I have deleted my Facebook account, my Pinterest account, and my Vine account so far. I wonder who...or what...is next to be slashed from my life. It has been two days and I figured I would be "jones-ing" for a Facebook fix, but to my amazement, I am not. I like this stepping away thing. I love that nobody knows...or probably doesn't even care...where I'm at or what I'm doing now. For all the people that I truly know, that live in this area, I don't have to worry about anybody caring if I wave at them when we meet on the roadway. Come see them at work. Call them. Visit them in their home. Or even KNOW them. Ever. Ahhh it's a beautiful thing.
I have learned some very big lessons this past week. One of them being:
When you think you've found that special someone that you can trust in.....chances are, they are going to betray your trust, your respect, and anything else that they can betray...at some point in your relationship. Mind you, I did not say they would. I say there are chances. But I guess it's that way in any relationship, huh? Chances. I guess I knew that though. It's just frightening that you can put all your trust in someone, just to have them forget you exist.
How the hell does that happen??? And why do I keep trusting ANYONE???
Another thing I have learned this past week is:
Just because you've put all your time, effort, heart and soul into a relationship, doesn't mean that the other person is as vested as you are. As I type this, I see how you could think I am talking about the same people and situations here, but I am not. I have learned valuable insight this week friends. Because you "simply" rearrange your life for another human being doesn't mean they HAVE to be appreciative, supportive, or caring toward you. And it doesn't mean they WANT you around.
But what about those people that WANT you around for the times when it's convenient for them? Like, for example's sake, what about someone who wants to do the shopping trips, the road trips, the vacations...all with you...but when it comes to the real heartstrings of life... the times when they are at their lowest, or need to just let loose, or for some reason, really and truly need someone to depend on...you get overlooked. How are you supposed to make sense of that? You're good enough for the fun things in life but not even considered for the tough stuff.
Why must people be so heartless and mean?
As I read that last line, I literally laughed right out loud! Heartless and mean. I have been described using those very words, yet I am wondering why people are like that. For years, I have laughed at the thought of someone being mean to me. Almost as if I didn't care how anyone talked...or reacted to me.
And here comes that other life lesson that slapped me in the face this week.
Be adult enough, proud enough, and big enough...to say you are sorry. And be sincere about it. Grow up. I don't care what your momma told you; or your nanny; or your big brothers and sisters. Y9u ARENT any better than anybody else. Get over yourself.
Even if it is the teeniest, tiniest, wee morsel...to some extent, we all care about what others think. If we didn't, why would we buy the same clothes that our friends wear? Why would we buy vehicles big enough to carry our friends? Why would we post anything...and I mean anything...on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site?
I'll tell you why. Because even when we think we don't care what others think, we make funny posts so that people will smile or laugh...and like us for that side. Or we make rude, hurtful remarks so that people will know we are somewhat of a badass...or at least a wanna-be badass...and proceed with caution. We DO so that others REACT.
So my lesson here is that reactions shouldn't be what I want out of others. I want unconditional friendship. I want unconditional love. I want fruitful relationships with those that want the same thing. I want friendships to grow.
Someday I am going to die and the last thing I want is for someone to show up at my funeral and say that they remember me being mean and hurtful. That I didn't give enough. That I didn't do enough. That I didn't love enough.
I am trying to think back at different parts of my life to try and remember if there is anyone I need to apologize to. I don't want to die knowing I was a big enough jerk to not give someone a second chance. Or a third chance. Or a fourth. However many chances it takes.
With that being said, if I have ever wronged you and you think I owe you an apology, please let me know. It won't be a public apology. I'm done with everyone knowing my complete business. But I promise you, it will be heartfelt and sincere. And I would hope that if I have a side to the story, you are willing to listen to it. What you do with it from there is your business.
It's none of your business what other people think of you.
You see, it's not always physical pain that hurts your heart. Sometimes...and probably more often than we like to admit...it's the emotional stuff we deal with on a daily basis that hurts more.
I have found myself in a place where I feel like I am starting to purely hate people and that is not like me. I have never had hate in my heart and I don't want it to grow now. That's why I'm stepping away. I'm done trying to be anyone's friend. I'm done trying to be anyone's confidante. I'm done trying to glue stuff back together that I have no control over.
I'm going to be me for now. Just Shellie. I am going to be a little more selfish about what I want from life. I will no longer change MY schedule around for anyone else. If it doesn't work on my time, so be it. If that makes you angry, I'm sorry. There's your apology up front. I can no longer put those ahead, that won't do it for me.
Until next time...thanks for reading. I hope the next one is a little more upbeat. I don't know how much more of this I can take. And I need all the readers I can get.
2013/09/20
2013/09/10
All wrapped up in It Works
Recently I tried those "It Works!" wraps. My friend Mandy got me all set up and explained what I needed to do and then life took a left turn and then I started working a lot of late nights and it seemed like I was never going to get this done. You probably wonder why working nights would have anything to do with it. First off, if you know me at all, you know that I have to do things in an organized fashion or else it just isn't going to work. And secondly, in just a little bit, you will realize that I needed...or thought I needed...a second pair of hands to get this done.
