WW update...

In order to keep myself on track and accountable...... I officially lost 1.2 lbs this week on WW. Which makes up for the .4 I gained last week.....yay for not giving in to so much temptation!

And we're back folks...

Ah yes, I realized it has been far too long since I posted.

Here goes. Today I got thinking a lot about being an adult. I personally consider myself an adult. I pay my own bills, I'm over the age of 18, I have a full-time job that helps to pay those bills, I live on my own and well I drive a car. Frankly, in so many terms I think that makes me an adult.

It wasn't until recently I really felt as if any small piece of my childhood is pretty much gone. My schedule has been haywire for a few weeks now since I've been back from China. Non-stop stress. Non-stop meetings, classes and work. Mind you I am Type-A so keeping busy is in my DNA, however, so much for really enjoying the kid in me for just a little longer.

During the summers in Buffalo I tend to see a lot of young adults/teenagers driving around, out attending concerts, hanging out with friends and having fun. I remember those days. They were so care-free and exciting. Work was a pay check, you still had time to figure things out, and your social life reigned supreme. I slightly miss those days.

No longer do you work for a pay check during your summer break and enjoy a few weeks off in the winter time. Instead you work when vacations can sometimes be few and far between. And while you still may live paycheck to paycheck, the bills are bigger and the responsibilities endless.

Taking time out for yourself starts to become harder and keeping in touch with good friends isn't as easy as walking down the hall or street to hang out. Doing what YOU want to do your whole life becomes more impossible as the days go on.

It wasn't long ago that I thought taking on the world was easy. Reality sets in and adulthood becomes a slippery slope thats no longer as cool as it seemed.

Oy and I haven't even had kids yet. C'est le vie to the free spirit!

Oh how I adore...

Pasticiotti!!!!!

Thank you Buffalo Italian Festival!  

I only ate half so I'm hoping it won't affect the WW weigh in.  Fingers crossed! 

People forget how lucky we are.....

This weekend felt like any other weekend as it started.  I of course had class on Friday night and Saturday till 1pm (Sidenote: Minor vent, I CANNOT wait to be through with my master's program and my weekends actually begin to take more shape, while I love the content we're learning...I want my Friday nights back!)  

So Saturday afternoon we took a short ride up to Toronto, or TO as the kids are calling it these days.  My good friend, TheatreChick had planned a night with friends to see Evil Dead: The Musical.  Aboslutely the best show I have seen in a LONG TIME.  There was nothing like it.  First of all, it was interactive.  And when I say interactive, I mean that the first two rows in the theatre "splatter zone" are soaked with lovely "theatre" blood.  Pics are up on Facebook.  TOO MUCH FUN!  The cast was great.  Hilarious and on point.  Can't say enough about them.  

So onto my "TO" experience....

I was a kid in a candy store as we drove closer to the city.  I know according to WNY, I live in "the city" but we're talking a real big CITY here folks.  And it was just the right fill I needed to feel a little metropolitan for a moment.  

So on the ride back I really got to thinking.  This whole bi-national thing we got going here in WNY is pretty cool.  I mean at most 2 hours is all you need for the drive to Toronto and thankfully with our US$1 being worth NOTHING things aren't all that much more expensive anymore.  

Check this out.  As we walked out of the parking ramp across the street from Diesel Playhouse (which only cost a dirty cheap $5, on a Saturday, IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY!) I could see the CN tower.  The tourist in me popped out my camera and started taking pictures pretty much at every angle and every 100 or so yards.  We were unfortunate not to go up on the observation deck as the wait was, oh I don't know, a measly 2 HOUR wait!  Again a Saturday in the summer, it happens.  

Buffalo is no NYC and we're no Toronto...but we're close enough to the TO to really enjoy it.  I hopefully planning a girls weekend up in the TO soon.  They also have amazing wine country and an H&M!  Priorities people.  Priorities.  

WW check-in...

Another .4 lbs lost this week.....a loss is a loss I say! 

Free things to do in Buffalo......Free you say?

