goodbye, summer!

...and good RIDDANCE! I'm so over summer. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall, and I couldn't be more excited. Except for the fact it will be in the 90's in Tennessee. But that's OK. I know that scarves, hoodies, and the holidays are soon approaching.

It's been forever since I blogged, honestly, because I've been focusing on other things in my life, such as:

• my photography business! www.meglangfordphoto.com is up and running! I've already had over 1000 views since it's official launch just a week or so ago! I'm also on facebook, which is way overdue, but super exciting! so go check everything out, blog friends! "like" me on facebook!
• WORK. with a capital "ugh". it's been so stressful. i've basically inherited another job on top of my job. the usual. now i just need to find a way to make the day have 48 hours in it instead of 24. :( I'm not going to harp too much on how shitty work has been lately, because i'm lucky to have a job and (barely) pay my bills.
• planning for CABO! My amazing mom is sending Cord and I to Los Cabos, Mexico the week after Thanksgiving. This is the December Island Trip that I usually go on with my mom and sister, but this year, the circumstances made it so Cord and I are getting to go. And I can't wait! All-inclusive, completely free, flights booked (that were also free!) and we'll be there for 6 days. I am so, so, SO, excited. My mom rocks. And I've never been on a beach trip with my man snack, so I'm super excited.
• Because of the upcoming vacation, the health train has been back on the tracks as well. i've been walking around the neighborhood quite a bit, and trying to eat super healthy. but we all know how difficult that is.

Well anyway, that's it that's all (as Willard Scott says). Check out the photo stuff, and have a fantastic last day of summer. :)

i heart john adams.

We're really, really obsessed with the John Adams HBO series right now. I know, I know, it's two years old and we're just now watching it, but I really have a lot of TV to catch up on since I've only recently become much of a TV-watcher.

Totally worth all of the Golden Globes and countless other awards it won, John Adams is so entertaining, informative, dramatic, and incredibly well done. It makes me want to transform back into the Colonial era, speak with a 1776 early-American dialect, and dress like I'm going to dinner with General George. This is my favorite part of history, too, so I was doubly excited when I figured out what a battle was before they modestly informed the viewers of what was going on. Definitely recommend!! Watch it! It's on HBO on Demand right now, but over on Friday. So you might want to get the DVD. It's only 7 episodes.

**Sidenote - having grown up in one of the original colonies, and with a father who believed he was Thomas Jefferson in a past life, I have always had a fondness and affinity for this era. But even the boyfriend, who did not grow up with such a passion for Revolutionary America, has greatly enjoyed this show**

bon.bon.bon.

oven-roasted garbanzo beans

...or chick peas, depending on the nomenclature that you prefer. :)

I made these last night. A co-worker had brought some in a few weeks ago, and I tried them and loved them! I couldn't remember at all how she said her friend had made them or what she even used, so I made up my own recipe! I'm sure you really can't go wrong with these... you can tailor and change the recipe to make them more to your liking.

But here's what I did:

Took a can of garbanzo beans and threw them on a cookie sheet that I had put a bit of olive oil on to coat.

On top of the beans, I threw some more olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, S&P, Greek Seasoning, and Red Pepper flakes.

Baked at somewhere around 420 degrees ( I honestly can't remember where I had it set) for about 15 mins. Then I quickly broiled them also at about 400 for about 5 mins.

The key here is to let them sit for more than a minute or two before inhaling them so they can harden up a bit. They are even BETTER after a night in the fridge as a snack.

I'm enjoying them now with my leftover "Bean So Green" from T. Joe's that I had last night. :)

(pardon the phone pic)

incredi-face

My sister had a $500 gift card to Cashmere Salon Spa in the Gulch (below the ICON). She bid on it in an auction and won. I was lucky enough to be included in the spending of the gift card because I am a kick ass sister. As is she. :)

We went on Saturday to redeem and to have a great sister day at the spa. We had looked on their website prior to making our appointment so we knew what we wanted. She wanted a full highlight and hair cut (was in desperate need) and a pedi and I wanted a facial and a pedi. We figured we'd come close to the $500 (which all needed to be spent in the same visit, mind you) and if we had anything left over we'd add something on at the end.