For a couple of days ahead of starting out my "It Works!" wrap, I read and re-read all the information Mandy gave me...or should I say, I thought I did...because I wanted to make sure that I did it all right. I went over all the things in my packet. It included a couple of orange & berry flavored "Greens" to be mixed with water along with information to order more if I choose to. I received a coupon for a $25 wrap and another coupon for a free wrap by just hosting a party.
Let me just say I was very very excited about this and was telling EVERYONE I saw that I was going to do this and that they should do it and so on. Yes...I was pushing a product that I had never even used! Now that's some good information, don't you think??
And here's how it went. Try to contain your laughter until the end please. It's SO HARD to tell my story when someone is crying their eyes out from laughter!
"Step 1: Take a hot shower and DO NOT apply lotion to the areas you are going to wrap. This will keep the wrap from giving you maximum results."
I'm not one for HOT showers but I did take a warmer than normal shower beforehand. The last thing I want to do is sweat while I'm taking a shower. The lotion wasn't an issue since winter time is the only time I am in NEED of it. Okay, so I am showered, dried off and go down to the livingroom, only to find that all the blinds are completely wide open and here I am...stark naked. "Ahem. I'm naked here."
Okay, well I wasn't naked. I had a towel on. Close enough. The world doesn't need to see that. Quintin was kind enough to help me close the blinds. I forgot to mention that Miss Bella was spending the night with us this particular night and she was laying on the couch, asleep.
Okay...blinds closed and towel dropped. Close your eyes. You don't need to see this!
"Step 2: Measure 1-3 inches above your naval, then at your naval, and finally 1-3 inches below your naval. Make sure that the tape measure is straight across each time. Write the measurements down on paper. Sometimes it helps to use a magic marker on both sides of your body (at all 3 locations) to ensure that the tape measure is straight and that you are measuring the exact same spot after the 45 minutes are up. Also, remember to take BEFORE pictures from the side and straight on."
So we messed up a little bit here. We measure the 3 inches above and the 3 inches below but we didn't measure AT the naval. Oops! And Quintin did mark where he measured. With a dry erase marker (seriously!) that had been worn off by morning. I remember a conversation where he wondered WHY we had to mark it and I told him so we would know where to measure the next time (in the same spot) but he assured me he knew where he had measured. Uh huh...sure you did!!! We got the measuring done, written down and took pictures. No, I'm not sharing those with you. You're welcome.
"Step 3: Take the wrap out of the packaging and unfold it. The side with the lotion on it will be applied to your skin. You will notice a "Vicks vapor rub" smell...that's the eucalyptus (a natural property that helps with inflammation). Apply the wrap anywhere you want to tone, firm & tighten. Most people choose their stomach, but if you decide to do another area, be sure to measure in 3 sections about 1-3 inches apart. There is no right or wrong way to wear the wrap; just locate the area you want to target and put it on. You may even cut the wrap in half if you want to do your thighs, arms or neck (if doing your neck, you can save the other half that you did not use, in a ziplock bag)."
As I stood in front of Quintin, now naked and getting cold, who was struggling with the package...and accepting no help from me because he said he could get it....he finally rips it open to reveal this really super thin...like a cross between onion skin and human skin...patch that, just like it stated, smelled like Vick's vapor rub. I don't know about you but I like that smell. I know...I'm weird. He holds the patch in one hand while he takes the inside of the package and rubs it across the front of my belly that we will call Hazel. I wanted to touch that patch so bad but he wasn't having it. Told me to just be patient. *sigh* I'll show you patient, Mr.
He drops the packaging on the floor (because isn't that where it goes???) and applies the patch to Hazel...who thought this new thing was quite interesting. It takes a lot to impress Hazel.
"Step 4: Secure the wrap by either putting tight clothing over top or using saran wrap to keep it in place. If you are simply going to lie down on your back, you do not need anything to keep it in place. While you wait the 45 minutes for the ingredients to work, you may notice it gets hot and then cold. That's normal--now you know it's working! Be sure to drink plenty of water as you wait. You should drink enough water to make yourself go to the bathroom before re-measuring."
This is where it got a little weird. Quintin, of course, loved the idea of wrapping me in saran wrap. He literally ran around me 4-5 times before stopping. I was dizzy at this point and felt like a complete dummy! It was at this point I realized that I had not given myself an insulin shot that I am supposed to have before going to bed. Oh well, I wasn't going through that wrapping process again. It would have to be skipped for the night. Now...remember I said he RAN around me 4-5 times? Yeah. Imagine how tight that was! I showed him where it said "tight fitting clothes or saran wrap," to prove that it wasn't supposed to keep me from sitting down. Or breathing.
I put a pair of his shorts on and sat down on the couch. It wasn't an easy feat; and I kept telling him it was too tight but he wasn't hearing it. He told me it was going to be uncomfortable or it wasn't going to work. Maybe he's right. I don't know. What I do know is that when I finally got sat on the couch, and had to sit cross legged, Hazel had squished herself down below the bottom edge of the saran wrap. She wasn't having that being smothered crap either. "Bring the baby up to bed. I'm afraid I will bust a seam."
