodo

Happy reading.


Cheers!
mouse

Silicon Valley, Day 1

Dear Friends and Family,

Less stressed than yesterday. Thank goodness. In addition to being less stressed, my cold seems like it was a passing thing. So, all in all, feeling much better than yesterday morning. Seven hours sound sleep will do that to you :)

Flew out yesterday to San Francisco for my business trip. The weather is cold and damp as can be expected for this time of year. Had a great conversation over dinner last night with one of my colleagues. He mentioned three blogs to read if you're really into the VC thing which I'm not, but in case you are:

• VentureBlog
• How to Change the World
• Allen's Blog

No tea in this hotel. Time for decaf coffee. BTW, OMG, the food here is so good! I don't think I'll be losing my two pounds this week. Staying net neutral will be an accomplishment. Hopefully, today is better than yesterday in that regards.


Cheers!
mouse

11.27.06: Let the Stress Begin

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry to drag you on the roller coaster I call life. It's 3:18 and I've been up for the past hour. You do the math...

We spent the weekend packing the mouse house and it's finally sinking in. There's a LOT of change on the horizon over the next month and I'm not quite sure if I can handle it all. I'm taking the take-a-deep-breath-and-jump approach. I'm sure it'll all be good in the end, but, today, I'm stressed.

How do I know I'm stressed? I'm sick. I'm headed out of town today for work. I'll be back on Friday, and over the weekend we'll complete the final pack. Wow. It's going so quickly!

So what'd we do the rest of the weekend? Friday, we flew out for Mr. mouse's high school reunion. Reunions are like proms, gotta do them, but rarely do they turn out as eventful as you think. Either way, we did it, and it wasn't bad.

Saturday, we flew back to the mouse house and spent all day Saturday and Sunday packing. I think we have all of the non-essentials packed. Mr. mouse is coming this week to pack up the garage. That leaves next weekend for the final pack.

Boy, I sound like a broken record. I'm going to go get some tea. Hopefully, this cold doesn't settle in. Being sick not really on the agenda for the upcoming week. BTW - up two pounds from all the turkey and sides. Hope to get back to normal this week... Stress not going to help in that department.

Happy Monday! May the stress begin!


Cheers!
mouse

Thanksgiving Day

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Thanksgiving Day. And, in addition to turkey, parade, Christmas shopping and catching up with family, it's important to take a moment to be thankful for what you have. Ready?

In no particular order...

I'm thankful for the continued health and happiness of my grandparents, parents, Mr. mouse's folks, my sister, my brother-in-law, my brother, Mr. mouse, my friends, and extended family. I'm thankful for the support that everyone provides as I travel on life's journey, Mr. mouse and his companionship. My job and the financial resources to make life not a worry. Selling the mouse house. Finding a new job. The prospect of being together with Mr. mouse in a single household. I'm thankful for all of the learnings I've had this year, my health - the weight loss, the good heart, the clean bill of health, the wart non-mole, the balanced thyroid, the balanced life. Surviving psycho boss. The sunsets in Kauai. Giving blood. My blog and how it's helped me capture my life's small stories. My neighbors and how much I'll miss them once I move. My friend in Jordan who offered me more than a roof, a place I could call home. I'm thankful for my faith and how it's helped me through a tough/long year while keeping my head up. And, how it'll be a continual piece giving me support through the upcoming year.

Oh, and I'm thankful for a Democratic Congress and the balance it'll bring to our government.


Cheers!
mouse

Time with Family

Dear Friends and Family,

At the mouse pad now. Came over last night with a boxful of kitchen implements for the Thanksgiving Day tradition. My flight was delayed so I was the last one getting in. But, in the end it all worked out okay.

My brother flew in. My sister and brother-in-law drove in. We went out for dinner last night - deep dish pizza, chicken wings, garlic bread and beer. Yummy yummy on the tummy tummy. Actually, I didn't have garlic bread or beer. I had a chicken wing, half a slice of deep dish and diet soda. Still a huge treat for me.

I had a chance to catch up with my brother and sister last night. There's nothing quite like family for laughing until you cry. We had so much fun trading stories about my mom and her church group and the stuff she asks us to do for them.

Well, everyone's waking up, so better get going.


Cheers!
mouse

Ry Krisp RyKrisp Rye Crackers

Dear Friends and Family,

Apologies in advance for the old tech photo. It's the best the website had.


These are my cracker of choice these days. Made from rye, I originally bought them for their wheat-free ingredient list. Now, I they're a staple in my pantry.

The first two crackers are "free" in Weight Watchers. Every two after that are one point a pair. This has to do with the fiber cap Weight Watchers adds to its points system. I love them with my Han's cheese spread. Two crackers + 1 tbs spread makes for a nice one point snack. I'll also have two plain ones for zero points when I'm not hungry but in a nibble/graze mood.

Off to get ready for the long weekend. I'll try to get online to post as usual, but no guarantees.


Cheers!
mouse

11.20.06: End of Year Countdown

Dear Friends and Family,

42 days left in 2006. Where did the year go?

It's that time of year when there's a ton of stuff to do. Add to that all of the house transition, car shopping and other miscellaneous holiday to-do and the weekend disappeared in a flurry of activity.

Saturday, we spent the morning packing boxes. We headed out to shop for Christmas gifts. Then, we went to pick up clothes for me since my current batch is already too loose. We finished off the day with more packing.

Sunday, was basically a repeat of Saturday. We spent the morning packing again. We headed out for more shopping and clothes. And, finished the weekend with, you guessed it, more packing. We're so predictable.

We've finished a lot of the non-essentials. What's left? The garage, which is not that bad. The family room, which will be maybe three boxes. And then the "last minute" stuff, the kitchen essentials, the master bathroom essentials and clothes/shoes essentials.

It's gone quickly. So far, we've invested 6 days to it, but it hasn't been six whole days, it's been partial days, so I guess we've invested three person-days to the packing so far.

This week will be a hectic week. Today, I've got to run an errand over lunch and then a friend is coming over for dinner. Tomorrow, dropping off a box at the airport over lunch and flying out in the evening. Wednesday and Thursday, my sister, brother-in-law and brother are coming over for Thanksgiving. Then, Mr. mouse and I are headed to his 20th high school reunion. Saturday, we're hopping back to the mouse house for more packing and stuff.


Cheers!
mouse

Yahoo! Avatars

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm going to try updating my profile to show my yahoo avatar. Let's see if it works.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Eh. It's okay. It's not in the box. But, more importantly, the resolution on it isn't too impressive. I'll probably remove it on Monday, but it was a fun attempt for the day.

Quiet Thursday

Dear Friends and Family,

Not a lot new today...

Contemplating having a toss session today. This is where I throw out things that really have no place, in my opinion, in our home. I feel so much better afterwards, like a physical weight has been lifted. Mr. mouse is a pack rat, so I don't think he understands how much better I feel after one of these sessions. I know this because he's gone dumpster diving to retrieve items. It drives me crazy! This is going to be the toughest part about living together once we do.

What should I throw out?

1. my pillow, doesn't give me a good night's sleep anymore
2. some old button down shirts, they don't fit anymore
3. my alarm clock, I've been using my cell phone lately
4. muesli, a failed test, I don't care for it
5. ???, there's tons more once I get started

I feel better already.


Cheers!
mouse

Boston Gal's Open Wallet

Dear Friends and Family,

I haven't had the time to write about this is awhile. In October, the NY Times ran an article titled What Do Women Want? Just Ask. Like I said, I'm behind.

There is a blog (bostongalsopenwallet.blogspot.com) where a woman tracks all of her financial information online.

Her first blog entry?

Speaking publicly about your personal finances has always been a no-no in my family. The result of this is that I often felt unprepared and uneducated about financial matters. I am now in my mid-30's, single, with a fairly well established professional career. Because I live alone, I make all the financial decisions in my life -- good or bad. If your parents and peers can't or won't show you the way, hopefully sites like this on the Web will.

I read it every couple of days and find it fascinating that someone else is struggling with the same questions I struggle with. Women need to get their heads smart about money. For the same job, we get paid less than men. Frequently, we opt for a "less than same" job to balance work and life or because that's where our passions are. We compound all that by generally living longer. And, it's a recipe for disaster if we're not smart about our money.

I'm excited about planning out our windfall from the house sale. Need to do more research before we make a decision.


