The World According to Benet

Just Another Day in the SAT

2008-07-05T10:17:00.002-04:00

So here I am on vacation in San Antonio. Actually, I should correct myself, paraphrasing the late president John F.Kennedy -- I am the mother that escorted my daughter to San Antonio to visit her grandparents. It got off to a bit of a shaky start. All I'll say was a hot tub and very good wine were involved.

The weather has been great. My parents live in the Hill Country, and it's made for some challenging, yet scenic walks in the neighborhood. And I always forget how much fun I have with my parents and my grandmother. But what has been really great is how I've been able to ignore my cell phone and email. This time, I really decided to vacate.

And now for the weight part of our program. I did not go to my Weight Watchers meeting on Thursday after the hot tub incident. But I will say I had a good week, with eating and exercise. I bought jeans yesterday and I am officially in a size 20. 20!! You may remember when I started this program in January, I was wearing a size 28, and that was getting tight. At some point, I'm going to have to do the cliched "me in my fat pants" picture. But not yet.

Pittsburgh, Baseball And Other Weighty Issues

2008-06-27T16:09:00.003-04:00

I spent the early part of the week in Pittsburgh for a work-related conference. I have to admit, I wasn't really excited about going there. I mean, it's Pittsburgh, right? Wrong!

I had a ball. The hotel was a construction site, so that could have been better, but the rest was great. There was an arts festival that was in full swing when I arrived at the hotel, so I took a stroll around. The evening reception was a time to visit with old friends. Then I got an invitation to have dinner with the Canadians.

We took the Duquesne Incline up a hill (think enclosed ski lift cable car combo) and walked a block to a restaurant called Le Mont. It turns out the restaurant is one of the best in the city. We got a window seat with a spectacular view of the city, complete with lightning storm. I'm still dreaming about my Chilean Sea Bass.

Monday was a full day at the conference, then dinner at the Grand Concourse, which used to be the city's train station. Another day, another great meal.

But Tuesday was the real highlight for me. Our conference hosts took us to PNC Park to see the Pirates play the Yankees. The 2 teams had not faced each other since the 1960 world series, which Pittsburgh won in dramatic fashion, with a home by run hit by Bill Mazeroski in the 9th inning. And Bill was there to throw out the first pitch. We were sitting in the Southwest Airlines Flight Deck, which provided great views of the city and the ball park. You can see my Flickr photos here. The Pirates won 12-5, and a good time was had by all.

Speaking of baseball, have you heard about the strange case of Houston Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon. He ignored requests from pitching coach Dewey Robinson for bullpen practice. When he was berated by team GM Ed Wade over his behavior, Chacon attacked Wade in front of his teammates, coaches and reporters.

Understandably, the team took exception, terminated Chacon's contract and put him on waivers. But here's the twist -- baseball's union is appealing the terminated contract, saying Chacon deserves to keep half of his $2 million salary. What? You beat up your boss -- whether it was justified or not -- and you're lucky charges aren't pressed. And he wants money? Good luck with that.

And speaking of luck, it's time for the weight update. I'm not going to lie -- I fell off the wagon for the past 2 weeks. But despite that, I'm actually down .2 lbs. I'll take it, because considering all I've been eating lately, it could have just as well been a weight gain. But I'm rededicated now and back on track.

And another good thing did come out of this. I was at the Pittsburgh airport taking photos, and a gentleman talking on a cell phone came over to me and said I needed to be in a photo. I begged off, but he insisted. He put his call on hold, positioned me and snapped a shot, then went back to his call. When I looked at the picture later, it was the first time that I actually saw how much weight I've lost. It felt really good!

Trying to Relax on Vacation

2008-06-20T06:54:00.002-04:00

How sad is this? I decided to come up to Boston for a few days of vacation, with child in tow, to visit one of my best friends from college. Lauren actually lives in Ipswich, an idyllic rural town about 20 miles outside the city. She runs a horse farm and raises chickens -- bad for my allergies, but good for my daughter, who recently asked her grandfather to buy her a pony.

I made the mistake of bringing up my company-issued Palm Treo, so I'm getting work calls and email all day. I've become so addicted to this thing that I'm typing along as my child helps to feed the chickens (I did take photos with the phone), gather fresh eggs and actually sit on said pony (she now says she doesn't want one).

I tried to put the phone away, but I kept thinking of things that I had forgotten to do or some idea I needed to pass along. So after a nice lunch, we decide to spend the afternoon at Crane Beach. Mama just loves the beach, and so does baby.

It was a beautiful day yesterday, even though the water was freezing. Right then and there the light bulb went on -- whatever work-related items there are could wait. I turned off the phone, buried it deep in the beach bag and went out to the water with my daughter. She had fun and so did I.

