That's all I have left of work. Four more days. Unless something unforeseen happens and I need to work a little longer of course. They like me and they really don't want me to go.
I am so excited for this change. I'm nervous about not having the income, but I'm also excited for new possibilities!
One of the things I'm looking forward to is cooking. For many years now I have tried all manner of diets, with no luck. I would always be hungry and I could never kill the cravings. I may have lost 10 pounds, but I would always gain it back.
Yep, same story as so many others.
Until a month ago. On a Friday night after work I swung through Dairy Queen and picked myself up a large chocolate/peanut butter shake. By the time I got home I could barely stay awake, I was grumpy and I felt terrible. I went to bed and slept for 11 hours. I never sleep for 11 hours straight. I knew it was because of something I had eaten and I knew something had to change. The next night I watched the movie "The Perfect Human Diet" on Amazon Prime.
It made sense and I decided to start eating Paleo the next day. This is what I've been eating:
My diet now includes lots of meat and vegetables, as well as a some fruit and seeds and nuts. I wish I had known about this years ago.
I must have been ready for this change, because cutting out the grains and dairy wasn't difficult for me. Over the last month I have lost 22 pounds. It has been amazing! I have not felt hungry at every hour, and I have not had cravings! The lack of cravings has been the most amazing thing! I don't think I have ever known what it was like to not have cravings. My food choices have always been ruled by them. It is so freeing to be able to plan meals based on what I have in the house and what is on sale at the store rather than deciding what to eat based on what sounds good.
The only thing I didn't cut out was my morning coffee and creamer. But in the last two weeks, I started noticing that every creamer was tasting gross and chemically to me, so I have had to switch to heavy cream and honey. I love my morning coffee.
I really cannot wait to see what the next month brings.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
The Ticking of the Clock
Another Sunday morning, another cup of coffee. I would have written on Saturday but there was an awesome garage sale I had to get to early. I met up with my friend Megan and we spent the day looking for deals. Who doesn't love a good deal? Crazy people. That's who! My best buy of the day was an item I had been looking for, but finding for no less than $20, used. Yesterday I found it for $1!!! Its an older version, but it doesn't bother me any.
I'll keep my eyes open for a newer folio version, but this will do very nicely for now. I even managed to find this little gem that should fit nicely inside.
If you can't read it, it's a Vest Pocket Webster Dictionary. Not the be all and end all of dictionaries, but it may be helpful.
The two things I'm still on the hunt for are (and I'm always on the hunt for something) a good picnic basket and a train case. I bought a picnic basket for $1 yesterday that will do until I can find something better that I really like, but by the time I got home I was already not very happy with it.
I'd like to find something like this:
Or this:
So I can bring wine or a thermos along. Or both :)
On another note, A week from Wednesday we will have all the money we'll have to go buy our new home. It will be cheap. Not like the 20 or 30 thousand some others can afford. We would be happy just to have $5,000. We have so little money right now that we are going to have to take what we can get and make the best choice for us based on what is available. We are praying and trusting that God has a plan and has something set aside for us. That He will take care of us as He always has.
Mom and I watched a great documentary last night called "I'm fine thanks". It's about complacency in our lives. They shared stories of people that have started out so much like mine, but I'm hoping mine will end up more like theirs. The movie discussed how, growing up, we are ingrained to live the "American Dream" which goes something like this..... Graduate from high school, go to and graduate from college, get a good job, get married, start a family, retire and then live your dreams. But how many does that actually happen for? What if the American dream isn't my dream? And it isn't. Not anymore. It used to be because that is what I grew up thinking that normal was. I just wanted to be normal. As I got older I cared less about being normal and just wanted fulfillment. What happens if your "American Dream" gets derailed? What do you do if the "American Dream" makes you miserable and you get up everyday hating your life and wondering if it would be better to drive off that embankment you pass on the way to work everyday? What do you do then?
Watching this movie I found myself listening to these peoples stories and saying things like "Sounds like me" and "I've said that", over and over again. It was so good to know that even if the people in my life don't understand, at least somewhere, there are people like me who do understand.
