tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169778472024-03-07T03:27:13.039-05:00Seraphim's Wittle WorldSeraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-27352374850428822212010-04-26T10:01:00.002-05:002010-04-26T10:05:22.382-05:00Happy Un-blogaversary!!For the obstinate child in me, once I saw how long it had truly been since I have last blogged, I decided to wait until April 23 - exactly one year from the date of my last blogging - to post SOMETHING, ANYTHING. Well here is a post! A few days late but here nonetheless!<br /><br />So, what else do I say? As for many of us who have followed each other's blogs the past few years, Facebook has kind of semi-replaced our near-daily bloggings with several small "updates" throughout the day.<br /><br />Not a whole lot going on that you probably may already know. And if you don't, well just ask! :-) You'll be sure to get an ear full!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-55772598813671834252009-04-23T12:42:00.003-05:002009-04-23T13:05:58.042-05:00Seraphim, the water baby.I am just over the moon at how well I've done so far at my swimming sessions. I've only been doing a slow breast stroke back and forth, from one end to the other, but I can really tell only after 4 days of doing this what a difference it is making.<br /><br />I'm starting to get my strokes down, one problem I have is that my frog kick is all over the place so I'm trying to slow down and concentrate on what I'm doing. Stroke to the sides with my arms while I'm pulling my feet up under my butt, point my hands outward and stretch while kicking my legs - propelling me forward. I did about twenty (many twenty-two, I lost count!) 25-yard laps today, then I did some legwork in the deep end, like bicycling, legs stretching to the side, and more practice with my frog kick holding on to the side. <br /><br />My arms are as sore as can be, not painful, just a dull ache. I'm really feeling some soreness in my ab area (YEAH!!), but I can't really tell with my legs because they ache so much already! <br /><br />Oh, but the feeling of being weightless for even just the 30-40 minutes I'm in there is just so awesome and relaxing on my joints. Although, I hate having to get out of the pool because once my feet hit solid ground I just feel so HEAVY! I mean, I know I am pretty heavy to begin with but you can really feel the gravity pulling you down once you don't have the water supporting you!<br /><br />After I finish with my workout, I just bob. I totally relax and just let the water envelope me while I float. Niiiiiiice!<br /><br />I haven't started going to the fitness center yet. I went over there Tuesday to check things out, but I just wanted my body to get used to the swimming before I added anything else to the mix.<br /><br />I do so love swimming. I think it goes back to when my mom was pregnant with me, and she was sitting in my great-aunt's pool during a family get-together. My dad was so funny - he told her, "Carol, you better get out of there! You're going to drown the baby!" And he was serious!<br /><br />My mom also had me take swimming lessons when I was 3, because she got scared after the little girl who used to live next to us drowned in a pond near their new home. To this day, the smell of pine cleaner makes me long for a pool to swim in (that's what they used at the YMCA where I took swimming lessons).<br /><br />And then I was on the swim team for a few years when we lived in Bainbridge.<br /><br />Anyhoo, I am enjoying my swimming so much I might drive in on Saturday for a session. I'll miss tomorrow because I have to get my allergy shot. Ah well. 5 days out of 7 is not bad at all!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-82551528154810359802009-04-20T08:40:00.014-05:002009-04-21T14:36:06.529-05:00A year in review.March 24 marked my 1-year anniversary with Weight Watchers. <br /><br />One year ago, I had high aspirations that by this summer I would be a lot lighter than last summer. I wouldn't be quite so self-conscious as this water-loving soul emerged from the dressing room probably not in a bikini but in a comfortable and perhaps flattering swimsuit. As we began shedding our winter layers, I was looking forward to wearing shorts without my thighs rubbing together, having the energy and less pain to finally do some walking around downtown Savannah and exploring this beautiful and historic city close-up, closer than you can get in a car or trolley tour.<br /><br />Well, ain't gonna happen THIS summer. <br /><br />And I'd like to blame it all on the medical problems that cropped up, and I am still dealing with, admidst my efforts to become healthier. Truthfully, it really is only part of my problem.<br /><br />I am a food addict, I know it. This addiction is what makes it hard for me to eat the correct portions, makes it hard to fight strong cravings for food that I know darn well is not good for me. I don't know how I got to this point, but RIGHT NOW is the point where I am going to do my best to nip it in the bud.<br /><br />I came to a very stark realization the other day. It was a post that a friend made on Facebook last week that spurred it: <br /><br />"(NAME) Wonders why our self-preservation instincts don't override our self-destructive tendencies." To which I went on a tirade of how I don't understand why people who drive motorcycles feel the need to drive recklessly (like going 90-MPH on the interstate) knowing there's not much between them and the asphalt but the fabric of their clothing.<br /><br />Well, that's not exactly what her thought process was, "It just popped into my head. Why some people choose to live unhealthy lifestyles and why some don't. And then I'm somewhere in the middle. I want to live a healthy lifestyle, but I don't always choose that path. Just a thought as I was driving in this morning...lol"<br /><br />That really got me to thinking. Yeah - every time I shove that Big Reese's cup, 2 scoops of Leopold's rum raisin ice cream, or peach fritter from Baker's Pride in my cakehole I'm being no less reckless than the motorcyclist driving at breakneck speed. <br /><br />Another issue is this whole thyroid thing. As of my last appointment on March 3 with my endocrinologist, I was still showing signs of being in hyperthyroidism. I was pretty sure that the treatment had worked and I'd "crossed over" to hypothyroidism, because of all the weight I'd gained. That, combined with the weight gain from that medication I'd been on, I'd developed the attitude of, "Why bother trying if I'm going to gain anyway." So, I still continued to follow the Program, but only half-heartedly - and of course with the expected results.<br /><br />So...here I am now a year later. As of December 20th, 2008 I had lost 51 pounds. Between then and now, I have been losing and gaining the same 39 pounds. And in my mind, I don't think, "Well, I lost 50 pounds already and this is just a small setback. I'll get back to that point again soon." <br /><br />No, in my mind all I can think, "Dammit, it's been a f--ing year and I've only lost 12 pounds!!"<br /><br />But since my friend made that statement, my mind has been all shaken up and the puzzle pieces seem to be falling into a more logical state. I think I now know what I need to do:<br /><br />1) It's only been a little over a month since I last saw the endocrinologist and I won't see him again until June. SO, as far as I know I am still in hyperthyroidism mode and therefore will act as if my metabolism is revved up and use that to my advantage.<br /><br />2) So what if I am in hyper- or hypothyroidism.....the MAIN GOAL is to get healthier, whether I lose any weight right now or not -RIGHT?? Then, as I get healthier and my thyroid issues start to be resolved, the weight will begin to come off.<br /><br />3) Find what physical activities work for me, and work 'em! Walking apparently is a no-go for me because of the neuropathy. And, Russell and I have also discovered that with our sometimes-crazy schedules and my physical problems, it would be best for us to just be "on our own" in our efforts to get some sort of physical activity in. Russell likes to listen to OTR (old time radio shows, like Jack Benny, etc.), and he walks faster than I do so most of the time when we're walking he's ahead of me. And I usually end up quitting before him because I'm hurting.