Cheers!
mouse

Han's All Natural Cheese Spread

Dear Friends and Family,

I miss cheese. At three points an ounce, it's an expensive treat to be had once in a rare while. Mozzarella cheese, I can squeeze in. A quarter cup of the generic bagged shredded kind is two points. I refuse to even try the Laughing Cow light that comes up all the time in the Weight Watchers message boards.

Recently, I've found a cheese treat I can fit into my new lifestyle. Han's All Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread:


I found it at the local Whole Foods in the produce section, oddly enough. It's all natural, but not organic. And, at two points for two tablespoons, it's something I can have every day if I want. I usually have one tablespoon on two rye crackers for a nice one point treat. I'll write about the crackers next week.

Ahh... time to enjoy my tea as I bask in the warmth of the mouse house this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

Loaded for Bear

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm home and I'm prepared for the worst.

This morning, we woke to a cold house. Mr. mouse looked at it briefly and decided it would take more time than he had this morning. So, he was going to come over tonight to look at it. It was 64 degrees inside when I left for work. Keep in mind, I keep the house at a balmy 78 degrees, so we're talking COLD by my standards. Yes, 78 degrees year round.

Well, they cancelled the flight Mr. mouse was planning on taking back. So, we called our utility people with whom we have a service plan, and much to our surprise, they're going to be here tonight between 4 and 10 pm. I guess there's something about leaving people without heat that's a bad thing. So, I'm home, waiting for them to show up.

I have on two pairs of socks, my thermals, my sweat pants and two extra long-sleeved t-shirts. It's currently 68 degrees in the house. If it gets colder, I'll put on more clothes and grab a blanket. It'll be an adventure.

Keep your fingers crossed that it's a simple repair.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: (5:15 pm) 64 degrees: added another pair of socks

PPS: (7:20 pm) repairman just finished - he replaced the igniter... the service plan is the best deal ever

11.13.06: Countdown Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I've got a song stuck in my head:

There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too.
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say cook-coo cook-coo, cook-coo
Regretfully they tell us cook-coo
But firmly they compel us cook-coo
To say goodbye cook-coo...
To you...

So long farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight

So long farewell, auf weidersehen adieu
Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you

So long farewell, au revior auf weidersehen
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne

So long farewell, auf weidersehen goodnight
I leave and heave a sigh and say good bye - goodbyyyyyyeeeee!

I'm glad... to go.... I cannot tell a lie
I fleet, I float, I fleetly flee I fly...

The sun... has gone... to bed and so must I...
So long...farewell...auf weidersehen goodbye...
Goodbye...Goodbye....Goodbye....

We spent the weekend packing. We also took some video footage of the place and our commemorative photo in front of the mouse house. The two spare bedrooms, the dining room and half of the basement are done, 23 boxes so far. It's both exciting and sad to be packing up. I had so many grand hopes and ambitions when we moved here and bought the place.

This morning we woke to a very cold house. Mr. mouse played with the mechanicals for a little bit but had to run. He's coming back tonight for a closer look. Fun and games... Things like this make me glad we're consolidating into a single household. Fewer things to go wrong, and when they do there's two of us around to take care of it.

Hope you're week is starting smoother than ours.


Cheers!
mouse

No Diet Coke, but Drying Racks are Fine

Dear Friends and Family,

Okay, we all need a good laugh now and again. Now, if you haven't figured it out yet, Mr. mouse is somewhat of an appliance freak. He just bought a new dishwasher for the mouse pad to go with the new double wall oven and new cooktop. So far, so good.

The dishwasher rack, however, is not quite the same as the current dishwasher rack at the mouse house. I jokingly tell him to switch it out with the one at the mouse house if he likes that one more. Okay, you might be able to see where this is headed... He wants to see if the dishwasher rack in the new dishwasher is interchangeable with the one at the mouse house that he likes more... So, he takes the rack with him to work, in the trunk of his car... He takes it into his office... He takes it onto the shuttle bus to the airport... OK, if you're not laughing yet you'll be laughing soon...

He takes it through security to his gate! Flight's delayed. He takes it with him through the other terminal to the other flight to see if he can get on another flight. No dice. He takes the dishwasher rack back with him to the original gate. A dishwasher rack, boys and girls... Flight's really delayed. He takes the rack, which almost deserves a name at this point, with him on the train to go eat dinner. Mr. mouse and the dishwasher rack have a nice dinner, get back on the train, head back to the airport. Back through security and they are waiting at the gate together for their flight.

So, if you're at the airport tonight and you saw a person with a dishwasher rack keeping him company, odds are you saw Mr. mouse... or some other appliance freak.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Special Treat

Dear Friends and Family,

I ordered a special treat for myself yesterday.


The Special Edition (Product)Red ipod was originally available only in the 4GB model. Now, it's available in the 8GB model. Mr. mouse and I have learned, with Apple, if you really want something, get it. They change their line up too frequently to give you the luxury of waiting.

So, I ordered one last night and it should get here in the next couple of weeks. I am SO excited! I can't wait!


Cheers!
mouse

Talking

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse and I discovered a new communication tool last night. I can't say it's the most time efficient, but it gets the job done. We were discussing the job offer, again, and we were getting lost in the discussion. We both had the feeling - do you understand me? do you hear the words coming out of my mouth? what is so difficult about this?

Now, this isn't going to be the easiest to follow...

• mouse: statement A
• Mr. mouse: What I heard was...
• mouse: What I meant was...
• Mr. mouse: What I heard was...
• mouse: What I meant was...
• Mr. mouse: What I heard was...
• mouse: Yep. You got it.

• Mr. mouse: reply to statement A
• mouse: What I heard was...
• Mr. mouse: What I meant was...
• mouse: What I heard was...

Repeat as needed.

For example. When are you finishing work today? What I heard was you want me done now since it's late. What I meant was there's something I want to talk to you about and I want to plan time for it this evening. What I heard was there's something important you want to discuss, why don't we do it now, work can wait.

Get the idea? Like I said, it's time consuming, but eventually you're both crystal clear. Last night, it was a life saver.


Cheers!
mouse

Dry Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

It seems, for the moment, the stars are aligned for me to give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. I've always wanted to attempt it, but have never had any success with it.

I've been a light drinker since starting Weight Watchers since the points add up pretty quickly:

• wine: 2 points per glass
• hard liquor: 2 points per shot + mixer liquids
• beer: 3 points per bottle

I had scaled back on the consumption, opting for club soda at social gatherings. Eight months and forty pounds later, it's become a somewhat amusing conundrum. I've attempted on two evenings to add a glass of wine back into my daily routine. It's one of the options in attempting to raise the HDL. But, neither attempt has been successful. I've tried it after dinner where it feels like a chore after drinking my milk. I've tried it before dinner where it gets me light-headed. So, for now, I'm thinking no more trying. If the occasion comes up, I'll have a drink, but for now, I think I'm pretty much done.


Cheers!
mouse

11.07.06: Emerald City

Dear Friends and Family,

So, what'd we do this weekend? We spent some time seeing what it'd be like to be a traditional extended (multi-generational) family with a relatively simple life.

Mr. mouse's best friend: married, 2 kids, parents close by. It could be us, except, no kids, no parents near by, two houses... Wait, okay, so not really. But, it was fun playing house for the weekend.

We got in Saturday lunchtime, picked up some lunch, and hung out the rest of the day at home. Parents/grandparents came over for dinner and then chatted the night away. Sunday found us at the Science Museum then at home for some Vietnamese sandwiches. We went to the Pet Shop Boys concert Sunday night and took our respective red eyes home.

We brought our friend, Babo, with us. And, TL couldn't get over asking, "Where's Babo?." It was SO funny. They really bonded. We picked up some blocks at Target for them. So cute, I almost want them for myself too. Unfortunately, no pictures online of them. And, for the second time, SD card and computer don't want to play nice. WTF?!?! Will need to spend some time, some time in the future, figuring this out. When I have time. Sorry so technology challenged.

Set list to come.


Cheers!
mouse

Red Eye Recovery

Dear Friends and Family,

We headed out to Seattle for Mr. mouse's birthday. His best friend and former college roommate shares the same birthday so we get together each year to celebrate. Still figuring out up from down from the red eye. Will write the weekend update this evening.


Cheers!
mouse

Thanks, but No Thanks

Dear Friends and Family,

After lots of weighing the pros and cons of the job offer, I've decided not to take it. On the positive, it got me together with Mr. mouse, it paid for relocation and it was a 25% increase in compensation. On the negative, it didn't move my career in the direction I want it to go, it was a lateral move and I had doubts about career development/advancement since they seem to be recruiting pretty heavily from a particular management consulting firm.