We absolutely LOVED this place. Every single person in there was super nice, not snobby or elitist, and they were more than happy to help us get to that $500, even though they probably knew that we didn't end up paying anywhere close to the full value of the gift cert at the auction, which is the norm for charity auction items. After my INCREDIBLE facial, Caribbean therapy pedi (mud mask on the feet and everything!) and noley's full highlight and cut, and nicole's planned pedi (I'll get to that in a minute) we were only at $380! I never in a million years thought that I'd have a hard time spending $500 in one day! They were so helpful and kept suggesting other things we could do; it was amazing.

I am extremely loyal to my stylist Courtney (at Salon YaYa, she's the shit) so I didn't want any hair stuff done....so I just had them do a gloss/shine treatment on my hair. My sister was about to start her pedi, and I was about to get a blowout when the power went out. And it didn't come back on. So she'll be going back for her pedi, and I left with wet hair. There was nothing they could do, poor things! At least the water worked and I could get the treatment rinsed!

They knew we were heading out to lunch so they put all this product in my hair and played with it so it would air-dry cute and beachy. I just felt like they actually cared and weren't just putting on a show. It was great. We ended up leaving with awesome products too because even after my facial, noley's hair, and two pedis (one to be had in the future) we still had about $50 left over!

I would definitely recommend this place for facials, let me tell ya. And noley's hair looks incredible too! Rebecca Shaw (who did my facial) is A-MAZING! I got "facial resurfacing" which included, for $125, 7 or 8 different types of creams and cleansers and fabulous things! It's an Aveda salon, so everything was super earthy and herbal and calming. On top of the various layers of fab that went on my face, it also included some sort of procedure that is powered by sound waves to push water deep in the pores to clean it out, an alpha-hydroxy exfoliating mask, AND a photo therapy laser treatment! NOT like the kind I had before where it was traumatic and painful, I couldn't feel this one at all. all of that, ladies, for a $125 price tag. Pretty, pret-t-y, pretty good (you Curb fans will get that one.)

4 or 5 different times, the hot towels went down on the decollete and face, and it was topped off with a massage of the face, chest and upper arms and shoulders, and then this great little spritz of a cool mist that was the perfect way to end it. I can't say enough great things about the experience. I was in there with the facial alone for a good hour. And, my skin looks incredible. I am definitely going to fit this in to my beauty routine somehow.

She mentioned a package where you buy a few and get one free. It was around $250 for the package. I'm doing it. I'll let everyone know when I figure out exactly what the deal is. But yes, I recommend. I DEFINITELY recommend!!

www.cashmerenashville.com

chicken wing? next best thing!

In my constant struggle to stay thin-ish while still enjoying the finer things in life, a.k.a FOOD, I experiment with healthful ways to enjoy the tastes I really, really love but shouldn't eat.

I was honestly (really, honestly) never exposed much to the chicken wings, buffalo sauce, blue cheese combo as a youth. I really wasn't exposed to it until about two years ago. I instantly fell in love with this whole buffalo chicken phenomenon. But it obviously is not a wise food choice if one is trying to keep a girlish figure.

Here's a salad I made for lunch today (and am currently enjoying) that is really the next best thing to a buffalo chicken wing. :)

• Lettuce base, any kind you like. I used baby spring mix.
• Some chopped cucumber
• 1/2 avocado
• Some chopped orange pepper
• 1 morningstar chick'n patty, cooked and chopped up
• a sprinkle or two of any type of cheese (i used trader joe's cheddar/Monterrey jack blend)
• some hot/buffalo wing sauce (I used Kroger brand medium "buffalo wing" sauce)

Mix that shiz all together and you'll almost trick yourself into thinking you're eating something much less healthy. :) No dressing needed, the wing sauce is enough to coat it all - and SPICE THINGS UP! enjoy!

went to ross.

went to ROSS (dress for less). I love calling it Ross Dress for Less. I don't even know if it's still called that, or if they've dropped the last part, but it's still fun to call it that.