<br /><br />The best physical exercise for me, and something I love, is swimming. And by a wonderful stroke of luck in the past few years the college has built a new rec center complete with a workout room. As long as I am working as staff here, I can have access to the pool and workout room for only $11 a month - how stupid could I be to NOT take advantage of that? Unfortunately, spouses of staff cannot use the facilities so Russell does his walk over at the indoor track and OTR thing - and that works for him. I have just started (2 days so far) walking the short walk over to the pool (indoor, so I could do this almost year-round) and swimming at lunch time and then after work I'll go to the workout center and so some strength training while Russell goes over and walks on the indoor track. Then, we meet at the car and go home! After a while, perhaps as Russell and I get more and more fit we can plan to do some physical activities together - like walking and exploring downtown, hiking in the mountains (I'm going to tackle Stone Mountain again one day!), or even something else I've been wanting to do - kayaking!<br /><br />4) Get my eating in check. I like the whole motorcycle analogy - so perhaps now that I have that in mind every time I think of eating something bad I'll imagine myself on a speeding motorcycle. Another goal, something I did last night, was to half everything I had for dinner and put it in a divided plate and had that for lunch today!<br /><br />5) Try not to beat myself up so much. Hey, guess what? I've lost 12 pounds this year!!! LIFE IS WONDERFUL!! (clap, clap, clap, clap!) (No, Russell, I'm NOT turning into Andrea..)<br /><br />So, there's my plan. And here's to my next year on Weight Watchers. I'm feeling more positive and renewed already.Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-22708687581699764462009-01-29T15:38:00.003-05:002009-01-29T15:41:18.817-05:00Chocolate Caramel Apple a la SeraphimStep 1 - take tiny bite of one Weight Watchers Chocolate Caramel Mini Bar (acquired as a freebie at LAST week's meeting...)<br /><br />Step 2 - take BIG bite of apple <br /><br />Step 3 - chew<br /><br />Step 4 - chew<br /><br />Step 5 - chew<br /><br />Step 6 - swallow<br /><br />Step 7 - burp (optional)<br /><br />Repeat.<br /><br />YUM.Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-56534641036216591742009-01-29T10:18:00.004-05:002009-01-29T10:36:59.481-05:00Hear that sucking sound?Seems the plug on my retention issue has been pulled and now it's all draining out, thank goodness. I have a 9.8 pound loss this week, a mere week after reducing THAT MEDICATION (Lyrica) in half. Tomorrow, I get to cut it again by half and eventually I will be totally off this med. WOO HOO!<br /><br />And I don't know what's up, but I am feeling REALLY GOOD right now. Lots of energy, maybe a little too much because I seem to be driving a couple of my co-workers a little batty with my exuberance. Perhaps even a friend or two - I seem to recall sending a rambling email off yesterday.....something about fondue.....I know I must've sounded crazy.<br /><br />I think it's a combination of coming off that drug that just made me lethargic, and the B12 injections in my system, nearly 10 less pounds on the frame again, my new love of my 34 oz. insulated coffee mug that I can get refilled at the cafeteria for the same price of a 20 oz. coffee, the steroids that I was prescribed for the pneumonia.......I just don't know. I'm sad that this is the last day of the steroids because I truly do feel better when they are in my system. My joints don't hurt, I feel more limber and more enthusiastic about getting some exercise.<br /><br />I even took a short walk around campus yesterday. You guys up North are going to hate me for what I'm about to say. I'm sorry. But yesterday around noon was GORGEOUS. It was about 66-67 degrees outside, sunny. I walked out the front of the building and one of the campus frats was having a cookout in the plaza. Students were milling about, birds singing, just lovely. I walked across campus to take some paperwork to another office and then walked to the back of campus to check out what the crowd at the pool looked like because I am considering doing a lunchtime swim a few days a week.<br /><br />I've even been a lot more productive at work, getting the piles of bills paid that arrived with the piles of books for the beginning of Spring semester.<br /><br />After work, Tal picked me up and we went over to our weigh-in. Then we went to one of our favorite restaurants (or would that be one of the many locations of our favorite restaurant?)because their half-price hot wings deal ends in a few days. :-) Which reminds me, I still have some leftover hot wings in the fridge......Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-22540800099808934052009-01-20T22:11:00.002-05:002009-01-20T22:14:12.342-05:00Chuck Norris' daughter......<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YO6mO9mkYOg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YO6mO9mkYOg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Adorable, isn't she?<br /><br />Boy, I'm going to make you wish I never discovered how to embed YouTube videos now, aren't you? Well, if you don't like it I'm gonna come kick your ass.<br /><br />I mean, I'm gonna kick your butt. Sorry, Mom.<br /><br />I hate the taste of LifeBuoy.Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-43739452675681996182009-01-19T03:52:00.002-05:002009-01-19T03:55:35.759-05:00Dancin', dancin'.......dancin' machine......Lord have mercy- it's when I see videos like this that I'm ashamed to be a white chick:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rgA1pkNlbSY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rgA1pkNlbSY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Bless their little Paula Abdul wanna-be butts!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-83956332171348416552009-01-14T21:31:00.004-05:002009-01-14T22:13:23.844-05:00Nickel-and-dimed to death.....Tal had a good night at WW this evening. I didn't even go. I just decided I couldn't face the scale tonight after last weigh-in. December 20th's weigh-in had me FINALLY getting to and going over a 50-pound loss. Jan. 7 - the scales showed me 23 pounds heavier.<br /><br />I know, I know - it's partly the medication that is causing the weight gain, and partly me feeling like "If I'm gonna gain weight anyway, why should i even try?" I know, it's not the best attitude and I'm trying to fight this attitude. <br /><br />It's been a busy week - first day of classes on Monday and once again students needs books. We did our usual potluck munchies Mon. and Tues. I think I was pretty good - I used light mayo and double fiber bread for my ham sandwiches and ate veggies with hummus instead of chips. I took some delicious cookies - Raspberry Angel Cookies - which are pretty light. They are made from one box of angel food cake mix, 3/4 cup of sugar-free raspberry jam (I used Polaner's seedless) and 3 TBSP of mini chocolate chips. Drop by round tablespoon onto a greased baking sheet, bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes. Oh, so good! You want them to get lightly brown to preserve that lovely pink color. You get about 3 dozen cookies from this recipe, which - for you WW followers - I calculated to be 1 point per cookie.<br /><br />Since I'm the accounting assistant, and we're selling lots of books, I've got lots of money to count. I tell you, it's a pretty depressing feeling to be holding $10,000 in cash in your hands and know it's not yours. :-) Fall semester, it can be over $25,000. Wonder how long I could make that stretch down in Mexico?<br /><br />I left my cell phone at home yesterday morning and I had this fear that my doctor would try to call with my test results from Jan. 2, so I called her office instead and left a message with her nurse. The nurse called me back later with the blood test results. Good news is that I don't have arthritis (I'm guessing she was looking for lupus or something?) but I am anemic and have a Vitamin B12 deficiency. What does this mean? I have to now take iron supplements and will need B12 shots. As I sit here typing, beside me on a TV tray lies a box that contains three vials of cyanocobalamin and 40 3ml syringes with some ominous-looking needles on the ends. Guess I get to test my meddle and see if I can administer my own shots. I figured it would hurt less to do that than to pull out my wallet and pay $15 each time I need an injection to have it done at the doctor's office. I told the nurse that I took out my own stitches (all 2 of them)from my leg a couple of days ago and she said, "Oh yeah, if you did that without passing out then I think you can handle giving yourself a shot."<br /><br />We shall see.<br /><br />But before I do the first one, I have to go to the doctor's office and have the first one administered and get instruction on how to do the subsequent injections.