Domestic Geek

Thirteen of My Favorite Songs (in no particular order)

1. "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
   
2. "Dragostea Din Tei" by Ozone
   
3. "If I Had $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies
   
4. "Undone (The Sweater Song)" by Weezer
   
5. "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane
   
6. "Opportunities" by Pet Shop Boys
   
7. "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra
   
8. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
   
9. Halfway Around the World by A*Teens
   
10. "Kiss" by Prince
    
11. "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck
    
12. "Old Apartment" by Barenaked Ladies
    
13. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
    

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Thirteen Reasons I Need to Lose Weight NOW

The list this week is not pleasant, but some sad truths I need to face.

1. I can't find clothes. Right now I'm a 26. Sears and Penney's sizes stop at 24. Even if I can find any sizes bigger, the clothes are UGLY!
2. My thighs rub together. It chaffes and gets irritated. It's just plain yucky. That's where my pants always wear out first.
3. I can't put my arms straight down to my side.
4. My belly table. I caught myself using my stomach as a writing desk and then later to hold my plate while eating lunch. When did I start doing that and why didn't I notice until today?
5. I can't tie my shoes. I can't tie my shoes unless I put my foot on a chair. I used to be able to stand one-legged like a crane to tie my shoes, but I can't now. I can't even cross my legs to tie it that way.
6. I'm tired. Carrying the weight of a whole second person is doing damage to my joints and I'm freaking exhausted all the time.
7. Sleep is becoming more difficult. Not only does it cause really bad snoring, which is waking me and Marcus up, I have a hard time getting comfortable. The other night I actually felt pain from the weight pushing on my chest while on my back.
8. Jewelry. I'd like to be able to wear bracelets or necklaces again. Necklaces look stupid because they draw attention to the fat rolls under my chin.
9. A pretty face. I'm actually quite pretty under all this fat. I'd like to see her again.
10. It's an excuse. I use my weight as an excuse not to do all kinds of things. Not meeting people. Not having friends. Not having a good job.
11. Breathing. I've noticed that I can hear myself trying to breathe. A person shouldn't have to struggle that much for a deep breath.
12. My image. I don't think people take me seriously because I'm fat. Hell, I don't take myself seriously.
13. My life span. Every day I carry around this extra weight is less time I'll have to live.

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Thirteen Things Cluttering My Desk Right Now

1. Marcus' Camera that I borrowed. I borrowed it to take pictures of my birthday presents earlier this week. Mine still doesn't focus well. I suppose I'll have to get a new one.
2. My coffee mug almost full of coffee. I forgot to finish drinking it this morning. I'm sure the milk has soured from the coffee acid by now.
3. A breakdown of the hours I worked this week. I need to report them to the unemployment office on Sunday.
4. A complimentary notepad from Marcus' place of employment. Hey, the stuff was free for visitors--I was visiting. I have a couple of big calendars, too.
5. An application for the upcoming Capitol Hill People's Fair Image Contest. I'd really like to enter. I keep missing the deadline, or I get really sick, or they cancel the contest (like last year). The prize is $300 plus some t-shirts and passes to the fair. Not a way to get rich, but it would be nice to be able to put that I won something on my resume.
6. A stack of blank CDs I found while cleaning. I have no idea where they came from.
7. A bunch of receipts. They fell out of my wallet when I wrote my car payment check.
8. A list of job search web sites. Not that they're helping much.
9. A pair of socks that I keep forgetting to put in the laundry. I always take my socks off back here in my craft/computer room. I need to stop doing that.
10. Bank statements that I need to balance my checkbook. I haven't balanced my checkbook since I lost my job. I should really do that, though it's not hard to lose track of no money.
11. Five cross-stitch patterns that I need to scan. I always print out a duplicate copy of any pattern before I start stitching so that I can write on it and I won't ruin the original.
12. A couple of 3M Command hooks. They're to hang up a sign I'm making (if I ever finish it).
13. My business card from my silk screening job. I figured I'd keep one for awhile. It was from my first "design" job, afterall. Damn, I miss working there.

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This week Denise of Mental Excrement has presented a challenge to TT’ers for this weeks Edition:

“I would like to challenge all Thirteeners to come up with 13 things they like about themselves.

I feel like we, as women, spend so much time scrutinizing ourselves that we sometimes forget the good stuff.???

This one was really tough. A lot of my former "good" characteristics have gone to hell lately. It took a lot of thinking to get beyond my faults and acknowledge the good:

Thirteen Things I Like About Myself

1. I'm extremely curious.I have to know how and why things work. When something doesn't work, I want to know what was broken. If I see something cool on the Internet, I want to know how it was done.
2. I have pretty eyes. They've been a little puffy and have dark circles under them from the stress, but I still think they're pretty.
3. I have a keen sense of observation. If Marcus is searching for key or his hat, I can usually point him to where they are.
4. I love to learn. I love new information, new skills, new ways of thinking about things.
5. I have a strong work ethic. When I do have a job, even if I hate it, I show up and do that job to the best of my ability. I am being paid to work, not goof around.
6. I'm creative. Whether it's crafts, graphic design, finding a solution to a problem, I like making useful things.
7. I love animals. Especially dogs...they're the best.
8. I write well. Since I loved reading at an early age, I have always been exposed to proper grammar and sentence structure. I write well despite my public school education.
9. I'm intelligent. I've always been above average.
10. I like teaching what I know. It is a thrill to give someone a means of doing something easier or faster. I used to love the expression on my music students' faces when something would "click."
11. I have big breasts. I'm not shy about it.
12. I look younger than my age. Both of my parents looked younger than they were. Luckily, I inherited this trait. Most people would never guess I'm going to be 40 next monday.
13. I have the ability to love. I love Marcus. I love my dad. My heart breaks for the people in the world who can't/won't allow themselves to love and be loved.

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