So, all in all, I wasn't jazzed about it and I was leaning towards not taking it. That was on Monday. Now that we have the house offer, I feel I have even more flexibility in figuring this out and even less inclination to take it. I don't think I can give it my "all." If I feel that way, now, before I'm at the job, that's not a good sign.

I got some good advice from good friends. They all support me on my decision. Mr. mouse does as well. Most importantly, my gut tells me it's the right decision. So, my answer today will be thanks, but no thanks.

Onto the next adventure.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse House Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Well...

I can't deny I am excited, sad, but nonetheless excited.

We have an offer on the mouse house.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will be transferring ownership of it in late December. This gives us about two months to pack, move and party extra hard with our neighbors. The time will go so quickly.

It's a load off my mental psyche. I felt tied to my job because of my mortgage. I also felt tied to my job because we were still paying off the dibs and dabs we invested in fixing the house to put it onto the market. And, I felt tied to staying local to do all of the "maintenance" associated with the mouse house. Now, I can evaluate where I really am. Well, not now, now, I'm too busy laying out the next eight weeks, but soon.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's getting brighter. Just hope it all goes smoothly. For me, there's always anxiety associated with the time in between offer and close. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed just in case.


Cheers!
mouse

Name Voyager

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse forwarded me this link. He's not a big ooh-aah-look-what's-on-the-internet kind of guy. That's more me. But we both had so much fun with the Name Voyager, it was strangely addicting. It lets you enter in a name and see how its popularity has risen and fallen with the times. You can find it at http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html. You can see how fashion forward (or not) your parents were.

Enjoy!


Cheers!
mouse

Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags Microwave Popcorn

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Halloween!

So, why the popcorn, today? It's not the healthiest food, nor the tastiest. It's microwave popcorn, after all. But, if you happen to stop by the mouse house this afternoon incognito, it's what we'll be handing out as treats...

Last year, we did full size candy bars (score!) but had ~12 trick-or-treaters so I had a bunch of bars left over. This year, I didn't want the temptation of candy lying around the house so we scoured the local Target for trick-or-treat ideas that wouldn't be sitting around the house for a year gathering dust if we didn't get enough trick-or-treaters. It's lower in fat than candy and you don't have to worry about kids with nuts allergies. Mr. mouse wanted to hand out stickers or some other trinket. Maybe next year we'll do that. Although, by next year, we should be at the mouse pad which is not Halloween friendly.

Weight Watchers info? 1 point per mini bag. I had one last night. It's a good alternative to chips if you MUST have something in hand while watching TV. It's also got the benefit of being pre-portioned out, so you know when to stop. I'll eat through the leftovers, but I don't think it'll become a staple in the mouse household.


Cheers!
mouse

10.30.06: Offerama

Dear Friends and Family,

Ahh, I love Indian summers. This weekend was another glorious fall weekend.

We raked the leaves, went over to our neighbors for dinner, picked up Mr. mouse's clogs, met with our financial advisor, and ran a bunch of little errands.

I got a call early Saturday morning from the company I had interviewed with. They want to extend me an offer. I should get it in writing this week. On the surface, it's a great offer. There's only two small problems... title and work. It's a lateral position AND it doesn't move the ball forward in terms of the type of work I want to get into. So, I'm not certain how I'll respond. We'll see how this week plays out.

Will keep you posted.


Cheers!
mouse

Orlando Trip, Day 3

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm home now.

Yesterday was the last day of our Orlando trip/meeting. We had the afternoon with our Miami team to work on women's leadership. I am finally beginning to be able to sort through names and faces on the team and getting to know personalities. I missed our September meeting because I was at my interviews and now I'm really bummed I did because this meeting would have been even better (for me) if I hadn't missed the last one. Everyone is so energetic and overflowing with ideas... It's inspiring.

I also had the chance one night to do a little shopping. Normally, I'm not a shopper, but I'm beginning to enjoy it more and more. They had a Lucky Brand Jeans at the outlet and I decided to try a couple of pairs on (great prices, so I didn't feel guilty about it). Now, don't laugh, but I have much better success with men's pants than women's. My complete lack of hips and/or butt might have something to do with it. So, I ended up with a pair of new jeans this week. I think I'll wear them to work today.

TGIF, everyone.


Cheers!
mouse

Orlando Trip, Day 2

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow. Yesterday was a long day. We had meetings straight through to 6 o'clock. What was tough was the afternoon break-out sessions were geared toward our team members, but we had to slough through them as best we could.

We went out for dinner last night with everyone and then three of us decided to go for a walk rather than going out for the drinking and dancing. I was glad since I'm not much of a drinker anymore and was never much of a dancer. I really got to know both of my colleagues so much better. They're really cool people. We spoke a lot about what it means to be a woman in the workforce and how to balance family and work. I got a lot of perspective from the both of them.

We've got more sessions this morning before we meet with our smaller team this afternoon. I'm looking forward to the afternoon meeting.

Sorry the posts have been short yesterday and today. I don't have as much time in the morning to capture my thoughts on "paper" while I'm down here.


Cheers!
mouse

Sunny, but Cold

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm in Florida. It's sunny but cold here.

We've got a holiday leadership meeting over the next two days. Yesterday was a cultural immersion and the business case on diversity. Today is department-specific strategies. Thursday, I meet with my Miami team for one last time before the holidays. Uh, how the #$%@! did the year go so quickly?

I love these inspirational moments. Times like these, the company is a great company. Maybe it's just my department. That's probably the case. If you asked me if I would recommend the company to others, I think I can honestly say I can. It's just if you get caught in an odd loop like Trixie, Frenchie or me, it's just tough finding a niche and a career path. But, the company overall, I can recommend it. It's the best I've worked at so far.

I was tempted to take Friday as a vacation day and stay in Florida for a long weekend. But, as I mentioned before, I opted not to, and take another quiet weekend at home instead. Still, it's good to be down here for work, again.


Cheers!
mouse

In Da Club

Dear Friends and Family,

:)

Had my weigh in yesterday... and...

I'm, now, in the healthy BMI range.

It hardly seems like something to brag about or be proud of, but, it is and I am. It's been seven months of sloughing through it, but it's been worth it. Currently, 65% of Americans aged 20 and over are overweight or obese. I've joined the 35% who are not. Good of me! I'm not sure what my eventual end goal will be, but whatever it is, it'll be me.

I've still got a wellness journey to continue. I want to improve my body fat percentage. I want to lose a little more weight, although if I don't, it'll be fine with me. I want to figure out how to get my dairy in each day without it being a chore. I want to reduce my LDL and increase my HDL. I want to start getting more cardiovascular exercise into my routine. I want, I want, I want... I guess it's a never-ending cycle of continuous improvement.

Oh, most importantly, I want to figure out how this will work once Mr. mouse and I are together and my whole routine gets a little jumbled up. It'll be a couple of weeks of learning, but, like everything less, I'm sure it'll work out fine.

For today, I'm simply glad to be considered healthy again.


Cheers!
mouse

10.23.06: Little Sweden

Dear Friends and Family,

Quiet weekend before the holiday madness begins.

Saturday, our neighbors came over for a wok potluck. As one of them put it, "an American potluck is usually created in a Lutheran church basement and involves lots of hamburger, potatoes and cheese in a casserole to feed 24."

Well, it's a good thing we went the wok route since there was only seven of us. We had guacamole and chips, Vietnamese spring rolls, fried rice, stir-fried chicken with peppers, mushrooms and cashews, asparagus in a sesame dressing, baby bok choy with mushrooms, steamed snapper and jalapeno shrimp. For dessert we had wine, angel food cake with peaches, moon cake, amarula, wine and more wine. Everything was so yummy. It was worth the extra 10 points of flex. We had a fun moment when Mr. mouse tossed the jalapenos into the oil, the capsaicin got airborne and all of our sinuses were seared instantaneously clear.

I showed one of my neighbors the blog :)

We had another fun moment when one of them brought up the classic Monty Hall problem. They had a variant of it on Deal or No Deal. Of course, the answer is if given the option to switch at the end, always switch. Probability says you're better off switching. Well, we set out to try to explain the whole thing with three clear tupperware and a yam. Omigod, was it ever so funny. Lots of wine and club soda made for much merriment. Can you get drunk on club soda?

