Cambios, Fotos

31, Rancho Park & maintaining

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been tracking everything I eat. I did this, along with tallying up the points value of those foods, while I was trying to lose weight with Weight Watchers. As I got the hang of eating the right foods, I stopped actively tracking as I continued to lose weight and eventually reached my goal weight and WW Lifetime status

I’ve been in maintenance mode for a year and a half. I’ve been semi-successful. I gained 10 pounds back. The first 5 came back pretty easily. I alluded to that in February. The next 5 came back in the late spring/summer.

I’d be dishonest if I said the weight gain didn’t bother me. I explained this to Stacia in the comments of her post on pre/post pregnancy self-image.

I don’t have a pre- and post-pregnancy view of my body image. I think I have a three (maybe four) broad views. There’s the me I knew for so long as always overweight, which I still thought was beautiful. There’s me as I lost weight over the course of a year. There’s me at my low weight. And me now about 10 lbs above that. If there’s a time when I’m most stressed about my looks, it’s probably lately…

[Stacia replied and asked if it the stress was wedding related.]

Nah, it’s not about wedding stress so much, at least not yet. I think it’s more about some pants not fitting and feeling like this extra weight is keeping me from improving and being a stronger runner. I also think this anxiety about any weight gain probably is going to be with me for a while. I’ve never lost a significant amount of weight and everything you hear is “it’s gonna come back… plus some!” I don’t want to undo the work. And frankly, I did feel more confident and better about my body 10 lbs lighter… but I’m a stronger runner now. Strange.

I’m not actively trying to lose weight while training for the Long Beach Marathon, but I don’t want to gain more. Enter tracking sans points and limiting eating out to weekends. I didn’t realize I was snacking so much, especially when bored at work and late at night after dinner. I don’t think snacking is bad, but I need to eat more nutritious snacks and reign in my sweet tooth. After all, I do want to get back to goal weight, the wedding pressure is no joke.

Fotos, Música

31, Silao, Guanajuato (BJX) & Mariachi Pop

I remember taking this photo. It was shortly after my cousins, Juan and Eddie, had dropped me off at the airport after a short visit with them on their ranch outside of Salamanca. My parents stayed in Guanajuato a few more days enjoying a short vacation planned around my cousin Adriana’s quinceañera. I took thee photo August 12, 2007. What a coincidence. I didn’t even plan that when I chose it; I picked it because it’s the only 31 photo I have in Guanajuato, one of my favorite places in the world.

***

Sean and I went to a free show tonight at downtown’s California Plaza. It was the second Friday in a row when I’ve gone to a Grand Performances show. I’ve been checking out GP shows for several years and enjoy the cool and relaxed atmosphere. Plus, it’s nice that the shows are free.

Tonight’s show featuring Mariachi Rock-O (with Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán) and Mariachi Mystery Tour was great. The former played rock, pop and soul classics with a mariachi twist. The latter, as you may have guessed, played Beatles favorites.

I really enjoyed both bands. Sean and I joked that we’d love to have Mariachi Rock-O play at our wedding, but I think that’s unlikely given that they’re based in Guadalajara. Still, I’m sure our guests would love to hear mariachi-fied versions of Morrissey’s “Everyday is Like Sunday,” Radiohead’s “No Surprises,” Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eye’s Off of You”, Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”, Nacha Pop’s “Lucha de Gigantes,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” (okay, a bit melancholy for a wedding), and Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” (it is a Jamexican wedding).

Mariachi Mystery Tour, from Albuquerque, put on a great show too. As I listened to them, I was a little bummed my dad wasn’t there. I know he would’ve loved them. I bought their CD knowing he’d enjoy their versions of “Yesterday” and “In My Life.” He introduced me to Beatles songs when I was still a kid. I remember singing along as he played “Do You Want To Know A Secret” on his guitar at parties or around the campfire. The Beatles are the first English language music I remember being conscious of.

I grew up listening and dancing to a lot of traditional Mexican music. I love the sounds of the violin, guitarrón, vihuela, guitars and trumpets in concert. I’ve always enjoyed the classic mariachi favorites and can sing them at the top of my lungs like a bunch of other poch@s trying to prove their Mexicanness. I knew of mariachi, rancheras and Mexican “regional music” well before I developed a taste for American and English pop music. It’s neat to see mariachis dressed up in their trajes de charro and sombreros combining new and old traditions.

Fotos, Música

31, Camarillo

I used to join the group lotto pool at work. I knew our chances were slim, but I didn’t want to be the only one not pitching in a dollar. We never won anything and I think the habit died when the person who ran it left after having a baby. So, I’m not filthy rich. I’m not poor either. I’m in a better position than a lot of people.

In these tough times, some songs come to mind:

Mayer Hawthorne – Work To Do [listen]
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Money [listen]
Jenny and Johnny – Big Wave [listen]
Aterciopelados – Don Dinero [listen]
The Elected – The Bank and Trust [listen]
Rage Against The Machine – Down Rodeo [listen]

Payasadas

A meme and some snark

One of the reasons Sean likes me is because I’m not that nice. I can be mean, sarcastic and snarky. I don’t think it comes across in my blog much because I’m pretty good at self-editing when it comes to writing. In person? A whole other story.

I’m letting my inner mean girl come out and entering Angry Runner’s health living blogger macro contest. Some other bloggers (Marie, Kaley) have already submitted some hilarious entries.

I tried my hand at some and went a little crazy…

Fotos

31, Westwood

I’ve worked and gone to school in Westwood for the last 13 years. Even then, I still get the streets of Westwood Village mixed up. For example, I can tell you Headlines Diner & Press Club is on Gayley, but I forget the other cross street. Is it Kinross? I’m pretty sure it’s Kinross. I won’t get lost, I just can’t give you directions with street names. I’m good when it comes to landmarks, especially the restaurants that make amazing omelets.

I don’t have any 31 photos before May ’05. That’s when the habit/obsession started.