Which leads to the question -- what did we do on vacation in the pre-PDA/cell phone era? There was a scene in the "Sex And The City" movie where Miranda is staying, with the girls, at a beautiful Mexican beach resort, and the first thing she asks for is wifi access. I admit, I left my laptop at home, but I did download some projects on my thumb drive, with plans to do some work late at night or early in the morning.

The word vacation means to vacate - vacate work, responsibilities, projects, etc. - and just relax. Why has it become so hard to do that? Do we see ourselves as indispensable? Are we worried about the stability of our jobs? Have our bosses, by giving us Treos/Crackberries, etc., come to expect us to be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -- even on vacation?

This has been an eye opener for me. I have another vacation planned July 2-8, and I'm seriously thinking about leaving the phone at home -- or at least turning off the email function. We'll see what happens.

And now, for the weight part of our program. There's no news because I'm on vacation and didn't go to my weigh-in. But I did eat sensibly and worked out every day, so here's hoping I managed to drop a pound or two. So I'm now going back to my vacation, already in progress...

A View of Post-Katrina New Orleans

2008-06-13T16:32:00.002-04:00

I had to go to New Orleans on business last week. It was my first trip there since the hurricane hit. New Orleans has always been one of my favorite cities to visit, and before Katrina, the man and I used to go at least once or twice a year, without fail.

So I hop onto the Shuttle to my hotel. Driving into the city, it looked pretty normal from the highway. The driver decided to exit earlier and he drove us down Canal Street. That's where you could still see empty buildings, for sale signs all over the place and -- shockingly -- a large group of people living in tents under a highway bridge. The driver said they were a mix -- people who had been in state mental facilities that never re-opened and people who lost their FEMA trailers and hotels with no other options.

We got downtown near the French Quarter, and it started to look normal again. I checked into my hotel and decided to walk over to the French Quarter. I love going to the French Market and shop for food and spices that aren't easily available in the Charm City.

I got to the French Market and was horrified! Someone thought it would be a good idea to use hurricane funds to "restore" the market. Not a good one at all. It looked like one of those prettified outdoor shopping malls, complete with ceiling fans. All of the food stores were gone, as were many of my favorite local artists. I didn't stay long.

One highlight of the trip was the private dinner at NOLA, one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants. The food was divine, and the company was great. The following night, we had an evening event at Mardi Gras World, where they actually make the elaborate floats. We were allowed to walk around and stand on floats and watch how they were made.

I also took the chance to go to my first movie theater experience -- to see Sex and the City -- in 3 years. I was amazed -- when did they start showing commercials in the theater? And there were WAY too many previews. All in all, it was a good trip, and I expect to return in the next year or so.

Now, the weight update. I guess I had way too much fun in New Orleans, because I gained 3 lbs, which puts me at 216. But I'm not going to beat myself up. The good news is that my gym trainer tells me I hit the 500,000 lbs. mark in weightlifting, and he's proud that I'm keeping up with all my cardio and weight conditioning goals. So there you have it.

Who Knew? I'm A Superwoman!

2008-06-06T20:17:00.002-04:00

So I go to the gym today -- Fridays is 40 minutes on the treadmill and 40 minutes of strength training. The iPod is rocking the tunes, and the workout is going quite well. After I'm done, I go to the FitLinxx computer to log what I've done.

I'm walking out the door, and a new bulletin board catches my eye. I take a look, and it's a series of papers listing members accomplishments in the month of May. Imagine my surprise when I find my name as number 20 of the top 50 people doing cardio workouts. I'm even more surprised -- and pleased -- to find that I'm number 5 in the women's category on total weight lifted. Wow!

The Weight Watchers meeting yesterday was about keeping up the motivation that got you to join in the first place. I thought I was pretty motivated until today. My gym is not one of those meat market pick-up spots. The members are all serious about their workouts, so to see that I can run with the big dogs makes me proud of my accomplishments so far; it also gives me even more motivation to reach my 45 lbs by my 45th birthday.

And here's the update -- I lost 0.8 pounds, which puts me down to 213.6. Next week is going to be tough, since I'm going to a conference in New Orleans. Sunday night, I've been invited to a dinner at Emeril Lagasse's NOLA restaurant, but I'll be ready!

The Bush PR Machine - Deja Vu All Over Again

2008-05-30T21:13:00.002-04:00

So I was watching last night's episode of "The Daily Show." Jon Stewart's guest was Richard Clarke, the former terrorism czar under the Clinton and Bush administrations. He was on the show to plug his new book, Your Government Failed You. The topic got around to former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan's new memoir, and Clarke noted the irony of the administration's reaction to the book. And right on cue, Stewart had a clip of McClellan bashing a book Clarke had written that was critical of the administration's policies on the war on terror.