To anyone who says theres never anything to do in Buffalo...and to more of those who say....I'm broke so I can't do anything...read along my friends: 

All the Free things to do in Buffalo......(this is the short list)  

View the city from top of Buffalo City Hall (open M-F, 9am-5pm) 

View the skyline from Erie Basin Marina Tower (Open daily from 7am-10pm)

Gusto at the Gallery, Albright-Knox Art Gallery (FREE After 5pm Every Friday)

Thursday at the Sqaure (Every Thursday, 5pm-9:30pm from late May-early Sept) Lafayette Square

Concerts at the Plaza (M&T Plaza, Main @ Church St.) Every weekday at Noon from May - Sept.


Window shop (Allentown, Elmwood Village, Hertel Ave. Grant, Broadway/Fillmore, Delaware Ave.
Downtown)

Ride the Metro Rail -DOWNTOWN above ground is always FREE

CEPA Art Gallery (Located inside the Market Arcade Building at 617 Main Street) Three floors of local and traveling art open to the public daily.

Olmstead Park System - Always something to do in one of these great parks.

Erie Marina Beach- open 7am-10pm daily

Fountain Plaza- Open year-round and offers FREE Ice Skating during the cold month of Nov.-March.

So....BOO-YA!  

In other news....

I lost 5.4 pounds in my first week of Weight Watchers!!!

It feels absolutely wonderful!  

Another $1 million wasted

So in case you live in Buffalo and again live under a rock you do not know much about the constant battle between our Native American counterparts and the absolutely idiotic, pathetic, old school, close-minded and flipping STUPID (and other big important and educated words I'm just too tired to come up with right now) people who call themselves "Citizens for a Better Buffalo".  Today a federal judge ruled against the Seneca Nation building any sort of gambling facility where the Buffalo Creek Casino would be placed. 

Check it out:  www.buffalonews.com/home/story/387669.html

**Programming Note:  Please solely note that this "action group" spent over $1 MILLION suing the Seneca Nation.  $1 MILLION.......$1 MILLION..........$1 MILLION

(I'll get back to this) 

So here's my thing and my soapbox.  

{{Stepping on my Soapbox}}

Why again does another grassroots organization have to overthrow something that is only going to assist the Buffalo economy.  Look it.  It's not like Niagara Falls.  In Niagara Falls a casino was built around absolutely nothing.  The city had no plans whatsoever to build anything until after that casino was finished and then think about development. 

In Buffalo times are a changing.  Thanks all to Brian Higgins, Byron Brown and Chris Collins.  The three amigos have finally begun to take steps in the right direction.  If you haven't checked out my amazing photos from the 1st step in an amazing waterfront at the Central Wharf next to the Aud, you've missed out.  You could feel the change in the air on the 4th of July .  For an event that was not publicized (in the least) it turned out one amazing crowd and I don't see it letting down.  How can you? 

That being said.  The Economic Development Corporation of Buffalo has its eyes set on the prize.  And the Seneca Indians know a good thing when they see it.  

This is not just some money grubbing scam of the Indians in taking their money and running with it.  Time and time again they have stated and it shows what they are doing for the economy and areas around their casinos.  Its not Vegas.  And it won't be.  We're not looking for that.  But jeez Buffalo is looking for something.  I'll take this Casino along with the $333 million development plans the Senecas have invested in this.  They do good work.  And they are PATIENT.  Extremely PATIENT. 

This isn't about gambling and the effects it'll have on our economy.  Look it.  If you have a problem, you address it.  If you are addicted that is not the fault of the casinos.  Its simply an addiction which is entirely mental and emotional.  Get off blaming casinos for this.  

This isn't about the land that is considered actual Indian land and the difference between their sovereign land.  However, how there is a difference in my mind makes me sick to my stomach.  It's either black or white...their land or not.  

This is about grassroots organizations like the "Citizens for a Better Buffalo"  spending their "hard earned" $1 million on lawsuits instead of re-developing Buffalo and particularly the Cobblestone district they way they see fit.  

 

Put your money where your mouth is "Citizens for a Better Buffalo" because by this court ruling, you ruined it for all of Buffalo.  

The casino is one of many plans for reviving downtown.  Get off of it already. 

{{Stepping off my soapbox}}

I am done. 

I know where I'll be every Sunday.....

As any good Irish Catholic girl I'll be attending mass in the morning but as of 3 minutes ago I'm taking advantage of my parents the best way I know how.