<br /><br />Speaking of stitches.....the biopsy on my leg came back benign. It's just some sort of rash and does not require treatment. I don't know if I like that answer. It's SOMETHING - it may not be cancer, but I have these splotches all over my body and I want to know why. Which is what I will ask when I go there tomorrow.<br /><br />Well, Mr. Gleck is passed out in the chair that is right in front of my desk and that looks like a good idea to me. I think I will take my "Plum Spooky" with me and try to get through a couple chapters before Mr. Sandman pays a visit. Or Mr. Gleck. Whichever comes first.<br /><br />Say good night Seraphim. <br /><br />Good night Seraphim.<br /><br />:-)Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-91054486224599343692009-01-09T13:42:00.020-05:002009-01-12T23:31:13.029-05:00Ranger.....or Morelli?My last post kind of brought up a debate that rages within the "Plum Crazy" fans of Janet Evanovich: Who do you think Stephanie should be with? Ranger or Morelli? Who would YOU be with? And, if they ever made these books into a movie or series, who would you cast as the books characters?<br /><br />IMHO - I think Stephanie should be with Ranger. Morelli is starting to get domesticated and now that he's got that house he's gonna start longing for a wifey-poo and rugrats. That ain't Stephanie. Stephanie can't go a few months without losing her car one way or another - how's she going to keep up with a few kids? Nah, Steph has not a domestic bone in her body. I mean, c'mon - she keeps a gun in her cookie jar for Pete's sake! Martha Stewart would have several heart attacks over that!<br /><br />As for me.....I'd go for Ranger, too. Dark, dangerous, Latin. Just makes me all tingly!<br /><br />Excuse me for a moment..........<br /><br /><br /><br />(<span style="font-style: italic;">While Seraphim's gone, please enjoy the soothing sounds of of Cyndi Lauper's "She-Bop", followed by a classic - "Pictures of Lily" by The Who.</span>)<br /><br /><br /><br />OK, back to business........if I were to cast a movie/TV series based on the book series, I would choose:<br /><br />**America Ferarra as Stephanie:<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_2C6ot9khNL1hRvlGwW7FSUA5lySQSD2ZKAFDbh5h8bzPyaVZccXAqjS_-DSgKs_c2ZKcQ34nO109KkpS7ne7V4CJAi30pnh53VX6RZ4g2XOPb54Le1W9qEVvqmkrOv6gtBFJA/s1600-h/America_ferarra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_2C6ot9khNL1hRvlGwW7FSUA5lySQSD2ZKAFDbh5h8bzPyaVZccXAqjS_-DSgKs_c2ZKcQ34nO109KkpS7ne7V4CJAi30pnh53VX6RZ4g2XOPb54Le1W9qEVvqmkrOv6gtBFJA/s400/America_ferarra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290572775459441554" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Yeah, I know she's Hispanic but I think she can pull off the Italian/Polish look. I mean, look what she did with Ugly Betty.........I'm just sayin'. I just picture Stephanie with "curves" ya know?<br /><br />** Mark Ruffalo as Morelli:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkWoGi_5KO8r28zWI7pz83ACDyCd7VmhQ-Kb6Lu7Sq9NRDsK9OaIKKWL80HhNslMVE2uAxZIFeT6_Be-6vRjPi6aq1nLtb0cOcbTD1fc3s-kKDN1jRIuzMNXxwJrOvlq2ZucMhQ/s1600-h/ruffalo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkWoGi_5KO8r28zWI7pz83ACDyCd7VmhQ-Kb6Lu7Sq9NRDsK9OaIKKWL80HhNslMVE2uAxZIFeT6_Be-6vRjPi6aq1nLtb0cOcbTD1fc3s-kKDN1jRIuzMNXxwJrOvlq2ZucMhQ/s400/ruffalo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290580508799354754" border="0" /></a>Now tell me - doesn't this picture of him just SCREAM Joe Morelli??!?!?!<br /><br />**Benjamin Bratt as "Ranger":<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33mRkgW3rJjl6Bfru6Z3rM4nMs4BkaTsJO8GYiRwLelhLSHpopgsYgG7uReIToviKAyAIvGVOTmHLs38kRAgfC55cISUTq2CTdKiM0gHYBDLqCsottTfK5YctydB6SYkBRRK00w/s1600-h/benjamin_bratt_image_diaporama_portrait.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33mRkgW3rJjl6Bfru6Z3rM4nMs4BkaTsJO8GYiRwLelhLSHpopgsYgG7uReIToviKAyAIvGVOTmHLs38kRAgfC55cISUTq2CTdKiM0gHYBDLqCsottTfK5YctydB6SYkBRRK00w/s400/benjamin_bratt_image_diaporama_portrait.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290582651662583234" border="0" /></a><br />Imagine him wearing a black "Rangeman" T-shirt........mmmmmmm..........<br /><br />Pardon me for just a moment, I think I need a bit of water.<br /><br /><br />(<span style="font-style: italic;">Please enjoy the sultry tones of Carole King as she serenades you with "I Felt The Earth Move"........)</span><br /><br />Ah. Better.<br /><br />** Queen Latifah as Lula:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NCnZ7RIo8aQZY6irM2SzhYtFU8M4ShV_8Fyjq2SeqKCeiJ-Hz5Rnx7DZw75R3FG3RikUB7rre2jDlh5V_2Rj-oyYoiqqDLw3gGdnsC8jDNOOzr3keGeRDVp7FxKtWB5x3BfVeQ/s1600-h/queen_shooting_bird.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NCnZ7RIo8aQZY6irM2SzhYtFU8M4ShV_8Fyjq2SeqKCeiJ-Hz5Rnx7DZw75R3FG3RikUB7rre2jDlh5V_2Rj-oyYoiqqDLw3gGdnsC8jDNOOzr3keGeRDVp7FxKtWB5x3BfVeQ/s400/queen_shooting_bird.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290591117273823154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />**Steve Buscemi as Cousin Vinnie:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnUiDPtn7eRxcXeEHUhF30BHk33YeRbq397xXXxlRBDQitxGUlCl8hJNWmtjDIMoLL3sb05NHrS7qE2lDGaerbwgUzPcePnuGR7Gw9NklIikyT1Vx4K1FuWMRKKpzjVxdDyVYgA/s1600-h/steve+buscemi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnUiDPtn7eRxcXeEHUhF30BHk33YeRbq397xXXxlRBDQitxGUlCl8hJNWmtjDIMoLL3sb05NHrS7qE2lDGaerbwgUzPcePnuGR7Gw9NklIikyT1Vx4K1FuWMRKKpzjVxdDyVYgA/s400/steve+buscemi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290626491136410738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />** Michael Clarke Duncan as Tank:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZooXlD2xTN6GzCKw9FXjX4a5dHy_l9pILLOomJsv0JlP3YTm9jFQF7QywU7bhtr8Fr_T8tL7TPNHy0kKPTVXYfuGK6HT5Cnec1bS9E_UPWT9i3vvIiPAlaS7tZMy3m156rDILg/s1600-h/michael_clarke_duncan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZooXlD2xTN6GzCKw9FXjX4a5dHy_l9pILLOomJsv0JlP3YTm9jFQF7QywU7bhtr8Fr_T8tL7TPNHy0kKPTVXYfuGK6HT5Cnec1bS9E_UPWT9i3vvIiPAlaS7tZMy3m156rDILg/s400/michael_clarke_duncan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290629751797495394" border="0" /></a><br />Oh, I'm tapped for now. Time for bed. Maybe I'll dream up more actor/actresses who could star in this movie/series.<br /><br />I've love to hear your opinions of my choices or suggestions for your choices!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-47943471709421164152009-01-08T23:52:00.006-05:002009-01-09T00:40:27.315-05:00I'm SO freakin' jealous.....................but I'm so freakin' in love with my freakin' awesome husband!!<br /><br />To start off, GUESS WHO HE MET TONIGHT?!?!?! (answer below)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwh5p_ESTUeVC922PzmfTi8BbGL9jOSAtDuGw1ZSEsS7oYAeW_zWnHrsJrPtkrsAVkS1kjpF9PI0vmRdwcupHwOzhGG_qsf-XcEMWveDepaJd0sSRpRD6TtQVSFdAMo8VRgjRUQ/s1600-h/DSCF1759.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwh5p_ESTUeVC922PzmfTi8BbGL9jOSAtDuGw1ZSEsS7oYAeW_zWnHrsJrPtkrsAVkS1kjpF9PI0vmRdwcupHwOzhGG_qsf-XcEMWveDepaJd0sSRpRD6TtQVSFdAMo8VRgjRUQ/s400/DSCF1759.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289153275217054930" border="0" /></a>(Hint: Look at the books behind them........click on the picture if you can't see them..........NO, not the Social Sciences books, on the OTHER side!)<br /><br />She was in Charleston tonight doing a book-signing for her newest "between the numbers" book and I was all excited about her being so close and the possibility of going up there to buy the newest book and meeting an author that I totally adore! I mean - I've read just about all of her books, not just the Stephanie Plum series of, what, 20 some-odd books.<br /><br />But, alas, I had a cake class scheduled for tonight and wouldn't you know it I actually had people sign up for it! (Not that I'm complaining but if I DIDN'T have anything else going on I probably wouldn't have had ANYONE sign up for the class.<br /><br />So, what did my freakin' awesome husband do? Lucky dog who had the day off (well, actually a teleworking day but he worked all night and slept most of the day) drove up to Charleston, stood in line and got an autographed copy of the latest book for me. He was #359 in line. And apparently he was also asked the question (on my behalf) - Ranger or Morelli? Seeing as he has not read any of the books, he had no idea what that meant. Since he didn't know the answer, he was given a sticker that said, "Plum Crazy" instead. Fine w/ me!<br /><br />Another thing he did, as he was leaving the Barnes & Noble where the signing was being held, was snatch a bouquet of purple and white balloons with "Plum Crazy" on the purple balloons and a picture of the book on the white ones.