Then he jumped to a clip of current press secretary Dana Perino using almost the same words that McClellan used to bash Clarke right back at McClellan. What? Have they just gotten tired? Are they just going through the lame-duck motions now? You mean there's nobody left that could have at least written something that wasn't used 4 years ago? You almost -- but not really -- long for the days when the Bush propaganda machine was at its zenith, zapping away opponents with tactics that could leave one's reputation in shreds. Ah, the good old days....

And now for the weight update. I managed to lose the 4 lbs I gained last week, so I'm back at 214.6. We were told we needed to set a goal to reach by the 4th of July. I'm moving mine to a week later, for my 45th birthday. The plan is to lose 45 lbs by the time I'm 45. It has a nice round number, and it's a goal I should be able to achieve. Wish me luck!!

The Pain of the Plane

2008-05-22T21:31:00.003-04:00

So I normally don't mix this blog with my job, but I'm making an exception in this case. Unless you were living in a cave, you could not help but notice the big announcement made by American Airlines yesterday, part of its efforts to remain financially viable in a world of $130 a barrel oil.

I won't bore you with the minute details (you can read that here in the Dallas Morning News), but the big thing is that you will now pay $15 to check bag number one. Most airlines now charge $25 for the 2nd bag, but American is the first to charge for bag one. And knowing the industry like I do, the rest of the airlines will follow within the next few weeks. And American has raised fees on everything from pets to phone reservations to unaccompanied minors.

I saw a bunch of travelers whining -- yes, I said whining -- about the extra fees. Well I say too bad -- suck it up. Airline fares are actually 46% lower now -- when you adjust for inflation -- than they were when the industry deregulated in 1978. Planes have been flying bargain palaces, and eventually the piper had to be paid. I'm not saying that the airlines haven't caused their own problems, because they have.

But no one in their wildest dreams ever thought oil would reach $130 a barrel, and there are some in the industry saying it may reach $200. Fuel has now exceeded labor as an airline's biggest cost. You have to buy fuel, so something else has to give. Passengers have been refusing to pay higher fares, so the money comes from things like fees to use live human beings to buy tickets, extra bag charges, paying for food aboard flights and lots of fees.

But soon, the airlines may get their wish for higher fares. Every major airline has announced capacity cuts, which means less aircraft, which means less flights. Less flights means more demand, which means higher fares. This is before the completion of the announced merger of Delta and United, and rumors continue to fly about other mergers, including United and US Airways. So I'd go ahead and book your travel now, while the fares are still pretty reasonable. And if you're planning travel after September, you better hope the airline is still flying to your city.

And now to the weight part of our program. Last week was great, but this week, I crashed down to earth, gaining 4 lbs. Boo! But I know what happened - I dropped off my regular exercise, I didn't journal my food, and I may have had some foods (lasagna, Philly Cheese steak, french fries) that may have not been my best choice. But the good news is I've still lost 30 lbs, and I didn't climb back into the 220s. So I'm back on the wagon, heavier, but wiser.

Hitting Major Weight Milestones

2008-05-16T15:26:00.002-04:00

Ok, Ok -- I know I said I wasn't going to turn this into a weight-exclusive blog. But I went to my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday. It was a *very* good week, with several milestones.

First, I lost 6.6 pounds this week. That's the most I've ever lost in a week. Second, that dropped from 221 to 214. I can't tell you how happy I am to finally be out of the 220s. And last -- but certainly not least -- I have now dropped 34 pounds since Jan. 3. I've gone from a tight size 28 to wavering between size 22 and 20. I'll be glad to get out of the 20s in size too.

My leader asked me to tell our group what I did this week that helped me drop the pounds, and frankly, I was at a loss. I mean, I stayed on plan and exercised my usual 5 days a week, but I really can't put my finger on exactly what I did. I wish I could -- I'd bottle it and sell it!

Talk About the Guest That Wouldn't Leave

2008-05-08T22:37:00.003-04:00

OK, I understand that Hillary really wanted to be president. But after that, it all starts to go pear-shaped on me. She started her campaign as the presumptive leader of the Democratic pack. But something happened along the way to her assumed Super Tuesday anointing -- something called Barack Obama.

Really, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Hillary was supposed to have nominal competition from John Edwards (as practice for the real campaign in the fall against Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani), but ensuring her victory fueled by the power of the Clinton machine.

But then Obama had the temerity -- the absolute gall, really -- to enter the race. Not only did he enter the race, he actually began winning -- despite the best efforts of the Clinton machine. And Hillary's people can spin things until they're blue in the face -- she's stronger against McCain, she has more of the popular vote, Michigan and Florida delegates should count -- but the fact is, she has been mathematically eliminated, unless she can get more super delegates on her side.

