Take all of your so called problems Better put them in quotations

Bits and Pieces:

-Thought you all would like to see a picture of the folks I spent my blog-free days (and campaign filled days) with:

-And the campaign mascot:

-The Mocs had an exciting basketball game Saturday night. We played UTK. The Mocs played well, but lost in the end:

-Scott and I put our tree up:

-My Momma surprised my Dad with a new puppy for his birthday:

-I have been doing OK (I would give myself a C) getting up and doing my yoga. It is much easier to get up and do something you HAVE to do as opposed to getting up to do something you NEED to do.

-I have been eating much better, much slower and much more consciously! I definitely feel better when I eat better.

-I have started taking my Prozac again. I did a lot of thinking and re-thinking this weekend. I am very caught up in the future and what taking Prozac now will mean for my future. I finally came to the decision that if I do not enjoy today than the future is not much good to me. For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while you know that this is an ongoing conversation I have with myself as I go on and off this drug...rationalizing why each time. I guess that is my journey for now and as long as I continue to keep my thought process open and fluid I can walk with my head held high.

-Let's digress...skin care...I need help. My skin has gotten SO sensitive that anything I put on it STINGS...I started to put on some heavier moisture creams and now I am breaking out! Any ideas out there?

Take Care
Molly

Have no fear for giving in

Have no fear for getting older

You better know that in the end its better to say to much

Than to never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking

And your faith is broken

Even as the eyes are closing

Do it with a heart wide open

Why?

Say what you need to say

-John Mayer

In a New York Minute Everything can change

NEW YORK PICTURE (highlights)....

We used this one for our Christmas card...It is inside Radio City Music Hall after The Christmas Show...

The Christmas Show was the only show we saw:

Do you recognize this place...think BIG salad...

Yes, this is the outside of Monk's Diner from Seinfeld. We had lunch there one day and it was pretty good.

Our hotel, The Novotel, at 52 and Broadway...great location good hotel!

We had A LOT of great food, my favorite dinner was: Funny story...We gt so much food at Carmine's and it was so good we decided to take it back to the hotel and put it in the mini bar. So, we look the drinks out and stored the food. We ate it right before we caught our flight out of town (it was almost as good two days later cold!). We went to check out and the guy at the desk said that he had a charge for 9 drinks out of the mini bar. Apparently there is a sensor on the mini bar and when we took the drinks out to store the food it recorded them as purchased...we quickly explained and the hotel staff was very nice!

Can you tell, from this picture, where else we went...

...to see Lady Liberty In honor of my Grandfather Scott had a Manhattan (rocks, not up) in Manhattan at Gallagher's, which was next to our hotelOur final stop was:

Rockefeller Center to see my man Matt.

Ironically, my favorite picture of the trip Scott took out the window of the plane as we left the city:

We are lucky ducks!

Take Care

Molly

I pulled my coat around my shoulders
And took a walk down through the park

The leaves were falling around me

The Eagles

I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave." Oh, but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you.

We had a quite weekend.

Went to watch the Moc's basketball team win Saturday night:

Last night, in our effort to eat better, Scott and I went to Greenlife. It is a cool natural foods grocery store in town that just relocated to a bigger building. They now provide eat in service including soup, salad, sandwiches and brick oven pizzas!

Otherwise I did the usual weekend catching up kinda things.

We did keep my parents dog Percy. He is HUGE and a lot of fun for Kozmo. He got a deep cut in the pad of his paw that had to be stapled together so Mom did not want to send him to the usual dog sitter. We were glad to have him...as was Koz:

As you might recall, Scott left his camera on the plane on our last trip. He is fond of taking areal shots. These are the first new shots I have posted in a while...we had reverted back to the film world. We got a new camera for our Thanksgiving trip and lots of good pics in PA and NYC which I plan to post soon...I am still sorting them.

I did not make any head way on my fitness program, except to come up with a plan. I got used to getting up early while working on the campaign and I am going to use that to my advantage. I plan on getting up every morning and doing this 30 minute yoga DVD:

My body is SO out of the habit of doing anything, other than sitting in a chair, that I think that this will be a good starting point, especially since this routine is heavy on the core work. My plan is to stick with this until the end of the year, hoping that I will be much more flexible and strong, and then come up with a fitness plan.