<br /><br />I called him as I was leaving the mall after class as I usually do to let him know I'm heading home and he says he had some GPB business to take care of and was heading home. Said he was at the "Circle K" about to get some gas in the car. I just assumed he meant the one in Pt. Wentworth just 8 miles from our house.<br /><br />I got home, and he still wasn't there. I ate the food that I'd picked up, checked email, watched some TV and he still had not gotten home. I called him again to find out where he was, and he was about 1/2 and hour away. I said, "I thought you said you were at the Circle K." He said he was, and then I realized I just assumed he was at the one in Pt. Wentworth and probably was at one in Savannah closer to his work. He once again said he had to take care of some GPB business and would tell me all about it when he got home. I thought, "Oh no, he's got that exasperated sound in his voice and with him being out there so late it must be a real doozy of a GPB problem."<br /><br />He gets home not too much longer, flops down on the chair in front of me looking beat. I said, "So tell me your problems." in my best therapist-like voice. He says, "Oh wait, I left something in the car I need to get out because it's supposed to be cold* tonight." Next thing I know, he's walking in with a bunch of balloons and I see the "Plum Crazy" on the purple one. "Plum Crazy"? Where on earth is a place called "Plum Crazy". What's that all about. Then I see the book and it hits me. I swear, I nearly cried.<br /><br />Apparently the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">GPB</span>" in his "GPB business" stood for "<span style="font-weight: bold;">G</span>etting <span style="font-weight: bold;">P</span>eanut's** <span style="font-weight: bold;">B</span>ook".<br /><br />OK, now you can say, "Awwwwww." And even though I probably shouldn't be kissing him yet, I just HAD to. Just a small, quick one to minimize his radioactivity exposure!<br /><br />Well now that the excitement is over, I'm going to bed because it's been a long day, it's almost 12:30 a.m., and my alarms starts yelling at me at 5:41 a.m. (although most of the time I don't get up until 6:30!).<br />"<br />Good night all! Sleep well! (Meant for those who are probably already sleeping, too!)<br /><br />-Seraphim "Plum Crazy about my man" Gleck<br /><br />*As cold as it gets in the arctic Savannah area.<br />**Peanut, being one of many terms of affection between the two of us. We consider ourselves "two peanuts in the same shell" and will often say to one another, "I love you my Peanut." to which the other says, "I love you MY Peanut."Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-18729791831155875722009-01-07T08:45:00.004-05:002009-01-07T09:16:39.600-05:00Driving Miss SeraphimWelcome to radioactive day #2!<br /><br />Monday evening, Tal and I were discussing how we were going to drive to work together on the days we went in the car together (days when neither of us have a doc appt. or I have cake class or Tal works from home) if I had to keep him at an arm's length. Neither car would keep me far enough away from him if I were to sit in the front seat as we drove.<br /><br />So the obvious solution would be for me to sit in the backseat.<br /><br />I kind of like this arrangement. I sit in the back on the passenger side of the car and Tal can see me in the rear view or if he turns his head to the right, and we can still have conversations. I took the headrest off the front seat and can see the road ahead. I discovered that there is an armrest/cup holder in the back that flips down between the back seats. I totally forgot about that feature! The back seat is just so much more comfortable than the front, especially if I push the front seat forward to give myself plenty of leg room. I tried to push the seat as far forward as I could and then lay the seat down to see if I could create myself a mobile chaise lounge but the seats do not align like that, like the seats in the Honda Element we used to have did (as pictured below):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtLHGDsYYtu1MZOxYPwjPRnp2BmP2Pc5Vz5K3xrCFp64Dg4deKJp4_p4gUxI1lA14rZeNlvnzpp90fsRQOy6rlh3Mh6UxlAR8B4OhTUMGXUdXxLCzVysBT-6DeYV4WToAM5FL4Q/s1600-h/element_bed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtLHGDsYYtu1MZOxYPwjPRnp2BmP2Pc5Vz5K3xrCFp64Dg4deKJp4_p4gUxI1lA14rZeNlvnzpp90fsRQOy6rlh3Mh6UxlAR8B4OhTUMGXUdXxLCzVysBT-6DeYV4WToAM5FL4Q/s400/element_bed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288552940873722866" border="0" /></a>You know, I really like being chaufferred around. Perhaps I'll make this a permanent thing. I do at times wonder if I may have been royalty in a previous life because at times I have this regal feeling and then try to get all bossy, like people should do my bidding. But the people I try to get bossy with have a tendency to put me back into my place really quickly. *sigh* It's not easy being a middle class princess. :-)<br /><br />Well, I must be on my way....but not before <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI">THIS important announcement</a>.<br /><br />(See, Tal, THAT is how it's supposed to be done..... LOL!)<br /><br />Friday....back in the front seat again.<br /><br />- "Princess Seraphim"Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-81339464766449082522009-01-05T23:55:00.003-05:002009-01-05T23:58:41.936-05:00In case you haven't caught on yet...........my husband can be a real smartass.<br /><br />So you know that I got my dose of radioactive iodine today. I get home around 6 or so, greet Tal at an arm's distance, and get busy cooking supper and working on 2 cakes for tomorrow.<br /><br />A few minutes ago, probably about 11:20-ish, I go back to our bedroom to take a radioactive tinkle and notice a "Fall Out Shelter" sign hanging above my side of the bed.<br /><br />If he wasn't already sleeping on the sofa tonight.........Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-35252567758808378142009-01-04T22:30:00.003-05:002009-01-04T23:09:12.977-05:00What now?!?!?!Tal and I went down to Jacksonville on Saturday to burn up a Williams-Sonoma gift card from the in-laws and spend a little time at Dave and Buster's. While at D&B's, I saw a girl wearing <a href="http://www.pimpyourshirts.com/servlet/the-4043/OMG-WTF-T-dsh-Shirt-by/Detail">this T-shirt</a> and it totally cracked me up.<br /><br />It's a shirt I would LOVE to wear to my doctor's office - OMG WTF is up with my health?!?!?!<br /><br />Last Monday I went to my allergy doctor for a follow-up. While there, I asked him about these spots that I had. A couple of months ago I noticed a small spot on my right thigh just above my knee. I thought it was maybe a bug bite or something, so I didn't think anything of it. Then about a month ago I noticed it had friends, and was getting bigger. Over Christmas, I discovered that it had evolved into a family reunion on my legs, abdomen, stomach, and back.<br /><br />So, I figured that if anyone would know what it was, it would be my allergy doctor. Well he took one look at the spots, said it was ringworm and that I would need to see my regular doctor.<br /><br />Friday I went to my regular doctor, who said it wasn't ringworm and she really wasn't sure what it was but wanted to do a biopsy. She did a "punch", which means she used an instrument to punch out a piece of the flesh on the edge of the lesion. Don't worry, she numbed it before she did that so I didn't feel a thing. I didn't watch, though. I think that might have been a bit much. She did show me the piece. I found it a bit fascinating. This was a little piece of my body, about the size of a pencil eraser, floating around in formaldehyde in a little plastic container the size of a film canister.<br /><br />She also ordered some bloodwork - 4 vials worth of blood was taken. She stated that she's concerned I may have developed an immunological disorder and wanted to do some tests.<br /><br />So now, here I sit with two stitches in my leg and a mountain of anxiety over what this possible new ailment could be. I'm just hoping that whatever it is, it will tie together all the other stuff that's going on with me, is treatable, and can finally allow me to continue in my effort to improve my health.<br /><br />Well I guess if I am starting the New Year like this, then it's GOT to get better. Right? :-)<br /><br />OHHHH, it's getting late and I go back to work tomorrow after a week and a half off. Ugh, it's going to be tough.<br /><br />Will update when I find out what's going on with the old bod!