And so it is. I finally had a great Christmas. This season made me feel so blessed in life. For what I have, which is everything I need. For what I hope for (and a renewed spirit for getting there). For the good relationships in my life and the power I have over their destiny. And for the pink lunchbox that Ross gave that is my favorite random present ever.

I'm also thinking about what-ifs and how they affect the direction of your life. Something so stupid as not having a car has really got me thinking. I would've continued down the same path, trudging to work at ungodly hours because I felt I had no other choice, having no desire to finish school because it was easier to just show up at 4:30 in the morning for a job I kinda like, but have had way too long. Now, I can't do that. A big, welcome change is looming and not a moment too soon.

Digging out.

I ventured to work this morning, taking advantage of the fact that I don't have to drive in this mess (not that it would matter. I could've driven around and dug people out with my tank of a car. I miss her terribly.)

It's quite a winter wonderland and beyond gorgeous. I think it should be a standard here to have a blizzard shut everything down for a couple of days and give everyone a little break (I'm sure the owners of all of those abandoned cars on the interstate don't see it that way). There wasn't much to do yesterday so Ross and I took the train down to the 16th st mall, which was THE place to be apparently. I don't know how all of those people got there (perhaps they were shuttled from the airport), but the 3 Starbucks were open, so people came down. We then spent the rest of the day eating leftover casserole and finishing up Season 3 of the Sopranos.

Is it true that you burn twice as many calories wading through knee deep snow and gale force winds in snow gear?

Off on a walkabout

My car blew up. On the Interstate. And being Jen, I knew EXACTLY where my cellphone was...

On the kitchen counter.

This on the heels of my very first speeding ticket/traffic stop (total bullshit, of course). Well, thankfully the authorities caught up with me before my car could explode and I can't drive at all...

So I'm stranded on I-70 near Federal. And I have to hitch a ride. The only person that stops is some mexican dude who spoke no english, but delivered me safely in the middle of little tiujuana Denver. I then proceeded to spend an hour and a half probably having the funnest conversation of my life with Dominic the Conoco cashier as he let me use his phone and bummed me a cigarette (I swear to God, the first thought that ran through my head when my car stopped moving was, "FUCK I NEED A CIGARETTE"). And he let me use the restroom when said cigarette made me sicker than a dog.

So, alas, no car.

Which means I get to walk. And don't think that bothers me too much. Only that I live in a transient neghborhood and now must figure out how to safely get to work at 4:30 in the morning. I'm lucky to have public transport at my doorstep. I don't even have to pay. Perhaps I can live off of loans, not work (oh sweet jesus i would love that) and walk my merry little ass everywhere. We shall see. this may be one of those change of like random occurances. I was considering quitting altogether, but this sort of shifts things back into perspective. Someday, I would like to drive a new car where I'm certain I won't get stranded on the interstate. For this, a college degree would be most helpful in finding gainful employment.

I got yet another reason to maintain my weightloss yesterday. I had a doctor's appt to check up on my pill and my doctor has called me the poster child for this particular brand. She says I'm fairly lucky that I was able to have all of my PCOS symptoms erradicated by the pill and with that and losing as much weight as I did, she said that I am essentially peserving my ability to have children.

Yay, me.

So I've heard that bad things come in 3's. Hell, it's a proven fact in my family. A speeding ticket and an engine blow-up in one week... I will keep everyone posted. This will not ruin my christmas. For all the bad Christmas's, my crazy mother and my even crazier stepmother, I am going to enjoy it this year. Ross, it's you and me, kid. Well, you, me, the cat and the turkey (and Christmas dinner on the futon and movies and good food and drink and presents. Woot...)

I am fairly surprised at how I've been able to keep up with working out. I find that running outside in the cooler air and pollution actually makes running on the treadmill that much easier. Go know.

And, in the process of writing this post, my week went from throw-yourself-in-front-of-a-bus lousy to I-am-on-fire great. An Avalanche player, who shall remain nameless, came in to bring his kid to practice and we struck up a conversation. He asked me, "So, ah, whatcha doin' on Saturday night?" I thought "Well, he's either going to ask me to babysit or something else I don't want to hear". I find out he was just making sure I would use the SLAMMING GOOD seats to the Blackhawks game this saturday night.

Yay, me.

Color me stoked...

So, The Fray is the new support for Dave Matthews.

In related news, Jen is exactly where she's supposed to be, doing exactly what she's supposed to be doing.

That is some crazy shit right there.

The Schweizer women

So I'm out of commision. I started the week thinking that a cold was in my near future, but it was actually an injury. I pulled a muscle (or all of them) in my neck. Sooo, I haven't wanted to work out (obviously), I've been a total pain in the ass, and I've wanted nothing in my mouth but carbs. Bready, chewy, carbs.

Imagine that.

There is absolutely a connection with being hurt/ill and finding comfort in food. And you know what? I don't see a huge problem with this.

When I have a tummy ache, I'm more than happy to curl up with a coke. After all, it settles my tummy. But why does a hurt neck make me instantly want a bagel? Because food is an immediate comfort. Is this a human thing or a Jen thing?

Why the hell am I even pondering this??? I get hurt every blue moon, I want some spaghetti. I get the flu and I want a coke. I don't wollow in a bag of chips because my boss yelled at me so we are going to leave it at that.

Next, please.