My last day of work is coming quickly,I have 9 days left, but at the same time it seems like it has taken forever. I can't wait to be done, but it will be strange not to get up and go to work everyday. The week after I quite I will begin listing items on eBay to sell. I have a couple boxes in storage ready to take pictures of and get posted. I just need to get my postal scale out.
Life will change and I will adjust. Hopefully we can find a better way to live this life.
Sidenote -
Something just occurred to me as I was writing the last line. A thought came to my mind and it went something along the lines of "Does God really want you to be happy, or does God want you to find happiness in Him despite your circumstances? Why wouldn't God want you to go to a crappy, thankless job you despise that makes you depressed and angry? Wouldn't He just want you to trust Him and lean on Him?" That.....that would be my Christian upbringing. The way the church uses words and phrases makes me crazy. So often they are twisted to make you feel guilty.
I can't help but think that such thoughts are from the enemy. Why wouldn't God want us to try to better our lives? Staying in such a situation is punishing yourself, who says it's from God? Just because something is difficult, doesn't mean God brought it in to our lives or that God wants us to stay there. Go to Him and ask Him what to do! Use the brain He gave you and think for yourself! If it's a situation where God actively put you (you didn't put yourself), and you know for certain that He wants you there, that's one thing. I cannot even begin to imagine how many things get started "in the name of God/Jesus" that He never asked for. It then makes me wonder how much damage has been incurred, on people and on the kingdom, because of such things and it breaks my heart if I think on it too long.
I love Jesus, but I think a lot of his followers do too much following of other influential Christians and not enough thinking and/or studying for themselves. But then, that's how I feel about people in general. Too much listening to others and doing what they say, not enough taking in all the information, including their own thoughts, and then acting on those conclusions. Listening to the government about what is healthy and not healthy in reference to diet is a prime example, but that's for another post.
-end rant-
Have a good week all! I plan to start writing more when I'm done with my job and on the road.
I'll keep my eyes open for a newer folio version, but this will do very nicely for now. I even managed to find this little gem that should fit nicely inside.
If you can't read it, it's a Vest Pocket Webster Dictionary. Not the be all and end all of dictionaries, but it may be helpful.
The two things I'm still on the hunt for are (and I'm always on the hunt for something) a good picnic basket and a train case. I bought a picnic basket for $1 yesterday that will do until I can find something better that I really like, but by the time I got home I was already not very happy with it.
I'd like to find something like this:
Or this:
So I can bring wine or a thermos along. Or both :)
On another note, A week from Wednesday we will have all the money we'll have to go buy our new home. It will be cheap. Not like the 20 or 30 thousand some others can afford. We would be happy just to have $5,000. We have so little money right now that we are going to have to take what we can get and make the best choice for us based on what is available. We are praying and trusting that God has a plan and has something set aside for us. That He will take care of us as He always has.
Mom and I watched a great documentary last night called "I'm fine thanks". It's about complacency in our lives. They shared stories of people that have started out so much like mine, but I'm hoping mine will end up more like theirs. The movie discussed how, growing up, we are ingrained to live the "American Dream" which goes something like this..... Graduate from high school, go to and graduate from college, get a good job, get married, start a family, retire and then live your dreams. But how many does that actually happen for? What if the American dream isn't my dream? And it isn't. Not anymore. It used to be because that is what I grew up thinking that normal was. I just wanted to be normal. As I got older I cared less about being normal and just wanted fulfillment. What happens if your "American Dream" gets derailed? What do you do if the "American Dream" makes you miserable and you get up everyday hating your life and wondering if it would be better to drive off that embankment you pass on the way to work everyday? What do you do then?
Watching this movie I found myself listening to these peoples stories and saying things like "Sounds like me" and "I've said that", over and over again. It was so good to know that even if the people in my life don't understand, at least somewhere, there are people like me who do understand.
My last day of work is coming quickly,I have 9 days left, but at the same time it seems like it has taken forever. I can't wait to be done, but it will be strange not to get up and go to work everyday. The week after I quite I will begin listing items on eBay to sell. I have a couple boxes in storage ready to take pictures of and get posted. I just need to get my postal scale out.