Chilling out in their pool. Not only is it free. No one is around to see my flab ass laying out in their above ground pool, I swam in as a kid.

I have to say the 'rents have spiced up the back yard since we were kids. It looks awesome. Great decks that my dad built himself. The same pool I swam in as a kid. Music blaring out my dad's stereo in the garage. Oh and did I mention the hot tub?

It's a broke 20-something who still lives within 20 minutes of her parents dream.

Wow it's been a month already?

So it's been a month already since I've been back from China.  Seriously time flew by.  I feel like I was just there yesterday.  I realized last week, I never blogged about my trip.  I tried doing a day-by-day blog from China but that didn't work out well at all.  See in China, they watch over their internet like some kind of big brother/spy type thing.  That and I think the internet connection is not nearly to the capacity of the US.  Mind you I was not about to write anything derogatory in the least bit about China, but let's not take my chances, right?

So. China.  Life-changing trip.  I really did love it.  Every single minute of it, maybe not so much but I learned so much on that trip.  Such about life, work, people and the world in general.  Coming back I feel as though the world is such a smaller place then we think.  I mean I watch some travel shows now with Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai and now I can say "I've been there!"  Pretty cool, eh?  

So first city was Shanghai.  I'm not sure if it was just absolute culture shock or the fact that Shanghai is just totally abstract to the rest of China.  What I liked most about Shanghai was actually what was about and hour away and that's Suhzou Industrial Park.  This place is the Silicon Valley of the Far East.  And it's amazing.  Companies from all over the world set up shop there.   It's pretty cool.  The "new" Suhzou is actually only about 14 years old and its pretty amazing, absolutely everything is brand new.  I liked it.  It suited me.  

What I didn't like? (Because you know were getting there right?)  The cabs.  Again possibly blame this on culture shock but the cab rides I took in Shanghai were close enough to make me gag.  I also felt the language barrier was possibly the worst in all of China.  For some reason in Shanghai in general I never felt completely safe nor like we were really wanted there anyways. 

Ah, brings me to my next point.  Now growing up I was always taught to respect absolutely anyone, a perfect stranger, your mother, your arch nemesis (I'm working on that one,k?) Shanghai was the only city I was literally an outcast.  Ok I'm American, we know this but all in all it wasn't a welcoming city to me.  So when someone does disrespect me I have the right to at least vent about it right?  And I certainly would never treat anyone who came to our country with any amount of disrespect, right?  Yes, it's just how I was raised.  

On to Xi'an.  Besides the flight from Shanghai to Xi'an which honestly was the worst flight/landing I'd ever been in my life.  I also didn't feel so grand about not having an English speaking pilot, but hey when you grow up in that, its just what your used to.  Either way I got through it.  Thankfully my advisor and I had some really great conversation on that flight and throughout the trip I may add, but I'll get to that later.  

Xi'an was a really neat city.  I felt like we were rushed in and rushed out, which in fact we were, but it was interesting and uber-historical, which I love.  First night was a dumpling dinner which was fantastic.  I think I tried at least 15 different Chinese dumplings.  MMMM so good.  And later in the night the group surprised myself and another kid who actually has the same birthday as me, with a cake and cards.  (Kinda felt like it was a little bit forced from some) but hey I was extremely grateful to my advisor and the trip host who went out of their way to do that.  Really no one had to, but those people did and it felt nice.  People asked how cool it was to celebrate my birthday in Beijing and to be honest, it didn't feel much different then anywhere else.  It's a birthday.....that's kinda it.  

It was at this point personally I realized how incredibly independent I am.  And I have to be.  I'm in a country by myself with people I partially know but not like a good friend or family member. It actually felt great to venture out on my own and be in my own world for the rest of the trip.  I learned so much about myself and who I am and who really matters to me that sometimes I wish I could have those moments back.  But I'm in a better place now and much stronger then ever.  

The Terra Cotta Warriors was an absolute treat.  Walking into the Building #1 of the first dig, gave me goose bumps.  I finally felt as if I was really in a different country and totally different culture.  Shanghai was so urban that it was hard to really get that feel but Xi'an gave me my fix. The pics are on Facebook so check them out.  Words really can't explain it.  