Sunday, we drove up to Little Sweden and got clogs. I bought two pairs; Mr. mouse special ordered one. I like them in the kitchen, the extra two inches makes a huge difference in shoulder strain when you're as short as I am.





The red ones actually have a leaf pattern punched into them, but I couldn't find a picture... Here's a pair in fawn, with the leaf pattern:


Eventually, the black pair will be for outdoor use and the red for indoor use. For now, the black pair are for the mouse house and the red pair for the mouse pad. I love them. They have boots too. I'm so tempted. Stop me now...


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Like gorgeous pictures of food? Read this article on Fall's Most Fattening Foods.

RECOVE(RED)?

Dear Friends and Family,

Slept well last night. Chest pains seem to be getting better. The frequency is way down and so is the intensity. Will take it easy this weekend. I have a follow-up appointment on 11/6.


Cheers!
mouse

PRODUCT(RED)

Dear Friends and Family,

Warning: Politics and religion ahead. You've been warned.

Need to rewind the story to one of the last times we were in London... Not sure if it was last year on our way back from the Brugge (also spelled Bruges) or on our way back from the Maldives or from Scotland. The exact time and location matters not... Suffice it to say, awhile ago...

It's when I first saw the Motorola MOTOSLVR Red. I wanted one BADLY. First, it's red, which is so cool. Second, it's an ipod, which is so cool. Third, even more important, it supports a cause I feel passionately about... AIDS relief in Africa.

The (RED) Manifesto

We were in Africa a couple of years ago, on safari. The absolute sheer raw beauty of the place takes your breath away. It's the birthplace of the world as we know it. I'm not a outright religious person, but to see Africa is to see beauty in creation and in Mother Nature's creatures.

Africa, for being so rich and bountiful, is also so poor. The people, it brings tears to my eyes. They live with so little. We live with so much. It seems so unfair. Politicians have long been big on the Middle East, there's easy oil there after all. What's the reward for being big in Africa? Well, maybe there's no real reward. A de-stabilized Africa doesn't scare our politicians the way a de-stabilized Middle East does...

That's why I SO look up to Bono for taking up the cause of Africa. AIDS relief isn't glamorous, it isn't about self-enrichment. It's about giving back to people who need it so desperately. All the other celebrities getting involved. It makes me glad because people need to be aware!

The phone... Well, buying it in Europe would be a boatload of money because phones there aren't subsidized. Then, there would be the tricky business of unlocking it. Then, the tricky business of porting my cell phone number to a GSM network. Then, if all the stars aligned, I'd be in business. Decided at the time to wait and not get lost in the complexities.

Well, now, it's here. Well, not MOTOSLVR, but MOTORAZR is and the ipod is and I'm nearly giddy trying to decide which products to buy to show my support of the cause. I am so excited! I can hardly wait.


Cheers!
mouse

Bargain Hunter Strikes Again

Dear Friends and Family,

We went to Best Buy Sunday night to pick up an ipod charger for Mr. mouse. He left his at the mouse pad. Ah, I can't wait to not have to organize my life around "I forgot to bring over."

It's Sunday night, probably about an hour before they close. We get the charger. Mr. mouse wants to look at cameras. Okay. I've been contemplating an addition to our camera family for awhile now. Point and shoot and pocket camera need a big brother or sister to do the heavy lifting when we travel. We look. We play. We're just in shopping mode.

Mr. mouse wants to look at appliances next. Just because. He loves appliances. It took him three hours of fun and games to decide between the "final two" when we bought our dishwasher. So, we're in the appliance section when he spots the close-out deals of the century. Apparently, they're discontinuing a line of kitchen appliances or at the very least not carrying them anymore. They were marked over 50% off and had instant gift cards to boot. Score!

We're now the proud owners of a double wall oven and a cooktop for a kitchen remodel in the mouse pad that is still in the most preliminary of planning stages. We're talking, it's on the list with a bunch of potential other projects like new closet organization system and painting the living room.

Well, when it comes time, the appliances will be waiting for us. They'll look awesome once we install them. And, the double wall oven will be FABULOUS for Thanksgiving, just not Thanksgiving this year. I can't wait.


Cheers!
mouse

Life with a Holter Monitor

Dear Friends and Family,

Post #2 for this morning...

I got outfitted with the Holter monitor yesterday. It's not hugely uncomfortable, but there is a constant checking to make sure everything looks like it's still attached. Last night's sleep, one of the worst I've had in a long time. Lots of trying to find a comfortable position with all of the wires.

When I got "installed", the technician had problems with the orange probe. She moved it and then re-attached it with a second adhesive dot. I was a little skeptical but figured she knew what she was doing. Like as not last night, the sucker fell off. So, I re-attached it this morning with a new dot. I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! #$%@!, I knew it! I should have re-did it yesterday afternoon.

Hopefully, there wasn't a ton of information from when I was sleeping. Still, it's 6 of my precious recorded 48 hours...


Cheers!
mouse

Disappointment

Dear Friends and Family,

I got a phone call yesterday from the recruiter. The company I had interviewed with decided thanks, but no thanks. I asked for feedback from the recruiter on what the process.

For now, it's back to the drawing board.


Cheers!
mouse

Health Update II

Dear Friends and Family,

Went to the hospital yesterday for a follow-up with the doctor on all of the tests they've been running. They've pretty much ruled out heart attack and heart disease which is a good thing. And, all of the different blood work looks normal. Thyroid is doing it's job. Salts in balance. Okay...

Overall, should be feeling fine. But, obviously, I'm not. The pain is intermittent now. And, the intensity has gone down. But, it still occurs a couple of times each day. I go in today for a Holter monitor. It's essentially a portable monitor you wear 24/7 that monitors your heart rhythms. I wear it for 48 hours and they see what they can find. If nothing shows up, I get the "rest until the symptoms go away" treatment. If something shows up, then, we go from there. Follow-up in three weeks to see how I'm doing overall.

I do have the option of just finding a cardiologist if I want the extra piece of mind. I'll see how this week progresses...

There was one interesting blip in my otherwise beautiful blood work. Cholesterol... Total number low which is great, but the HDL was low too. HDL is the "good" cholesterol. The doctor didn't seem worried. She recommended regular cardiovascular exercise once I get the all clear to go to the gym again. But, I've been trying to do some reading on how else to boost it.

1. How to boost your "good" cholesterol
2. 10 Ways to Help Boost Your 'Good' Cholesterol

Maybe now is a good time to incorporate two more changes to my Weight Watchers routine. Good health guideline #4 is Have some healthy oil (olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, or flaxseed) each day. "Some" equates to 2 tsp a day. I've got little to lose by adding it in (besides 2 points a day) so I'll give it a try. And, the other change is swapping out beef for fish. Now, beef is part of my culinary heritage, and I'm not going to give it up altogether, it's just a balance thing.

I'll keep you posted.


Cheers!
mouse

Leaves Begone!

Dear Friends and Family,

The weekend went by in a flurry.

Friday night I went over to see Mr. mouse. Saturday morning haircut. Nice clean, sharp interview haircut just in case. And, Saturday afternoon we came back so Mr. mouse could rake. We had a showing Saturday afternoon :)

Slept in Sunday. Mr. mouse raked the back while I tried a new recipe for tortilla soup. The raking turned out fabulous, the soup not so much. It was too bland and salty. Mr. mouse added a chipotle pepper and some cumin. Much better.

Here's a sneak peek of what's to come this week. I'm tempted to write about it all now, but, then, it becomes tough to categorize. I've become a slave to my own structure. What have I done to myself?!?!

• Tuesday: Health Update II
• Wednesday: (Red)
• Thursday: Bargain Hunter Strikes Again
• Friday: TBD

Running behind. Mr. mouse set the alarm for 4:21 pm vs. 4:21 am by accident. Happy Monday!


Cheers!
mouse

Plateau?

Dear Friends and Family,

Good morning.

I'm a little frustrated with Weight Watchers. Or rather, I'm frustrated with my lack patience. When I dropped from 24 points a day to 22, the weight came off like mad for a couple of weeks before I steadied out to a pound a week. Now, going from 22 points a day to 20, nada. I've been the same weight for three weeks running...

