Yeah, I did yesterday, just didn't get a chance to post. Unfortunately, my scale doesn't like me - I'm only down a total of one pound from my start weight despite sticking pretty well to my diet and exercise. Will need to do some serious thinking about what else I can change. I can say quite confidently that between cutting calories and exercising I should be down a minimum of 6 pounds by now, just on calorie counts, so clearly I am still having metabolic problems. I will outsmart my thyroid yet, though! I will not give in to the frustration!
One thing I will change - I have been doing my treadmill a lot, rather than lifting weights. I think I need to alternate them more consistently.
Well, our community has been rocked by a catastrophic crisis in the world of surfing. The company that makes 90% of the worldwide supply of surfboard foam blanks (which are then shaped by shapers into surfboards, and finished by glassers who coat them) - has abruptly gone out of business.
This is an industry still dominated by small artisans, who craft boards by hand, in one or two-man shops. Every one of them has had their livelihood screech to a halt.
No new surf boards for Christmas (my H was just about to order a custom one). Layoffs in all the glassing shops. Lost income to all the surf shops that sell finished boards. Small shapers will be forced out of business. It is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions in the surf industry.
And since this one company dominated the supply of foam blanks by virtue of its secret, proprietary manufacturing techniques - it will be a while before other suppliers can fill the void.
The only person whose business will go up, is the guy who runs the ding repair shop - people will have to keep repairing their old boards for the near future.
Now - this may seem like a non-event to those of you who do not live in a surfing community. But let me just say this - many surfers are like my H: it is their form of self-medication for their depression. I shudder to think of the effects of a prolonged surfboard shortage on the mental health of our community!!!
Funny story about S13 - On the way to school the other morning, he tells me that service industries must be a good way to get rich, because of your low cost of goods. I pointed out to him that, in a service industry, you are limited by how many hours a week you can produce, or, if you hire others, you have a significant investment in hiring and training. I said generally, people make more money in retail, where you can ramp up your sales without having to increase how much time you invest by a proportionate amount. I said that's why Friend X, who runs a small landscaping business, will never be as rich as Friends Y and Z, the founders of Reef Brazil sandal company (famous for the "Reef girls",its Brazilian models in thong swimsuits used in all its advertising).
S13 says - maybe Friend X WOULD be as rich if he used naked women's hineys on HIS advertising!
Well, it's the day before my period starts so I decided not to weigh myself this morning - I know it will just be discouraging and unreliable - will do so later in the week, I promise.
On other fronts - we took S13 (almost 14) off his ADD meds this weekend. He has mild Tourette's, and this fall we finally tried meds for the ADD component. He insisted they "didn't do anything" for him, although his grades have been great so far. He changed to high school, though, and has a good group of teachers. Anyway, the past month we have noticed some personality changes - loss of interest in some hobbies, not putting out the same energy he usually does to get together with friends. He denies feeling depressed but it seems pretty clear that he is developing some depression - and it is a risk of the drugs. Also, when we saw his doctor Friday, he had grown 2 inches but only gained one pound since spring (loss of appetite is another side effect).
So - back to looking for other ways to help him with his ADD in the classroom. Hopefully this mild depression will lift as the effect of the drugs wears off and he starts eating a bit more.
D and I went out for a "girls night" last night and saw Rent. I had tears streaming down my face by the end. You see, I did my medical training in the 80's. I remember the first AIDS case in our hospital, in a full isolation room, before it was known how it was spread. Only a few years later, as a resident, I had several AIDS patients. One young man, in particular, who died of it, the death scenes with Angel reminded me so much of him and his partner.
You hear so much less about it in the media today, but this tragic disease is still spreading. Be careful out there, everyone.
I didn't know anything about Rent and wanted to go see it. I am always touched by AIDS, we have close family members living with AIDS and one who died. However, never ever be a "flick snitch!" Now, I know that someone dies!
I think that I am not weighing myself often. People keep telling me that I am thinner and must have lost 20 pounds, but I may have lost five or six. And my scale varies 10 pounds in a week!!!! It is so good that you are being consistant with the weight thing.
If I forget my Concerta, I notice because I become tearful. I know that if I stopped completely I would go into a withdrawal from amphetamine depression. So are you tapering?
des
Arguing with reality is like trying to teach a cat to bark—hopeless. (Byron Katie)
No, S's doctor said we did not have to taper off the Concerta. His dose wasn't that high, I don't think. And I can't say I noticed any problems in the past if he missed a few days (happened once or twice). Seemed more like he was grumpier when he started back up after missing a dose.
My dose if pretty low, 36 mg is still a kiddie dose. Missing doses was not a big deal when I took it only for school. However I have been taking it daily for more than a year and so am dependent (as opposed to addicted). When I miss a dose, I begin having symptoms of withdrawal, crying, irritability, sadness etc. Just keep an eye out. You know what to look for.
As for the movie, it just made me laugh. We have a big thing in the family about being a "flick Snitch" people begin yelling, covering their ears and acting pretty silly as they yell "flick snitch, flick snitch". I guess you have to be there...
I am closer to 79-80 kgs. Wow 67 would be amazing! des
des
Arguing with reality is like trying to teach a cat to bark—hopeless. (Byron Katie)
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