Weight Loss 101

Well it's about that time when I start freaking out about my weight. Actually, what am I saying it's been a constant burden for the last oh, 6 years or so. To cut to the quick I overeat often which is one of my biggest challenges. So today I signed up for the Gold Membership on Livestrong and now I can keep track of my calories AND my nutrients.

Since seeing the fantastic Dr. Linda a month and a half ago I was made aware that I have high cholesterol. Which I suppose since I am overweight shouldn't have been a great shock to me. I know I know, blah blah you should eat better and exercise more right? Well what happens when you are already exercising 5-6 days a week? At least I was at the time I was told about the cholesterol thing. Talk about being slightly frustrated. I'm officially getting back on the exercise wagon knee injury and all. As per a friend's wise suggestions I decided to update my goal weight so that they are much smaller steps. Otherwise I might feel like I am not making progress. Which, I have a feeling would end up making me quit before I've even really begun. And we definitely don't want that right?

Digital Art Age

I was perusing Wacom's website the other day and came across an interesting contest called "A Thousand Forests". It requested that people upload something that expressed their creativity and passion to create. You can learn more about the contest here.

Intrigued, I started randomly clicking through the different things that people had uploaded and I was startled by some of the descriptions this one for instance says "Digital painting using a scene from Google Street Maps for reference."

Digital Painting, I can only imagine what people would have said if you had told them two decades ago that the newest art era would be digital painting. Instead of using beloved mixed media and crafts people now talk about how they used raw photos, photoshop, illustrator, and in this instance even google maps to create their latest masterpieces.

It made me wonder, will the appreciation for all static art be lost with these new generations that need everything Now Now Now. These kids who start using ipads basically at birth. Will these "digital paintings", and ever changing digital art now become the new norm.

More and more people are starting to use digital picture frames. Why frame one photo when you can have one frame for hundreds. Will we lose the stillness?

Not the Bees Knees

My friends joke about how it seems as though I am perpetually broken. I'm inclined to agree with them. If it's not an ankle, a muscle tear, tendonitis, it's something else. This time it's my left MCL.

"The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is one of four ligaments that are critical to the stability of the knee joint. Because the MCL resists widening of the inside of the knee joint, the ligament is usually injured when the outside of the knee joint is struck. This force causes the outside of the knee to buckle, and the inside to widen. When the MCL is stretched too far, it is susceptible to tearing and injury."~ About.com.

Which is essentially what I did to my poor unsuspecting ligament minus the being struck part. Playing soccer of course, my feet couldn't agree and decided to go in opposite directions and since I was turning to my right, my left knee buckled inwards. Sounds fun right?

With this new injury I also finally changed to a new ortho specialist. I'm now in the care of one Dr. Eric Millstein and so far enjoying the experience. Well, as much as one can enjoy being told about their latest injuries! He has proclaimed that I have a mild MCL sprain and that it should take from 4-8 weeks to fully heal. And of course my favorite part of his assessment was the " no surgery necessary"!

Happy Occasions

YAY! Brilliant news today, my dear friends Mr and Ms Verve got engaged last night!!

WOoohoooo! I am so delighted for them! You see, I inadvertently introduced them both at my Engagement Bonfire three years ago on August 8, 2009. 

The funny thing is they could have met several months before. Ms Verve and I were on our company soccer team together. Since it was my one of my last games of the season and my dear friend Mr Verve had never seen me play he decided to come and watch. The below image is of them standing within three feet of each other on the endline. They didn't speak, didn't even realize the other existed in this moment. This was March 6th, a whole five months before they would officially meet.

Mr Verve and I met in college over a decade ago and through the wonders of myspace were able to reconnect when I moved out to LaLa Land. He and I were both Industrial Design majors at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. We met in a Environmental Design class that was being taught by his best friend's dad. I think our friendship was sealed when I ended up accidentally taking us off-roading on the way to one of our class assignments! Ms Verve and I worked together at two different companies. Although I think we truly bonded on the company soccer team. I adore her and couldn't be happier for them both! Congratualations guys!!!