so, went to ROSS dress for less today on my lunch break. as you may know if you've ever been to this store, you have to be in the right mindset for it. you can't go expecting to have a good time. you go, fully expecting a torturous shopping experience, but you're rewarded when you leave with several surprisingly cute dresses and tops that were significantly less expensive than they would be anywhere else.

today, i had a visitor in my dressing room. a small little boy, who obviously has no parents. i don't think he spoke English, so when i said sweetly, "oh, watch out" with a smile and nice inflection, he didn't understand me. So i said "NO," not so sweetly all while shaking my foot at him (don't give me grief - it was my first instinct - my hands were too busy covering my bod - and don't worry, it was just a shake, not a kick)!! I think he got the picture and he backed out of my room.

Here are my questions for Ross Dress for Less: Sadly, I already know the answer, which is the same for every question. BECAUSE IT'S ROSS DRESS FOR LESS!!

Why don't the dressing rooms have locks?
Why does the security guard stare at me like I've already stolen something the moment I walk in the front door?
Why do they need a security guard?
Why were there no carts?
Why does the one cart I finally found have a tall beacon on it?
Why did the dressing room attendant make me feel like a criminal and make me hang my clothes on a rack so SHE could count them, because I'm obviously going to lie about how many items I bring in?
Why is this child climbing under my dressing room door?
Why can't I get this dress over my head? Oh, it's labeled as a Medium, but it's really an XS.
Why is this seam HERE?
Why isn't there a pocket on this side too?
Why is there a pile of trash and dust in the corner?
Why must I put my purse on every time I go back out to exchange what doesn't look good for more items?
Why can't I wait to get home and wash my body?
Why are there 30 people in line and only one cash register open?
Why are the other employees standing around and not opening up cash registers?
Why is this taking entirely too long?
Why is the security guard STILL staring at me?! I'm NOT GOING TO STEAL ANYTHING!!
Whose child is this?

I could go on.... all these questions go through my mind whenever I go to Ross Dress for Less.
HOWEVER - and this is a big however - even with all of the nonsense, I love you, Ross Dress for Less.

I love you, because I got nine dresses, two tops, and a Christmas gift for my dad, all for $90.

rave review.

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I had some pre-cancerous moles taken off back in February. Since then, I've been a pretty big proponent of not frying like crazy in the sun, if at all possible.

I have had a few sunburns this year. One pretty bad one on my legs (how did i put sunscreen EVERYWHERE but the front of my thighs?!?) but I've been really trying to not lay outside and literally bake my skin.

In my efforts to keep the big C at bay while still enjoying the self-esteem boosting effects that a sun tan has to offer, I've resorted to self tanning spray. I LOVE IT!

This product, in particular, has the least "fake tanner" smell of any that I've tried or been unfortunate enough to smell on others. It's airbrush, 360 (so i can turn the can upside down while trying to get the rear regions of my bod) and I've noticed a gradual bronzing of my skin since I began using the product! HoRrAY!

So, my rave review, folks, is for L'Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Self Tanning Mist, my shade is Medium Natural Tan. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

enjoy, ladies and germs.

what's up.

Oh, what a month.

My cousin has been gone almost a month. I'm still not sure if it's completely hit me yet. I won't give too much detail out in the bloggisphere, but he was shot and killed. It was so tragic, so violent, so awful. We're still coping. We will be coping for quite some time. The horrible human beings who did this to him were charged with aggravated robbery and murder one. Hopefully, they'll be in jail forever, never able to do this to another family ever again.

I've been having nightmares ever since. There have been some other family health scares over the past month. My uncle (my cousin's dad) has actually been very sick and in the hospital having major surgery. My grandfather on my mom's side was in the hospital for a week with a failing epiglottis. He was breathing in food and water and got pneumonia from it.

Needless to say, it's been hard. Really hard. Between the nightmares, the stress and pain of losing a close relative, and the complete anxiety of every time the phone rings freaking out thinking that another tragedy has hit me, I'm exhausted. I keep a smile on my face because it's who I am, but I'm beat. Mentally, physically, emotionally beat.

