A Warning About "The Golden Compass" Movie and Children's Literature Series

I seldom send out announcements about movies, but I feel that it is important enough to not be deceived by certain films and books. This is a movie and book series that I was looking forward to, but was told by a friend that it is full of anti-religious themes.

Check out www.snopes.com.

It was first a book written by a renowned Athiest author who hated C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. It is the first book in a series called "His Dark Materials" The Golden compass was written by Phillip Pullman as a direct affront to the Chronicles. In the movie the children kill God and do as they please. The movie has been dumbed down in the hopes to fool parents so they will buy his trilogy. Phillip Pullman said he wants to " kill God in the minds of children"

I Love the Roaring Twenties (and Fantasy Creatures)!

This is my Halloween costume. I love it! I went to a costume party on Saturday and have a work party on Tuesday, so I'm getting a lot of wear out of it :)

Here's a picture of my roommate. She went as a fairy and she made the wings herself. So cool!

Blasts From the Past

Two really cool things happened in the past two weeks. I reconnected with two friends that I haven't seen in ages. It was so much fun.

The first was a friend I met 13 years ago when my parents were living in Charlotte, NC. I actually knew his brother and parents from Virginia Beach because I went to high school with his brother and his mom was a substitute teacher. Anyway, I didn't meet T until college and North Carolina. We emailed occasionally over the years but I last say him Christmas of 1994. Last week I went to Charlotte for a work trip and had let Tom know I was coming to town and maybe we could get together. It ended up being so much fun. I went to dinner with him and his parents on Wednesday night to celebrate his dad's birthday. Then the next night I ate pizza, drank beer and watched a German film at his place with a friend. It was such a break from the hotel room and eating out. So great to reconnect.

Then this week, I was able to meet up with another friend I haven't seen in 10 years! D was in Florida getting his Master's and was part of the Bible study group I attended. Once he got his degree, he headed out in the big bad world to make his way and we kept in touch occasionally via email as well. I hadn't been in touch with him for years when we connected on a professional social networking website. I saw that he was in New York City so I sent him a hello from a Florida friend and told him if he was ever in DC to let me know and I would show him the sights. Imagine my surprise when this week he emailed me saying at the last minute he ended up in DC. We were able to meet up for a couple of hours and walked the Mall to the White House catching up. I really enjoyed reconnecting with him as well and now have another connection in New York to show me the sights.

God is so good and I have to say that it is really a trip to be old enough to have those experiences that as a young girl I used to read about in books or hear about on the news - old friends reconnecting. In a way its crazy that I'm that old, but I'm also so grateful for such wonderful people that I can renew my friendship with.

There's More To Life...

I realized that the past couple of entries have been all about Weight Watchers. And while that is something that is part of my life, there has been so much more happening. I don't want anyone to think that's all I'm going to write about, 'cause it isn't. I have had a pretty amazing past two weeks and I'm just trying to process it. More to come.

Weight Watchers Update

Last week I was traveling in Charlotte and ate lots of chocolate chip cookies at the Doubletree Suites (which by the way are absolutely amazing and you can order online at doubletreecookies.com).

So this week, I had gained three pounds. I'm going to blame one pound on the cookies and two pounds on water weight from my impending PMS. Yeah, so I said that in a public place. Oh well.

Stats are as follows:

Gained 3 pounds.

Will lose 3 pounds by next week.

A Headlamp At Midnight

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. This week has been a very hectic one for me and somewhat anxiety ridden as well. I have a scary feeling that I may have bed bugs. I know, ick, gross, ewwey, blech, and lots of other words. My face is scrunching up at this very minute. However, I'm not ashamed to tell the blogosphere about this. Why? I'm not sure, but anyway, I've told you. I have had some strange bites on my legs the past couple of days and have found some strange little bugs on the carpet. For the record, bed bugs are not microscopic and can be easily seen by the naked eye. I know: ick, gross, ewwey, blech etc.

I have been praying that this is not the case, but anyway, I've had some really funny moments this week last at night in my room with the lights turned off and a headlamp on my head looking for bugs anywhere and everywhere. I was laughing at myself and sorry I couldn't see what I looked like. I mean, I'm tearing the bed apart, the metal frame was disconnecting, the mattress was up against the dresser, I'm on my hands and knees in a dress looking in the carpet. I even slept with the headlamp under my pillow so that in the middle of the night when the bugs might be out feeding, I could surprise them with the headlamp. Alas, I have found very little as a result of these efforts.

I'm hoping that whatever has been biting me is gone far, far away and I can put the headlamp back in the bag where it belongs under my bed. I'm ready for the weekend and no bugs.

Quick Update on Weight Watchers

This week was better than last. I had a nice little break away, but am back working hard and making good choices. I have also started training for a 10K at Thanksgiving and that's giving me extra motivation to keep up the good work :). Shout out to my training peeps Christy and Anne who are going to run the race too. Should be a good time.

Now for the nitty gritty info:

I lost 3.4 pounds this week bringing my totals up which is exciting.

Starting Weight: 153.8
Current Weight: 146.4
Total Weight Loss: 7.4

Here's to onward and downward!

What A Weigh-In

The past week and a half to two weeks have been really sporadic with my Weight Watchers routine. This past weekend I was in NY for a wedding and the car ride there and back was filled with lots of yummy food (not necessarily good, but yummy). So I was not expecting good things to come out of this weigh in. And the results were not promising.

I gained the two pounds I had lost last week.

But I can't look at this as doing bad, or needing to get back on track again. Rather I need to look at this as let's keep going. Make the choices I know are better because in the long run, I will be happier than the immediate fix I get from that extra helping of spring rolls or the fries on the side please with my sandwich.

Of course all of this is making me wonder what my motivation for eating is. I have noticed that since being on Weight Watchers, I have been eating more sweets than I normally do. I think this is because I have figured that I can eat really yummy sweets that are low in points and not deprive myself. But I realize that I need to not substitute the sweet things for the good delicious food because that is what I'm depriving myself of. I like good food. But I have spent too much time focusing on the sweet things so I don't feel deprived that I'm missing out on good food that will satisfy me and not make me feel deprived.

I have also realized that I don't have a weight problem and so in some ways it is hard for me to look back and say "I don't want to get like that again." I need to have the motivation of looking and feeling better in pictures and clothes as my reminder of why I am doing this. In addition, this is all about the discipline.

It has been hard the past couple weeks though for several reasons. I'm trying to be disciplined in my spending as well, so I feel like I'm being strict in many different areas and I guess I'm using the food area as an out. I have been tired a lot lately and that makes it harder for me to keep my guard up. I have been traveling which always gets me out of my routine. So there are reasons, but I'm not beating myself up. Rather, I the next opportunity I have to make a decision, I hope to make the right one. And have a really good weigh in report next week.

Starting Weight: 153.8
Current Weight: 149.8
Total Loss: 4.0