The last couple of weeks have been busy and stressful (the type of weeks that try your patience and make you wonder if things are ever going to be normal again). Fortunately, the last couple of weeks have also been filled with some moments of fun/happiness (just enough to keep me from completely losing it)...
Jen Lancaster!
Diana & I attended a reading/signing at Borders last week - despite the fact that it was horribly, terribly unorganized (you wouldn't think it would be so complicated considering Borders does these types of events all the bloody time!), we had a great time & loved meeting Jen (yes, I'm referring to her as "Jen" - we're obviously all BFFs now that we've met).
For those of you who have read her books or her blog: yes, she is just as funny and snarky in person! She was also quite quirky and endearing (she was obviously nervous about speaking in front of a crowd - I found that cute, seeing as she's a pretty big-name author & does events all the time), which was a relief to me. I always wonder if I'll really like the authors I enjoy if I were to meet them in person or if I'll be completely disappointed and end up disliking them afterward (e.g. Amy Sedaris).
When I went up to get my book signed, I suddenly reverted back to that shy little girl who used to hide behind her mother's legs. Seriously, after I said hello, I felt like running back to Diana so that we could compare notes and giggle. Fortunately, Jen took control of the conversation and saved me from making a complete fool of myself. :) After I answered her questions, I got all tongue-tied & overwhelmed again and mumbled something about writing a review of one of her earlier books (my favorite). I know I wasn't completely clear, but she just nodded and smiled graciously as if I weren't a bumbling, crazy fangirl. She gets major points for that one.
Jen's friends and husband, Fletch, were also at the event. Although I would imagine it's a fairly common occurrence, Fletch seemed a little confused when a group of girls approached him and started taking photos (yes, I was in that group). He should know better than to show up at an event filled with women (with cameras!) who have spent the last couple of years reading about him. :)
5k For Midwives
I walked a 5k for midwives with Beebs (who is just months from being a full-blown midwife - she was just starting out as a doula the last time she actually blogged!). It was in the upper 60s and the majority of the walk was along the lakefront in Evanston - perfect weather and beautiful scenery!
Of course, *someone* decided he wanted me to carry him for a chunk of the walk (higher calorie burn!). :) Can you believe how big he is now? He was this teeny-tiny baby just two years ago, which really doesn't seem like that long ago. Now, he's very much a boy - one who seems to be already moving out of that toddler phase.
Everyone who finished the walk got a bag of apples. Weird, but I'm very much into apples, so it was all good with me. During the post-walk wrap up, I was approached by a doula who recognized me from facebook (she's mutual friends with Beebs) - she's the wife of one my favorite students from last semester! She had seen me around facebook and made the connection when her husband told her my name. Such a small world! :)
Hard Work/Good News
25 of those lbs have been since mid-January (when I actually got back into my workout schedule). It's slow-going, but it's going, which is always a good thing. :)
I'll get to the craziness in my next post... I'm on spring break, so I actually have some time to get caught up with everything (unfortunately, most of the stressful/bad stuff that's happening is work-related, so I'm forced to focus on the BS even when school isn't in session - sigh). Now, it's time to go to zumba (aka the hour in which I fling myself around like a fool). :)
6 comments:
I love the idea of a walk for midwives--what a great cause!
Congratulations on the weight loss, that is amazing. Good for you, doing so much of it with exercise. I've only lost about half that much, and I'm doing it with diet pills and doctor's visits, but at least I'm eating healthy. Still, I wish I could find an exercise routine I could live with. Because I'm still not certain about what my diet will be like when I'm no longer dieting. Sigh.
Anyway, hope you manage to enjoy some of your spring break. You certainly deserve it.
well done on the weight loss! that's excellent. kudos for putting for the effort!
So I'm looking for something to read and I saw your post, perhaps I'll check out Lancaster then! Should I start with your favorite or is there an order?
My current fav author is Emily Giffin, but I do wonder what she'd be like in real life.
@rented life: There is an order (they're in order from last to first on the right hand side of her blog); however, you can read Such a Pretty Fat on its own & it would completely make sense. Actually, I read that one first & then went back and read the prior two -- I would say it's the best one to start with to see if you like her style!
I only read one of her books (your favorite), which I truly enjoyed. It was sent to me by a fellow blogger, just like that. Didn't know she had a blog, so thanks for that! Reads like you had a good evening and behave like I totally would, i.e. shy and tongue-tied.
Keep up the great work on the weight loss.
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