That's all for now...

Take Care
Molly

Some of us hover when we weep for the other who was
dying since the day they were born.
Well, well, this is not that;
I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown.
Lisa Loeb

Well, I'm running down the road tryin to loosen my load

Now What?


Well...for the time being I am going to keep working for Andy. Much more reasonable hours (the campaign had me working 8-8) and much less stress. I will probably go back to my regular job (which I took a sabbatical from) at the beginning of the year, but there are some other options floating out there.


S and I went to PA for Thanksgiving and then on to NYC to reconnect, relax and have some fun. We had a GREAT time! Ate a lot, walked a lot and enjoyed the time together! I will post some pics soon.


I am sad to say that my 10K body has gone to pot. The scale shows a 7 pound weight gain but I know that is deceiving because I have lost a lot of muscle. The loose size eight has been replaced by a comfortable size 10.


My knee did not hold up very well during the campaign and I am thinking that my running days are over. I am just not up to a 4th knee surgery...the third on my right knee. I have a plan in mind...I hope to become a spinning goddess!

One thing that really became evident is that a busy Molly is a sane Molly. I realized the power of keeping my mind busy makes it hard to worry too much. I am currently med free (again) and very proud of the progress that I have made!

For all of you Koz lovers out there...he is doing SO well. We are now tapering the steroids and he should be off of them by the end of January. He had a great time being the campaign mascot and had as much fun as I did.

Take Care
Molly

Lighten up while you still can

Don't even try to understand

Just find a place to make your stand

And take it easy

The Eagles

Are y'all ready, cause the plans in the jam

http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/local-video.aspx?articleid=25334&zoneid=175

Senate District 10
Total Number of Precincts 72
Precincts Reporting 72
100.0 %
Total Votes 12722

Andy Berke 8021 63.05%

Oscar Brock 4681 36.79%

Take Care

Molly

And you thought the beat slowed down

Power to the people

Get on up, get into it, get involved

Feel the bass as the cut revolves

-Public Enemy

www.andyberke.com

Well I have truly fallen behind this time.
NOt only have I been neglecting my blog I have not caught up with all you! Been a GOOD busy time!
I have the day off tomorrow and plan on catching up with you and catching you up with me!

Take Care everyone!
mhc

Feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air

Did I tell you I cut all my hair off again....

...and today is Tommy's 3rd Birthday!!! Happy Birthday buddy!

I had a nice relaxing time yesterday at his party with the whole fam' (minus Scott who has the crud) including little Jimmy....

who I blogged about being born!

Koz is doing great! His meds are being tapered and he is a little more like "himself" every day. I know that his tummy troubles are a lot better and that makes me happy!

Fall has almost hit the air here in TN. Makes me want to get my knitting needles out again. I am ready for a hobby that I can leave and come back too. My poor garden has really suffered from my long hours at work and two weeks of hot temps and no rain. I literally drug six pots of "burnt" plants away from the house yesterday! It made me realize that gardening can not simply be something that you love to do - you also HAVE to have the time to do it! Knitting I can love it AND leave it, a true hobby.

The new post at work requires Saturday work which really bummed me out b/c I would miss a lot of Vols football, but my team ain't looking too good! I still think the TN v. GA game will be good, b/c we both SUCK!

Finally i have yet another question for you. I am afraid that hours upon hours of working might have fried my brain. I was doing some online window shopping and saw this...

an argyle sweater vest and (gasp) I LIKE IT! It is one of the only "winter" pieces J Crew has put on sale, but I'm liking it. Y'all tell me...am I loosing it or could this be cute (Matt your opinion means the most!)

Take Care
Molly

Fall on me (what is it up in the air for) (it's gonna fall)
Fall on me (if it's there for long) (it's gonna fall)
Fall on me (it's over it's over me) (it's gonna fall)
(REM)

Are you with me so far?

Before the long overdue Molly update I want to congratulate Iron Pol, Court and Steven on being IRON! I am so proud of all of you and I really enjoyed reading all of your race reports.

