How’s it going? Man, it’s been a little while. Things still all right with you? Still Twittering? Far out.
Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to lately:
1. Adding things to the walls and ceiling of my apartment. B and I put up these shelves:
Since I live in an apartment that was built in the fifties, my walls are made of spit and old newspapers, which I guess is what they had available at the time. To get these shelves to stay, we put something like 30 holes in the wall, a few of them MASSIVE and unnecessary, most of them with hefty amounts of wood glue applied to them. I think we did a decent job of making them look nice, but they do not look nice if you get too close. Don’t get too close!
I put my bike up on the ceiling like this:
It does not look good, and I know it. Several of my friends expressed concern that they’d come over, have a couple of drinks, and then end up with their hair tangled in the handlebars of a bicycle. It’s a valid concern. Maybe I should all make them sign waivers when they come over. Or maybe I should just think of something else.
2. Taking a photo every day. This has been interesting, in the sense that I didn’t really think I had good things to take pictures of every day. But I’ve improvised quite a bit, and despite a few lifeless outings I think the first month has gone pretty well.
What has not gone well is this. But I don’t really want to talk about that.
3. Trying out Weight Watchers.
I’ve been hesitant to talk about this because I know I’m within the healthy weight range for my height. I know I look fine. But I’m doing it anyway because of the following things:
a. I don’t feel quite comfortable in my body right now.
b. I’ve gained 30 pounds in the past seven years. I know that part of that is because I’m getting older and my metabolism is slowing down, but
c. The other part of it is that I don’t pay attention to what I eat. I cook for myself more often than most, I eat more vegetables than most, and I don’t drink sodas very often, but I have a definite portion-control problem. When I buy a frozen Amy’s pizza or a box of macaroni and cheese, I eat the whole thing. When I go out to dinner with B I’ll usually eat everything on my plate and a few things from his, and I’ve still got room for dessert.
d. I have a closet full of beloved vintage and handmade clothing that fit me last year or the year before, but does not fit me now. This is monumentally depressing. I can’t re-make the handmade stuff, nor can I replace the vintage stuff easily.
If a-c weren’t factors I’d just let d go, but all four of these things have combined into one unhappy Alison. So Weight Watchers it is. Thus far I’m happy with it. I’ll keep you posted, unless of course it doesn’t go well, in which case I’ll never mention it again! Har har.
Weight Watchers is a good choice. I use it to maintain my weight (I swing up and down by ten pounds or so), and the vintage dresses are a big motivator for me too. That, and not cringing when I see photos of myself.
Congrats on your nesting and creating and nurturing. Go go go!
Weight Watchers was great for me and Chris when we did it. I felt like I was going back to health class in junior high. I learned all over again how to eat healthy. It was exactly the reminder I needed. The struggle with portion control is a common one!
The bike, the bike… is there maybe another room you could hang it from, one with a corner you don’t necessarily need to go near, or without a window? I think the idea of hanging it from the ceiling is very cool, very Seinfeld (I was going to suggest putting it on a blank space of wall, but now that you’ve explained the state of your walls), but practically, I’d be afraid of brushing against it and the whole thing collapsing. Or on a hot night when the window is open, the creeeeaking. I also like what the flickr person said about hanging it up by both wheels–it would be like walking into a funhouse, where up is down and left is right!
Way off topic: I just realised you’re using capitals these days. When did this happen? Was there a post about it? How did I miss it in the first place? I’m supposed to be an editor!
On topic: Good on you for doing something about it. I’m in the same boat these days.
Watch me be weird and answer ahead of Alison.
I used to hang my bike up by both wheels over the window. Couldn’t use the space for anything anyway since it was over a window, and the bike didn’t block light or anything coming in.
I like the bike. If someone gets their hair caught in it – take a picture! That will settle it for the day…
WW rocks.
I would like to know what type of camera you have, because your pictures are awesome. Do you do some sort of work as a photographer as a trade?
I’ve been on the WW (or dub dub, as My Tween calls it) plan for about a month now, and I have to say, once you get in the groove, it does work. Slowly…and some weeks are better than others…but it does work.
I am usally balls out when it comes to any weight loss effort, (which results in the inevitable collapse, cause who can be balls out about anything for an extended amount of time? It’s all balls out then tits up!)
So far WW has not induced balls-out-ness. And it’s pretty easy to get back in the groove if you lose it over a weekend….