I've got a couple of hypotheses. First, since I am now in the "less to lose" category, it will be a slower game and I need to adjust my expectations accordingly. Second, I've been sick and being sick always throws everything off and once I feel better things will hit their stride. Third, there was a plateau I hit about 10 pounds ago where my weight didn't change, but my body did, and this is what's going on again and I just need to be patient. Fourth theory, too much processed foods and I need to start eating more natural foods. Fifth theory, I had a couple of weeks of eating all of my points (regular, activity, flex) and I need to going back to just eating what my body needs. And, last but not least, sixth theory, I am not eating enough and I need to "shake it up a bit" with something like the Wendie Plan where you use a very jagged distribution of the flex points. Oh, and just thought of one more. Seventh theory, I need to do a better job of following the 8 Good Health Guidelines, not just about dairy but all of them.

So, how to test these hypotheses? Lord knows. A proper design of experiment using, say four weeks per effect, would take 20,160 weeks or about 380 years. A totally different issue might arise between now and year 2386... I guess there is no way of knowing for sure which of these theories holds true. Maybe I just need to be patient and as long as I'm not gaining, take each week as it comes...

C'est la vie.


Cheers!
mouse

Test

Dear Friends and Family,

Just a test as my blog is currently showing up as someone else's chess blog...


mouse

PS: Hmm... Posting fixed the problem. Weird.

Health Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Good morning.

Still taking it nice and easy. My heart/chest is feeling a little better. Still some discomfort, but the intensity is down from Saturday. And, yesterday, it went from a constant dull ache to an intermittent dull ache. I feel it this morning, but we'll see if it continues throughout the day.

On a positive note, it definitely hasn't gotten any worse.

Last night, I conquered a food quandry. I had five points left for dinner... I had lunch and then found out we were having lunch brought in for our meeting... I was intending on skipping lunch at the meeting, but our admin, bless her heart, knowing I am on Weight Watchers brought a special lunch just for me. So, being socially correct, I thanked her and had my two point soup. How sweet is she?

Which brings me to dinner... Five points and nothing coming to mind... Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle soup and a slice of toast? Lean Cuisine? Would work, but sounded too processed. Inspiration hit as I was walking to the car. Supermarket sushi. I got 6 pieces of sushi and 8 pieces of sashimi for dinner. Nice.

Good article in the New York Times on snacking. Trixie, any chance of convincing you to order the book for me from Amazon with your free shipping?

This morning, no caffeine after 6:30 and no food after 8:30 to prepare for my stress EKG. I find out all of the results next Monday, hopefully.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Yesterday marked the end of our Indian Summer. We had our first snow flakes and the wind shook a lot of trees bare.

Clutter Control, Simplicity Part II

Dear Friends and Family,

Not a lot to write today. Still feeling the same. Sleeping more. Waiting on test results. Waiting on interview feedback.

Today is a good day to take stock of more ways to simplify my life. What's on this week's docket to make life less complex for Mr. mouse and me?

1. I have a business trip to Orlando later this month. Was seriously toying with taking the Friday after the trip off and making a long weekend in the theme parks with Mr. mouse and a couple of my friends from Atlanta. But, decided not to. That's one more weekend of activities to plan, hotel and theme park tickets to purchase, travel arrangements for Mr. mouse, and too much at this point. The icing on the cake is Mr. mouse pointed out I can't ride and rides now with ye olde heart condition anyway. Done and done.
2. I need to return the rest of my baseball playoff tickets. Total outlay, $35 + shipping and handling. Not bad for the real option value of the tickets. Still, good to be done with sweating those details.
3. Old Navy... I went on a shopping expedition to Old Navy with a colleague at work. And, we bought a bunch of new clothes for me. Some of it isn't my style, but I bought it anyway. I am seriously tempted to return it. Why spend money on clothes I'm not going to wear? Time to return the stuff and be done with it.
4. Hangers. I have a pile of plastic hangers from my recent shopping excursions and I don't use plastic hangers... A girlfriend told me she is short on plastic hangers. So, I need to dump those puppies all is a paper bag and bring them to work. Out of my life and into hers. Sounds like a good exchange of karma.
5. Food. Need to simplify what I eat. Less packaged foods, more simple ingredients. The fake food needs to leave the house. After all, why should I have pre-made spaghetti sauce when I can make my own just as easily? How did a craving for Jell-O pudding get past my vigilant guard? Working on getting it all back under control. Must break this recent plateau, although I'm not really sweating the plateau yet. Just want to get the food back to the core food groups.

Hopefully, all of these things will, in the long run, make life less complex for me. Small steps, but progress nonetheless.


Cheers!
mouse

Stonyfield Farm Organic Fat Free Milk

Dear Friends and Family,

With all of the heart scares I've been having, I'm taking a back to the basics approach - less prepared foods, more natural ingredients.

Looking at Weight Watchers' Eight Good Health Guidelines, #3 is include two servings of milk products each day.


There have been articles about how consuming dairy MAY aid in weight loss. (e.g. French Women's Diet Secret: Yogurt)

The question on dairy is what and what brand. I inherently think organic has to be better. Ideally, I'd like grass fed cows vs. grain fed cows. No antibiotics, no steroids, no growth hormones. I want that old school ideal - cows let out to pasture every day to graze on naturally growing grass come back to the barn each night to be milked by hand...

For now, I'll stick with Stonyfield Farm, even if Business Week wrote about the Organic Myth using them as an example of what can go wrong with organic. They're sold at my local food co-op. I'll do more research once I have the time.

In addition to my daily yogurt, I've added a cup of skim milk with dinner every night.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: going in this morning for more lab work - two more vials of blood... probably won't know anything new until next Monday when I go in for my follow-up appointment.

Motor City, USA

Dear Friends and Family,

The SD card is not cooperating, so no photos until I can figure it out.

Friday evening, I flew out to see Mr. mouse. We had my favorite for dinner and then turned in early for an early morning trip out to southeastern Michigan to see friends, eat broasted chicken and get our teeth cleaned.

Saturday night was a bit of a scare. I'm not sure if you remember a small postscript from awhile ago. I had a heart scare one night. Next day, went to urgent care and they said they couldn't diagnose unless I was having an incident right then and there... It went away. Seemed like a one-time freak incident. Didn't think twice about it.

Last Thursday night, it felt weird again. Not for long. Not in the same way. Just not quite right. And, then, Friday, at work, it happened again. A noticeable change in the "depth" of each heart beat. Fifteen minutes later... Nada mas... Hmm... Saturday morning, again, not quite right. A slight discomfort and uneasiness. It goes away after I sleep and eat. Doesn't bother me enough to keep my from playing tackle football with BB and JB who are 80 and 83 pounds apiece and unable to really do serious damage yet. Saturday night... There it is again... And, five hours later, it's still bugging me. So, we head into the emergency room.

They take a bunch of blood to run some tests. They take an EKG to make sure I'm not having a heart attack. They take x-rays to check for blood clots. All they come up with is perhaps I have an inflammation of the sack around my heart. I get discharged and sent home. They strongly recommend I go to an doctor to get further testing done. Fortunately, I scheduled an appointment for today, three weeks ago when I had the first incident.

Sunday, Mr. mouse let me sleep in. I slept until 2:30 pm, considering we got home from the hospital around 3 am... Flew home Sunday evening. Quiet night last night. Still slight discomfort this morning.

One thing I learned in the hospital is how different the body is awake and asleep. Awake, my resting heart rate is ~70 bpm. Asleep, it's closer to ~45 bpm. Wow. That's a big difference. I committed to myself that I'd get more sleep on a regular basis. It does a body good.

Off to have my tea. Happy Monday, everyone.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse's New Clothes

Dear Friends and Family,

I had one of the best days yesterday.

Mr. mouse bought me a new pair of jeans because my old jeans had gotten too big to wear. And, on Sunday, in our mad dash through the mall, I picked up a new top. It's a simple black button down, but it's fitted, made from a stretch material, and you wear it untucked.

Yesterday, I paired the jeans with the top and my old old boots. I had a manicure from Monday when my cuticles were driving me crazy.

Well, all four women in my department said super nice things to me about how good I looked, especially Frenchie. She is so funny. She just got back from France and I didn't realize how much I missed her until now.

Then, two people from my old department gave me big time compliments too.

Now, I know I'm doing Weight Watchers for my health. But, the positive reinforcement, it's huge. Yesterday, to hear so many people say so many positive things, was almost surreal.

I'll have days in the future when I need to remind myself to keep me motivated. Now, I just need to look back on this.