Things are going 100 miles an hour right now. I have been working really hard and really enjoying it. I am not working out like I would like to be. Still living vicariously through all of you and your work outs. I got a physical on Thursday an I have put on 5 lbs, that will be the motivation that I need to get going! My anxiety level has not been level. A lot of that has to do with my schedule being unpredictable and so busy and stressful, leading to moments of doubt and anxiety. On a positive note I have "learned" to power through those moments and move on through the day without letting the anxiety paralyze me for any length of time.

During my physical my doc gave me the name of a orthopedist in town that he really likes and I will probably go see him at the end of the year. My knee does not bother my continuously but at least once a week I will get up from a chair or be going up stairs and feel a sharp pinch on the inside of my knee.

The Koz is doing well, his intestinal issues are really clearing up! However, the steroids that he is taking to help his condition have changed his personality some. He is much more food oriented and has become whiny when he does not get what he wants. He is also a lot more low key, he has not wanted to play in the yard and when he sees Percy he does not seem up to their normal romping. As you all know he has always come to work with me, and he still does. He adjusted well to the new office in the beginning, but recently he has been barking a lot, which I do not like! But, we are close to another dose reduction in the steroids so I am hoping that he will adjust once that happens.

Finally, a while a go I was tagged by Andra and will share eight random things about me with you:

1. One of my worst days at work ever happened when I was working at the TN Aquarium as the Preschool educator and doing an outreach program at a Preschool. The snake would travel in a pillowcase. I opened the bag and was confronted with snake poop, which is one of the smelliest things in the world. I had to leave and collect myself because the smell hid the gag reflex hard!

2. Without thought I will eat something I love until I make myself sick!

3. I have had two knee surgeries, but my most painful injury was a badly sprained ankle. I was jumping around excited because TN beat Florida (the National Championship year) and rolled my ankle. I was in a boot for two weeks.

4. I really want a new washer and dryer. A red set from Kenmore that is front loading.

5. I will watch episodes of Law and Order that I have already seen...over and over and see something new every time!

6. I am going crazy waiting for my new quilt to get in. I have gotten the sheets and a pillow cover with the quilt fabric, but the quilt is still about 20 days away.

7. I am too excited about Dancing with the Stars starting soon.

8. I really miss blogging daily. Even more I really miss having the time to read every one's blogs every day.

OK I tag:

Johnny
Randy
Allez
Bill

Take Care
Molly

Life in the fast lane
Surely make you lose your mind
Life in the fast lane (Eagles)

I gotta roll, cant stand still

You Are: 70% Dog, 30% Cat

You and dogs definitely have a lot in common. You're both goofy, happy, and content with the small things in life. However, you're definitely not as needy as the average dog. You need your down time occasionally.

Are You More Cat or Dog?

Got a flame in my heart, cant get my fill,

Eyes that shine burning red,

Dreams of you all thru my head.

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah.

(Led Zeppelin)

Here comes the Hotstepper

Koz update:

Well, the baby was doing really well until yesterday. Ironically enough he went in for his check-up yesterday doing great. He got a good report and they tapered some of his meds. Well, he got home with Scott and threw up. He seemed fine the rest of the night and then...this morning I woke up at 6:15 to the smell of poop. I thought Koz had farted and I started to roll over and the smell got stronger, then I felt Koz bumping into my legs. He was "scooting" (for those of you who have dogs, you know what I mean, for others think of the dog on the Stanley Steamer Commercial) and leaking poop all over my blanket (more on this later). Needless to say I took him to the vet and dropped him off at the vet to get checked again by his specialist. He had a stool sample and they found two parasite eggs...YUCK!!! So, more meds for the Koz!

OK, so the blanket that got "scooted" was our back-up blanket because Monday night Scott laid on a pen and get ink stains all over our quilt.

So, now our quilt and our back-up blanket are both (probably) ruined. I can find some humor in the fact that Koz's incident was the second blanket incident AND I have been thinking about getting a new quilt.

So, you all were so much fun with the shirt selection;

By the way this one went back because it fit weird.