And since I had done this so close to bedtime (because we had company that evening), I didn't have time to drink much water. And to be honest, I didn't even see that "drink enough water to make yourself go to the bathroom before re-measuring" line. Dammit! It looks to me I really screwed this thing up! But I wasn't giving up! No, not yet! To bed I went with baby laying beside me. I did feel Hazel get hot and then cold in the first precious minutes that my life was not being threatened by saran wrap. Pretty awesome because I knew it had to be working!
I am a side sleeper and spent most of this night on my back. Go figure. It was just easier to breathe at this point. At one point of the very early morning, I woke up and the saran wrap had started to roll down. It hadn't uncovered the patch at all...yet...but it was still so damned tight! That was it. I had had enough of this saran wrap crap! I sat on the edge of the bed, trying my best not to wake baby girl and pulled and pulled at the saran wrap. I couldn't find the end!!!
Oh dear, all I could think about was baby girl waking up and crawling off the bed, onto my passed out body, maybe stopping long enough to pick at the saran wrap because it felt funny on her feet, and then falling down the stairs. Ugh!!! Thanks to my dear husband for sleeping in his chair this night! NOT!
I started tearing into the saran wrap. I was like a mad woman!! Who cares where the ends are at, just get this stuff off of me! I will just interject this once again, I don't know HOW parents do this on a daily basis!! Phew! I finally got it off of me. I was sweating but my patch was in place. I tucked my shirt into my shorts and went back to sleep. Lesson learned. That saran wrap is a killer. Not doing that ever again. For ANY reason!!! For any of you that think it's sexy...you need to be the wrapped by my husband. You will see what I'm talking about.
I know it says to wear it for at least 45 minutes but it also says you can wear it up to 8 hours and I felt I could benefit from the maximum time usage. That's why I chose to go to bed with it on. If only I had read that line about the water drinking...
"Step 5: After using the restroom, take off the body wrap and lay it on the counter. Use your hands to swipe off any remaining lotion from the wrap. Apply it anywhere on your body. Rub in all the lotion that is still on your body from the wrap. It may turn white while you rub it in and then it will disappear. Re-measure in all three spots and take your AFTER pictures from the side and straight on. Add up all 3 sections from BEFORE the wrap and then add up all 3 sections AFTER the wrap. Then subtract them to determine your total inch loss within 45 minutes."
So I didn't pay full enough attention here because after I peeled the wrap off, I took a shower. Oops! Yeah, I really screwed this up. Before Quintin left to drop Miss Bella off at the babysitter's house, he measured me. 1 inch. 1 inch!! Overnight!! So far!!! That was cool!
"Step 6: Continue to drink half your body weight in ounces of water for the next 3 days. Since this is an immediate (45 minutes) and progressive (72 hours) detox wrap, you'll want to complete the process by flushing out the toxins over the next 3 days. After the 72 hours are up, re-measure and take your pictures once more. Subtract your initial measure from your 72 hour results. Let me know how you did!!!"
The water drinking is hard for me now that my blood sugars are intact. And I don't know about how well this CAN work for someone who is injecting insulin into their body at the same time they are trying to get rid of toxins. I mean...I don't know...maybe I"m wrong here but I kinda feel like I was drinking a diet soda and eating a donut, if that makes sense. I did the re-measures but only lost that 1 inch. On my paper it says, "if you are on lots of pharmaceuticals, it may take you a few wraps to get things going." At the rate I'm going with "pharmaceuticals, it would take a lot more than that I'm afraid!"
Not to worry. I have another one to do. I was supposed to wait 3 days to do the next one but didn't get around to doing it for 5 days. Another oops on my part! Ugh!!! This time I put the patch on myself...and yes, it was in the evening because I wanted to try to down as much water as I possibly could before bedtime. After putting the patch on, Quintin came at me with the saran wrap but I SHUT. HIM. DOWN! I dug out an old underwear girdle that I have had for years and years and years...and wore it to bed. And it was PERFECT!!! Even Hazel was okay with it!
I didn't have to work the next morning so I didn't just jump into the shower right away. I couldn't wait to measure so before Quintin went to work again, he had to measure me. And it seems I am stuck at that 1 inch. It seems that there is something called "Defining Gel" that you should use on days between the wraps. I didn't have that so I don't know if that would have made a difference or not.
The paper reads "you should be having regular bowel movements 1-2 times a day." I was already doing that so I was hoping it didn't double that! Phew, it didn't!
As with anything else, you need to eat healthy and live healthy...which is what I'm trying to do. I think that if I were to continue with the "It works!" wraps, I would lose the inches that I am craving to lose. Unfortunately, my pocketbook argues with me right now. I am considering having a wrap-party this fall if I can get enough interest in it. Let me know if you want to come. I am having quite a time lately with people saying they want to do things and then at the last minute, change their plans. I am not going to beg anyone to be around me but I thought this was a great way for a bunch of gals to get together and have someone actually answer all the questions we may have and see how it is REALLY supposed to work!
So...my overall product review for this product...on a scale of one to five...is a 3.5. I think it does the things it says but I also think it varies among people. I think your body type makes a difference. Your finances make a difference. Your pre-wrap health makes a huge difference. And if you can breathe or not, after wrapping with saran wrap, makes the most difference of all.