<br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-75476900554752141992008-12-24T23:21:00.006-05:002008-12-24T23:32:04.410-05:00It's official!!I am positively the Grand Prize Winner of the "This Old Gingerbread House" contest on <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/">the "This Old House" website.</a><br /><br />Check it out - the picture of my gingerbread treehouse pops up immediately.<br /><br />Cool, huh! I'm just pretty thrilled.<br /><br />I won a major award! It's no leg lamp, but I'll take it! :-)<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who voted for me.......especially those of you who voted more than once. ;-)<br /><br />"You like me. You really like me!" - Sally Field, 1985 Academy AwardsSeraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-86460763235252091242008-12-23T21:39:00.002-05:002008-12-23T22:04:13.048-05:00The diagnosis is grave............actually Grave's disease. Yeah, I've got Grave's disease. I told Tal yesterday when I called him after I left the endocrinologist's office, "You know, the name actually sounds worse than the disease really is!"<br /><br />If you want an in-depth description about this ailment, go to www.mayoclinic.com or www.webmd.com. In a nutshell, my thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroidism). The course of treatment will be radioactive iodine. I will go to the Nuclear Medicine department at the Imaging Center, and a doctor will give me a pill to swallow that contains radioactive iodine. The iodine will be absorbed by the thyroid and the radioactive ions will kill the thyroid cells that are overactive. This will probably make me go the opposite direction - underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) which can be treated with medication to bring the thyroid levels back into balance.<br /><br />Some of the indications of this treatment, according to a few websites I've read, is that I will have to avoid contact with pregnant women and small children, and stay within arm's length from everybody for no more than two hours - for 4-11 days. I won't even be able to sleep in the same bed with Tal for several days. I will have to have a separate set of tableware that I will have to wash separately, I will have to wash my clothes separate from Tal's, and I will have to flush 2-3 times after I use the bathroom and wash my hands thoroughly. This is all to minimize radioactive exposure to those around me until the iodine and radioactivity are all diminished in my body. I swear, you'd think I was exposing myself to cooties with all these precautions.<br /><br />Tal asked me if the radiation is so dangerous to those around me, then how is it not dangerous to ME? I couldn't tell him, I don't know. If anyone has an explanation then SHARE, SHARE! :-)<br /><br />As far as my lucky penny. Well, I guess it may be pretty lucky after all. I mean, I wasn't hurt in the car accident. I may have "diabetic neuropathy", but I don't have diabetes. I may have Grave's disease, but this is a very treatable condition, and it's not thyroid cancer which was one of the possibilities. And another stroke of luck - I got an email today that said I was the grand prize winner of the "This Old Gingerbread House" contest. Now, I won't be 100% convinced of this until tomorrow morning when they post the results to the website so I'm not telling a whole lot of folks, but I wanted to tell you guys! I just couldn't wait! Woo hoo!<br /><br />So, check out the website on Wednesday- https://youroldhouse.thisoldhouse.com. Don't know when they'll post it, so watch for it!<br /><br /> I hope you all have a nice holiday!<br /><br />-S.G.Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-29000022402922299152008-12-21T11:39:00.002-05:002008-12-21T12:16:19.548-05:00FINALLY!Yay! I have finally hit 50! At yesterday's weigh-in, I had a loss of 2 pounds, giving me a total loss of 51 pounds even.<br /><br />I was so hoping to hit 50 before Christmas, and I have. What a good feeling.<br /><br />In other news, Friday's visit to the neurologist (after waiting 2 months for this appointment) found me to possibly have some sort of neuropathy, giving me that numbness to my toes. The doctor said that even though I am not diabetic, because I have been borderline diabetic I still could have developed diabetic neuropathy. Oooh, Fun! So, I get to go through more tests. I have to go get poked again to have more blood work done, and then next month I get to go have an Electromyogram (EMG) and a Nerve Conduction Test done. FUN! Nothing like lying on a table for an hour or so and getting electrocuted!<br /><br />Even more fun - Monday I go to the endocrinologist to get the results from my previous bloodwork and thyroid scans to see what the heck my thyroid is trying to do.<br /><br />Good news is that I don't think I have any injuries from the car accident the other day. Any aches and pains that I feel - well, they were present before Thursday. So, I'm pretty much convinced the only injuries sustained were to the SUV.<br /><br />Tal posted that the two of us went to a blood drive yesterday. Tal was able to donate his pint (and they were actually asking if we could donate TWO pints at once!). Unfortunately, I was unable to make a donation this time. My iron levels were not at acceptable levels (mine was 11.6 and they have to have to be at least 12.5) so I was turned away. This was the second time I attempted to give and my iron was down. I guess I need to start getting more iron rich foods in my diet. Another suggestion on the paper that I was given on how to raise your iron levels was to cook your food in cast iron pots. I might try that!<br /><br />That's it for now. I'll try to update on Monday the results from my endocrinologist appointment. <br /><br />TTFN!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-69147491830923719612008-12-18T15:47:00.003-05:002008-12-18T16:11:26.092-05:00A brush with an Angel.OR......"My lucky penny was defective!!"<br /><br />I got rear-ended today by a guy named Angel......a week before Christmas. How's that for irony?<br /><br />I'm OK, right now. I think. My neck and shoulders are feeling a bit stiff so we'll see how I feel in the morning. Rupert is OK, too. I think. He's got a few white paint scuffs and the edge of the tailpipe is slightly bent but who knows what's underneath the bumper? The guy whacked me pretty hard.... or so it felt!<br /><br />The thing that really gets me, though, is the area in which this incident happened. More often than not, I've said that this stretch of road (Eisenhower Dr., between Abercorn St. and Hodgson Memorial) needs a turn lane. There's two lanes with no "suicide lane" in between. It's a very dangerous area - as Tal can attest. In fact, mere seconds before I got hit there were two cars sitting in the eastbound lane facing west as if they were in a turn lane, trying to get into the lane I was driving in and there was a car coming toward them! And then while I was sitting in the parking lot where we'd pulled over to, waiting for a police officer, there were nearly two more accidents! Will someone need to get killed before they do something? <br /><br />There was a man in front of me in a red truck, I saw him turn his left signal on and brake. I slowed and had just come to a stop when I hear SCREEECH....SCREECH.....BAM! Yeah, there were two screeches. Angel said that when he braked, the van he was driving wouldn't stop and slid. He was towing a utility trailer and I'll betcha that didn't help. Been there, done that before!<br />(When I was about 11-12 my family and I were on a vacation and were towing a small camper behind our truck. It was raining (wasn't raining today - BTW) and we were about to go through an intersection when the light changed. Daddy tried to brake, but the trailer pushed us right on through the intersection. Scared the crap out of all of us.).<br /><br />Before this all happened, I had just left work and was walking across the parking lot to Rupert when I spotted a heads-up penny on the ground and picked it up. If I'd only known......<br /><br />Seraphim "Where's my neck brace?!?!" WellsSeraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-66261069618471263552008-12-11T10:23:00.002-05:002008-12-11T12:50:30.768-05:00So close....AUGHHH!!!!After weeks and weeks of ups and downs, I'm finally in the black again as far as pounds removed. At this week's weigh-in, I was down 1.6 pounds to give me a total weight removal of 49.4 pounds.<br /><br />49.4......... 