Social Media Vacation

I know it's been a bit since I've updated...and even longer since I've had a lot to say. I think I really just needed a social media vacation. My little corner of the blogosphere has been gathering cobwebs in the meantime. So far I think 2010 has just been so chock full of change, I feel like I have been living on a rollercoaster. It makes it hard to find out what my niche in the world is all about. But then I realized, that I really should just blog like I journal: about my life, my hopes, my dreams and everything in between. This path that I am on to become the absolute best version of myself is about more than weekly weigh ins and exercise programs. Sometimes I forget that there is much more to the life of Romantic Comedee than an obese girl just trying to break out.

So, now...it's time to get real in this place. I am going to begin by reminding myself that even in this rollercoaster life I am living there is always joy in the world. It's so easy to get bogged down in the bad, so lets celebrate the joy.


1. I am Bake and Destroy's 3,000th Twitter follower. If you're like me and love baked goods, rockabilly style and just a generally smart-ass chick: Follow her.

2. Dottie Hinson and I are both currently emerged in books about starting our own small businesses, so it feels good to have some positive direction in the career arena.

3. Other awesome career news: I got invited to join an elite team of specialized Home and Garden writers through my writing studio yesterday. I'm pretty much psyched about that.

4. I received my first book for my Book Sneeze book review project the other day. I have a few other things in my reading queue but I promise to get to it soon. Stay tuned for a scathing, glowing or just mediocre review depending on how it turns out.

5. I also have an interview on Monday for a job providing direct care for a mentally disabled woman. I am really looking forward to this. I have developed a love/hate relationship with being a freelance writer. I really do enjoy writing, however I have trouble coping with the up/down financial aspect of it. I want a steady, part-time job that allows me give back.

6. On the weight loss side of things at last weigh in I was down to 271.0, which is -25.6 pounds. So, that's pretty exciting. This week I vow to fall back into the exercise routine.


So there you go, I have six things to be joyful about at the moment. What small things bring a smile to your face?

XOXO,
RC

Positive Effect Water Challenge

Today...marks the beginning of Sean and Kenz's Positive Water Effect Challenge. I have been a big admirer of Sean's blog for a long time and I have the utmost respect for him. So, when I heard about this challenge I knew I had to jump in. Honestly, I needed the motivation to do something and to push myself. I like water, but I have never been a huge water drinker. Well today I did it. I got my 64oz in. I am also going to try to challenge myself to working out for at least 30 minutes for the next three weeks.

So here we go....

Finding Balance...

I have a question for you my dear little corner of the blogosphere. Or rather a few questions all related around the same central topic. I have what I have self-diagnosed as a mother hen complex. I try to take care of everyone and everything around me. Currently, that mostly means my wife, my brother (whom we live with) and my ill father. I keep pushing me further and further down on the list. I worry about what will happen if one I stand up for myself and ask for some help. Or god forbid, demand to have some care given back to me. This is not to say Dottie Hinson and Medical Brother don't care about me. They totally love me. I know this and I treasure it. Still, I try to do everything for everyone.


Lately I feel like that is just resulting in me living my live only halfway. But, I don't know how to push myself further up on my own priority list without losing those I love the most. Does anyone have any tips for helping me find a balance between myself and my family?


XOXOXO,
RC

Books Bring Me Joy!

Obviously this little journey of mine is all about embracing joy at every turn. I refuse to live my life in a the funk that has caused me to become so down in recent years. Today, I found my next new adventure.

I was recently accepted as a book review blogger for BookSneeze. Basically, they allow me to pick books and send them to me for free. In return, I have to post a review here and also on a consumer book retailer site. I am really excited about this opportunity. So, stay tuned for the newest chapter in Living a Romantic Comedy.

Last week's weigh day was a major success. I weighed in at 273.4, down 4 pounds from the week before and down 23 pounds total. I am psyched to find myself back on track. It's so flippin hot this week, exercise is being difficult. I have done some yoga and walked on the treadmill. I even broke my speed record. Unfortunately, this heat has given me a wicked migraine the past few days. But that's okay, I am brushing it off and getting on with my life.

I hope all of you East Coasters are finding ways to stay cool!