My suggestion is that when you try this product, not only read and re-read the instructions...but have someone else read them as well. Just so you are doing everything you are supposed to be doing. It is too easy to overlook something. If you have small children that you have to physically take care of, I would get a babysitter. Send them to grandma's; heck, send them to aunt Shellie's. Just give yourself time to do what you need to do. But that's just me.
I would love to hear your "It Works!" wrap stories as well and if you want the hookup, you can find her on Facebook. Mandy Barnhart. There's nobody easier to work with! Thanks Mandy, for the opportunity to do this! People laugh at my story but I kinda stacked my own odds against me. Now everyone else can learn from my mistakes (since I made so many of them!).
Thanks for reading and until next time...enjoy the rest of your summer!!
For a couple of days ahead of starting out my "It Works!" wrap, I read and re-read all the information Mandy gave me...or should I say, I thought I did...because I wanted to make sure that I did it all right. I went over all the things in my packet. It included a couple of orange & berry flavored "Greens" to be mixed with water along with information to order more if I choose to. I received a coupon for a $25 wrap and another coupon for a free wrap by just hosting a party.
Let me just say I was very very excited about this and was telling EVERYONE I saw that I was going to do this and that they should do it and so on. Yes...I was pushing a product that I had never even used! Now that's some good information, don't you think??
And here's how it went. Try to contain your laughter until the end please. It's SO HARD to tell my story when someone is crying their eyes out from laughter!
"Step 1: Take a hot shower and DO NOT apply lotion to the areas you are going to wrap. This will keep the wrap from giving you maximum results."
I'm not one for HOT showers but I did take a warmer than normal shower beforehand. The last thing I want to do is sweat while I'm taking a shower. The lotion wasn't an issue since winter time is the only time I am in NEED of it. Okay, so I am showered, dried off and go down to the livingroom, only to find that all the blinds are completely wide open and here I am...stark naked. "Ahem. I'm naked here."
Okay, well I wasn't naked. I had a towel on. Close enough. The world doesn't need to see that. Quintin was kind enough to help me close the blinds. I forgot to mention that Miss Bella was spending the night with us this particular night and she was laying on the couch, asleep.
Okay...blinds closed and towel dropped. Close your eyes. You don't need to see this!
"Step 2: Measure 1-3 inches above your naval, then at your naval, and finally 1-3 inches below your naval. Make sure that the tape measure is straight across each time. Write the measurements down on paper. Sometimes it helps to use a magic marker on both sides of your body (at all 3 locations) to ensure that the tape measure is straight and that you are measuring the exact same spot after the 45 minutes are up. Also, remember to take BEFORE pictures from the side and straight on."
So we messed up a little bit here. We measure the 3 inches above and the 3 inches below but we didn't measure AT the naval. Oops! And Quintin did mark where he measured. With a dry erase marker (seriously!) that had been worn off by morning. I remember a conversation where he wondered WHY we had to mark it and I told him so we would know where to measure the next time (in the same spot) but he assured me he knew where he had measured. Uh huh...sure you did!!! We got the measuring done, written down and took pictures. No, I'm not sharing those with you. You're welcome.
"Step 3: Take the wrap out of the packaging and unfold it. The side with the lotion on it will be applied to your skin. You will notice a "Vicks vapor rub" smell...that's the eucalyptus (a natural property that helps with inflammation). Apply the wrap anywhere you want to tone, firm & tighten. Most people choose their stomach, but if you decide to do another area, be sure to measure in 3 sections about 1-3 inches apart. There is no right or wrong way to wear the wrap; just locate the area you want to target and put it on. You may even cut the wrap in half if you want to do your thighs, arms or neck (if doing your neck, you can save the other half that you did not use, in a ziplock bag)."
As I stood in front of Quintin, now naked and getting cold, who was struggling with the package...and accepting no help from me because he said he could get it....he finally rips it open to reveal this really super thin...like a cross between onion skin and human skin...patch that, just like it stated, smelled like Vick's vapor rub. I don't know about you but I like that smell. I know...I'm weird. He holds the patch in one hand while he takes the inside of the package and rubs it across the front of my belly that we will call Hazel. I wanted to touch that patch so bad but he wasn't having it. Told me to just be patient. *sigh* I'll show you patient, Mr.
He drops the packaging on the floor (because isn't that where it goes???) and applies the patch to Hazel...who thought this new thing was quite interesting. It takes a lot to impress Hazel.
"Step 4: Secure the wrap by either putting tight clothing over top or using saran wrap to keep it in place. If you are simply going to lie down on your back, you do not need anything to keep it in place. While you wait the 45 minutes for the ingredients to work, you may notice it gets hot and then cold. That's normal--now you know it's working! Be sure to drink plenty of water as you wait. You should drink enough water to make yourself go to the bathroom before re-measuring."
This is where it got a little weird. Quintin, of course, loved the idea of wrapping me in saran wrap. He literally ran around me 4-5 times before stopping. I was dizzy at this point and felt like a complete dummy! It was at this point I realized that I had not given myself an insulin shot that I am supposed to have before going to bed. Oh well, I wasn't going through that wrapping process again. It would have to be skipped for the night. Now...remember I said he RAN around me 4-5 times? Yeah. Imagine how tight that was! I showed him where it said "tight fitting clothes or saran wrap," to prove that it wasn't supposed to keep me from sitting down. Or breathing.
