sometimes I don't have a blog title.

It's somewhat disenchanting to be hanging out with someone all night and have him ask you if your friend is single. Then again, free drinks because your friend is cute isn't something to complain about, I suppose.

Highlights of the night include:

• Paying for only one drink all night.
• Almost winning at darts (I've never even been able to hit the board before!)
• A woman telling me she wanted to slap my ass.

There are worse things. But is that what it's like for cute girls all the time? Do they never buy their own drinks? I must discuss.

Also, Penny ate the wheel of my mouse. *shakes fist*

oh! I do like to be beside the seaside!

It's true, nothing makes me happier than the thought of sailing. I've always loved being near water. Perhaps it's part of growing up in a state surrounded by lakes. I grew up sailing on my dad's boat and my grandfather's boat, but never really learned to sail, myself. I'm not sure if I never took an interest in learning, or maybe if I've just forgotten it all. But I would love to take one of those classes where you learn to sail by going out on a boat with an instructor for a few days... pricing it out, they look very very expensive. So I'm hunting for maybe some cheaper lessons. Or maybe I just need to get a "Learn to Sail" textbook, though I'm not sure how much about it I could learn via reading.

My grandfather primarily taught my brother how to sail. Matt's really a faster learner than I am, and at the time I was a nervous boater, convinced that the boat was going to tip over. By the time I got over that silly fear, I think I missed my chance to learn. I regret that.

Matthew, the intrepid sailor.

Me, my grandfather, and my brother. 

I don't have any photos on my computer of me sailing, what a shame! I'll have to ask my mom to upload some and send them to me. I have some very fond memories of being out on Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan on Grandpa's 41 ft. Hinkley, the Fly-n-Finn. I loved sitting up on the bow on a calm sail just as much as I loved a windy day sitting on the "low side" as I always called it. Being able to stick your hand in the water as you fly over it on nothing but the power of the wind... paradise.

penny has sad legs

Sad knees, to be exact. She has been diagnosed with luxating patellas, which basically means that her kneecaps are slippery. She has it in both of her back legs, though it seems to be worse in her right leg. It's very very sad to see when both of her legs slip and she has to sit down because they won't hold her up. So sad. Look how sad she is.

I'm heading to the vet tomorrow with her to find out just how bad it is, and if she will need this terribly expensive surgery. Cross your fingers!

Update to come regarding my week of physical fitness.

lose the baggage

There is a large part of me (no pun intended) that thinks that my life will be vastly improved if I lose weight. No more medications, cheaper clothing, less worry about travel... Might even improve my anxiety.

I'm finding the road to be difficult, given my addiction to food. Not even decent food. I love food that is bad for me. French fries, fried pickles, burgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, and chips. Ice cream. Cheesecake. Cheap queso dip! And the problem is that I can't stop once I start eating, it's an obsession. I could happily go without eating at all ever again, if I didn't get so darn hungry and feel faint from lack of food. Once I start eating I just keep going and going, but if I never start then all is well.

I've been getting quite a lot of inspiration lately from Can You Stay For Dinner? which covers a myriad of topics, not the least of which is the author's inspiring journey from morbidly obese to healthy. I find that I can relate to her, because quite simply, I am just about where she was when she started. Almost the same weight, feeling the same anxieties. I just can't wait. I've started working on it, but slowly.

I bought the Just Dance 3 game for my Wii, and I love it. I sweat like buckets during the game, and I do about a half hour of it before I just can't do anymore. I've been trying to follow friend's advice to not quit when it gets tough because that's when it really matters the most, and I think that it has helped me to push myself past what I thought I could do. And I am beginning to set goals for myself. They are still not fully shaped, but they are beginning. I want to be able to go home (back to the mitten) fro Christmas, and wear boots! I've never been able to wear boots in style, because my calves are too fat. I want to wear boots, guys. Next summer, I want to go on vacation. I want to make big weight loss, and reward myself with a vacation. Ideas are welcome

And it's getting late (for me). I need to go to sleep. Get ready for a weight loss journey, world.

adventures in sushi

Today I had sushi for the first time in about 10 years.

Needless to say, I am still not a huge fan. Anyone want some sushi?