Almost one year later...and...

Not much is really different. Was just reading through some of my 2012 posts and had forgotten about my giving up coke phase. As I did say in that original post, I routinely go through things like that. Suffice it to say, it did not last. I don't know when I failed, but I did. I will say that I don't really drink a daily coke anymore (though I still to through random 2 week periods where it's daily), but I still drink it. I have really stopped with the diet drinks - but reading over my post about why I stopped (guess I should have revisited my blog more often), I realize I should stop again! UGH.

So, entering my 33rd year of hypochondrism (word? spell check says no), I decided to go see a cardiologist. I have decided recently that I probably have a lot of plaque buildup in my arteries because of my consistently borderline high cholesterol, my bad eating habits, growing up on lard and my VERY sedentary lifestyle. So I went and got this test that tests for plaque...we'll see how that goes. The cardiologist was a bit surprised to see me at such a "young age", but he nonetheless agreed to the test. I felt a little silly but now am worried about the results. Also, the tech told me that it doesn't see soft plaque, which apparently is just as dangerous as the hard stuff that this test sees! So, something new to worry about.

After all this, and reading my past posts about coke and realizing that I can control certain things that would help me (worrying does nothing), maybe now I will really CHANGE my lifestyle. This is hard. Obviously. My laziness seems to be an obstacle in life that will continually haunt me. I'll try this again, because I do remember my coke experiment being successful at least a few months in large part because of this blog. I pledge to:
1) Take two 15-minute breaks at work to go downstairs and walk on the treadmill at work. And try to do daily 20 minute walks with Ellie. This should not be as hard as it feels to me.
2) Give up coke. Really. Ok, one per week.
3) Eat healthier! Low glycemic is apparently the way to go.

And that should do it. :)

Ok, so this is clearly my New Year's Resolution post...I WILL "make it work" and perhaps if I continually think of Tim Gunn motivating me with that phrase, it will work! Katy, this post is for you, since you're my only reader. ;) I will post more later, I suppose. I decided to post as my only other option is to watch the guys at my house play hours of a silly, silly game. Free time! And hopefully, this year will have more exciting news for me to post. All is good, but ready for some changes! I think 2013 is my year!

Ellie enjoying some Ohio snow this Christmas!

Not much of anything...

If I wait until I have something truly gripping to write about - there would be very few posts on here. So, here's a general update.

Still doing well on the cokes. I haven't exactly stuck to no cokes on weekdays, but I have stuck to 2/week. So that's a big accomplishment. I am drinking a lot of tea - so now I realize I need to limit that to one glass/large cup per day...I'm wondering how much caffeine it has in it and if I'm getting more caffeine with all the tea. It's hard to find a definitive answer on that. I know I'm getting less sugar, so that should be good.

So after that very interesting paragraph - let's move on. I was home alone this past weekend. B went to a bachelor party in Vegas. It's so funny how I approach a weekend alone. I didn't want to clean the whole weekend...so I nixed that. Friday night I was thrilled (I'm not being sarcastic) to throw a Totino's frozen pizza in the oven, pop in Bridget Jones' Diary and drink some wine. This night was awesome...I LOVE that movie and hadn't seen it in so long! Verdict? Still love it.

Saturday I was productive and went to yoga, the dog park with Ellie and shopping...then out to dinner with friends.

Anyway - I ended up at home a lot in an effort to save $ and also, in part, because I am extremely lazy. It was a nice weekend and in anticipation of the Mad Men Season 5 premiere, I re-watched some old Mad Men episodes. Bran and I recently watched all 4 seasons of Mad Men via Netflix. It was addicting and awesome. Re-watching some of the episodes just reminded me how great this show is. Jon Hamm (Don Draper) is really a great actor, and I LOVE his relationship with Elizabeth Olson (Peggy). It's one of my favorite, all-time tv relationships. And for those that don't watch - it's not a romantic one. The show prides itself on being historically accurate and it's really neat to learn more about the 60s. When you first start watching, it's a little unsettling to see how the secretaries are treated, and the work world, in general pre EEOC, pre Civil Rights Act, pre sexual harassment. Wow. It definitely goes to show that if Mad Men accurately portrays the work world - those laws and agencies were SORELY needed!

So I guess I'll close this random post. I did enjoy all my alone time this weekend. I love Mad Men. And I've successfully laid off the cokes. I could've just typed those 3 sentences and it might've been just as interesting.

SXSW

So I took today off to do some SXSW stuff. SXSW is a huge music, film and interactive festival that renders downtown Austin into complete and total chaos. It started last Friday...interactive first, then film, then music. There are TONS of things to do - but the amount of people downtown makes it all very difficult.

B volunteers every year so that he can get a badge. A badge (which sells for $500+) gets you into a lot of events, often with free food/drinks. For the music portion, badges get you into the coolest shows. B got into Bruce Springsteen, Jack White and more this year.