I put a pair of his shorts on and sat down on the couch. It wasn't an easy feat; and I kept telling him it was too tight but he wasn't hearing it. He told me it was going to be uncomfortable or it wasn't going to work. Maybe he's right. I don't know. What I do know is that when I finally got sat on the couch, and had to sit cross legged, Hazel had squished herself down below the bottom edge of the saran wrap. She wasn't having that being smothered crap either. "Bring the baby up to bed. I'm afraid I will bust a seam."
And since I had done this so close to bedtime (because we had company that evening), I didn't have time to drink much water. And to be honest, I didn't even see that "drink enough water to make yourself go to the bathroom before re-measuring" line. Dammit! It looks to me I really screwed this thing up! But I wasn't giving up! No, not yet! To bed I went with baby laying beside me. I did feel Hazel get hot and then cold in the first precious minutes that my life was not being threatened by saran wrap. Pretty awesome because I knew it had to be working!
I am a side sleeper and spent most of this night on my back. Go figure. It was just easier to breathe at this point. At one point of the very early morning, I woke up and the saran wrap had started to roll down. It hadn't uncovered the patch at all...yet...but it was still so damned tight! That was it. I had had enough of this saran wrap crap! I sat on the edge of the bed, trying my best not to wake baby girl and pulled and pulled at the saran wrap. I couldn't find the end!!!
Oh dear, all I could think about was baby girl waking up and crawling off the bed, onto my passed out body, maybe stopping long enough to pick at the saran wrap because it felt funny on her feet, and then falling down the stairs. Ugh!!! Thanks to my dear husband for sleeping in his chair this night! NOT!
I started tearing into the saran wrap. I was like a mad woman!! Who cares where the ends are at, just get this stuff off of me! I will just interject this once again, I don't know HOW parents do this on a daily basis!! Phew! I finally got it off of me. I was sweating but my patch was in place. I tucked my shirt into my shorts and went back to sleep. Lesson learned. That saran wrap is a killer. Not doing that ever again. For ANY reason!!! For any of you that think it's sexy...you need to be the wrapped by my husband. You will see what I'm talking about.
I know it says to wear it for at least 45 minutes but it also says you can wear it up to 8 hours and I felt I could benefit from the maximum time usage. That's why I chose to go to bed with it on. If only I had read that line about the water drinking...
"Step 5: After using the restroom, take off the body wrap and lay it on the counter. Use your hands to swipe off any remaining lotion from the wrap. Apply it anywhere on your body. Rub in all the lotion that is still on your body from the wrap. It may turn white while you rub it in and then it will disappear. Re-measure in all three spots and take your AFTER pictures from the side and straight on. Add up all 3 sections from BEFORE the wrap and then add up all 3 sections AFTER the wrap. Then subtract them to determine your total inch loss within 45 minutes."
So I didn't pay full enough attention here because after I peeled the wrap off, I took a shower. Oops! Yeah, I really screwed this up. Before Quintin left to drop Miss Bella off at the babysitter's house, he measured me. 1 inch. 1 inch!! Overnight!! So far!!! That was cool!
"Step 6: Continue to drink half your body weight in ounces of water for the next 3 days. Since this is an immediate (45 minutes) and progressive (72 hours) detox wrap, you'll want to complete the process by flushing out the toxins over the next 3 days. After the 72 hours are up, re-measure and take your pictures once more. Subtract your initial measure from your 72 hour results. Let me know how you did!!!"
The water drinking is hard for me now that my blood sugars are intact. And I don't know about how well this CAN work for someone who is injecting insulin into their body at the same time they are trying to get rid of toxins. I mean...I don't know...maybe I"m wrong here but I kinda feel like I was drinking a diet soda and eating a donut, if that makes sense. I did the re-measures but only lost that 1 inch. On my paper it says, "if you are on lots of pharmaceuticals, it may take you a few wraps to get things going." At the rate I'm going with "pharmaceuticals, it would take a lot more than that I'm afraid!"
Not to worry. I have another one to do. I was supposed to wait 3 days to do the next one but didn't get around to doing it for 5 days. Another oops on my part! Ugh!!! This time I put the patch on myself...and yes, it was in the evening because I wanted to try to down as much water as I possibly could before bedtime. After putting the patch on, Quintin came at me with the saran wrap but I SHUT. HIM. DOWN! I dug out an old underwear girdle that I have had for years and years and years...and wore it to bed. And it was PERFECT!!! Even Hazel was okay with it!
I didn't have to work the next morning so I didn't just jump into the shower right away. I couldn't wait to measure so before Quintin went to work again, he had to measure me. And it seems I am stuck at that 1 inch. It seems that there is something called "Defining Gel" that you should use on days between the wraps. I didn't have that so I don't know if that would have made a difference or not.
The paper reads "you should be having regular bowel movements 1-2 times a day." I was already doing that so I was hoping it didn't double that! Phew, it didn't!
