when one door closes...

you know that feeling in your life when you realize that one life phase is over, and it's time for a new one? i'm so there. sometimes you fail to recognize these phases when they happen, if they aren't tied to a huge life change of some sort. but i can feel this one coming head-on - and it's great!

i'm now in that place where you hear certain songs, see certain things, smell a certain smell and think of certain times - fond memories. only now you're at place where you realize that those things are just that: memories, things of the past that you've let go of. and i guess at that point, you take a deep breath, hold on, and get ready for the next ride.

diner dash

i've recently become addicted to the stupidest game on earth. it's called diner dash.

the premise: your name is flo and you have recently purchased a run-down diner after deciding that your big city 9 - 5 job just wasn't for you. customers come in, you take their order, pick up and deliver their food to the table, drop the check, then clear the dishes. but the games adds all sorts of fun twists and turns, leaving you with tons of entertainment.

for anyone who is interested in hours mindless fun: www.playfirst.com.

myers briggs personality test

has anyone ever taken? ridiculously accurate. reading about all of the weaknesses was just eye-opening and scary. i've taken the test once a year for about the past five years, and i'm always the same thing.

take the test here: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

then google your letters and the personalitypage.com description for your personality type should pop up first.

my letters: INFP - in fact, the rarest combination. only 2 -3 percent of the population fall in this category.

weight watchers

at the risk of sounding typical, i swear by weight watchers and think it's a really great program. i participate online and pay only $17/month. the website is full of healthy meal ideas (that actually taste really good), a place to track your weight and view progress charts and of course, a daily food journal where you keep track of your points.

the program is really easy to stick to and i always recommend it to people. it teaches you how to control portion size and make overall healthier choices. healthy weight loss is 1 - 2 pounds a week and if you go over that weight loss when you track your weight every week, a note pops up saying that you're losing a little too much, so make sure you're eating enough everyday (once it even suggested i enjoy a glass of wine with dinner).

since going on weight watchers, i've lost over 20 pounds and have kept it off easily by sticking to the program. i have more energy and sleep better at night, too. i recommend weight watchers to anyone who is just trying to be healthier and have a little bit more energy during the day.

a most enjoyable and surprising progression

going out after work for just one drink...might as well go for a bottle of wine...which leads to a few pieces of bread...shoot, well since we're here...let's order some tapas...when in rome, after all...leads to more tapas...damn, we're out of wine...another bottle...

i'm starving in the mornings!!!

i bring a variety of healthy snacks to enjoy during the day. usually, it's something from each food group: fruit (today it's oranges), veggies (carrots), protein (1/2 serving of mixed nuts), dairy (string cheese) and a treat/carbs (100 calorie pack goldfish crackers). plus, i have a lunch and eat cereal, milk and green tea in the mornings (duh nudge). this is my routine everyday.

breaking it down, today i've already eaten: the fruit, nuts, string cheese and i'm ready to dig into the goldfish crackers. but in the afternoon, i'm not hungry at all and just polish off the veggies.

i don't get it...why am i STARVING in the mornings and feel completely fine and full in the afternoons? i guess my body has just adapted to these habits.

and yes, i know what you're wondering and i'll go ahead and answer that question for you: string cheese is just as fun now as it was when you were a kid.

the bathroom

i'm utterly convinced that i am the only woman who uses the very first stall - out of about 12 possible stalls - in the bathroom on my office floor. every night when the toilets are cleaned, the cleaning crew always leaves the seats up once they are finished disinfecting (i hope) them. so, you can safely assume which toilets have been used in the mornings if the seat is down when you find it. if it's up, chances are either a man found his way in there (omg, remember when T did that?) or no one has used the clean toilet yet that day.

even if it's 2:00pm before the time i go to the bathroom, the first stall (which i usually use - hell, it's right there) always has it's seat up. i find this interesting. it's almost like everyone assumes that everyone else is using the first stall, so they'll use the second or make another random choice, when really, everyone is thinking this so nobody ends up using the first. fine by me!