Cheers!
mouse

Simplicity = Bliss

Dear Friends and Family,

Rise and shine, it's 3:45 in the morning. Cock a doodle doo.

Wow. My mind is reeling. It's way too early to be up.

I brought home work on Tuesday night, but procrastinated. I'll do it Wednesday before the game... Then, got worked up preparing Wednesday for my phone interview, figured burn the midnight oil and work Wednesday night. Well, a close girlfriend from Atlanta called last night, so here I am. Thursday morning, getting down to business.

More importantly, what to update you on? I feel a little constrained with the whole category thing to write about only one topic, making my job easier, later, when I need to go bin it into a category... At our conferences last week, a quote from one of the speakers really stuck with me:

"Simplicity is complexity resolved."

It's that simple. I've been thinking about it a lot. If simplicity is complexity resolved, then you can think of it in small baby steps. Each thing that simplifies life in a little way is a step in the right direction. Right now, our lives are amazingly complex. Mr. mouse and I take it a step further by living in two separate cities. But, I also tie ownership of "stuff" to complexity. Each thing you own needs to be accounted for, found a space for, used/accommodated/consumed, evaluated, maintained, etc. The list never ends.

I've been recently thinking a lot before buying anything. Anything I buy adds to my list of things I own. Yesterday, that manifested itself at Target in chocolate. Chocolate on sale... So tempted, but then the thought of one more thing in the house kinda grossed me out. So, didn't get the chocolate.

This is not an issue in the mouse house. Fortunately, we moved a lot of "stuff" to the mouse pad before putting it on the market. But, it is an issue in the mouse pad. I'm not there on a daily basis to contain the stuff and Mr. mouse is a pack rat. I wish he knew how much mental and emotional baggage carting around all the stuff we own is for me. To be able to toss or donate it all would be heaven for me. Maybe once I move there, it'll be easier to tackle.

And, the never-ending list of chores. With his crazy work schedule and being here half the weekends, nothing ever gets done at the mouse pad. So, that weighs on me too. All in all, life will be simpler and a lot less complex once we live together. And, I'm looking forward to it.

Keep your fingers crossed for us.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: (7:40 am update) decided to take action on my thoughts... (1) gave an unused router to our neighbors, (2)threw out some old Republic of Tea tea that I really didn't like, (3) tossed some old crackers lurking in the back of the cabinet, (4) folded up all of my old/too big pants for donation and (5) I'll think of something by end of day for (5).

PPS: (8:05 am update) (5) recycled the plastic cup I got at the game yesterday... I originally brought it home for Mr. mouse, but decided no, we don't need to add that to our collective "stuff." I'm feeling better already.

Categories

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm going to skip this morning's journal entry and categorize one more month.


Cheers!
mouse

Macaroni Grill - Chicken Florentine Salad

Dear Friends and Family,

We went out for lunch yesterday at work to Macaroni Grill.

I printed out their menu from Weight Watchers ahead of time so I could plan out my meal. I was really surprised, they've been busy adding a lot of restaurants to their database making eating out a lot easier than it was before. For instance, they had Chipotle, Starbucks, Caribou and lots more. Now, I can just look and see what's low in points instead of having to go to the restaurant's website, look for nutritional info, then type it in. Much easier.

With my new 20 point limit, I was originally planning on a 4 point lunch. So, I looked at the menu ahead of time to see what four points would buy me. Either the house Caesar salad without dressing or the house garden salad without dressing for two points. Lentil bean soup would be another two points. We had a plan.

They were out of the soup. They had Italian Herb... Fortunately, I printed out the list and brought it with me in case a friend wanted to peek and check. So, I ordered the Chicken Florentine Salad without dressing. It was a nice blend of chopped salad and orzo with olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and other bits. Total cost? Seven points. My fall back was the Margherita Pizza. Half the pie is 10 points, so 50% more than the salad, but, it's pizza.

If we go back to Macaroni Grill, I'd probably order the Chicken Florentine Salad again.

Cheers!
mouse

PS: categories functional :) I'll be adding historical information once I have the time and motivation...

Roof Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse is tearing apart the mouse pad. It's raining really hard there, and for the FIRST time, we're (at least one of us) home to witness it. Guess what? Yep. You guessed it. The roof is leaking water into the house again.

While the leaking is definitely a bum deal, finally having the opportunity to inspect it while in progress to try and get a clue is so much better than finding the residual damage when you get home... Then, you don't have a #$%@! clue what happened. You just see the results.

So, he's cutting into the ceiling drywall to try and get at root cause. And, he thinks he has a handle on what caused the stairway damage. Not sure, but I think he's focusing on the ceiling to try and figure that one out first. Guess he's not getting any sleep tonight.

I, on the other hand, should turn in. I've had a horrible case of the munchies and really have had enough to call it a night.


Cheers!
mouse

Weekend Update - Oct 2, 2006

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry for the long radio silence. I didn't have access to a secure line on Friday morning so I couldn't write my entry for the day. That being said, I might hold until Wednesday before doing a full debrief... Thursday's interviews went okay, two went very well, one went okay. I'm reading into it that there are personalities that come into play. But, I might be wrong. We'll see... I have one more phone interview on Wednesday with the EVP. Will keep y'all posted.

I caught a flight to Austin on Thursday evening to visit ye olde orthodontist. Well, the whole thing turned into an ABSOLUTE debacle that ended in Mr. mouse buying me a last-minute one-way ticket home. End goal accomplished, but at a final tally of $400+. Fun. Fun. Will write more on this later this week. Boy, I have a ton of catch up posts. Patience.

Onto the weekend. Saturday, I slept in. I mean, I really slept in. Mr. mouse finally woke me. It was 10 minutes to 1 (in the afternoon). I could have slept longer if he didn't wake me. I guess my body needed it. Wow. So, most of Saturday was already accounted for by the time I woke up. After "morning tea" and "breakfast", it was already a little after two o'clock.

We spent the afternoon and evening doing stuff around the mouse pad.



We finished assembling the chair/settee set (two chairs, one settee) we bought off of eBay for the living room. We'll eventually swap them out for real furniture once we have time and money to do the room right. But, for now, they're great. We have seating. We also moved a ton of stuff downstairs into storage where it belonged. And, moved the TV upstairs. Mr. mouse has been watching TV for the past year and half on a portable DVD player which can now be just a just that, a portable DVD player.

Sunday, we flew back to the mouse house. We went out for Chinese for lunch. My love-hate affair with real Chinese food continues. It's so good, but sadly, has about 2 tbs of peanut oil in any given dish, definitely not Weight Watchers friendly. Solution? Decided to take Trixie's advice and go for a walk. It was absolutely gorgeous on Sunday. We walked to the lake, did a circuit and walked back for a good 90 minute walk. Felt a lot less guilt (and heft) from lunch after the walk.

Afterwards, we hit the mall to pick up the last of the pants alterations and a new top that came in. And, we couldn't resist. We bought a baseball jersey now that we're in the post-season. Mr. mouse and I got tired of sharing, so, we each have our own now.

And, that was the weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

Writing, from the top of the Empire State Building...

Dear Friends and Family,

Just kidding. I am not in New York. And, I am definitely not on top of the Empire State Building. I AM at the mouse pad. And, I brought my laptop, so it is weird writing from here with my computer vs. Mr. mouse's hand-me-down klunker.

Just having my morning tea and psyching myself out for the interview this afternoon. I should have taken the summer off to enjoy here in mouse town. It would have been time well spent. Sigh... Such is life.

The last two days at work were great. I went to a conference on leadership that was SO inspirational. So many great people. So many great speakers. So much commitment and passion and energy. On the surface, so many opportunities. It's easy to forget the day-by-day hell that is my reality and get sucked into the dream of what we can be. In the past two weeks, I've heard the two top leaders tell me, in small settings, the vision, the future. I want to stay. I want to do this. But, I can't. My department doesn't work that way. I want to tell them, your vision, it gets lost in the execution of bad managers and bad departments.

So, I go into the interviews today with hope and determination and a sense of loss. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me. I hope it all works out for "the best."

On a lighter note, on the radio the other day driving into work, I heard the old Michael McDonald song, "I Keep Forgetting." Again, transposing it from romance to work... you can see why I laugh!

I keep forgettin we're not in love anymore
I keep forgettin things will never be the same again
I keep forgettin how you made that so clear
I keep forgettin every time that you are near

Did it put a smile on your face too?