So Beijing.  My FAVORITE city.  I was so excited to get to Beijing, maybe because we were done really traveling quickly and not staying in one city for long but nonetheless I loved it.  It was part upcoming/urban city and part deeply rooted in Chinese history and tradition and I couldn't get enough of it.  When we got in there was a sandstorm coming from the Gobe Desert.   The skies were completely brown and it was like were in on a different planet for a little while.  Thankfully it subsided after that day.   My room had a pretty cool view and one of the only patios out of the group.  THANK GOD!  I spent a few nights just mediating and doing a lot of thinking.  It felt great.  

Ok ok....so the Great Wall!  Wow...wow. wowie...wow wow.  Mind you I felt like hell walking about 1600 stairs but it was so well worth it.  Not too many can say they've been to the Great Wall and I can!  SCHWEET!  When I got to the top I did what any good Irish Catholic girl would do.  I called my mom.  And she did what any good Irish Catholic mother would do.  Get all excited while at the same time trying to fight back tears because she's proud of her kids.  That was a really cool moment.  I wished I could have stayed up there the whole day and just looked out over the mountains.  It's #1 for the most surreal times in my life.  I want it back!   

My last day in Beijing could not have been better.  Luckily my advisor, another professor and her daughters were up for doing some more sight seeing and we decided to go to the Lama Temple in the heart of Beijing.  I could not ask for a better way to cap off the trip.  As some of you may know I've studied a little bit of Buddhism and I find it fascinating.  I went to see the Dalai Lama at UB and I've loved it ever since. The temple was full with smaller temples that housed extravagant and large Buddhas, none of which we could take pictures of. At first I was kinda disappointed but no picture could capture how I felt in that place.  It was extremely quiet in a place who's outside walls sat next to busy intersections.  I felt at peace with myself and what I had accomplished while on the trip.  It was there I realized I'm ok with me.  Just me.  (small tear)

OK ok ok ok.....suck it up right.  

So after that we took one last look at the Pearl Market.  Oh lordy be!  The shopping in China is an adventure and I LOVED it.  I picked up some Coach bags, Northface jackets and a few Chinese chotckes for the kids of course.  All of it was worth being told by the US Customs agent that because of counterfeit merchandise like the stuff I bought, I in fact, fund terrorism.  

Thanks.  Thanks so much.  

Even through that I'll say this.  I love the United States of America.  While I'll always travel and always want to experience new things.  I absolutely love our country.  No matter what politics may follow and the economy the way it is, this country is the best GOD DAMN country in the world.  Hands down.  And I'm friggin proud to be a warm-blooded, god fearing, American!  

 

Day 1 and 51 lbs to go!

So here we go.  Finally begun a new season of Weight Watchers.  I've done Weight Watchers many many many times before.  And it's not so much that I failed, I would get to a point where people complimented me on my weight loss and I would think,  hmmm, I can do this on my own!  So low and behold I've tried and tried and tried to do it on my own.  To no avail I've never lost a ton of weight.  10 lbs here, 5 lbs there.  And each time I've re-tried I've been able to keep a few lbs off but nothing substaintional.  That's about it.  So yesterday I went into my first Weight Watches meeting that I hope .... no wait...WILL  BE...my last meeting this high up on the scale.  

I got this new found excitement in me.  I don't know where it came from or why it's happening but I'm going with it.  To me, the whole WW is a lot of fun.  I've always been a fan of certain blogs that are WW friendly,  www.greenlitebites.com and www.hungry-girl.com both of which started as someone like myself. Just a random-o blog that turned into fun weight loss blog with tips and tricks.  

So at the meeting I found out that I need to lost 51 lbs just to get to my the highest of my healthy wait.  I blame this on my mother....GOD DAMN YOU FOR BEING SHORT!  But no lie, 51 lbs is my goal.   Each time I've gone to meetings in the past, I never believed in that goal.  I thought "hmph I'll be fine losing 30 lbs or 40 lbs"  never 51 POUNDS!!!!  No I feel ready for it.  I don't know how long it's going to take me and frankly I don't care.  All I know is I need to do it.  For no one else but myself.   

GO BIG OR GO HOME KIDS!