I have worn both of these and love 'em

So, I decided to ask for your help picking out a new bedding set. Here are the options:

I really like #1 the best (in the far left pic, it is the middle of the three, the purple and green) ...BUT it is on back order, so I have to wait, which I don't like! Our room is a light green and would go well with any of these options. So, let me know what you like, what you think and what you don't like!

Molly Update:

I am doing better. Adjusting to the hours and the work. I think the long and the short of it is I think my body is adjusting to less sleep! Being busy has really seemed to spell my anxiety, I simply don;t have time for it or I am too tired to deal with it. Still not exercising enough...unless running around at work all day counts. I feel like I miss you all, I wish I had more time to post, comment and read. Know that I am thinking about you, especially Court and Iron Pol as you head to Louisville!

Take Care
Molly

I'm the lyrical gangster
I'm a live in-a me danger
Still love you like that
Hey, da da da da... (Kamoze Ini)

I'm alive, but I'm sinking in

I am not sure what to say.

I have been working eating and sleeping and struggling to keep my plants alive and food in the house!

Koz is doing well. His meds make him very tired and make him have to pee a lot. I hope that we will be going to the vet next week to taper back some of the meds.

Today I am still working and doing laundry. Hope to spend some time with Scott's family tomorrow!

Sorry to be so boring...I have been living my exercise life vicariously through you all lately!

Take Care
Molly

I can't go outside
I'm scared I might not make it home. (Counting Crows)

You think posin' Will save the day

The first step has been taken. It was not a giant leap and it was not really a step at all, more of a pose...It was a yoga class. And it was the first thing that I have done since seeing the knee doctor. It was a great class and my knee was fine. I was really tired going into the class but felt much better once it was over.

Thursday and Friday were crazy days...8 to 8 days to be exact. The kind of days when you come home and try to decide it you should eat anything before you fall into bed.

Saturday morning I got up for and 8:30 meeting and after the meeting walked to my yoga class. Our city is celebrating the re-opening of a major bridge which has been closed for a year for repairs (all the complaining we all did over the last year was really put into perspective with the bridge collapse this week) and I walked through the heart of the festivities. Saturday afternoon was spent napping and trying to save my poor garden that was terrible neglected (somehow watering did not make it to the sleeping or eating level of importance). Scott and I went to Carrabba's Saturday night which was quite wonderful! There is not much that beats a Carrabba's Margarita pizza and a glass of red wine, in my book!

Koz is doing well. he is on all new meds in an attempt to try and get rid of all the infection and inflammation. He is on prednizone, which makes him drink a lot of water and therefore pee a lot. He had peed on the mat by the back door when we got home from dinner. I felt so sorry for him because he knew he had done something he was not supposed to do and instead of happily greeting us when we got home he ran to his bed and gave us sad eyes. Otherwise he is doing really well.

Today Scott and I hit the mall. I got some black heels that I needed for a new suit that I got at Banana, along with my new shirts. I went with these Sofft shoes, which can't be beat for all day wear!

Tonight we went to Fran and Kit's house to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Scott's parents! Scott and I are really lucky that we both have parents who have stuck together through thick and thin!

So, I am thinking that a new plan is in order. I am thinking that I am going to get some yoga DVDs and do them in the morning...that class really energized me and I am hoping that I will find a DVD that will do the same (ideas anyone?). The next stop of the plan is to make sure that I get home before 7:00 three days a week and get my cardio in. I have not been sleeping all that well and I really think that not doing cardio has a lot to do with that!

Take Care
Molly

You have to plenty of time

There was no rush

But it was your dream to be like us

You're in dreamland so you don't care

And as you wait

I'm standing there (N.E.R.D.)

Party-peoplllllllllllle!

FUN...I have never been tagged before! Thanks Bill!