In a USA Today article May 8, Clinton says she's not leaving the race, despite the numbers, because she feels she appeals to a wider base of voters. And then she had to pull out the race card. And I quote:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

Excuse me? Is it just me or can you all smell the desperation of the Clinton campaign? Remember, Obama is the one who won the Iowa caucuses and came in a close second in New Hampshire, states with large white populations. He also won in Vermont, Wisconsin, Idaho, Maine and Utah, to name a few. These aren't states that are known for their wide diversity. You can see how Clinton and Obama have done in the states so far here, at CNN.

So here we are. Obama has made a strong case for why he should be the Democratic nominee. He's ahead in the delegate race, and it's mathematically impossible for Clinton to take the nomination based on the remaining delegates. Explain again why she's still in the race?

And speaking of races, I managed to drop 1.6 lbs this week, even though it was a bad week. So that puts me at 221.2 pounds. I'll be really glad to get out of the 220s!

TV Talk - Fine Living Network Brings Back Iron Chef

2008-05-07T14:48:00.002-04:00

I am just thrilled. The Fine Living Network, in its infinite wisdom, has brought back the original Japanese version of Iron Chef. I originally got addicted to this show when it was on the Food Network. I'm guessing they decided to drop it in order to put more focus on its own Iron Chef America, which I also enjoy.

But nothing compares to the real thing. No one can match the cheesiness of The Chairman, Takeshi Kaga, who appears to get his wardrobe from Prince's tailor. I love listening to the Japanese chatter right under the enthusiastic English translation. I really enjoy checking out the Japanese "celebrity" judges, but one could not discuss the cult that is Iron Chef without mentioning Asako Kishi. Kishi-san is a nutritionist and food critic who is really harsh. She makes Iron Chef America judge Jeffrey Steingarten seem like Santa Claus.

But the chefs make the show. You have the following: a very young Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto (who's currently on Iron Chef America); Iron Chef FrenchYutaka Ishinabe; Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai; Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe; Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba; and Iron Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura. But my true love is Iron Chef Chen Kenichi, the father of Chinese cooking. He has such flair...sigh.

I also love the wild secret ingredients the Chairman comes up with. Sea urchin, swallow's nest, roe, shark fin, sea bream, and the list goes on. You don't see this stuff on Iron Chef America. I'm just really glad the show is back.

And speaking of food, I haven't forgotten the weight thing. Here's the deal -- I was in Seoul, South Korea last week. I thought I had done a good job trying to stick with Weight Watchers, eating all the right foods and exercising every day. But apparently, it wasn't enough because I actually gained 2.6 lbs. I was a bit disappointed, but I've gotten right back on the saddle. We'll see how I do tomorrow at weigh in.

Television News - United States vs. The World

2008-04-30T09:07:00.003-04:00

So it's my last night in Seoul. The photo to the left is of Incheon International Airport, and was taken from the window in my hotel room.

I've really enjoyed my time here. But one of the things I'll miss most is the news over here. My hotel television airs CNN International ad BBC World News. It's sad that I'm so amazed at how much more moderate and informative these two channels are compared with U.S. coverage.

Take, for example, the current Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy. CNN International shows the U.S.'s Situation Room in the mornings, and Wolf Blitzer, his team and the political pundits were practically breathless trumpeting every second of Wrights remarks. The story was the lead and took up almost 15 minutes at the beginning of the show. But the story on CNN International and BBC was not the lead. CNN International didn't mention it until the 6th story, and BBC had it as eighth.

What I don't understand is why the media feel Wright's remarks need this much coverage. Last I checked, he wasn't running for president. Everyone had their own opinions and feelings, and no one can control them in anyone else. Why is it that Obama is "responsible" for what Wright says? How is this relevant to whether Obama will be a good president or not? And my big question is why isn't John McCain's pandering for support from Pastor John Hagee -- who has gone on the record with virulent anti-Catholic statements (see here) and anti-Semitic rants? And since we're checking, why not take a look at the statements made by Hillary's pastor in the last 10 years?

And before you get all in a tizzy, I am a black, female, Catholic and lifetime registered Republican who actually supported McCain back in 2000 but will be an Obama supporter this go-round. I just wish the media would spend less time pushing the irrelevant and focus more on the real issues that the voters care about, such as health care, the worsening economy, high gas prices, social issues and maybe the erosion of our Constitutional rights. How refreshing that would be.

A Soul Sister in Seoul

2008-04-28T04:49:00.003-04:00

One of the nice perks of my job is the travel. Now I don't travel nearly as much as I did back in the day, but it's harder when you are a parent. I had the opportunity to come to Seoul, S. Korea, to do stories on Incheon International Airport and Korean Air.