Being not quite the same level of music enthusiast as B, I do not volunteer and obviously do not pay for a badge. This year I did 2 "days" of SX events. I went out on Monday to the Chronicle film party and another show. And I went out today to day parties. Day parties are mostly open to everyone (even us non-badged losers)AND you can find free food/drink at day parties as well!

We started off at MWTX...it had an indoor and outdoor stage. We went to see Purity Ring. (Let me mention that we slept in and caught the 1:34 train downtown. We hadn't eaten yet. We got downtown and I went to find a trailer for some food. I found a trailer that had fried chicken in a waffle "taco" of sorts. I got it. I regretted it. The trailer/trailer "chefs" were really dirty. I'm grossed out thinking of it now.) Anyway, here's a fuzzy pic of the band - they were pretty good.

After that show, we headed to Nuevo Leon for real lunch. It was delish. Then, headed to see another band, Tennis. They literally played for 15 minutes - but they were good! It was at this show that I was lucky enough to spot a modern, hipster mullet:

And this outfit:

What intrigues me about this outfit is I know someone who had that same skirt circa 1989 and I just can't figure it out. I'm not always on top of the latest trends, I'll freely admit- but I hope that this outfit isn't one of them. Gotta love SX.

Next, we finally found the party we should've been at all along! The Google + party was on top of a parking lot, had a lot of space, was clean (nobody parks on top) and we could sit for awhile. Granted, we sat on concrete, but it was nice. And then, the best thing of all - FREE BEER & WATER! So we sat and listened to Talib Kweli..it was a fun show. Next up, the Shins! B ditched me before they started to go stand in line for the Jack White show (he left at 6:40, Jack White takes the stage at 11:45pm - he did get in).

Anyway, it was a great show and I was really close!

Then I took another crowded train home. As I was walking to the station, I got a pic of 6th St. You really cannot imagine Austin this weekend - it is crowded, crazy, every empty corner is a music venue - but it can be a lot of fun. I don't know if you can tell, but 6th St is wall-to-wall PEOPLE. Mostly hipsters.

Testing...

The blogging app. This is my office "bulletin board". My friend made the sign Amanda's Office when my "office" was a desk (not even a cube) in the middle of the room. Obviously, this does not warrant a post but since I put up the pic might as well explain it.

Hopefully tomorrow I can post something while out and about at SXSW!

SHAME.

So, I cheated today. It's Tuesday and I had a diet coke this morning. I could tell you some excuses, but bottom line is I had a coke. SO - to make up for this, I am only going to allow myself 1 coke/soda if at all, this weekend. I'll post next week to let you know my success with that.

I will say that this past weekend I did have 2 cokes (1 per day), but they were almost an afterthought. It definitely wasn't necessary.

VEGAS, baby!

So, since my parents are awesome, they wanted to have my dad's official retirement party in Las Vegas. We went Mar 2-5. It was a great trip! I hadn't been to Vegas with my parents in about 8 years and that time was the only time I had been with them where I could gamble.

B and I love Vegas. Sadly (or not), it's probably where we've traveled most together as a couple. :) We definitely have the disease. We always think we'll win it back. And we usually do OK. Never a really huge profit, but if we're lucky, we come back with our gambling budget mostly intact.

Since this was my dad's retirement party, it was us, them, my brother, 3 of my aunts/significant others and my grandma. Big trip, tons of fun. My family also, very much has the "disease". We get there at 9, join them as they're finishing up dinner and then they were like...ok, see you in the morning, good luck! And they all spread out to gamble. Even my grandma! They all mostly did slots except me, b, my brother and my uncle. And somehow, they all kept winning. My grandma was up almost $400 on Saturday! From penny slots. Every time I put money in a slot, it was gone. Craps was crappy (haha) luck as well. We finally started winning on Sunday playing blackjack.

Anyway, here are a few non-people photos. It was a great trip, loved being with my family and really had an amazing time with them.

Ok, this is a terrible one of me, but it has a person, so I'll include it. I really thought I might get lucky here:

The Strip

...and last but not least, the always impressive Bellagio fountain. Seriously, I love it, every time!

Progress...

So I posted about my new coke-free (mostly) lifestyle last Friday. How have I done? Well, clearly no cokes on Friday (and I think I had officially stopped Weds or Thurs). Or Saturday. Sunday I did have a morning coke, but didn't even drink the whole thing. I told myself I was allowed a weekend coke. Plus, we were in Vegas. But then Monday morning, on our way home, I had another coke. Again, didn't really even drink half, just got it with my value meal (2 strikes). And that's it!

Honestly, I consider that progress because I was in Vegas Fri-Mon, eating crap food - which usually requires a Coke to go with it. It's harder to not get cokes when constantly eating out.

So, we'll see - I have done well here at work yesterday and today - no cokes. Went to a movie last night - no cokes.

I'll write about Vegas later - was a great trip!!

**full disclosure** I did drink 1 Jack & Coke Sat night - I don't think that counts AT ALL.