After last year’s crashing and burning of MamaGathering I held back to see if anyone else wanted to get the ball rolling for this year…so far nada. So since it is now March 2007 I say we get organized! If someone wants to host one in another city that is A-Ok by me; I would [...]

I’m still working on the new design for Mama Specific Productions, and tweaking the blogger template for here as well…stay tuned, and give me comments/suggestions/feedback about it, if you’d be so kind. I am trying to go from old-school tables to a complete CSS layout, and it’s a little more complicated than I thought it [...]

We are now into week 8 of the new year! Time is going so fast. I am so happy I am sticking to my fitness resolution. I think if I had put it off I would still be at 210 pounds, and probably have gained more weight in this time instead of lost. Weighed in [...]

Weighed in this morning at 186! after a busy busy weekend. I have a busy busy week including today and I am looking forward to bedtime already. I was up late last night working on some things and tonight’s going to be another late night, bleh. I told Mercury Man I couldn’t wait to get [...]

Working on the blog design, sorry it’s so yucky right now…will fix ASAP!!

Man, it is crazy outside, there is no where to walk! We had so much snow!! The snowplows cleared the streets but all that snow had to go somewhere, it’s all piled on the sidewalks and treelawns, in some places taller than me! So I had to do my morning walk in the street, in [...]

It’s not even 11am, and I feel like I have put in a full day already, whew! The kids are home again today, school is off still because of the weather. Funness! Later we’re going to the Y. I weighed in this morning at 187.5!! Meals today: Breakfast – oatmeal with apple, water snack – [...]

Ok I finally have pics! I still didn’t find my phone cable but I blue-toothed the pics to Mercury Man’s laptop (my desktop is 4 years old and thus ancient as far as that goes, I may put it on though) so here we go. remember my back-fat pic from last month? Here’s my back [...]

Busy day for me, actually this whole week has been very busy. I’ll get a break on Sunday then another busy week begins. Weighed in this morning at 191 pounds. By Sunday I should be out of the 190s!! This is so exciting to me. Pschologically it’s a big boost because my first 20 pound [...]

As of this morning I have lost 18.5 pounds!!!starting weight – 210current weight – 191.5goal weight – 130 I weigh myself every morning, I find that seeing the scale go down a little bit every day helps me a lot and helps me to keep focused for that 24 hour period. I originally started this [...]

I can’t believe it’s after 10am already!! I have had a busy busy morning already and a meeting still before noon, and one after lunch. Weigh-in this morning: 192, I have lost 18 pounds so far! Today’s Goals:45 minutes spinning class30 minutes treadmill12,000 steps120 oz. waterBrush & floss after every mealOne serving meals, no secondsRaw [...]

Last week of the challenge! I lost 4 pounds last week, woooot. I’m now at 193.5, so I would like to lose 3-4 pounds this week to put me under 190. Good-bye 190s, hope you don’t stay too long! LOL The kids are home today, all the schools are shut down today because it’s so [...]

Question of the day:What does it mean to you to be healthy? For me being healthy is the absence of disease or affliction. In the case of a permanent issue, health can be maintained by taking the proper medicine, herbs, and/or following the advice of a health care provider. I relation to weight being overweight [...]

Today’s Question:Do you remember to do a breast self-exam?Here are the five steps to doing a BSE: http://www.breastcancer.org/dia_detec_exam_5step.html Yes, I do one every month the day after my period (because that just makes it easier for me to remember to do). I got started on this back when I got my nipples first pierced years [...]

Today’s Question:What is the funniest outfit you’ve ever worn to work out in? I don’t have any funny workout clothes, actually. I usually wear a pair of long shorts or jogging pants, a sports bra, and a tee. Tonight I’m going to another spinning class!! Today’s Goals45 minutes spinning class1/2 hour treadmill12,000 stepsNo salt added [...]

Today’s Question(s):What have you been doing that makes you feel really good about yourself?What have you “cheated” on your “eating healthy”(diet) with? was it worth it? I have been getting my daily steps in by walking outside during the day. That makes me feel really good about myself because I HATE cold weather and it’s [...]