It's been a very tough month.

So, what else...
I'm really liking my new place, although I've been in such a stress-fog that I haven't really taken the time to sit down and enjoy it. Photo stuff has been great, but busy, so the little bit of time I've had to sit, I've been editing. But pictures are my happy place and I love it. The photos I sold for the flood was a huge success! I was able to donate $350 to Hands on Nashville. They sent me a very sweet thank you letter. I was happy to be able to raise a bit of cash to send their way. They're doing such great things.

Cord and I are doing well. I see him, like, never... but I am so in heart with him still. Maybe that's the key? Never see each other and then the little time you do get to spend is valued so much more? We just booked a trip to Chicago for late July. I'm so, so, so excited. The last "vacation" we went on was in August of 2007 to Disney World. We were in such a different place then... we were kids, for sure. Hell, we're still kids! We're staying at the Dana Hotel and Spa downtown Chicago. His bro stayed there recently and said it was amazing. I'm super excited!

My Maryland trip over Memorial day was when we ended up having my cousin's funeral, so the trip was obviously not the trip we had planned for. I hope to get back to MD again this summer to get over to see everyone. I miss home so, so much.

Until next time...

loss.

Loss is difficult. Losing a loved one is difficult. It's devastating. Especially when it's so tragic and unexpected.

I have lost. It is difficult. I am coping. I am strong.

Love and miss you always.

and on and on it goes.

Gosh, I have really not blogged much lately. I really don't have the time to put everything that's been going on into words.

Here's a basic rundown.

moved. no longer a single apartment-dweller. now a sylvan park roommate. and very happy about it!
got a promotion and a raise at work (pat self on back now).
sister moved to nashville. made my life complete.
cord and i haven't seen each other much in the past few weeks. i'm hoping for an entire day and night with him. is that too much to ask?
going home to MD for memorial day. thank you jesus.
enjoying the maryland-like spring we've had. 68 degrees is my ultimate temperature. that one was for you, nee-ko. :)
hope to get to Chicago this summer, maybe even around my b-day? im not going to be able to take vacay from mid august till october b/c of work, so i better get it in while i can.
photo stuff is going very well. recently had photos featured on CNN. sold over 30 copies of my broadway photo to donate to Hands on Nashville for flood victims. very happy and feel good about it.
lots of visitors in town. ready for a weekend to nest at the new place.
in general, happy with life. excited about earning more moolah and saving more with my living situation change, so hopefully i will get to be a bit more social now that i have a little extra cash flow.
still trotting in between the health train and the fat train. moving was an intense workout. i hope once they can open back the Green Hills Y (sustained major damage in the flood) I will get back into the groove. I've been eating much healthier though, so that's helping me maintain. but i want to lose. i want to lose more.
that's about it. i guess.

Buy a photo, support flood victims.

I have a photo I took of Broadway that from May 5th-15th, I'm selling for $10 (see the link below). I'm going to donate all net proceeds directly to Hands On Nashville to benefit the flood victims. (www.hon.org)

Please see the link below to purchase, or please forward this on to your friends to spread the word. If anyone has any questions, they can contact me at meglangfordphoto@gmail.com

Here's my etsy site where you can purchase the Broadway Print:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/meglangford

Nashville Flood

I made it downtown last night to take some pictures. Such an eerie, sad sight. I hope that they can salvage these historic buildings that give Nashville our character!!

featured!

photo of mine featured on a blog!! check it out!

been a while.

it's been a while since i have written anything.... so hello.

i felt like i should give some updates on the health situation, because i'm happy with my progress and i'm in a good frame of mind about it.

i don't really weigh myself (unless i'm on wii fit or at the doctor's), so i can't say how many pounds i've lost, but i know i'm on the right track. i feel great! i've been continuing to eat healthy (even better than I had been) and i've been exercising so much more. i feel fabulous! honestly, i'm really only on week 3 of being good about working out, but i'm doing it, and it's working. i have so much more energy, my body just feels better, and i even am fitting into my clothes a bit differently. i actually felt an ab muscle this morning. wtf.