I took a direct flight out of Washington Dulles on a Korean Boeing 747 (see my photo, left). The 747 really has to be my favorite aircraft, especially since I got to sit in the "hump" in Prestige (business) class. Korean business class has a very comfortable, almost-flat seat. It also has a larger screen inflight entertainment system that had music, movies, games and a very helpful interactive map showing our route.

Being the mother of a 2-year old, it's been forever since I've sat in a movie theater, so being trapped in a flying metal tube -- albeit in business class -- for 15 hours gave me the chance to catch up on my movies. I saw Atonement, I Am Legend, August Rush and Juno. I started There Will Be Blood, but it started too slowly and I moved on. I also fell asleep watching Lars and the Real Girl, which was funny while I was awake.

I had an exit row seat, so there was plenty of room. One of the bonuses of sitting in the 747 hump is that most carriers have a very roomy storage locker for the window seat, which I used for my purse and books.

The service on Korean Air was really great. They fed us 2 meals, and I did the Korean cuisine both times. I've always been a big fan of Korean food. They also had a very nice wine selection, and I did indulge, with a 2005 Robert Mondavi private reserve Merlot.

I took a stroll down to the back, and the flight seemed to be pretty full. Korean's coach product seemed to be pretty roomy by American standards. I usually prefer to take foreign flag carriers when I travel overseas, as they haven't cut their service -- or their standards -- nearly as much as U.S. airlines. I'll be here until Thursday, but I can't promise I'll post again before I leave.

Where Did Hillary Learn Her Math?

2008-04-25T01:15:00.002-04:00

So I'm doing my mouse routine on the treadmill this morning, and I happened to be right under the TV that shows MSNBC, which has gone all out with Election 2008 coverage. I'm watching this story where Hillary Clinton, in her post-Pennsylvania glow, is claiming that she actually has more popular votes that Barack Obama, which was covered in the New York Times. If you're getting technical, then yes she does. But it doesn't matter, because even my 2-year-old daughter knows its the delegate count, not the popular vote, that gets you the nomination.

Hillary is including the popular vote from Michigan and Florida, both of which don't count because they are being punished by the Democratic National Committee for disobeying party orders and moving up their primaries.

Neither candidate campaigned in the states, and Obama didn't even put his name on the ballot in Michigan, which explains why he has no delegates from that state. You can just smell the desperation of the Clinton campaign, which has taken to trying to strong-arm the Democratic Party into seating the Michigan and Florida delegates, which she hopes will put more superdelegates into her column.

I hope the party will resist and let the process take its course. This is a golden opportunity for the Democrats not only to take the White House, but make more gains in the House and Senate. Why do I get the feeling they are going to shoot themselves in the foot over this?

So let's move to the weight update. I only lost 0.4 lbs this week, bringing me to 220.2. I was really looking forward to getting out of the 220s this week, but it was not to be. Next week should be interesting, since I'm going to Seoul for 5 days on business. The hotel has a gym, and there are lots of good, Weight Watchers friendly food I can eat, so If I can lost a pound, I'll be happy. We'll see!!

The Grandparents Are Here

2008-04-18T19:33:00.002-04:00

I was listening to Michelle Obama on NPR. The story noted that even with the campaign in full swing, she only stays away from her children one night a week. On that one night, her mother stays with the kids to "let the stay up late, jump on the furniture and eat junk food." And she also noted that she was very blessed to have grandma give her kids that extra love.

As much as they drive me crazy sometimes, I have that same safety net with my parents. They are absolutely crazy about their grandchild. They are in town this weekend for a retirement party for an old family friend. They spoil her. They ignore my wishes. They let her run amok. They over feed her. They buy her way too much toys and junk. But I thank God that they are there for her and me.

How devoted are they? I am going to Seoul, Korea, next week for business. My father is recovering from hernia surgery and my stepmother goes in for her hip replacement surgery on Wednesday, and they still wanted her to stay with them. We declined, but it's nice to know that kind of support is only a 3.5 hour flight on Southwest Airlines away!

And now for the weight update. It was a very good week, since I managed to drop 3.8 pounds. I am now at 220.6 pounds, down a nice 28.6 pounds. I started jogging this week. This is a big deal for me, because it's not easy to jog when you're carrying so much weight. But I'm on it like white on rice.

I Hit A Weight Milestone!

