Atlanta Public Library

I have lived in Atlanta for a whole week. Big city is big. I've had some pretty exciting adventures, already. Our new neighborhood is fantastic. It's beautiful and very bike-able. The homes around our apartment building look like they fell out of a Better Homes and Garden. Ha. Our building is the eye sore of the block, for sure.

I haven't had steady internet, so I've had to mooch at coffee shops and such. Today, I am at an Atlanta Public Library. It is an interesting/scary place. Our neighborhood is very affluent and so the homeless population doesn't hang around (read 'isn't welcome'... not sure how I feel about this. I really like the safety it affords, though. I'm not afraid to walk my dog or ride my bike during the day). Anyway, I mention that to tell about the experience I'm having at the library. Atlanta is kind of like Memphis in the sense that a good neighborhood leads to a bad one pretty quickly. The Library is only two blocks away, but it's the beginning of a more sketch neighborhood. A lot of homeless people have come in to get out of the heat while I have been here. There is a security guard, but she is really just a nap preventer, it seems. There are a few homeless here who seem to be enjoying the reading material, but a fair few have sat down across from me and just pretended to read. At least three have had some sort of psychological disorder --- schizophrenia seems likely. Many of them have also fallen asleep. The librarians and nap guard don't mind their presence, but they don't tolerate sleeping. When someone starts snoring, the guard or a librarian comes and gently knocks on the table they are sleeping at to wake them up. They aren't asked to leave, just to wake up. I think that's pretty civil. The first time it happened, I was afraid there would be a scuffle and someone would be asked to go. The lady in front of me has fallen asleep three times now, but they let her stay. She has three very pretty journals in front of her and has been attempting to read Ezekiel for a few hours, now. She writes something different in every journal in beautiful cursive. I kind of wish I could read what she is writing. I'd ask, but I haven't understood a word that she has said. Also, she growls so I'm kind of scared. Additionally, she has fallen asleep again. The guard just came by and knew her by name. She said, "Ms. Lynn (I think), go take a walk and come back. I'm tired of waking you up." She said it in a whisper with a sort of caring tone. The library is an experience, for sure.

I don't have time for this

I have a paper due now (yes, as in should-be-tunring-it-in-any-moment-now now), a poster due to the printer soon so I can present my honors thesis at a conference next week (shoot, NEXT WEEK! I've been saying those words, but I didn't know what they meant... poop), a quiz in computer programing, a test Friday in Spanish, and a computer programing project due Wednesday. With all of this looming over my head, of course I'm taking a break to blog. Ha.

I know the title of my blog is 'married life', but I think we are about to take a blog adventure and deviate into a blog about diets.

I have been on a diet for six weeks now. I wasn't going to tell anyone because I was afraid that if I told people, they would give me death stares whenever I broke down and had a cup cake. I also didn't want people to start telling me "Oh, you don't need to diet! You look great!" because that wouldn't really be encouraging. I'm glad you think I look great, but I don't feel great. I want to be healthier.

When I go to the gym, I hide in the upstairs part where no one goes to be seen. The downstairs room is huge and full of mirrors. The equipment is also arranged so everyone can see your butt. The atmosphere down there is very "Look at me, I'm working out and being fit!" and upstairs is more "I'm not in shape, but I'm trying". I like the upstairs people. I also like that the equipment is arranged so no one sees my butt. Anyway, while I'm upstairs, I see a lot of older adults working out. They are so fit and can do so much more than me. I want to be healthy when I am their age so I can lead an active life and be comfortable.

If I were to say this diet/exercise thing is just for health benefits, I'd be lying. I'd really like to fit into single digit jeans. My nickname in high school was B.B. -- Big Butt. I'd like for there to be no resemblance.

Anyway, I've decided to tell the world wide web (in reality, fewer than ten people follow this blog. I don't feel too exposed - Ha) about my try at a diet because I'd like to share the information I have learned.

I used an app called My Fitness Pal for three or four weeks. It sets up a calorie restriction based on some personal information (height, weight, age, gender, and activity level). It was working really well. I lost one pound every week by restricting calories and going to the gym three days a week. Henry suggested I visit the nutritionist on campus to make sure that I was doing this whole diet thing right. We tried looking up stuff online, but there is just too much stuff and no way of knowing what is legit. Luckily, the nutritionist said the app was legit and I was doing the right thing!

The calorie restriction was hard to get used to at first. 1200 calories is just not a whole lot to work with. I mean, my favorite food is Bop's, and thats 600 calories right there! Luckily, we live in a country where diets are trendy so there are lots of 100 calorie snacks. I know this blog is already way long, but I'd like to list my fewer than 200 calorie snacks/desserts that are actually delicious:

1) Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich: 140 calories (I don't know how they do it -- its magic)

2) Dole Apple Fruit Crisp: 160 calories (Warm it up in the microwave and ohhhh man...)

3) Poptart Popsters in Strawberry: 100 calories (perfect when everyone else is eating m&ms)

4) Ritz Snack Mix: 100 calories

5) Quaker Rice Cake Bites in Caramel: 90 calories (good when you want a sweet but not filling)

6) GoGo Squeeze apple sauce in regular and cinnamon: 60 calories (the squeeze part takes some getting used to)

7) Fiber One Chewy Bar in Chocolate: 90 calories

8) Honey Nut Cherrios Snack Mix: 130 calories

I'm back!