i think the key in this situation is to just keep a good mind frame about the whole thing. i'm not overdoing it to avoid getting burned out, and i'm going with a buddy. my best buddy, actually - my sister!! we're having a blast, and i've actually talked her into joining the Y, so I feel like it's been good for both of us!

i'm excited about exercise. excited about feeling and looking even better. i'm beginning to feel that when i don't exercise, i feel horrible and sluggish. hopefully, by summer, i will be confident in a bathing suit for the first time in a while.... here's hopin'!

also -I had lean cuisine chicken fried rice for the first time today - pretty good!!! try it!

other updates in my life - i'm moving, AGAIN. while i'm not excited about the actual moving part (ok, well maybe a slight part of me is, i kind of like moving....) I am super excited about my new roomie, Vanessa. We're co-workers, she's the shit, and that's all you need to know. No, getting a roommate wasn't what either of us really wanted (and Cord just wasn't gonna do it; that's a blog for another day), but it's pretty much what we both had to do at this point.

My apartment raised my rent from $650 a month to $750. I had to say good bye. There is no way in hell I can afford that with my other life expenses right now. And by life expenses, I mean bills. My social expenses are minimal at this point. My hopes for getting a roommate are that my rent will come back down to a manageable place where maybe I can go enjoy my life a little. fingers crossed!!

madness.

march mustache madness at the office.

photos by moi, except the one of moi, taken by my colleague michael. enjoy!

sorry, more food.

i hope you all (if there are any readers out there) aren't sick of my food blogs. but i feel like i'm not alone in the world of trying to be healthy but i'm not rich, not blessed with lots of free time, and i want weight loss to be quick and easy (while I know it's not.)



so, here is yet another food blog. this is an actual recipe! i went to my friend's house last night who is suffering from a broken elbow from a sledding incident (such a rock star, let me tell you!!) and i offered to help her cook a meal. i had no idea what we would be making, but it turned out fantastic. so fantastic, in fact, that i am telling the world about it, and plan on making it over and over again.



let's call it, med-italian (because it's a little bit mediterranean and a bit italian)----so, med-italian brown rice bowl.



ingredients:
-pack of sliced portabella mushrooms, rinsed and chopped into 1 inch chunks, if you will
-a large handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped up/sliced/whatever works.
-1 cup fresh spinach
-garlic - to your liking
-1/2 medium onion, chopped into bite-size chunks (really, whatever works here, people)
-jarred sun-dried tomatoes, crushed (about 1-2 teaspoons full)
-about 15 or so artichoke hearts (we had the kind that were marinated in a glass jar in oil and great spices)
-marsala cooking wine
-olive oil
-brown rice (we used the 90 sec. rice b/c it was quick and easy, and v. good for portion control - perfectly split between two people. it left you wanting more, but if I had more, I would have overeaten!)
-salt and pepper, to taste



How to:
-Saute the onion in some olive oil (no measurements were really taken, as you can tell; we kind of just threw this all together!).
-Add mushrooms and art. hearts
-Then add some of the marsala wine - not sure how much she added b/c i was busy chopping, but it seemed like it covered the food in the pan, it cooked down quite a bit.
-Add chopped tomatoes, sun dried toms, spinach, garlic. cover for about 5 mins so spinach wilts.
-add salt and pepper to taste
-pour over cooked brown rice, and ENJOY!



goes GREAT with red wine. All of the ingredients are healthy and very filling. We really didn't even need any cheese, but I imagine some feta would be amazing on there. But if you're trying to be low-cal, leave it off, it's fine without it.



Here's a pic from my phone:

oh, january.