Also, you may think that the following is connected to the former, but it really isn't. Why is it that the second winter hits, I gain 3-5 pounds? I'm not sweating it really becuase I'm taking good care of myself for the most part (save for that injury bagel). I've heard it's a Colorado girl thing to put on a few winter pounds, like rosy cheeks and natural beauty (wink, wink).

Next, Please.

I'm getting burned out on weight. Not of eating well or working out, but just WEIGHT. Perhaps it's time to take a 3fc break. The girls are absolutely amazing. What a support system! Plus, it gives me somthing to scroll while I'm bored at work. In fact, I would even say it is one of the bigger factors in maintaining for me. But I'm getting tired. I had this huge paragraph devoted to the different personalities of 3fc, but deleted it. Just because I'm experiencing some burn out doesn't mean I get to classify people as I see fit. But sometimes all of it just wears on me a bit.

And then I think back. Back then, it didn't just wear on me once in a while, it weighed me down every single day.

Every. Single. Waking. Moment.

Next, please.

Today is going to be glorious. 60+ degress and sunny. I'm feeling well enough to hit the pavement again. I'm planning a haircut and a brow wax. I have discovered the BEST and the CHEAPEST place to get a cut and style in Denver (small hint: The Aveda Institute). I mean, c'mon. A professional cut and color for $15 that has the same quality of a $200 job in Cherry Creek?

Color me pretty.

So if the Beauty God, Sun God, and Health God line up today, it should be a nice day.

Happy Tuesday.

1) Are your parents married or divorced? Divorced since, well, forever. But the older they get, the more alike they become again.
2) Are you a vegetarian? Kinda not really. It serves no purpose in my diet but for pleasure.
3) Do you believe in Heaven? Aww. That's sweet.
4) Have you ever come close to dying? Yes. In fact, my job title is actually, "VP of Cheating Death"
5) What jewelry do you wear 24/7? My watch and Tiffany rings that Ross gave me, which, I would like to mention, I HAVE NOT LOST YET
6) Favorite time of day?right after I'm done working and done working out.
7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli? Mmmm. yum
8) Do you wear makeup? Not to workm, but most other places
9) Ever have plastic surgery? Yes on my arm to take off a bunch of scar tissue. Ew is right.
10) Do you color your hair? Yes. I started going gray at age 20
11) What do you wear to bed? shorts and a tank top.
12) Have you ever done anything illegal? Yes. Not robbed-a-bank-illegal, more like the typical underage stuff.
13) Can you roll your tongue?Yes
14) Do You tweeze your eyebrows? No. I wax.
16) Do you believe in Abortions? No, I don't "believe" in abortions. I believe in reproductive rights, in good and bad.
17) What is your Hair color? Brown
18) Future child's name? Coltrane. Yes, Coltrane as in the musician (Cole for short). Or Charlote, Shelby, Peyton, or Cadence. I like southern girl names and I don't know why.
19) Do you snore? Not anymore
20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Fiji, New Zealand, the south of France
21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No I sleep with Ross. And the cat.
22) If you won the lottery, what would you do first? pay off the ol' debt and buy a yacht
23) Gold or silver? Platinum
24) Hamburger or hot dog? They both have their occasions.
25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? baby corn and cantaloup
26) City, beach or country?Country
27) What was the last thing you touched? a hockey bag. YUCK.
28) Where did you eat last? My couch.
29) When's the last time you cried? Last Thursday when the older gay guy was really mean to me in the checkout line at Safeway. Chivalry IS dead.
30) Do you read blogs? Yes
31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex? I live most of my life dressed as either a man or a bum
32) Ever been involved with the police? Oh dear God yes
33) What's your favourite shampoo, conditioner and soap? Soap- the Dove bar and L'occitane, Shampoo- Aveda, Conditioner- Aveda
34) Do you talk in your sleep?I really wouldn't know.
35) Ocean or pool?Pool
38) Window seat or aisle?Aisle on long trips, window on short ones.
39) Ever met anyone famous? That's classified.
40) Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life? No, in fact I typically view myself as a massive failure, but things will look up once I win the lottery
41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it? Twirl
42) Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey? I pretend I don't like Oprah (but watch her in secret)
43) Basketball or Football? Football
44) How long do your showers last? Who knows?
45) Automatic or do you drive a stick? I am driving an automatic for the first time ever. I feel like a big weenie girl
46) Cake or ice cream? Cake
47) Are you self-conscious? Not about my appearance, but about other things.
48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up?Yes
49) Have you ever given money to a beggar?Yes
50) Have you been in love?Yes
51) Where do you wish you were? Back at the beach with Ross drinking Corona :( :( :( :
(52) Are you wearing socks? Yes. Lots of socks. Wool socks AND cotton ones.
53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? A few times (see job title)
54) Can you tango?No
55) Last gift you received? Knitting supplies :)
56) Last sport you played? basketball
57) Things you spend a lot of money on? Groceries, tea
58) Where do you live? Denver, Colorado
59) Where were you born? Corpus Christi, Texas
60) Last wedding attended? Brian and Amber's in Nebraska.
63) Most hated food(s)? raw fish. Unless I'm stranded on an island and I can't make fire because it's raining, COOK IT UP.
.64) What's your least fav?
65) Can you sing? No, can't sing. But I do!
66) Last person you instant messaged? Erin
67) Last place you went on holiday? Padre Island.
68) Favourite regular drink? hibiscus tea
69) Tag 3 friends:No thanks!
70) Current Song? "Pay For What You Get" Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds from Storytellers.