After a long hiatus, I've decided to pick the ole blog back up. I won't bore you with a long update, things are pretty much the same. School is still school and the husband is still great (and getting so much better at loading the dishwasher).

We have finished the application process for graduate school and are now playing the waiting game. We are trying really hard not to throw hypotheticals around. We keep telling ourselves to wait until the options come in to start discussing decisions, but it's really hard not to start talking "what ifs". Moving away is a big decision, but so is staying. Aug. Adult-like decisions. So draining.

On a much lighter note, our dog, Kit-Kat, has more than acclimated to her new home. She is pretty much the most spoiled dog on the planet. She loves to snuggle, which is usually welcomed. Unfortunately, Kit-Kat knows nothing of mass or matter. She doesn't check the see if there is room for her on the couch before she makes the leap from the ground. This results in her comically falling off the couch or me with claw marks. She is a good dog, but not all that smart. (I wrote this a few days ago, but today kit-kat actually checked to see if my face was in her way before she jumped on the couch. I was so proud. So proud.)

Henry and I spent some time picking out a "new" dinnerware set today (the quotes will make sense momentarily). The set we picked out for our wedding registry isn't cutting it. We didn't know it at the time, but the whole set is massively over-sized. The plates don't fit in the cabinets. I hate using any of the dishes because of how big they are -- It's hard to get portion sizes right. Also, they take up an absurd amount of room in the dishwasher and cabinet. We only have service for four, but if we wanted service for eight we'd have to build a new cabinet! (Slight exaggeration.) Anyway, we settled on Corelle snowflake blue. Yes, the 1970's pattern. It's slim and nearly indestructible. Also, its just old enough to be neat, but not old enough to be an antique. I have two pyrex pieces with the same pattern already (Corelle sold out to pyrex) and have seen some in nearly every junk shop. I found service for eight on ebay for $17.00. What more could you want in a dish? Durable, dishwasher save, microwave safe, cheap, and retro!

What is this? I have a blog? (draft from December)

Oh yeah! I have a blog! I completely forgot! So, if you pay attention to time stamps, you will notice that it is three in the morning. I'm on "break" and I can't sleep. What up with that?

Well, with that rhetorical question out of the way, lets move on. What have I done since early september? Probably exactly the same things: homework, projects, homework, complain about how Henry loads the dishwasher, homework. I have however traded homework for gradschool applications. I'm applying to about a million schools because I have little confidence and Henry and I are attempting the impossible -- finding a school that fits both of us. Even if we don't get accepted to the same school, I'm really happy to follow him and kind of felt like that would be the plan from the get go. Part of being married I suppose, you get to follow your best friend around the country and be a substitute teacher/work retail? ... well, thats a little specific I suppose.

I have been e-mailing potential advisors, and have gotten a few hopeful responses. I got one today from a highly respected man in the field who said I would be a great fit for his lab! The problem: He is moving his lab to Auckland New Zealand next summer. He wants me to apply. Ha. Auckland. Sounds gross, but is pretty nice. It's also ranked 54th (I'm nearly positive this is the right number) in the WORLD for computer engineering. When you look at it on a map, you can only see Australia and Antarctica. Oh, and summer starts in January. This probably won't happen, but its neat to think about. Ha. Auckland.

Lastly, I would like to make a confession. I like Jennette McCurdy. So talented. No lie. Here is a link to prove it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg-G0PVC7Fw&feature=channel

So Sleepy

Well, a billion things have happened since my last post.
1) The dryer set the fire alarm off
2) The washer leaked all over the carpet
3) Henry fixed above problems
4) We got a dog! Her name is Kit-Kat. She is great and super low maintinance (behavior wise... physically speaking, she sheds like no dog I have ever seen) and cute and snuggly. Everything you could want in a 20lb package.
5) I got a part time job in the plant pathology lab sifting nematodes! They needed help and I had the time. Probably the most random two week job I have ever and will ever participate in.
6-999,999,999) Eat, breathe, heart beat, sleep, etc.
1,000,000,000) The doctor doubled up my beta blockers yesterday so I'm super sleepy. It took me two weeks to get used to the last dose so I anticipate an equally long period of adjustment. Yay for fewer headaches though. I'll take a nap over a migraine any day. (Being so sleepy does complicate things though... like productivity.)

Fantastic

So many great things are about to happen!

1) I get a house-mate this weekend! Maybe now the living room will look like real people live in it! (Obviously there are more great things to come from this co-dwelling-- like someone else to live in the living room with!)

2) Summer projects are getting the momentum they need to get over the mid-summer slump and start possibly-maybe-kind-of wrapping up!

3) Next Friday I get to eat at my favorite place in the whole wide world with my Grandaddy!

4) Next Friday I am also getting a camera! Its just a little point and shoot, but I'm super excited.

5) Last, but not least by any means -- drum roll-- dramatic pause ----- I might be picking up our new dog Next Saturday!!