6/10 of a pound away from 50. Darn it all. I really am not complaining too much, really. I mean, I'm at my lowest weight since I started WW. I just really was hoping to catch up with Tal and Kate/Susan. I mean, especially since they both started a month or so after I did! :-)<br /><br />It's been a busy week for me. There has not been a day that my hiney has not been in a waiting room chair at some sort of medical facility or another.<br /><br />Monday and Tuesday, I was set up to have a thyroid scan. Monday morning I had to go into take a dose of radioactive iodine and then go back in later that afternoon for the first scan. After the dose, I went over to the allergy doc's (which was just across the parking lot from the imaging center) for my allergy shot. (I though, what the check...since I'm here already and needed it since I had not had one since the Wed. before Thanksgiving!).<br /><br />Tuesday, it was back for the second scan.<br /><br />Wednesday morning, it was a 6-month follow up with my sleep doc. Good news is I don't have to see her again for a year, things are going pretty well. But she did tell me that if, as I lose weight, I find myself not needing the pressure on the machine that it is set at then I can come in. Otherwise I don't need to see her again until next Dec. Hopefully one day I won't even need to use a CPAP! YAY! Although, I am kind of sad that I won't be seeing her for a whole year. I just really like her as a doctor. She's super-smart and very personable. I can talk to her about everything, because it seems like a lot of things that are going on with me can also affect my sleep. Her husband is also super-nice, too. He was a candidate for our VP of Business and Finance (the division I work under) at the college earlier this year. I was so hoping he would get the job, but alas he didn't. (The previous VP resigned after an audit revealed some questionable purchases on his university purchasing card - tsk tsk. And this is the same guy who wouldn't pay me an extra $10 a month for me to do the department's monthly employee birthday cakes. He preferred to save the $10 and have the cafeteria do the cakes. The employees weren't so happy about that - they LOVED my cakes and couldn't stand the cafeteria's frozen-slab-and-icing-from-a-bucket cakes. Hmph!!!) But I digress.......<br /><br />And today, Thursday, it's back to the allergy doc to get back on schedule with my allergy shots!<br /><br />Friday.....what? No appointments? Wow. And all next week, with the exception of Thursday and my "OWIE" as I put on the board when I leave work to get my shot, no doctor appointments.<br /><br />Monday, the 22nd, is when I see the endocrinologist for the results of the thyroid scans. I'm a bit nervous but optimistic to find out what the deal is with the thyroid. Talking with my sleep doc yesterday she feels like the endocrinologist will probably put me on thyroxin, and she said that will help me lose weight and also might give me more energy. Boy, I sure hope so.<br /><br />I'm surprised that Tal hasn't mentioned our activity on Sunday evening! Wonder how many points standing around on a beach and freezing your butt off for 4 hours is??? :-)<br /><br />Anyway, we were asked to be extras in the movie that Tal's co-worker, Eric, Eric's brother Nate, and their pal, Jody, are currently filming for their company, <a href="www.perpombellar.com">Perpombellar Productions</a>. The movie is titled "Trumpet My Return". The scene we were shooting was at the Back River on the back edge of Tybee Island. <br /><br />We got there at 5:00 PM and while the crew was setting up we got to witness the most beautiful sunset. After dark we started shooting the scene which involved about a dozen or so of us extras lined up on the shoreline. There were several "candles" floating in the water before us (as if we had just launched them) and we were to shout out the name of someone we loved and missed, and just do this over and over. Tal shouted Tiger's name, "Tiger, I love you son." He thought Tiger would think it cool that his name would be in part of the movie. And I know he truly does miss getting to be with him every day.<br /><br />For some reason, I just couldn't think of anyone who I missed quite like that. I mean, I miss my mom and dad, and other people, but I keep in close contact with them so I don't quite miss them as badly. But then I had an idea of what to do:<br /><br />I have a friend through a stepparent's email group that I've been on for a few years now. Her bio-son, Lee, <a href="http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/case.cfm?id=53547">has been missing since October 2007</a>. Seems like he just walked off the face of the earth. His mom has been sick since his disapearance. His friends have been frantic - many of them have graduated and are away at college now, still with Lee in the backs of their minds and wishing he was going off to college with them. They don't know if he committed suicide, or maybe just staged it to look like he did. They found a copy of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild">Into The Wild</a>" in his car, and feel maybe he did just what Christopher McCandless did. Divers searched the river and no body was found, that's why many feel he may have staged it this way to give him some extra time to get away. His family and friends are just puzzled as to why he left. What's driving them craziest is just wanting answers and not getting any.<br /><br />And so, my shout was, "Please come home, Lee. We miss you so much." For Beth, Lee, and any other parent with a missing child, or anyone who has a loved one missing out there somewhere. I can't imagine in my deepest fears how having a child missing - not knowing if they are dead or alive, sick, suffering, or in danger - must feel. <br /><br />I can't wait to see this movie once it's finished. I hope it wins as many awards as their first one, "The Street Cleaner" did!<br /><br />Well, I think that's it for now. Things have been pretty busy since I last posted over a month ago but I think I've covered most of it! <br /><br />Toodle-loo for now!<br /><br />Seraphim "SuperStar!!" GleckSeraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-57642897290041662162008-11-07T22:42:00.001-05:002008-11-07T22:57:40.052-05:00Fun with highlightersWe ain't right. We just ain't right.<br /><br />My boss and three other employees went to an annual conference yesterday and brought back some goodies to those of us who had to stay behind. Of which - a few of <a href="http://www.garrettspecialties.com/happy-highlighter-p-7991.html">these highlighters</a>.<br /><br />I got the pink one, who we named Penelope - Penny for short. My other co-worker got the green one with orange hair, who we named Percival - Percy for short. There was an instant attraction between Penny and Percy:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_oCcnup60n0ZfAdTSLUFwfF7A34TrwUsywQ582mYjRGwY1cihYijW4BbPLFV0KZBETYPxMUvzIA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br /><br />Later, Penny was so giddy she did a Stevie Nicks impersonation in front of my desk fan:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzqH3WZiJSmyFZAtiPaOHh1JF4yhwEt1igzfBegWKBr7qufiFbpv2MYCNBjs4awc224Ekb7E5z4EgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br />(Isn't it just amazing what you can do with a cell phone video camera and nearly unlimited music files? LOL!)<br /><br />I know what you're thinking......some people just have WAAAAY too much time on their hands! Well, it IS kinda slow at work right now!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-32143425949504179362008-11-07T16:14:00.002-05:002008-11-07T16:45:12.975-05:00Almost there!Can anyone tell me how it took me only 2 weeks to gain 11.8 pounds and 4 weeks to lose it???<br /><br />Last weigh-in I removed 3.4 pounds. Only .4 until I'm back where I was on October 2. That's do-able, I think. If I keep going at this rate, I will do that and possibly make 50 next week! <br /><br />Tal's really close to 50, too. Wouldn't that be something if both of us reached 50 at the same weigh-in???<br /><br />The thing is, I really don't know how I'm doing it. Confession time: I haven't really been sticking to the program very well, and haven't been tracking much except a little in my head. Wednesday evenings after WI, we go get pizza buffet and I eat what I want until I'm full. Not uncomfortable, just full. Thursdays, Tal has been working from home so I drive in by myself. I usually get breakfast drive-thru (Egg McMuffin, Ham, Egg, & Cheese Croissanwich, or something from the cafeteria at work) and at lunchtime I go get my allergy shot and either get Chinese, something from Moe's, or something from Mickey D's or Wendy's. Until last Thursday I had to teach cake classes in the evenings so I'd have a small snack after work before class and then grab something (most of the time a grilled chicken from CFA, sub from Subway, or chili and potato from Wendy's) on the way home.