2008-04-13T15:40:00.002-04:00

OK, I know it's been more than 2 weeks since I wrote. I've been on a long road trip, and during that trip, I didn't get a chance to go to my Weight Watchers meetings. Let's just get to it -- I lost 3.4 lbs. over the 2 weeks, which I'm pleased with. But the big news is that I have hit my 1st WW milestone -- losing 10% of your original body weight. I started at 248.6 lbs on Jan. 3. I'm now at 224.4 lbs. And I've dropped from a size 28 to size 20.

Frankly, I don't see it, but I definitely feel it in my clothes. And I've had people tell me they can definitely see the difference. While I was on my trip, I exercised 4 days a week each week. I didn't journal all my food, but I did watch what I ate. I was hoping to approach 40 lbs. lost at the end of April -- my original goal was 10 lbs a month -- but I'm OK with my current progress. So that's it for now.

On another note, a radio show I've been listening to since 1985 -- the year I graduated from college -- went off the air on Friday. The Don and Mike Show was this completely foolish but very funny program. They could be called shock jocks, but I saw them more as merry pranksters. And they got me through some tough times, especially when I was working in some jobs that pushed me perilously close to full-blown depression. I can't really explain it -- you'd have to hear it to understand. Click here to see the Wikipedia entry.

Don was just ready to retire after the loss of his beloved wife -- and regular contributor. Mike will continue on Monday with the Mike O'Meara Show, but I don't plan on listening. They worked best together, so I'll remember the old shows, listen to what's left on my iPod podcasts and move on.

March Madness!!

2008-03-21T20:02:00.002-04:00

It's that wonderful time of year - the NCAA men's basketball tournament. My American University Eagles lost -- as expected -- to Tennessee. I was on a flight during the game, but my pal Brett, aka The Cranky Flier, said it was good to watch for awhile. And I'm on two bracket tournaments -- one on Facebook and one on Yahoo! under the name GoAU Fan. I screwed the pooch on Yahoo, since I forgot to pick a winner - I meant to choose North Carolina.

On Yahoo, I have 14 of 24 picks and I'm in 10th place in the Clemson Alumni Friends and Family team (my friend Rob -- also on Facebook -- is a Clemson grad and big fan). I've gotten 16 right on my Facebook bracket. I'm dying in the South and West brackets. I placed too much faith in Kentucky and Temple in the South, and Connecticut and Baylor in the West. We'll see how I'm doing after the weekend.

On the weight front - I lost 0.8 lbs, for a grand total of 20.8 lbs. I consider every ounce dropped a victory, so I'm just pushing forward. And thanks again to Sean for the words of encouragement. I have now dropped from a size 28 to a size 22, and the 22s are already feeling loose. I wish you all a very happy Easter!

Sinbad Says It All

2008-03-16T12:18:00.003-04:00

I have had many people ask me -- the registered Republican -- why I am supporting Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. I've answered, but I'm not sure I've been as clear as I could be. One of my Internet pals sent along this article in the Washington Post from the comedian Sinbad reacting to the Hillary 3 a.m. phone call commercial, and it included the best reasoning I've read yet for supporting Obama.

"What got me about Hillary was her attitude of entitlement, like he messed up her plan, like he had no reason to be there," Sinbad said. "I got angry. I actually got angry! I said, 'I will be for Obama like never before.'"

That's it exactly. It was as if Hillary had decided, just by entering, that the nomination was hers, but she'd amuse us and go through the motions of a primary. But she didn't count on what I'm calling the Clinton Backlash. I loved Bill - I thought he did a good job, overall, and I miss him. But Hillary is not Bill, and that loyalty doesn't just transfer over. And frankly, I'm not too thrilled with Bill's behavior during this primary season, but I'm not surprised.

It's only going to get uglier as the Clintons become more desperate. I feel sorry for those superdelegates who are under increasing pressure to suppress the will of the people and put Hillary over the top. It will be interesting to see how this battle plays out all the way to the convention.

Go AU!!

2008-03-14T19:04:00.003-04:00

I am pleased as punch to announce that my alma mater, The American University, today secured its first-ever trip to the NCAA basketball tournament. The Eagles beat Colgate in the Patriot League finals 52-47 earlier today. I'd like to think that my daughter wearing her Eagles basketball tshirt may have helped!

I was a BIG AU fan back in the day, and I never missed a home game. Now this was a big deal, because when I was at AU, we didn't have a basketball arena, so we played our home games at Fort Myers, an army base in Arlington, Va. They usually had buses that took us to and from home games, so you really had to be devoted to make the effort to go to a game.

My freshman year was the closest we ever got. That was when current University of Maryland coach Gary Williams (who has won the tournament) was our coach before leaving to go to Boston College. So we have to wait until Sunday to see what bracket we're in, who we play and where. Now, I'm under no illusions about going further. It's like the Oscars -- it's an honor just to be nominated!