Hello, friends.
Here are two things i've recently eaten (today and last night, actually) that I highly recommend:

Healthy Choice Frozen Pizza, Cheese:

With only 340 cals (not bad for a filling lunch that is, remember, PIZZA!) and 21 g protein and 5 g fiber, this is a fantastic lunch. Nice and crisp (cook in the provided crisper tray), very cheesy, and well-flavored, and filling, I definitely recommend this meal for those of us who love pizza, but are trying to be healthy too. I know, it's a frozen meal, and there's lots of stuff in it I can't pronounce, but I'm realistic about my income, time, and food talent levels (they're all low), so this works great for me! Enjoy.



Also, THESE are fabulous little desserts!! I am indulging on a york one right now. SUCH a delish treat!! Recommended for the woman who can't go a meal without wanting a dessert, and the woman who has a serious relationship with chocolate, but who is trying to refrain from running into Ben and Jerry's and ordering one of everything, because she knows that's what she really wants. ;-)

All in all, the health train has seen a few obstacles this month. I'm doing REALLY good with the not drinking. I'm really trying to squeeze in exercise (in some form or another), and I'm doing really good with food. Not noticing much yet, but I also had family guests in town two weekends in a row, which probably counteracted any good I've been doing. I've been sickly for a week, so that didn't help either. Hopefully February will be a bit easier for me.

yum, and not so yum.

this is good. so, so, so good. great, even!! i LOVE it, basically. if i wasn't sitting at my desk at work, i'd lick the bowl.

this, is not so good. strange chicken piece i had to spit out, and too much ginger. not so much... wah.

Still truckin' on the health train. It's a-goin.

update. health, 2010: the saga.

So, the update on my overall health situation: (in case you care).

Moles. Well, I didn't get the best news of my life yesterday. It could have been worse, definitely, but it could have been better, too. Out of three moles they removed, one was benign, but two were dysplastic. Which means, abnormal, pre-cancerous, whatever you want to call them. They aren't melanoma, but they aren't good either. The good news is, they're gone. They're off my body and can do no more harm. I will continue to monitor and see if I have anything else grow back from what was removed, and the doc will keep a close eye on my moleys.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to go get a skin check. Health Insurance covers it. It's a doctor's visit, 30 minutes, some medium discomfort if they take any biopsies, but it could really be worth it. It was for me. Had I not gone and gotten those moles checked and removed, they would still be on me, just waiting to get worse. And I will continue to get my annual screenings, because even if a mole isn't bothering me, it could be a bad one that only the doctor will recognize.

Nashville Skin and Cancer. Please call, make an appointment. It might be the best decision you make all year.

In other health news, I am already starting to feel better, now that I'm back from the holidays and being proactive about my health. I'm back on the daily plate (when I can remember) and I'm trying to really focus on my calorie intake (that's what works for me) and get good exercise. My apartment just opened a gym, and it's small. I'd rather be 1 of 200 at the Y, than 1 of 3 in my apt gym, so I don't really know how much I'll be using it.

I've actually been rockin' out on my wii fit this week. I jogged in place last night for 30 mins, and it was a really good workout. It told me I jogged over 3 miles - hmm, if you say so! I have incorporated using my 5 lb hand weights into the step aerobics, and 30 mins of that will definitely work - you feel it the next day for SURE. Adding in a bit of yoga and strength training, and I'm really enjoying it.

I have also only consumed alcohol one night so far this month - 3 beers, I believe, was the total. And I only plan on consuming this weekend (in moderation) because it's my sister's birthday. But I really feel better not drinking. I REALLY miss my evening red wine that I had on occasion, but I'm ok without it. I've been guzzling down the green tea and water at work. I'm drinking a hot cocoa right now. Not feeling too guilty about it because it's my substitute for a dessert.

This morning I woke up and felt thinner. I don't care if it's mental, or if it's really happening. I just felt good, and that's the goal.

GOD I WANT A COOKIE. DAMNIT.

dermatographism

That's what I have. Diagnosed. Official. Even though I was pretty sure that's what it was anyway (I mean, we're living in the online research "be your own doctor" age, aren't we?)

