So What's up ?

I have been back at work for 2 weeks, and predictably only have been able to update today !

The atmosphere at work has been of a big and general comatose. My colleague has to stay up all night because of his new born baby, and I just can't seem to have a restful night (maybe the Dr who said I was suffering from sleep disorder was right).
We've had an evaluation. And it looks like we're getting the raise we had asked for considering the amount of work we had done on top of our assigned tasks.
We're getting 45$. Yoohoo ! (said in my cynical voice). We were both hoping for at least 65$, but I had told my colleague not to be too optimistic, and it turns out I hate being right !

On a happier note, I shed another 2 lbs, but I'm still dubious as I have no clue why. I'm sure doing less exercise than I'm used to. I've been putting weight on and off for no reason before, so I'm defiant. But maybe it's just how I am.
I have received new clothes from torrid. I had to pay 65$ for custom fees, but I'm trying to persuade myself that I couldn't find these clothes around here anyway!
First, this skirt

that I am too old to wear by a good 6 years, and that I sure can't wear for meeting officials. But I wanted it sooooo bad.
And then this dress

that I can wear more easily at the Museum. Matter of fact, it just is über referential ! This is da dress to kiss young GIs in their tanks isn't it ? It kinda screams May 1945 at you. lol !
I need to find a red turtleneck to wear it these days, because what with global warming and all, it's still on the cold side here in Northern France !
And I've finally managed to find a pair of red tights to wear with it, after a whole day of searching, on this site that carries an impressive range of plus size tights and stockings, plus cool stuff like petticoats and garters !!!

I've also been scrapping a bit, doing an album for my colleague's kiddo. They like the classic style, so it's a bit hard on me ! lol ! But I'm doing my best.
And I've been doing a monsterlet for my cousin's daughter who came for a visit. No pic, cause I've done it in about 15mn before she had to go home. But here's the recipe :
take this stamp

and shrinking plastic, some color pencils, cook the plastic monsters, and Voilà ! A very happy kid permanently holding her arm up in fear of losing her monsterlet ! lol !

----------------
Now playing: The Cure - young americans
via FoxyTunes

Would you believe ? 4 lbs off !

Yeah, but I'm not too enthusiastic about it, because I put weight on and off without rhyme or reason.
In this specific case, it must have been because I was on holidays, so less stress for me ! Too bad I'm going back to work tomorrow. But I'll be starting sophrology, so let's hope it'll help !

And yet I sure worked out less : when I'm at work I spend half of the day on my feet walking or climbing stairs...So let's hope I haven't lost 4 lbs of muscles ! No, I know there isn't that much muscles in my whole body, lol...

I think we're the only family I know who is susceptible of LOSING weight during the Xmas holidays. We've such small appetites ! And in the past years I drunk more but I find that alcohol now sets up my migraines if I drink more than two glasses ! Sure to put me off !

Well, of course, that leaves 36 lbs to go, not for me to be thin, but to be acceptably-in my own criteria-fat. Ha !

And now on "lighter" subjects (no pun intended).

We don't have the second season of Heroes here in France yet, and my brother has so been telling me that it was well below the expected level, that I wanted to watch some. Si I found a streaming of the last episode, and watched it.
I mean, who in their right mind would watch a season final without having watched the rest of the show ?!
Of course I've never minded spoilers too much. I'm the one who always reads the end of a book at first (no, not just in case I'd die before I read it !). Don't know, I must have a cyclic mind.

But still, that was pretty silly, uh ? Now I have to go back and watch the other 10 episodes.
And I already have this sinking feeling that Heroes is going all Lost on me, with writers killing my favorite characters and losing sight of a thread and all...erm, of course, the circumstances are rather peculiar with the writers' strike.

----------------
Now playing: Dinah Washington - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
via FoxyTunes

On more futile subjects

When I said I had showed the family Xmas trees on my blog, my aunt insisted a lot on my showing her nativity scene too.
Well, some of you know nativity scenes are not really my trade, since I'm not a religious person, but I must say in all fairness it really is a family tradition.
Every year my aunt settles a creche with "santons" (traditional southern France characters, whose name I believe means "little saints", but they really embody villagers, shepherds). And every year we buy her a new one at the Xmas market.
She has also added a few from abroad.
Luckily, the creche is confined into the limits of a closed cupboard for now, because nativity scenes don't traditionally include 15lbs cats ! Baby Jesus, yes, ass and ox yes, but no cat !

So here is da thing :
And a few details :
The traditional Provence scene

The manger and the three kings

And this little guy comes from Southern Italy.

And as we're talking about my aunt, here is what she got for Xmas (along with a new flat screen for her comp) :
Not that she's a George Clooney fan, no, she's a con and robbery fan ! The kind of "no gun, no victim" stuff that you only see in movies.
She's always dreamt of setting up a big plan. We've always been teasing her about that !
Family, right ?!

Please keep Christine and her fam in your thoughts !

I feel terrible for babbling about my little insignificant problems when I've just learnt that Christine is going through a terrible time right now.
Please send her and her family your support if you can.

----------------
Now playing: Gorillaz vs Scissor Sisters - Dirty Harry vs Laura
via FoxyTunes

Happy New Year (late)

----------------
Now playing: Nina Simone - Try A Little Tenderness
via FoxyTunes Hello all and Happy New year ! May all your wishes be fulfilled for 2008.

Everybody seems to be writing up their resolutions these days, but I never make these. My commitment-impaired me forbids me to.

But there are a few things I would like done in the coming year :

1. I want to get the house NOW. I have so been postponing this project by fear of, well, commitment ! I want to go and ask for a credit in April or May max.

2. I need to go back to the gym. My subs ended in November, and I have to try and find another, cheaper subs. But as it will be at least 500$ a year, and I'll have to pay maybe at once, I have to wait till the end of the month for that !

3. I have to go and find a surgeon.
I have been horrified by my New Year pic. (there was an ugly pic here, but I had to remove it, couldn't stand it being on the blog for like ever, even for honesty's sake)

If I were any fatter I'd be absolutely square.
I won't give in and do any diet ! Diets have led me to this ! Before I started them I was healthily plump and had a nice figure; after every diet I put on the weight back with a bonus. And it gave me compulsions that took me years to shake off.

Admittedly it worked even worse for me, because, in the Dr's words, I have a genetic anomaly that helps my body adjust to very severe diets. So it stocks up on fat at the slightest occasion. Thank you Dr, can I return this anomaly to the store and rather curb time or read minds? No? Oh well...

Obviously, as I'm a small eater (no junk food, no soda, 1600 kcal a day), I can't go under stomach operations either, would be of no use.

So aesthetic surgery it would be for me ! Now I just have to find a surgeon (and the money ! lol !), and make some tests to see if it wouldn't be too dangerous. Some surgeons don't like to operate obese people when it's not absolutely necessary because the anesthesia is more hazardous.
I don't want to be operated to be "thin". This is not possible. Not gonna happen. And if I could have Paris Hilton's figure in the blink of an eye, I'm not sure I'd want to.
But I want to get a figure back. Curves.

P.S. I'm totally not one to feel sorry for.
I've just learnt that one of our relatives' new born child was born without skin on some body parts. Please keep the child and his family in your thoughts, not me.

4. Yes, Dutch for dummies ! Need to get back to studying Dutch.

I think that's it for the main wishes for 2008 !

On the craft front, I haven't been scrapping much during my days off.
But I've been doing a few necklaces :





And as a good-bye note I will leave you with a few kitties and garden pics (just hoping to make you forget the part about my ugly pic) :


----------------
Now playing: Miss LI - Let Her Go
via FoxyTunes