Life will change and I will adjust. Hopefully we can find a better way to live this life.
Sidenote -
Something just occurred to me as I was writing the last line. A thought came to my mind and it went something along the lines of "Does God really want you to be happy, or does God want you to find happiness in Him despite your circumstances? Why wouldn't God want you to go to a crappy, thankless job you despise that makes you depressed and angry? Wouldn't He just want you to trust Him and lean on Him?" That.....that would be my Christian upbringing. The way the church uses words and phrases makes me crazy. So often they are twisted to make you feel guilty.
I can't help but think that such thoughts are from the enemy. Why wouldn't God want us to try to better our lives? Staying in such a situation is punishing yourself, who says it's from God? Just because something is difficult, doesn't mean God brought it in to our lives or that God wants us to stay there. Go to Him and ask Him what to do! Use the brain He gave you and think for yourself! If it's a situation where God actively put you (you didn't put yourself), and you know for certain that He wants you there, that's one thing. I cannot even begin to imagine how many things get started "in the name of God/Jesus" that He never asked for. It then makes me wonder how much damage has been incurred, on people and on the kingdom, because of such things and it breaks my heart if I think on it too long.
I love Jesus, but I think a lot of his followers do too much following of other influential Christians and not enough thinking and/or studying for themselves. But then, that's how I feel about people in general. Too much listening to others and doing what they say, not enough taking in all the information, including their own thoughts, and then acting on those conclusions. Listening to the government about what is healthy and not healthy in reference to diet is a prime example, but that's for another post.
-end rant-
Have a good week all! I plan to start writing more when I'm done with my job and on the road.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Getting Close
The 4th of July has passed and it's been great getting to see my cousins and their little ones. I have 14 days left of work and I am so excited!! I love kids, but I am beyond burned out. I'm ready to see and do new things, even if it means being poor in the process.
Two weeks from this Wednesday we will have pulled together enough money to get something to get us started. It won't be fancy, but we'll be able to head out.
The last few weeks have made me realize that I need to have stuff for a picnic. About a year ago I found this in a box I bought at an auction for $2.50.
This is a Skotch Kooler. This fiberglass insulated cooler was made in the 1950's by designer Petra Cabot. It's a good size (4 gallon) insulated bucket and I adore it for day trips. It does a great job of keep things cool. I would really love to find the vintage matching 2 gallon Skotch Jug to go with this.
And perhaps a thermos.
I am really growing to love packing up my kooler and heading out to see something different. Just driving and seeing where the day takes us. I like being able to pull over at a park and have everything ready to have a bite to eat. I find it relaxing and refreshing.
There are more things I need to add to my picnic setup though. I would like some dishware, a blanket, a tablecloth..... Somewhere in my boxes I have plastic flatware for two from Rick Steves which includes a wine corkscrew.
It's so handy to have a way to contain dirty flatware.
But most of all, I want to find a great picnic basket. Hopefully I can find a good one second hand that has a lot of character.
Two weeks from this Wednesday we will have pulled together enough money to get something to get us started. It won't be fancy, but we'll be able to head out.
The last few weeks have made me realize that I need to have stuff for a picnic. About a year ago I found this in a box I bought at an auction for $2.50.
This is a Skotch Kooler. This fiberglass insulated cooler was made in the 1950's by designer Petra Cabot. It's a good size (4 gallon) insulated bucket and I adore it for day trips. It does a great job of keep things cool. I would really love to find the vintage matching 2 gallon Skotch Jug to go with this.
And perhaps a thermos.
I am really growing to love packing up my kooler and heading out to see something different. Just driving and seeing where the day takes us. I like being able to pull over at a park and have everything ready to have a bite to eat. I find it relaxing and refreshing.
There are more things I need to add to my picnic setup though. I would like some dishware, a blanket, a tablecloth..... Somewhere in my boxes I have plastic flatware for two from Rick Steves which includes a wine corkscrew.
It's so handy to have a way to contain dirty flatware.
But most of all, I want to find a great picnic basket. Hopefully I can find a good one second hand that has a lot of character.
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