So, I went to the dermatologist today for my annual mole screening (i'll get to that in a minute...ugh) and made sure to ask about this itchy hivey welty insane ruining-my-life thing that has been going on for a little over a year. I had done some research, and figured it was dermatographism, but wasn't 100% sure. It literally means "skin writing," because you can actually write words on your skin formed from hives. It is a form of hives where your skin is allergic to being touched (with heavy pressure) or scratched. I get it even from being cold, hot, and from the slightest scratch on my skin - one scratch of an itch, and my skin becomes a raging field of long, linear hives within minutes. The worst is my bra and waistband area.....always, always, itchy. :(

It only affects 4-5% of the population - wow, am I lucky. If there was a "get wacky health shit" lottery, I'd be a winner with all the crazy health issues I've had in my lifetime. The good news with this anomaly is that it can mostly be managed with anti-histamines. So I will pick up my prescription ASAP to start hopefully feeling some relief. I'm glad I finally have an answer, but not glad that I have to live on anti-histamines forever unless I want these symptoms to come back.

**This is NOT me, just a picture I found on google images....some people use the condition to make art - hey, why not make the most of what you're dealt? It's actually kind of cool if you google image the condition; you'll find some amazing stuff. Some stuff very similar to what my skin looks like most of the time. And while it might sound fun and interesting, don't come trying to write on my skin, because it will work, but I will be hurting and itching for quite a while afterwards. :)

The mole situation: I have a strong family history of cancer, malignant melanoma being one of them. I am pretty "moley," even though most of them aren't raised, so they really don't bother me too much. I actually like them.

But, with the family history, I try to really be aware of my moles and if/when they change, etc as I have a much higher chance of having skin cancer than someone without a family history. I even have them on the bottom of my feet and on my scalp. They took off three of my moleys today. Ugh. One was driving me nuts and itching, bleeding, etc...so I knew it was a goner. One I didn't even know I had, and one I kind of suspected she wouldn't like as it went from brown to black and was rather large. She disliked that one the most, and disliked it strongly - it was rather alarming. And painful. Local anesthetic is ok and all, but it hurts like hell going in, and I am rather uncomfortable (and even a bit shaky) at the moment, given that I have three holes in my neck, stomach, and back. And now lovely scars to go along with it.

Moral of the story: go to the dermatologist, even if you don't have a family history. don't use tanning beds. wear sunscreen, PLEASE. And be aware of and love your skin, as it's the only skin you get. I'll get my results in 7-10 days, so I'll keep everyone posted. I won't worry too much about it - after all, it might be nothing, and if it is anything bad, at least I'll know.

.resolute.

I'm going to be resolute about my 2010 New Year's resolution. My self-inflicted resolution to stop drinking. To stop drinking for a while. Not a pre-determined amount of time. Yes, I will have a beer or a glass of wine on my sisters birthday, but other than that, I'm going to chill out. I am by no means a big drinker, and I can usually keep it down to a few drinks and not get wild. The goal of this resolution is to generally work on my overall health. A big inhibitor of my overall health is alcohol. For example:

**I want to go grab a beer, so I can't go to the gym because I'll get sweaty. I mean COME ON. No more excuses. Get your shit together, Meghann.

**I am drinking, so it's OK if I eat this taco bell so I don't feel like shit tomorrow. OH COME ON. I will feel like even MORE shit if I eat this taco bell. Who am I kidding?

**I want people to think I'm fun, so I'm going to spend money on alcohol I can't afford so my friends don't stop calling me. Really, self? If they are truly my friends, they will still call even if I don't drink and act a fool.

**I can't afford it, but that's ok. NO, it's NOT OK. Screw you stupid credit card..... Yeah, no more of that.

**It's not a girls night without wine. Ok, this one is kind of true, hence the rare glass I will allow myself over the next few months. The purpose of this resolution is not to completely deprive myself of all fun; it's to realize and not believe the stupid excuses or rationalizations I make up that involve alcohol. Every girl deserves her girls night, hello! But I need to stop lying to myself and making up excuses to be unhealthy.

I booked my dermatologist appt, cut out drinking for the most part, and spent $140 on nothing but healthy shit at Kroger. So basically, that health train that got off the tracks? It's back on. I'm choo-chooing around, people, so get outta my way. :)