<br /><br />And this week has been ridiculous with the Halloween candy, not to mention the <a href="http://www.peninsulagrill.com/coconut.asp">Ultimate Coconut Cake</a> that I made this past weekend because Rosie and I went absolutely ga-ga over it while watching Throwdown With Bobby Flay last weekend on Food Network. (Don't make it! It's BAD! BAD, I tell you! Not to mention expensive. Ingredients for it cost me $45!!)<br /><br />Rosie wants me to tell you that it's not BAD, as in it tastes bad. It's BAD as in it's loaded with butter, sugar, heavy cream, cream cheese, and coconut - as well as the other cake ingredients. Now she thinks I need to make Bobby Flay's version of it. We also watched another Throwdown that Bobby had with Junior's Restaurant in NY, NY - who is world-renowned for cheesecake. Most famous one being the <a href="http://www.juniorscheesecake.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=26%7Esubid=4%7Eorigin=all/index.html">Devil's Food Cheesecake</a>. And Rosie also thinks I need to work on an apple version of the cheesecake. I'm thinking an apple spice cake, apple filling, cheesecake, apple filling, apple spice cake, and some sort of a glaze maybe? I don't know. Something to think about - maybe glaze with cider in it? Hmmmm. Oh, Lord I've got to stop this!!!!<br /><br />I need to dry the drool from my keyboard.........Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-12319204355100132822008-10-31T20:40:00.016-05:002008-10-31T21:46:01.046-05:00Ghosties, Gabblins, and Things That Go Bump.....Happy Halloween!<br /><br />Today has been rather mild as far as holidays go. I did dress a little for work today: black pants, black shirt, black shoes, and purple and green-striped socks. I wore these items into work under my green fleece jacket, then added the black and orange-stripe witch hat and pentagram medallion necklace when I got into my office and put everything away. I also hung my "The witch is in and she's casting spells" sign in my doorway. And of course everyone thought I was wacky as usual. Then I took a black and white self-portrait:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzDCt8sTW0fCsTxuQDzXxjhXJRyIN8VsWxZ9WKDs5meMLVmckJJ3U_7CWv0X0RBH_DegOC9RrYjRP4bgaWIyErVObd8xNgyOMK6HB9g8I1cjNQRjI4QaKJQZOoTFvpXLOvNcL5g/s1600-h/Witch+Amy+BW.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzDCt8sTW0fCsTxuQDzXxjhXJRyIN8VsWxZ9WKDs5meMLVmckJJ3U_7CWv0X0RBH_DegOC9RrYjRP4bgaWIyErVObd8xNgyOMK6HB9g8I1cjNQRjI4QaKJQZOoTFvpXLOvNcL5g/s400/Witch+Amy+BW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263499792633174114" border="0" /></a><br />I was trying to decide if I wanted to do the trick-or-treaters thing tonight, as Tal has gone to spend the weekend with Tiger and I would be on my own to greet the little candy beggars. I needed to open the garage up when I got home from work and put some things in the SUV to take to Rosie's for the yard sale we're doing, and figured that if I would probably have some visitors expecting treats if they saw me. So, I ran to Walgreen's during lunch for some goodies.<br /><br />Around 6:15 I get home, unload all my stuff (purse, candy, Chinese food) and get things set up. I set up a small table and stool in front of the garage door and got my "fishing chair" and set that up next to it. Got my big purple bowl and filled it with the candy (mini Oreo snack packs and Cookies N' Creme tombstones), the camera, a Diet 7-Up, an afghan, my little metal pumpkin with a votive, the candle lighter, an my little <a href="http://www.collector-connection.com/gund-fun-monster-manor-motion-activated-gutt-plush.html">motion-activated monster</a> and took it all outside and set it up.<br /><br />Oh, and I didn't have to greet the trick-or-treaters on my own - I had a sidekick:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L5uKoAvl3Hpb4DJEddRh9QhhEozpqbAaG3mJFPCzYthpqqj4d2GrERB2A4ArPyiLorF9b10OiiimsnSNiNb3RQZg3ggjxL72qcz89sivPUzyWlJKgegF5kFcuuV8GYcf04yYrA/s1600-h/Gabby+Happy+Halloween.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L5uKoAvl3Hpb4DJEddRh9QhhEozpqbAaG3mJFPCzYthpqqj4d2GrERB2A4ArPyiLorF9b10OiiimsnSNiNb3RQZg3ggjxL72qcz89sivPUzyWlJKgegF5kFcuuV8GYcf04yYrA/s400/Gabby+Happy+Halloween.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263503593994490498" border="0" /></a>Puddy and I were ready for the kids - bring it on!<br /><br />So, we waited.........and waited..........and waited.....................<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4HrM8I4qWsZR5f-TfxCuekqrUF3v0RjHmXku976CfNxjs9ZJg90H7lvvdfiMK1C4q7qMWOZcQf4_roIbJMsqJcXOtl9a0josfqGUjNHP33A4FNIScIxUmb0lOm00R4DLshyphenhyphengSg/s1600-h/Gabby+waiting.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4HrM8I4qWsZR5f-TfxCuekqrUF3v0RjHmXku976CfNxjs9ZJg90H7lvvdfiMK1C4q7qMWOZcQf4_roIbJMsqJcXOtl9a0josfqGUjNHP33A4FNIScIxUmb0lOm00R4DLshyphenhyphengSg/s400/Gabby+waiting.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263505086121154690" border="0" /></a><br />Finally! Here come some trick-or-treaters! YAY! A princess and that ugly ghost thing from "Scream". And *sigh* just as quickly they were gone.............<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhLYga56jxVvLpEe-jg97PoJkGOwMVOyYwGWzUyQ6TKEpXouk96MihkOMOxPHI796elZo8lmCbYwSvacj6kSSSRXKUXRWYr0N5nqgctEMAUTmIW4Q8HNQg19v43qt7-Ydctmf5A/s1600-h/byebye+kids.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhLYga56jxVvLpEe-jg97PoJkGOwMVOyYwGWzUyQ6TKEpXouk96MihkOMOxPHI796elZo8lmCbYwSvacj6kSSSRXKUXRWYr0N5nqgctEMAUTmIW4Q8HNQg19v43qt7-Ydctmf5A/s400/byebye+kids.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263508003847019602" border="0" /></a><br />After an hour and a half and a total of 7 visitors, we decided to pack it in. I was told by one of the mothers that a few of the local churches were having Fall festivals and that's probably where everyone was. I can kind of see that - I mean, the way things are these days that kind of thing is probably safer even though our area seems pretty safe. I mean, there are only 7 registered sex offenders living in our town........<br /><br />Well, that was pretty much our exciting evening! Hope you enjoyed your Halloween!<br /><br />I took this picture before I blew out the votive in the pumpkin. It's kind of fuzzy, but I think it's a neat effect.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB-gjKaNfwRlogxkNgmEHpDlsL3Nq-xOlROcQzRWugozRPiPdUzHyRjz2lCdyeHArmKp2wCzRXdOxJ7KeHaHS__PHTzFwwq61Hg0AAgC9bsUH9lcJwYIMOe4-jKb3tGF9jvPu-g/s1600-h/pumpkin.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB-gjKaNfwRlogxkNgmEHpDlsL3Nq-xOlROcQzRWugozRPiPdUzHyRjz2lCdyeHArmKp2wCzRXdOxJ7KeHaHS__PHTzFwwq61Hg0AAgC9bsUH9lcJwYIMOe4-jKb3tGF9jvPu-g/s400/pumpkin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263511102074907074" border="0" /></a>On that note......I bid you GOOOOOOOOOD EEEEEEEEEEEVENING!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-7447774857352899502008-10-30T07:51:00.008-05:002008-10-30T09:04:01.300-05:00Forget yo-yo's.....we're talking bungees here.So, after an 11.8 pound gain in 2 weeks, I lost 4.4 last week and another 3.2 this week. I have another 3.8 to go before I am back where I was nearly a month ago. (10/2)<br /><br />It's just puzzling, how this is happening and I can't wait until I get to see the endocrinologist so hopefully we can work out the thyroid and hormones - fun! Oh, and I get to add another doctor to my already long list of physicians - neurologist. I went back to my GP with the foot/toe issues. She tickled my toes with a little filament thingy and we discovered that the numbness in my toes is just localized to the bottoms. I could feel her touching the tops of my toes with the filament. She feels like it may be a nerve compression problem, undoubtedly from all these years of carrying around the bulk of my body weight.<br /><br />Figures - now that I'm losing weight and wanting to get out and walk to help me get into shape I develop this problem. It's not really life-threatening (that I know of) but it's bothersome because when I do try to walk the numbness makes me stumble and is uncomfortable.<br /><br />So, let's see - that's now 7 doctors I think. Regular doc, allergy doc, sleep doc, lady parts doc, urologist, endocrinologist, neurologist. I have a feeling I will probably be referred to an orthopedist or foot and ankle specialist for the <a href="http://www.footphysicians.com/footankleinfo/haglunds-deformity.htm">Haglund's deformity</a>. That'll be 8. Oh, and the dentist, which I am currently shopping for another.