XOXOXO,
RC

A Call To Arms

One of my blends....Britney over at LaMidge is requesting that the internet band together in a way that shows how much we all care.

Recently, she fostered a small, older pug named Ollie. Ollie had some health issues, but a kindred spirit named Claire fell in love with him anyway. The rescue vet finally gave him a clear bill of health and Britney was able to let Ollie go home with Claire.

Claire has been caring for him for the past 4 months...and his health has begun to decline. She is determined to keep him healthy, but he has now been hospitalized.

You can read his entire story at here. Please, if you can give anything I know Claire, Ollie and Brit would be endlessly grateful. You can donate via Paypal to the email address:

TallDrinkofWater85@Gmail.com

If you can't donate...that's okay. I can't right now, but I am determined to send good karma their way.  Stop by Brit's blog and leave her a good note. She is passing the happy thoughts along to Claire and Ollie. 

XOXO, 

RC 

Soooo close!

Despite my attempts to keep life sane by having a chipper attitude, life has not been easy thus far. Dad has surgery for both cancers at the beginning of last week. While he seems to be healing okay, he's not in a good place mentally because of some family issues. I wish there was more I could do to help, but it's difficult to convince him that he can lean on me.

My bank account has been seriously suffering as of late. Without getting into TOO much detail, I had some money stolen via credit card fraud and I'm still trying to manage the blow to my budget. Those are bad things, but it's okay. There is too much good in the world. Today, I let the stress get to me too much and I was disappointed in myself for doing so. It will all be okay. It's just money.

In the things to celebrate category...I am only 0.4 pounds away from being down 20 pounds! It's very exciting. Due to everything else going on in my life, I have fallen off the exercise wagon the past two weeks. I have been careful to fill my body with good foods though. Which has definitely helped. I am at the point on this journey where I just don't feel well if I am eating poorly. On top of all the emotional stress, I clearly don't need physical discomfort as well.

Another plus, I really think this entire struggle has brought Medical Brother, Dottie Hinson and I closer. We've decided to ban together to hang on to our place and pull each other up from the bottom. So, all in all. I can't complain (though I needed to vent here) because I am lucky to be surrounded by good people.

Life goes on...

I plan on staying on the positive train these days.

Now it's time to go relax with a Sookie Stackhouse novel until Bravo presents me with my reality TV fix for this evening. Don't judge, I need to decompress!

XOXO,
RC

When life throws you lemons...

I am trying to learn not to spend days crying into my lemonade. Last week was this completely horrible week where just about everything went wrong and I got some very upsetting news. I pulled through and managed to keep my weight steady for the week. For a girl prone to emotional eating, keeping my weight steady was a big achievement.

In an attempt to be more honest with myself and my readers, I am going to let you all know what is going on. A few weeks back, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was difficult to hear, but we were all dealing with it fairly well. The doctors are certain they caught it early and scheduled his surgery. Then, last week he got a call from the family doctor that a mole removed from his leg came back as melanoma. On top of the other diagnosis, it was a bit much to handle. We're getting through it. I hope if nothing else, this brings us all a bit closer together.

So that just kind of put my week into a total tailspin. I allowed myself to take some time off of work, which is something I almost never let myself do. I'm a freelance writer, meaning I only get paid for what I produce. So...taking time off is hard when money is tight. But I just couldn't do it...not last week. I needed a mental vacation.

It seems to have helped. I came back this week, stronger than ever. I have been working out. Less is More Yoga seriously kicks my butt. But I am starting to love it. I still have to take days off in between, but I think I am getting stronger. We shall see how tomorrow's workout goes.

The time off allowed me an opportunity for some self-reflection. I figured out the next steps for my career and how I want to grow my business. I want to focus on helping high school and college graduates find their post-education lives through improving their writing skills. I have a lot of ideas, so I am going to spend the summer putting together a plan. I like my article writing work, but I don't want to spend my entire life publishing how-to articles.

I also decided I need to spend some quality time with Dottie Hinson each day. So I have been cooking all week and having dinner at the table. It's been nice. We sometimes have a tendency to make life more complicated than it needs to be. Simple, quality time together each day will be good for our relationship I believe.

How's life for everyone else? I am getting caught up on my reader and will be commenting.

XOXO,
RC