Jobs I’ve held-
waitress at the pool grill at the golf and country club
J Crew Outlet
The Treasure Cache
Preschool Educator at the Tennessee Aquarium
barista at Rembrandt's
Coached Guys High School Soccer
Orthotics Assistant
Office Manager
Campaign Manager

Movies I Can Watch Over & Over-
The Sound of Music
Legally Blond
Gladiator
Shawshank Redemption
Ferris Bueler's Day Off

My Guilty Pleasures-
dark chocolate
wine
pasta
fashion magazines
napping

Places I have Lived:
Chattanooga, TN
Bangkok Thailand
Tono Japan
Lexington Kentucky (1 semester at Transylvania University)

Shows I Enjoy-
The Today Show
Family Feud
E News Daily (should probably be on the guilty pleasures list)
LOST
ALL Law and Order Shows
(used to watch) Gilmore Girls
What Not to Wear
Clean Sweep
House Hunters

Places I have Been on Vacation-
Italy
Switzerland
Ireland
England
Austria
Germany
Prague
France
Turks
I am a lucky girl and I love to travel...this list will get too long!

Favorite Foods-
Margarita Pizza
Caprese Salad
Big Bowl of Pasta
Fajitas

Websites I visit Daily-
The Get Along Gang (check the right side of the page)
Chattanooogan.com
Pink is the New Blog (another guilty pleasure)

Body Parts I have injured-
Knees (over and over and over)
ankle
jaw

Awards You’ve Won-
Sports awards in high school
Guy's Soccer City Coach of the Year

Nicknames you’ve been called-
Goose
Mary

Pick 5 Other Bloggers…
Court
Lisa
Matt
Andra
Aimee

Take Care
Molly

Tag Team, back again
Check it to wreck it, let's begin
Party on, party people, let me hear some noise
(Tag Team)

'Cause it's so much easier to handle, All my problems if I'm too far out to sea

HAPPY NEWS

We got Koz's biopsy results back and he ONLY has a stomach infection and inflammatory bowel disease. While this does not sound great it is what we expected and is not cancer or anything else that would require surgery. I am going back next week b/c he will have to go on some new meds and I will meet with the vet (she emailed me the results yesterday) and get all the details. Needless to say we are all very happy and glad that our little bubba does not have anything life threatening going on!

I am still MAJORLY lacking motivation to get to the gym. I am working longer hours now which raises my appreciation for those of you who work full time and get TRI training in. I am having trouble getting any training in. I think that we discovered a bit of a solution this morning. There is a facility across the street from us called the Brainerd Crossroads (BX) that is part of the Baptist Church that is near our house. We went in and checked it out today and the facility is really nice. They open at 6:00, so I am thinking I might start trying to get there at 6 and getting 30 minutes of cardio in on the elliptical and then in the evenings I can swim or lift weights at the gym. This is such an easy decision because the church has decided to make the BX fitness area part of their ministry and instead of $300 a year, starting August 1st they will be charging $25 a year!

There is also a little coffee shop on the first floor that I could visit on my way out!



My knee is feeling 100% better. There can be no conclusions drawn though b/c I have had NO activity, as opposed to activity other than running, to test it.


My song today is Don't Go Back To Rockville by REM because I learned who the song is about on Friday. Apparently Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) are friends and he is singing about her in this song. Apparently she was struggling at the beginning of her career and wanted to "go back to Rockville" Maryland. Pretty cool, huh? It is amazing who ends up being big a music buff, and I never knew it

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!
Take Care
Molly

Don't go back to Rockville,
don't go back to Rockville, don't go back to Rockville
And waste another year (REM)

Maybe we can sleep in, make you banana pancakes, pretend like it's the weekend now

I have been "diagnosed" as a people pleaser. Meaning that instead of expressing my own interests I will conform to the interest around me in order to confirm. Well, it is funny that I actually feel bad about the following post. You see, I made the Banana Republic order and I don't want those of you who offered an opinion to "feel bad" (my therapist calls this awfulizing...that I expect the worst before it happens, usually to an unrealistic extent) that I did not follow your suggestion. Enough blabbering...here are the results:

Things are going well at work, staying busy which keeps my mind moving and not worrying...all good!

On the sadder side of things I am still a sack of lazy bones...

Take Care!

Molly

But the telephone singing

ringing it's too early

don't pick it up

we don't need to we got everything

we need right here

and everything we need is enough

just so easy

when the whole world fits inside of your arms

do we really need to pay attention to the alarm? (Jack Johnson)