Week One: Wha? (Jan. 4)

This entry is entitled "Wha?" because it's mostly about how time has, as usual, slipped right past me. It's mostly for my own personal edification, just keeping myself accountable to myself, at the very least. I think I say a couple funny things, maybe? I don't know. This entry is really not for anyone but me and the morbidly curious.

I have decided, with regard to my new year's resolutions (outlined in the entry "Things to DO in 2013")  that I'll present written/photographic/video documentation of the things I've done each week on Fridays since I can't get much done (especially video-wise) when my roommate is around on the weekends.

That said, all I've done for this first (short) week is work on my goal of trying 100 new recipes this year (see, if you care to, "#1: French Toast with Sauteed Ripe and Green Tomatoes" and "#2: Onion, Thyme, and Goat Cheese Tarts"). The puppies are a lot more work than I thought they'd be, and my roommate is here in my room messing with them for hours every day, talking the entire time and trying to see what I'm doing on my computer. She's off work until the 7th and hasn't left the house in several days, so needless to say, I have no video to share. I have no fancy photo because I'm still on page 23 (of 160-something pages) of my camera's manual, and so far I have only learned that I am definitely, definitely under no circumstances whatsoever supposed to use the kind of batteries I've been using in my camera for over a year now. (The first set of lithium batteries lasted just under a year, as opposed to a week or two for the NiMH recommended by the manual.) Ooh, and I'm not supposed to use the camera after it's been dropped. (I've dropped it a dozen times in the last ten years, including once this morning.)

Additionally, I haven't done any artwork or written a serious essay. I haven't done my daily work of writing short-short fiction (or installments) and translating something French or Italian or German into English. I did choose a book to translate: it's called C'era due volte il barone Lamberto and was given to me by my host family on my study-abroad trip to Italy seven and a half years ago. As far as I can tell, it has never been translated into English, although it appears to be a beloved work in several European languages. I'm not sure exactly how to translate the title--the phrase "c'era una volta" is like our "once upon a time," and "due" means "two". Glancing at the blurb on the back, it looks like it's about a rich old man and his bizarre, aristocratic house guests. It's got some zany illustrations, so it ought to be a quirky read.

I made no exercise goal for this week, but this DOG has been wanting to run on all her "walks". Today we were running, and I thought, This is it... I'm going to die! but then I realized I just had a stitch in my side--it's been so long since I really ran that I forgot that it happens!! For next week, I will do 30 jumping jacks, 30 lunges, and 30 squats every day (though probably not all at once--I tried that, and it nearly destroyed my knees). I read on the Internet that these exercises will tone up your backside, which is exactly what I require.

Actually, I took some "before" pictures a couple weeks ago, and, in spandex at least, my rear end looks okay. It's just small compared to the rest of me, so when I wear jeans (which, in 30" waist, are invariably cut for "curvy" women) it looks like my butt was torn off in some tragic accident, kind of like when a one-armed man has that extra sleeve knotted up and just hanging limply at his side. So maybe the week after next I'll work on my waist and see if I can get into smaller jeans. I'm not too worried about my looks, though: when the neighbor came out of his house and saw me on the patio taking my "before" picture in spandex leggings and tank-top, he did a hilarious, red-faced triple-take before sheepishly sneaking into his truck and driving off. Plus (dear lady readers who might be struggling with weight: this is where you put your fingers in your ears and go "la la la") I lost 7 lbs. last year without really trying (unless you count mostly giving up dairy), so I'm already down to a 29" waist--I just haven't bought new jeans yet.

Ah, life. This DOG wouldn't settle down until 1:30 PM last night, and when she did, the puppies latched on and made obscene sucking noises for another 20 minutes. Then we were up at 4:30 AM for potties (she's eating and pooping for four) and up again at 8 AM when the alarm rang. This is fairly typical, except we usually have 2 potty breaks in the night. It's 8:30 PM now, and I could easily fall asleep. Maybe I should. I can always start my resolutions tomorrow. Or the day after that. Or the day after that...