As with anything else, you need to eat healthy and live healthy...which is what I'm trying to do. I think that if I were to continue with the "It works!" wraps, I would lose the inches that I am craving to lose. Unfortunately, my pocketbook argues with me right now. I am considering having a wrap-party this fall if I can get enough interest in it. Let me know if you want to come. I am having quite a time lately with people saying they want to do things and then at the last minute, change their plans. I am not going to beg anyone to be around me but I thought this was a great way for a bunch of gals to get together and have someone actually answer all the questions we may have and see how it is REALLY supposed to work!
So...my overall product review for this product...on a scale of one to five...is a 3.5. I think it does the things it says but I also think it varies among people. I think your body type makes a difference. Your finances make a difference. Your pre-wrap health makes a huge difference. And if you can breathe or not, after wrapping with saran wrap, makes the most difference of all.
My suggestion is that when you try this product, not only read and re-read the instructions...but have someone else read them as well. Just so you are doing everything you are supposed to be doing. It is too easy to overlook something. If you have small children that you have to physically take care of, I would get a babysitter. Send them to grandma's; heck, send them to aunt Shellie's. Just give yourself time to do what you need to do. But that's just me.
I would love to hear your "It Works!" wrap stories as well and if you want the hookup, you can find her on Facebook. Mandy Barnhart. There's nobody easier to work with! Thanks Mandy, for the opportunity to do this! People laugh at my story but I kinda stacked my own odds against me. Now everyone else can learn from my mistakes (since I made so many of them!).
Thanks for reading and until next time...enjoy the rest of your summer!!
2013/09/09
I can't stop keeping track
A wise woman once told me that it isn't right for friends to "keep track." The reason she told me this is because I was very out-of-sorts about some friends that didn't seem to do anything with me unless I came to them.
I was also more than a little peeved at the fact most of these friends didn't call or text me unless they were in need of something. There was never a call to say "Hey, just wanted to catch up with you." or "Do you wanna hang out today?" Well...not unless I did the calling or texting. So that's when I got this good advice.
It isn't right for friends to keep track.
It has probably been two years or more since she told me this and it has worked like a charm. It didn't seem to bother me anymore. Funny how that works.
Well, for the past couple of weeks, that feeling is back. So here's where I need you to step in and help me get a grasp on the situation. I don't have any reference of late, to give you. Only the past. Because life has been so busy that I haven't had time to "keep track."
What I'm wondering is, if I'm feeling guilty because I'm not spending time with the people I want to spend time with. At least not all of them. Here we go.....................
This could bring a rant on, so don't say you weren't warned.
I try to go home and visit all of my family and friends whenever I can. Sometimes though, I can only visit for a few hours. I get a lot of pressure put on me from a lot of people...both family and friends...about why I don't make time to come see them. I think this is why I don't go back very often anymore. I am exhausted when I leave. I feel as though I have been pulled in too many directions.
I try to visit my sisters as much as possible. I'm a little ashamed to say that my sister Kathy has brand new carpet in her home and I haven't been there to see it. The last time I was there, she had just gotten her home sided and new windows installed. But I haven't been there since she got the carpet. We've went on a road trip and been to the city together...but I haven't seen that carpet yet. Geesh, I'm such a jackass!
When I visit Cindy, it's usually at her place of work because those are the hours I'm off work. And it gives us time to ourselves, to discuss anything and everything without anybody else around. And it's usually so few and far between that I do get to spend any amount of time with her, I feel guilty if I don't stay longer than 30 minutes. *sigh*
I have nieces that I am dying to see again. I haven't seen them for close to a year now. It hurts my heart and soul. But I have to abide by the rules of the home. I have great nephews that I need to stop in and see because that's the only time I DO see them. I always have this fear that they will forget who I am. I hope that day never comes.
I have aunts and uncles that I need to desperately go and see but I feel like I have so much going on, that working around MY schedule is too much and working around THEIR schedules are almost impossible. Almost.
I have a dear high school classmate that I want to spend some time with and can't ever find it in my schedule to just fit a day in.
I see some patterns here, how about you? A lot of talk about schedules and time. Ugh, if only I could rent some more time somewhere.
Has the question of "How does keeping track of friends and you needing more time, have anything to do with each other?" came to your mind yet? Have you wondered just what in the name of black socks and khakis, am I talking about???
I think I'm keeping track. Because as far as I can come up with...and I'm not trying to be mean...is that when I go see these people, it's ME doing the traveling...the calling...the texting. It's ME asking how THEY are doing. And then it's ME that gets the guilt trip when we finally do get together.
"I've been waiting for you to call me or stop by."
"We thought you were mad at us. You came to town and didn't come see us."
"When are you coming to see me?"
"How long has it been since you've been here?"
So I guess this is where the rant comes in. I will try not to throw anything large or intrusive at you. You might want to cover yourself though.
Why do "I" have to do the calling all the time?
Don't you EVER wonder how I am doing?
Do you care?
Doesn't YOUR phone call out the same as mine?
Haven't you learned to use that text feature on your phone yet, seriously?
Have you lost your driver's license?
Do you need a map of Iowa?
Up until a few months ago, I was the picture of entertaining. I loved having the people I love, in our home; cooking for them, playing cards or board games with them, hanging out just watching a movie or even doing nothing at all. I have always loved having people in my home.