Cheers!
mouse

PS: (11:17 am update) just lazing on the hammock. love the roof top deck. gonna eat lunch up there. fabulous.

Kauai Update, Part 4D - What I Learned

Dear Friends and Family,

Busy day today. But, want to take the time this morning to reflect on some thoughts from one of my favorite books... There are books I read once and donate and there are books I can read over and over again. Age of Innocence (ISBN: 0375753206) is one of those books I can read over and over again. The movie doesn't do it justice. The rich language just gets lost in the movie... Unlike, Lord of the Rings, Jackson did a phenomenal job carrying Tolkein's language into film.

Back to Age of Innocence. It centers around a character, Newland, and two women. There's a passage from the end, that always makes me think...

"His days were full, and they were filled decently. He supposed it was all a man ought to ask. Something he knew he had missed: the flower of life. But he thought of it now as a thing so unattainable and improbable that to have repined would have been like despairing because one had not drawn the first prize in a lottery. There were a hundred million tickets in his lottery and only one prize; the chances had been too decidedly against him... Their long years together had shown him that it did not matter if marriage was a dull duty, as long as it kept the dignity of duty: lapsing from that, it became a mere battle of ugly appetites."

Okay. My lesson? It's not about Mr. mouse. It's about work.

There was a corporate session I attended back in school for Exxon. And, asking about the assignment people enjoyed most - they all came up with the same story. There was this assignment, I didn't want to take it, surprisingly it turned out to be the best assignment in my life because... My thoughts? Great. But, for those people where it didn't turn out to be the best assignment, they're probably not here to tell their story. They might have left the company. They might not be recruiting. All I could take away is that Exxon sent its people on assignments they don't want. Thanks, but no thanks.

Well, yesterday (reinforcement from vacation), we heard a ton of inspirational speakers talk about the success of women in the work environment. But, you don't hear about the people who didn't win Newland's "lottery". These are executives who against the odds made it work. Great, but maybe I won't be as lucky. I didn't say as good. I said as lucky.

Back to the quote. Putting the job/career lens on it. Maybe, maybe, I'll miss the "flower of life" with regards to work. Maybe it won't be the center of my life. Maybe, it'll in the end be a dull duty I do with human dignity. And, maybe that's okay. Maybe that's what's allocated to me in this life and I need to learn what lessons I can from it. I'm okay with that.

So, I am looking forward tomorrow. But, with open eyes. I hope it's a place I can excel and challenge myself and learn and grow. But, if it's not the be-all end-all. That's okay, too.

Wish me luck!


Cheers!
mouse

Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Dear Friends and Family,

Long day ahead of loose ends to set up a successful week.

Saturday, at the supermarket, Mr. mouse noticed some uber-ripe avocados. He picked up two to make some guacamole with... I could hardly wait... He also picked up a second can of Ro*Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies. (He wanted to use the first can and keep constant stock.)


Now, he had my curiosity going. Our neighbors in Texas used to rant and rave about Ro*Tel. Mix it with anything and you've got instant Tex-Mex. We've had the can for close to a year now, but had never opened it. Looks like we were going to be opening the can of Ro*Tel.

The can says it all.

RO*TEL is the original Texas family recipe of plump, vine-ripened tomatoes blended with select green chilies and flavorful spices. It's the secret ingredient that makes ordinary recipes and dips come alive. A secret that originated in the sun-drenched Rio Grande Valley and spread across the country by word of mouth. Why? Because this Southwestern favorite brings mouth-watering zest to any dish. Just add RO*TEL to all your same old recipes and you'll see what we mean. Add a can. Lose the bland! You can RO*TEL the difference! For great recipes, visit us at www.ro-tel.com.

Not for the faint-hearted. A single serving of Ro*Tel delivers a whopping 22% of your daily sodium allowance. Then, again, doubt you'll consume a single serving in a single serving. I had about a quarter serving in my guacamole. Given last week's heart incident, this might not have been the smartest thing to do. Oh well. Too late now.

The guac was yummy. And, I've got to say, I started thinking of a million and one things I'd like to try adding it to... Chili... Chicken... Cheese... Fajitas... It got me looking forward to my trip back to Austin this weekend. I can hardly wait.


Cheers!
mouse

Weekend Update - Loose Ends

Dear Friends and Family,

Having trouble getting my act together today. Might be because I have so much going on this week.

1. There's work, which, Murphy's Law guarantees gets hectic just when other stuff starts getting hectic. We spent all day today working on a presentation that isn't due for another month.
2. Then, I'm out two days for an offsite. This involves driving to new places, change in eating routine, and lots of stuff going on that I haven't prepared for.
3. Then, there's my interview on Thursday and all the prep work associate with it.
4. Then, I'm flying down Friday to get my retainer fixed. It's been broken for weeks and this is the first good chance to get it taken care of.

Basically, too many loose ends, logistically. I need to make a list and get my hands around it all. Any one would be enough to handle in a week, much less all four. Argh.

This weekend went by in a blur. Saturday, we slept in. Then, we spent the day unpacking all of my fall clothes and assessing how much of it is still usable. We hit the supermarket. We roasted a chicken for dinner. We watched a lot of TV. Where did the day go? Sunday, we slept in. We spent the day cleaning the house from top to bottom. Then, our neighbors came over and we helped them spec out a new computer. Looked at pictures from Labor Day (which I still need to write about) and our Kauai vacation. Had a simple dinner. And, there went the weekend.

Feeling like having a special treat before organizing my head around what needs to be done this week. So many little details, so little time.


Cheers!
mouse

80% Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

I won't have time to post the weekend update until later this evening. But, had to share my weekly weigh-in with you.

Another 10%!!!

Yeah, me. Chin up about the work day ahead.


Cheers!
mouse

Sleepless in the Midwest

Dear Friends and Family,

I had a bad dream about work. So, instead of taking Mr. mouse to the airport, I sent him in a cab. I'm going to finish off some slides. Hopefully, I'll write more later this morning.

#$%@! work.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse Working

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm going to be working on adding formatting to the right hand side for categories. Excuse the mess while I'm working on it. Most of it won't be functional until I'm done.


Cheers!
mouse

Slow and Steady

Dear Friends and Family,

This was my first week working on finding a new job.

So, what did I do? I wanted to make sure, every day, I do something proactive, no matter now small, to move the ball forward. Monday, I picked up my suit (I had some alterations done on it). Tuesday, I made travel arrangements for an interview next week. Wednesday, I cleared through most of my email inbox so it's usable again. Thursday, I reached out to a friend. He's sending me three people I can network with. I also began compiling references. Today, I'm going to finish the references. So, not earth shattering progress, but it's a start. We'll see how next week goes.

It's been cold here all week. And, last night it rained, not the breezy, warm summer rain, but the first of the cold, wet autumn rains. Speaking of which, today's the official start of fall. Enjoy! (since winter's right around the corner)


Cheers!
mouse

Kauai Update, Part 4C - What I Learned

Dear Friends and Family,

Lots to cover this morning...

Rewind to Kauai... Actually, this all started before Hawaii and continues, but it happened in the time frame, and culminated in Kauai so I'm taking the liberty of including it here.

I was in Korea the summer of 1998. I had a summer internship out there that was hell on wheels. Well, towards the end of summer, a couple of friends invited me on a hike up a famous mountain on the border of Seoul. It was a tough hike, but when we got to our vantage point, I had a chance to reflect on the summer overall.

I realized, at the time, that while the summer had been an abysmal failure, that if Mr. mouse had been in Korea with me, I would have been okay. We would have found a way to make it work. I left with a faith the Mr. mouse and I could, as a team, always land on our two (technically, four) feet and make it through any tough situations okay. I left the mountain with renewed faith. Maybe it was naive, but, it was where I was in my life's journey.

Fast forward eight years to this summer. There was a day when work was going "poorly" and Mr. mouse wasn't being supportive... And, I was at wits end. What's the correlation? Well, in Kauai, when we were up on the "mountain" in Waimea Canyon, I felt alone. Now, our relationship is stronger now than it's ever been. But, I felt alone. And, it all crystallized...

Maybe, the only person I can truly count on, always and forever, is me. And, maybe, it won't all end up okay in the end. Maybe, it'll be a bust... Now, don't think I'm being a downer or anything or think I don't value the love and support I get from you all. It's actually very refreshing and liberating, truth be told. It frees Mr. mouse from the burden of savior and champion and let's him be "merely" friend and companion. And, it frees me from running around in mental circles. It's GOT to end okay, so what assumption am I making wrong? what angle am I missing? what action is within my control? ARGH! Help! Instead, it allows me to say, maybe, it isn't going to be okay. Maybe, I'm assessing it all correctly and it is going to suck. Now, that's an okay ending. I can move on instead of trying to find the missing piece.