And speaking of accomplishments, I lost 2.8 pounds this week. I have lost exactly 20 lbs since starting Weight Watchers Jan. 3 I am at 228.6 lbs and am rolling along. I hope to reach my 10% weight goal before the end of March. Wish me luck!!

True Confessions

2008-03-09T18:06:00.002-04:00

I'll get right to it - I gained 2.2 pounds this week. And I am pissed at myself. I have no one to blame but myself. I was still high off losing 5.6 pounds the week before, and I slacked off. I didn't write down all my food, and I only went to the gym once. So here I am. But I'm back on track, and I'm determined to weigh in on Thursday having lost the 2.2 pounds -- again. Sigh....

Feed A Fever, Starve A Cold?

2008-02-28T20:45:00.002-05:00

It's a short post this week because I feel like death warmed over. I have managed to stay well all winter, despite repeated colds in our house with the man and at the petri dish that is the baby's day care. I go home to Texas for business and it's as if my body said, "OK, you're home. The parents will take care of you, so I'm going to get sick." And I've been sick ever since.

I spent today sleeping and swigging cough medicine. But I did crawl from my sick bed to go to Weight Watchers to check the pounds. Despite being home, and being sick, I managed to drop a record 5.6 pounds (thanks for the catfish, mother), for a grand total of 19.4 lbs. That puts me at 229.2 pounds, and I'm delighted to be out of the 230s. Now I'm going back to bed!

No Country for Old Women

2008-02-26T17:57:00.002-05:00

I used to think that age was nothing but a number (I'm 44 going on 45). But 2 things happened to change that -- one, being the mother of a *very* active 2-year-old, and two, my experience on Saturday night. So I'm here in the SAT (San Antonio) for a conference and bringing the grandchild to her grandparents. And my sister came from the West Coast, so it was a mini family reunion. And no reunion is complete until my sister and I spend some time with our cousin James.

We love James. Everyone loves James. James is the life of the party and makes friends everywhere he goes. So Saturday night, he wants to take sis and me to a birthday party at a night club. I was starting to get a cold, so I should have begged off, but I didn't, not wanting to be called out as a wimp.

So off we went -- me, James, sister and James' girlfriend Gina. The club/cigar bar was nice. It had a Cuban/Latin feel, and lucky for us, we were sitting in the back in a VIP section (yes, James rolls like that). The place was packed. They had a live band that played the perfect mix of old school, new school and Tejada (a music unique to Texas) music.

But the average age of the people in the club had to be around 25. The women were dressed to the nines and the men were fly. I was amazed that people were actually smoking, since most places in the DC/MD/VA area are smoke free now.

And watching all this made me feel *really* old. I watched the women trying to attract attention and the men trying to make a connection, and it all seemed a bit hollow. I'm glad I went - it allowed me to see a slice of life I gave up long, long ago. But I was really glad to get home and just snuggle with my baby.

Assessing the Democrats' Nomination Process Deep in the Heart of Texas

2008-02-23T12:58:00.004-05:00

So I'm here in San Antonio for a business conference and to bring the grandchild to her grandparents. And unless you've been living in a cave for the past few weeks, you know that a battle royale is being waged by the Obama and Clinton campaigns for the Texas and Ohio primaries. And again for the record -- I am a long-time registered Republican who is supporting Obama.

Obama wants these states so he can seal the deal to the nomination. Clinton desperately needs these states to stem the tide of the inevitability of Obama snatching the nomination she expected would be hers. So it's been interesting reading the local paper and watching local TV for the stories and political ads.

In Texas, politics is a contact sport, so politicians here on the federal, state and local level are beig very vocal about their preferences. Hillary used to have a strong lead here, but a poll this morning in the paper says she only has a 7-point lead. It went on about how Hillary is really going after Hispanic voters, who tend to not support Obama. She's also going after the student vote by having her daughter Chelsea here for the past 3 days, speaking to groups in schools across the state.

I saw two things in the newspaper this morning that were of interest. First, Clinton is losing support of the all-important superdelegates. The article noted that more that 2 dozen have switched their affiliation from Clinton to Obama. She was counting on the superdelegates to do what it seems the American people are not -- making her the Democrats' nominee for president. Right now the count is 241, Clinton; 181, Obama. But Obama continues to gain among the 800 superdelegates up for grabs.

Second was from Bill Clinton -- "if she wins Texas and Ohio, I think she will be the nominee. If you [Hispanic voters] don't deliver for her, I don't think she can be. It's all on you." You can read the full article here. The stakes are very high, and it will be interesting to see what happens on Tuesday, deep in the heart of Texas.