<br /><br />I'm starting to feel like a real hypochondriac. What's next??<br /><br />Enough of MY medical issues. I want to send get-well vibes to my nephew (12), who fractured his ankle yesterday playing basketball at school. Boogie apparently has a pretty high pain threshold - not sure where he gets that from......probably his mother. :-) And that's all I have to say about THAT.<br /><br />Progress on the Gingerbread Project is slow. At this point, the most work I've done is the planning and strategy and painting the board to carry it on. Saturday, Rosie and I are having a yard sale at her place and then she and I are going to go have dinner at The Crab Shack. I found out that they are dog-friendly, so Puddy is going with us and maybe if we have time I'd like to take a short walk on the beach if it's not too cold. Actunity! Well....nevermind that. Apparently they don't allow dogs on Tybee's beach. Bummer.<br /><br />Sunday, I plan to bake the pieces and do some fine-tuning of the other plans. This is going to be a great gingerbread house. Still trying not to reveal many details - not that I don't trust you guys but according to my little Sitemeter thingy I do have visitors other than my friends and family - I even had someone from Asheville, NC swing by last week! But I can tell you that of all the pictures of past entries, this is a design I have not yet seen. I think that I will do some video as I start pulling it all together. I really need to step-up the production. I only have a little over 2 weeks!Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-85604108069625991472008-10-28T14:20:00.003-05:002008-10-28T14:34:50.898-05:00Divine justice??You know me, I really don't take too much glee in the misfortune of others but I truly do love it when karma comes back and bites you in the butt.<br /><br />I was being a good girl yesterday morning, driving along I-95 in the middle lane doing 70 MPH (only because there was someone going slower in the far right lane otherwise I would have been there) and this woman (I'll call her Zippy the Wonder Twit) in a black SUV cuts me off coming from the far left lane to the middle. I mean really, there was plenty of room and she could have waited 2 more seconds. So I flashed my lights at her and threw up my WTF? hands. And we continued on, me at 70, her at 80 or whatever she was doing.<br /><br />We get off 95 and onto Hwy.204 - she is of course far ahead of me. Whatever, like I care by then. I get to this intersection and I stop even though the light is green because traffic is backed up to that point and if the light changed I'd be stuck in the intersection. Well, this guy (I'll call him <a href="http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6024/doofy27rz.png">Doofy</a>) sails through the intersection in the right lane (I'm in the left) and quickly changes lanes nearly hitting the front of my car. He gets the flash and WTF?, too. By then several people from the intersecting lanes have turned onto 204 and are in front of me between me and Doofy and traffic starts moving. As we slowly top the hill, I see Zippy and Doofy moving onto the left shoulder. Doofy apparently rear-ended Zippy.<br /><br />Finally.....Divine Justice has been served. It's like when you're doing the speed limit and somebody flies past you and then you see them pulled over on the side with a police car behind them.<br /><br />Poor things looked miserable as they stood between the cars assessing the damage. SOMEbody, I'm not naming names, rolled down her window and as she passed them by said (yes, they heard), "HA, that's what you get." Thankfully, traffic was moving fast enough for a quick getaway.<br /><br />I was so giddy when I got to work. I shouldn't have been, but you know - Zippy and Doofy were driving recklessly with no regard to my or any of the others' safety. Neither of them were hurt, and neither car looked too damaged, so their only real inconvenience was that they would be delayed. I think they got exactly what they deserved.Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-40955288360599330262008-10-21T12:30:00.004-05:002008-10-21T14:57:29.208-05:00Unsolved mysteries, Indeed.OK, so Tal managed to REMOVE weight while he was on vacation. We'll see if it catches up with him this week as he is expecting (hopefully it won't, because he's been doing so much better at keeping on program than I am!). Meanwhile, I had a phenomenal GAIN. When I say phenomenol, I mean the past two weigh-ins I've nearly fallen off the scale at the numbers: 5.6 on 10/8 and 6.2 on 10/15. That's a total of 11.8 pounds in 2 weeks.......WTF????<br /><br />I admit - with Tal being away I did let go a little - taking in a few spots that I like that Tal doesn't care to go to, but I didn't think I did all that badly. Well, yeah I did. And then I had a huge cake to do - made of pound cake made from scratch and my favorite chocolate ganache frosting recipe - the weekend after Tal returned. Here's a pic of it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELQvTWKi1IC9LBXxr8FM0km6X29H_6iuzAhF5Awl97UL1k3MaYbDM6sfNO5OMx90JvN4Iz7ZQaEFoCOZWmGnEOhVrW37GWuRawVkzEFi5GAZYYj-9PqjMe1Mw9y-Spw8qwWyx1Q/s1600-h/DSCN2433.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELQvTWKi1IC9LBXxr8FM0km6X29H_6iuzAhF5Awl97UL1k3MaYbDM6sfNO5OMx90JvN4Iz7ZQaEFoCOZWmGnEOhVrW37GWuRawVkzEFi5GAZYYj-9PqjMe1Mw9y-Spw8qwWyx1Q/s400/DSCN2433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259672725462344530" border="0" /></a>That's two 9-inch and four 8-inch pound cake layers, crispy rice treats molded to make limbs, and quite a few strategically-placed dowel rods to keep everything in place during transport.<br /><br />Of course, I had to carve the cake to a tree shape - and I guess I don't have to tell you what happened to the trimmings. Can you say 6.2 pounds????<br /><br />So, here I am once again jumping back upon the wagon. I'm thinking that this gain was not only due to my lapse but also to the hormone/thyroid/whatever else will crop up issues. I've decided to go back on the patches, at least until I can see the endocrinologist in November to see about the thyroid stuff. <br /><br />Speaking of November - the Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread Competition is less than a month away! I've been working on my plans and pulling together my supplies, getting ready to start it all this weekend. Oh, I'm just so stressed and so excited about this - especially when I found out who two of the judges are: Nicholas Lodge and Colette Peters!!! <br /><br />OMG, I nearly turned myself inside-out when I heard that Colette was judging. For those who may not be familiar with her, if you've ever watched any of the cake challenges on the Food Network she has been the winner of several of them. So many of them, in fact, that I think they finally had to make her a judge just to give others a chance! I've been a fan of hers even before the Food Network days, and I have most all of her cake decorating books. <a href="http://www.colettescakes.com">Take a look at her work - she's amazing!</a><br /><br />Nicholas Lodge is another favorite of mine. He teaches many cake decorating classes in Atlanta and is a <a href="http://www.nicholaslodge.com/index2.html">wiz at gumpaste flowers</a>. I hope upon hope to take a class or two from him one day. I believe he's judged a few Food Network competitions, too.<br /><br />Ah...cake.....gingerbread....you see why I say my skill is also my kryptonite?!?!?!?!?!?! :-)Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16977847.post-40847184101568164022008-10-09T09:27:00.004-05:002008-10-09T09:36:07.610-05:00Thyroid Ultrasound ResultsWell, my doctor's nurse called me a little while ago with the results of the ultrasound that I had done on Monday.<br /><br />The diagnosis, "Diffuse enlargement but no dominant mass. Looks like it may be a goiter." Translated for the non-medical types like myself, means that there is no cancer - just an enlargement. And not a very big enlargement that I know of. If you look at my pictures a few posts back, you can't really tell - I mean, I've seen pictures of people with goiters and they look like they swallowed a whole orange that got stuck. <br /><br />The good news is that since I'm being referred to an endocrinologist for the thyroid issue, he will be able to take a look at the total hormone issue - who knows, he might even be able to find a total hormonal balance that will help me see better results on the <span style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1223562897_6">Weight Watchers scale</span>! :-)Seraphim9http://www.blogger.com/profile/07122423388990073112noreply@blogger.com3