On the surface, Waimea Canyon could have driven us further apart. Instead, it brought us closer together.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: I had a pretty bad scare last night. Had some funny stuff go on with the heart. Thought of going into the emergency room, but didn't. Will probably go in today, if Mr. mouse can find me a appointment, to get it looked at. I'm sure it'll all be fine, but it scared me last night.

Mouse's Top Three Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Not sure if you remember me writing before about my top 3. What it comes down to is I can focus on three things at any given time. With the change in seasons, it's time to revisit my priorities and make sure they're aligned with my goals.

My health and wellness. That's a given. It's not as all-consuming as it was, but it's still very important to me and something I want to continue making progress on.

My job hunt. Time to get that rolling. Time to start networking and reaching out to people I know.

Hmmm... There's tons of things I can put on the list. There's maintaining the house, there's keeping up with friends. There's my day job. But, there's one that's less urgent, more important. There's working to simplify our lives. And, that's one that's important to both Mr. mouse and me. I think I'll go with simplifying our lives. Oh, and there's budget. And, there's new wardrobe. The list never ends.

So, I've already done two things that run counter to simplifying our lives. One, I bought baseball play-off tickets which involves reselling tickets for games we can't go to and eventually submitting for a refund for tickets that get unused. Two, I agreed to meet up with an old friend whose fiance is in town. He wants to fly in so we can all meet. That involves me getting on a plane and potentially helping him get on a plane. All during a weekend when we were going to get on a plane to a third city. Going forward, simplify.

Okay. So, health, new job and simplification. I can do that. What's the order? I think that's the order. Done.

Oh, here's a bit to report. Yesterday, at the gym, I smiled at myself in the mirror (how vain!) and noticed a dimple in my left cheek. I had completely forgotten I ever had a dimple. And, now it's back. It made my day.


Cheers!
mouse

Mouse and Food

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm drawing an absolute blank on writing about food.

When I started Weight Watchers, I didn't know what ANYTHING was worth. And, when I entered in my food habits/routine the pointage made it unsustainable. So, I found myself at the supermarket, scouring the shelves, trying tons of new food ideas, looking for new foods to add to my routine.

Now, seven months into it, I've "settled" into a new routine, a new lifestyle. There are a lot of food options that work for me so I'm less motivated to constantly add new.

What did I eat yesterday? I always eat a little extra on Mondays because I work out on Tuesdays and need the extra energy. I have 22 points to work with every day and I use ~5-10 of my flex points for an added buffer.

Breakfast (4 points)

• 2 cups tea (0 points)
• 1/2 cup Fiber One (0 points)
• 1 fat free Stonyfield yogurt, plain (1 point)
• 1 large banana (2 points)
• 9 grams almonds (1 point)
• dash of cinnamon (0 points)

Lunch (7 points)

• 2 slices honey whole wheat bread (2 points)
• 2 oz roast beef (2 points)
• 1 tsp butter (2 points)
• lettuce leaf (0 points)
• salt and pepper (0 points)
• 1 bag Lay's Baked Original Chips, 1.125 oz (2 points)

Dinner (16 points)

• 3 Wei Chuan Moo Shu Pancakes (5 points)
• 6 oz Peking duck (10.5 points)
• 1 tbs hoisin sauce (0.5 points)

Three square meals. I didn't feel hungry at any point in the day. I didn't feel like there was anything I wanted that I couldn't eat. I could have had turkey instead of roast beef. I could have skipped on the butter. I should have gotten more fruits and vegetables in. Call it a day and move on.

In case you haven't guessed, that means I've got no new food item for you this week. There's some new bread I bought, but I don't have a report out on it yet.


Cheers!
mouse

Weekend Update - Midwestern Mouse

Dear Friends and Family,

Hope your weekend went as well as ours.

Friday's blood donation went without a hitch. Short of donating online to your favorite charity, it's one of the easiest ways to give back. Also, since it's got zero impact on the checkbook, anyone can do it guilt-free.

Saturday morning, I did a VERY Midwestern Soccer Mom thing. I went stamping. One of my girlfriends is really into it. And, it's not a bad way to spend a couple of hours each quarter. I haven't found a use for the cards yet, so I'm not sure it's all making 100% sense to me. Maybe I should sell them... Or find the time to fill them out and share them with friends... Something... Still it was a good way to catch up with her and I have to confess, I had fun.

Saturday afternoon, I had even more fun. I napped. Blissful napping on the weekend. Life doesn't get any better than this. We went out in the evening to pick up a suit I had altered and ended up spending the better part of the evening shopping. I'm down another size pants-wise so we picked up a bunch of pairs. Nice.

Sunday morning, we met up with a friend to try a new restaurant. Malaysian food. I love trying new places. And, my friend raved about this one. It was delicious, as good as the Malaysian food we have with Mr. mouse's folks when we visit them over the holidays. We had the roti canai, which is a crepe-like "bread" served with chicken curry sauce. So yummy, I could eat the whole thing by myself. This is my all-time favorite Malaysian dish. We also had the chicken satay for an appetizer. For entrees, we ordered three dishes to share amongst us. We had the pineapple seafood fried rice, a nice blend of sweet and savory. We had the Malaysian green beans which are stir-fried in a spicy shrimp paste. And, we had the Hainan chicken, a simple soy sauce chicken dish.





And to close, this weekend, barring an Indian summer, was the last weekend of good weather we had. This morning was a brisk fall morning with a definite bite in the air.

Happy Monday, everyone.


Cheers!
mouse

Kauai Update, Part 4B - What I Learned

Dear Friends and Family,

I've signed up to give blood today. Mr. mouse is very proud of me. He called me the second I wrote him to tell him.

So, what else did I learn while on vacation?

As most or all of you know, I've been on Weight Watchers since February of this year. And, I consistently lose, on average, about a pound a week. I don't have a lot of mirrors at home. And, I don't spend a lot of time looking in the mirrors I do have. With the weight coming off as slowly as it has, it's tough to realize you're making progress.

This was the first "vacation" trip we've taken since February. Looking at the photos, I can see the difference, finally. I can see that I've lost weight. I can see progress. It felt so good. It made all of the hard work worthwhile. It motivated me for all the hard work to come. Yeah, mouse!

Another observation I made is that if we had taken this trip a couple of months ago, say in early July, it would have been a completely different trip. I remember stressing pretty badly over food and social situations over the spring and summer. Now, granted time with Mr. mouse is hardly a social situation. He knows what I eat and what I don't eat. And, more importantly, I still pretty much control the menu. In July, I would have stressed pretty badly. I didn't. I made it through Kauai without getting bent out of shape about food.

That being said. I'm also more in tune with my body. I can still feel Kauai affecting my metabolism. Granted, I didn't gain any weight on vacation, even with all of the different foods we ate. But, I "know" that I won't lose much weight over the next four weeks. I'll be "good" but won't see progress. Then, my body will sort itself out again and I'll be "rewarded" for "good" behavior. The time lag is weird, but it's okay. It's part of my body's rhythm, and I can anticipate it, so it's okay.

Enough about food. Onto my ankle... The last time I was in Hawaii was early 2005. I had a bum ankle and had my surgery scheduled for just after my return from the trip. The surgery was a huge success and the physical therapy an even bigger success. It couldn't have gone more smoothly. So, I was curious to see how it'd hold up on this trip.

I was definitely aware of the ankle when we were at Queen's Bath. The uneven rock formations would have been my absolute undoing last year. But, this year, they tired my ankle out, but I made it through them just fine. To be honest, I could have used better shoes, but, I managed in my trusty Chacos. Note to self, time to replace the Chacos.

That afternoon, on Kee Beach, my ankle hurt pretty badly when I was walking in the super wet sand, the kind that pulls your foot in and makes little sucking sounds when you pull your feet up. I was also goofing around with walking stride and foot positioning and everything which was probably the straw the broke the proverbial camel's back. But, I left the beach with a bad limp. The next morning, was all better.

Next time, I'll wear better shoes. And, I think I'll be fine.

Still, signs of progress.

Wish me luck on the blood donation today.


Cheers!
mouse