Monday The question of the day is: Have you changed any of your goals? Do you need to? I haven’t made any changes with any of my goals and I have been doing good sticking to them. I have been exercising everyday and going to the Y at least 4 times a week. I have [...]

Sunday One thing about this challenge, I am exhausted by bedtime, totally ready to sleep. and when I wake up, I feel very rested and energetic. I am finding other things to do when I feel the urge to eat between/after meals…like Friday I changed up me and Mercury Man’s bedroom and cleaned it real [...]

The question of the day is: What do you think about BMI? (Body Mass Index) Have you ever calculated yours? Here’s an online calculator if you want to:https://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/tl/cl/bmi/bmi.jsp I like knowing my BMI. According to this calculator my BMI is currently 32.0 and I am obese. Ate the start of the challenge I was 80 [...]

Wednesday The question of the day is: When’s the last time you had…~a dental cleaning~a physical~a pap smear~your cholesterol/blood pressure checked~ (fill in the blank specific to your personal health needs) Ok the last time I had…~a dental cleaning: late September 2006, going again in February. I have gum disease so have to see the [...]

Tuesday The question of the day is: What do you think about while you’re exercising? I intially think about how long I have to go before I’m done, then after a few minutes I feel ok and then I think about whatever writing project I’m working on for that day, or stuff I need to [...]

Monday I have Broken the Sound Barrier…or at least that’s what it feels like!!! Yes, I now weigh 199 pounds!! I am under 200 pounds, oh my This is such a psychological relief and boost to me. I am just thrilled. I still have a long way to go (69 pounds to my goal weight) [...]

Sunday Today is a busy day. My sons had a wrestling meet earlier today and later we are going to a dinner party. I am kinda nervous, but I am confident I will do fine with my eating. I’m not going to drink any alcohol either. I have some more pics, I’m gonna put them [...]

I am now 200 pounds! at the start of the challenge I was 210. I will be so happy when I am under 200, right now to me that feels like breaking the sound barrier, LOL. Last night we saw a bowflex commercial, the one with the 49 year old grandma who looks like she’s [...]

Question of the day: Where’s the best place to get exercise wear/equipment? I get my shoes at either Payless or Famous Footwear. Payless shoes are cheap but they offer brands like Champion which are fairly sturdy and long-lasting. I don’t usually pay more than $20 for shoes there because I catch the sales. also at [...]

Going to the Y tonight for my spinning class, yay! I can’t believe I am looking forward to it now, given how hard the first class was. I lost 2 more pounds!! I now weigh 201, at the start of this challenge I weighed 210 (I gained a lot of weight last year, a LOT). [...]

Here are a few events I hope to get to this year. Every year I say I’m gonna booth at Comfest, then don’t apply in time. I really want to go this year but they don’t have the dates up yet. I hope it doesn’t conflict with the Allied Media Conference, which is June 22-24, [...]

I decided to move my weight and fitness posts to their own blogs. My intention for Trula’s Blog: On Being a Writer & Mother was to write about parenting my kids, my various mother-related writing projects, my marriage, and other personal things. The Fitness Challenge was taking the focus off of that. I also have [...]

So I am totally thinking about cutting my hair, again. What ya’ll think? s-bop took this pic this morning, I love the way my hair looks down. But it’s so long and cumbersome (my longest dreads are waist-length) I usually wear it in a bun or tied back with a bandana. When I wear it [...]

http://www.yorku.ca/crm/DEMETER%20PRESS/Queer%20Parenting%20cfp%2007.htm CALL FOR PAPERS Demeter Press is seeking submissions for an edited collection on QUEER PARENTING Publication Date: Fall, 2008 Editor: Rachel Epstein We are excited to be seeking submissions for a new book on queer parenting. We want the book to reflect current thinking, research, debates, issues, experiences and concerns related to LGBTT2IQ (lesbian, [...]