But nobody wants to come there anymore. And that's fine. I refuse to beg anyone to come see me. But then I hope those people understand when I don't want to come see them anymore either. And I feel like that's what I need to do. I have been saying this for a while but now I believe it's time to act.
I keep relating it to this sound old advice, "If your husband won't pick his dirty clothes up and at least rinse his plate off after dinner, leave that stuff lay. He will get to it eventually because he will get tired of looking at it too."
Guess what, that doesn't work. It just makes for more work in the end.
I'm at the point where I don't care if anybody ever wants to do anything with me again. Maybe that's what I need. A break. And I don't mean you Kathy. I saw that sneer you just gave me.
Last year we had our staycation at our home and had a lot of fun. So much fun, in fact, that several people wanted us to host another one. And I wanted to do that so bad! And while I don't want to point fingers here, I am going to point fingers.
I will start out with my friend Mick. He came from Minnesota and was going to do it again this year. He posed the question very early in the year, could I please set a date early so that everybody could plan for it and do what they needed to do?, etc. etc. And so I did. I think it was back in February when we set the date for Labor Day weekend.
Honestly I thought that was a no-brainer. I thought 6 months in advance was some damn good planning on my part. After all, I have to ask for it off from work as well. And I did. WELL IN ADVANCE.
The group of us that were there last year decided that we wanted to extend the invitation to others. Maybe some that had commented on our pictures and said they wished they had been invited. Or maybe just friends that we wanted included. It doesn't matter WHY they were invited, they were just invited because someone wanted them there.
So a page was created and many were invited. There were some that knew (that far) in advance, they wouldn't be able to make it. No biggie. There were some that said they might make it but never got back to me on it. Okay, I expected that.
The two groups of people that really got to me though were the group of people that ASKED to be invited. The ones that saw the pictures from last year and said, "I really need this time away. Can I come to your staycation?" Seriously, don't use the word staycation in a sentence to me if you're not actually going to COME TO IT!! And then, let's not forget that small group that kept saying "I can't wait. It's going to be so much fun." And then top it off (close to the last minute, I might add) with, I don't know if my boss will let me have it off.
ARE YOU FOREVER KIDDING ME???
Staycation is not only cancelled but I won't host another one. Ungrateful little.......
There was no way I was going to let Mick drive down here from Minnesota (I don't care if it was on a motorcyle and it's cheaper) just to have to spend our time sitting around waiting on someone else to finally arrive.
I've had it with people and I need a damn mental health break. THIS is when I start "keeping track of" my friends and take stock in who really does want to spend time with me and put them up against that list of people that only want to spend time with me in spirit. I don't know. I give up.
Right or wrong, I am stepping away for a while. Look out, I may step backward and step right on you. And it will probably hurt. I will apologize in advance for the pain...but not for my actions.
My break is consisting of spending time with only a few people. Outside of that, please don't ask me to come to your house (I don't want to). Please don't ask if you can come to mine (I don't want you there). I don't want to come to your baby showers, your kids' birthdays and not even a girls night out.
Feel free to tell me how I shouldn't have hurt feelers and that I'm wrong. It's ok, I can take it. After all, I'm a big girl and am responsible for my own actions.
*sigh*
Thanks for reading. I'm going to be taking a break from publishing my blogs for a while because I feel like I am going to "infect" someone. I have a couple that are almost done, that I will post in the next couple of days. After that, the only people that are going to be able to read them, are those that have subscribed to them.
Enjoy your night.
I was also more than a little peeved at the fact most of these friends didn't call or text me unless they were in need of something. There was never a call to say "Hey, just wanted to catch up with you." or "Do you wanna hang out today?" Well...not unless I did the calling or texting. So that's when I got this good advice.
It isn't right for friends to keep track.
It has probably been two years or more since she told me this and it has worked like a charm. It didn't seem to bother me anymore. Funny how that works.
Well, for the past couple of weeks, that feeling is back. So here's where I need you to step in and help me get a grasp on the situation. I don't have any reference of late, to give you. Only the past. Because life has been so busy that I haven't had time to "keep track."
What I'm wondering is, if I'm feeling guilty because I'm not spending time with the people I want to spend time with. At least not all of them. Here we go.....................
This could bring a rant on, so don't say you weren't warned.
I try to go home and visit all of my family and friends whenever I can. Sometimes though, I can only visit for a few hours. I get a lot of pressure put on me from a lot of people...both family and friends...about why I don't make time to come see them. I think this is why I don't go back very often anymore. I am exhausted when I leave. I feel as though I have been pulled in too many directions.
I try to visit my sisters as much as possible. I'm a little ashamed to say that my sister Kathy has brand new carpet in her home and I haven't been there to see it. The last time I was there, she had just gotten her home sided and new windows installed. But I haven't been there since she got the carpet. We've went on a road trip and been to the city together...but I haven't seen that carpet yet. Geesh, I'm such a jackass!
When I visit Cindy, it's usually at her place of work because those are the hours I'm off work. And it gives us time to ourselves, to discuss anything and everything without anybody else around. And it's usually so few and far between that I do get to spend any amount of time with her, I feel guilty if I don't stay longer than 30 minutes. *sigh*
I have nieces that I am dying to see again. I haven't seen them for close to a year now. It hurts my heart and soul. But I have to abide by the rules of the home. I have great nephews that I need to stop in and see because that's the only time I DO see them. I always have this fear that they will forget who I am. I hope that day never comes.