Weight update - I consider any weight loss a victory. I lost 0.8 pounds this week, for a grand total of 13.8 pounds. I had a good week, but you just never know. This week will be really interesting, since I'm on my first extended out-of-town trip since starting. We'll see how it goes. And I send a heartfelt thanks to my weight-loss buddy Sean M. for his kind words of support.

Taking A Different View of Washington, D.C.

2008-02-19T19:58:00.002-05:00

I have lived and/or worked in Washington, D.C., for most of my adult life. My family moved to DC in 1978, when my Dad - an officer in the Air Force - was assigned to the Pentagon. We lived at Bolling AFB, which is directly across the Potomac River from Washington National Airport.

I went to public high school in DC. Almost all of my classmates were native DC'ers, and many had never been to any of the museums or tourists attractions. I was so excited to be in DC that I would take classmates on city tours.

But after awhile, you think I can go whenever I want, and then you don't - unless someone comes to town for a visit. Today, I had a business lunch on Connecticut Ave. As part of the weight loss program, I decided to walk rather than take the subway.

On the way there, I walked past the Treasury Department and the White House. They closed down the section of Pennsylvania Ave right in front of the buildings, so you can walk in the middle of the street.

I forgot how lovely the White House is. Again, you take things for granted. Yesterday, the man and I watched a History Channel marathon on the presidents. And they kept showing shots of the White House. And then today, I got to take my own shot.

Today's Post - The Weight Watchers Edition

2008-02-15T15:42:00.004-05:00

OK, I know I said I wasn't going to do posts exclusively on my weight loss, but stuff happens, and I feel the need to write. The past few weeks, I've been a bit disappointed with my 1 and 1.4 lb losses. So I went to my Weight Watchers chat board and complained about my lack of progress.

It's a good thing I did -- it turns out I haven't been eating enough. I was shocked. On Weight Watchers, you can eat whatever you want - as long as you don't go over your weekly points -- I'm at 28 points a week. I also get 32 more points a week that I can use at my pleasure, plus I get points for my exercising.

The problem was, 28 points was a lot of food for me, so I wasn't hitting that. Nor did I even use any of my extra or exercise points. Apparently the body gets the message that it's starving, so it slowed my metabolism, which led to the low weight loss.

So this week I ate all my points and then some, thanks to the tips from the ladies on the board. And when I went to my weigh-in, and wow - I lost 2.2 lbs, getting me down to 235.6 pounds. And this is where it becomes fun, because although I can't see the change, I can definitely feel it in my clothes. And what a relief, because I have a bunch of clothes that I haven't been able to fit in for more than a year.

So the trek continues. I learned about this web site called My Virtual Model. It allows you make a model of yourself looking different ways. So I did 2 - one of me at my current weight and one at my goal weight of 141 lbs (see below). Pretty cool, huh?

The 2008 Primaries - Puzzled in Potomac

2008-02-12T06:31:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of the Christopher Guest movies. He's best known for the classic mocumentary "This Is Spinal Tap." Another one of my favorites is a hilarious take-off on the world of dog shows called "Best In Show." Guest tends to use the same troupe of actors, and one of my favorites is Fred Willard.

In "Best In Show," he plays a washed-up actor who had 1 hit TV series and is now announcing dog shows. In his TV show, he had a catch phrase -- Wha Happened? -- that could be the new catch phrase for Hillary Clinton and her campaign.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to get the Clinton machine running full bore and keep the race just interesting enough, but clinching the nomination by Super Tuesday. But a funny thing happened on the way to her coronation - Sen. Barack Obama.

First, he wasn't supposed to run so soon. He needed to get more "seasoning and wait until 2016. But he didn't. He won the Iowa caucauses and barely won New Hampshire. He has stayed neck in neck with her down the stretch, managing to win South Carolina and show well on Super Tuesday.

And Caroline Kennedy chooses now to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time, and much to Hillary's chagrin, it's not her. And Ted Kennedy, always seen as a Clinton stalwart, also jumps ship for Obama. And the ultimate irony? Her biggest asset -- former Pres. Bill Clinton -- has actually become a liability as his hard-ball tactics against Obama backfired.

And now here we are on the day of the Potomac primaries with Obama actually in the lead for delegates, if you don't count the Super Delegates (another post for another day). Now Hillary has replaced her campaign manager and is loaning money to fund her campaign. Of course, we're never going to see her crack, but she has to be pulling her hair out, wondering where she made that bad turn.

But I don't think she's really done anything wrong, per se. I just think the voters -- me included -- are fatigued by what we see as the same old thing. We are inspired by the freshness and promise of Obama. She just seems like more of the same -- programmed robo-candidates.

I give Hillary and Obama credit for getting people excited about the election process again and spurring people to not only vote but get active in supporting their candidates. It will be interesting to see the short- and long-term results.