Is it something related to leaving college (like, not knowing how to cook), or is it just "I am no longer 22 with the metabolism of a hummingbird" we are talking about?

For me it was suddenly spending eight hours a day sitting behind a desk.

Yes, this. I was way more active in college, what with the walking to class, walking to the dining hall, walking everywhere. And then moving home and suddenly driving everywhere combined with a desk job. Pfah.

I look at pictures of me in high school and I have a great body! (bad hair and questionable fashion choices). And I was so sure I was fat. It's been a combination of things. I exercise less, although now I live in a great neighborhood for walking. I probably eat more (of everything including bad stuff). And a couple of years ago I gained appx 25-30 lbs in three or so months due to a medication and I've never lost that.

Plus I eat worse than I did then. So I'm stuffing myself with empty calories.

My big shift was around 30. People (who I don't respect very much) spent a little too much time nodding with fake sympathy and telling me that I'd be fat once I passed the big three o.

Heavier? Sure. Bigger? Yes. Fat? No. For the first time I could put muscle on my upper body.

I have also discovered where I gain fat now, and that's new (it used to be very general). But it's not bad.

My body did change when I was taking ballroom dance classes, I didn't really slim down that much, but my legs started getting more toned and looking better.

I weighed about 160 (at 5'11") when I left school at 25. Started gradually gaining weight through my 20s and 30s. It's just within the last year (after spraining my ankle last July, and being unable to do my daily walks for a month or so) that I've really gained weight. I haven't had the courage to get on a scale lately, but I think I'm around 215.

I'm fat. But I'm pretty. So there.

I gained weight the first 2 years in college. Pretty sure it was fatty caf food and hormones at work (I was on meds.) I was exercising daily then (swimming ~2 miles daily) so I was stronger, but more fat in addition to more muscle.

I started losing weight when I began cooking for myself and quit the meds. Of course now, I still cook for myself, and I don't exercise. My weight fluctuates slowly, but by close to 30 lbs. I dropped to my lowest since high school (when I was bony, but didn't think so- I was rounder, babyish-style) about 3 years ago, 160ish. I'd like to drop back to that someday. That's where my head thinks I am and gets a rude awakening when I try to button a shirt over my chest!

My mother just shared TMI. Ah well. Well, if anyone wants to know some rare side effects of tagmet, I now know.

I guess I should get offline in case my mechanic calls. It is indeed the starter. They are also going to clean up some battery corrosion. There are some shiny spots on the flywheel (damned starter grinding it) but no missing teeth. Yet. Now it is just a matter of whether they manage to fit my car into their schedule or not. (Mechanic's technical description of work today "We've got a crapload of cars in today.") Pleeeease. I really would be happy to be $500 poorer today. Really.

Ah well, japanese-korean food tonight.

XPosted from Bitches:

Hey, all.

Back from camping weekend; so tired and groggy. Didn't get home till about 8 last night, and fell into bed at 10. I am at work right now, and am frantically trying to update/prepare my teaching portfolio for my first teacher interview.

Also, I have to teach a 20 minute lesson plan in front of hiring committee and to a few students.

Suggestions on portfolio and/or lesson plan from teachers?

I have a what the fucking fuck? moment, but it needs a little background before I can share it.

My job has me working organizationally in one office, but geographically across the hall. I like it here. It's quiet, there are only two of us here, and Important People don't come through very much. Occasionally, when the receptionist across the hall is gone and the other people in the office aren't there, I'll be asked to come cover the phones. I frankly hate it, because a) I don't like answering phones (and, honestly, I don't know the answers to any of the questions people call to ask), b) I don't like the high traffic, and c) hello? not my desk. But whatever, I fill in.

I just got an email from this woman (who is another whole long story -- I can't stand her, but I feel kind of sorry for her because the other women in that office, who've been there 20-some years, really can't stand her and it makes the whole place sort of uncomfortable), saying the receptionist will be out from tomorrow morning for the rest of the week and could I sit at her desk and answer the phones?

And I'm not really sure how to say, are you fucking crazy? I just don't like it over there. Frankly, I'm still unclear on why the other woman over there can't answer the phones. But I'm not about to open that powder keg.

The thing is, I probably can do all my work at her desk, so I can't really use it as an excuse, but... I'm kind of flabbergasted by how she thinks it'll be pretty minor to work at another desk for a week.

Then there are the main problems: it's harder to do all the fucking-around things I do in a fairly high-traffic area -- not a reason I can really bring up ("but how can I talk to the Buffistas and read livejournal?"); and I don't come in at a regular time every day and don't want to (also not a good argument -- "but it means I'll have to act like a responsible adult! I hate that!"). So mostly I just want to bitch about it, because I don't have an actual reason for saying no. So, bitch whine complain.

Thank you.