I have aunts and uncles that I need to desperately go and see but I feel like I have so much going on, that working around MY schedule is too much and working around THEIR schedules are almost impossible. Almost.
I have a dear high school classmate that I want to spend some time with and can't ever find it in my schedule to just fit a day in.
I see some patterns here, how about you? A lot of talk about schedules and time. Ugh, if only I could rent some more time somewhere.
Has the question of "How does keeping track of friends and you needing more time, have anything to do with each other?" came to your mind yet? Have you wondered just what in the name of black socks and khakis, am I talking about???
I think I'm keeping track. Because as far as I can come up with...and I'm not trying to be mean...is that when I go see these people, it's ME doing the traveling...the calling...the texting. It's ME asking how THEY are doing. And then it's ME that gets the guilt trip when we finally do get together.
"I've been waiting for you to call me or stop by."
"We thought you were mad at us. You came to town and didn't come see us."
"When are you coming to see me?"
"How long has it been since you've been here?"
So I guess this is where the rant comes in. I will try not to throw anything large or intrusive at you. You might want to cover yourself though.
Why do "I" have to do the calling all the time?
Don't you EVER wonder how I am doing?
Do you care?
Doesn't YOUR phone call out the same as mine?
Haven't you learned to use that text feature on your phone yet, seriously?
Have you lost your driver's license?
Do you need a map of Iowa?
Up until a few months ago, I was the picture of entertaining. I loved having the people I love, in our home; cooking for them, playing cards or board games with them, hanging out just watching a movie or even doing nothing at all. I have always loved having people in my home.
But nobody wants to come there anymore. And that's fine. I refuse to beg anyone to come see me. But then I hope those people understand when I don't want to come see them anymore either. And I feel like that's what I need to do. I have been saying this for a while but now I believe it's time to act.
I keep relating it to this sound old advice, "If your husband won't pick his dirty clothes up and at least rinse his plate off after dinner, leave that stuff lay. He will get to it eventually because he will get tired of looking at it too."
Guess what, that doesn't work. It just makes for more work in the end.
I'm at the point where I don't care if anybody ever wants to do anything with me again. Maybe that's what I need. A break. And I don't mean you Kathy. I saw that sneer you just gave me.
Last year we had our staycation at our home and had a lot of fun. So much fun, in fact, that several people wanted us to host another one. And I wanted to do that so bad! And while I don't want to point fingers here, I am going to point fingers.
I will start out with my friend Mick. He came from Minnesota and was going to do it again this year. He posed the question very early in the year, could I please set a date early so that everybody could plan for it and do what they needed to do?, etc. etc. And so I did. I think it was back in February when we set the date for Labor Day weekend.
Honestly I thought that was a no-brainer. I thought 6 months in advance was some damn good planning on my part. After all, I have to ask for it off from work as well. And I did. WELL IN ADVANCE.
The group of us that were there last year decided that we wanted to extend the invitation to others. Maybe some that had commented on our pictures and said they wished they had been invited. Or maybe just friends that we wanted included. It doesn't matter WHY they were invited, they were just invited because someone wanted them there.
So a page was created and many were invited. There were some that knew (that far) in advance, they wouldn't be able to make it. No biggie. There were some that said they might make it but never got back to me on it. Okay, I expected that.
The two groups of people that really got to me though were the group of people that ASKED to be invited. The ones that saw the pictures from last year and said, "I really need this time away. Can I come to your staycation?" Seriously, don't use the word staycation in a sentence to me if you're not actually going to COME TO IT!! And then, let's not forget that small group that kept saying "I can't wait. It's going to be so much fun." And then top it off (close to the last minute, I might add) with, I don't know if my boss will let me have it off.
ARE YOU FOREVER KIDDING ME???
Staycation is not only cancelled but I won't host another one. Ungrateful little.......
There was no way I was going to let Mick drive down here from Minnesota (I don't care if it was on a motorcyle and it's cheaper) just to have to spend our time sitting around waiting on someone else to finally arrive.
I've had it with people and I need a damn mental health break. THIS is when I start "keeping track of" my friends and take stock in who really does want to spend time with me and put them up against that list of people that only want to spend time with me in spirit. I don't know. I give up.
Right or wrong, I am stepping away for a while. Look out, I may step backward and step right on you. And it will probably hurt. I will apologize in advance for the pain...but not for my actions.
My break is consisting of spending time with only a few people. Outside of that, please don't ask me to come to your house (I don't want to). Please don't ask if you can come to mine (I don't want you there). I don't want to come to your baby showers, your kids' birthdays and not even a girls night out.
Feel free to tell me how I shouldn't have hurt feelers and that I'm wrong. It's ok, I can take it. After all, I'm a big girl and am responsible for my own actions.
*sigh*
Thanks for reading. I'm going to be taking a break from publishing my blogs for a while because I feel like I am going to "infect" someone. I have a couple that are almost done, that I will post in the next couple of days. After that, the only people that are going to be able to read them, are those that have subscribed to them.
Enjoy your night.
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