Berlin Trip Planning

Hi all. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but I'll have to take a blogging break until the end of the week. Things are just a bit hectic this week as I prepare for a business trip to Berlin.

Next week should be back to normal, although I won't have as much time for blog visits. Will do my best, though.

I will announce the winners to the Paying Forward Awards and the Word Master Challenge next week, so don't stop voting and entering!

See you next week!

Misha

Berlin Preparations

Sorry for not posting yesterday. It's now my last week before my trip to Berlin, which means this week will mainly be spent running around looking for winter clothes (proper ones for very cold temperatures). In the middle of summer.

Needless to say, this implies plenty of running around and even more sweating in the fitting rooms. So this won't be a hiatus announcement, but more of a warning that my postings will be irregular for the next two and a half weeks.

I will try to post pictures of Berlin while I'm there, though.

Anyone else traveling to the other side of the world soon? Where are you going?

Singing again and other news

After weeks of not singing a note, I'm finally back at class. It's actually a nice feeling, even though I'm a bit disappointed by how much my voice's quality slipped back.

Oh well. I'll catch back up as soon as possible.

Otherwise, I'm still going strong in my carb-fast. Next week I'll be reintroducing selected carbs to my diet so it's not a shock for me when I have to eat lots of bread in Berlin.

And yes, I'm assuming there will be lots of bread there.

BUT! There will also be lots of walking, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Otherwise, I'm re-thinking the structure of my blogging at the moment.

I currently have three. All are at least moderately active. But the thing is, I don't think the third blog is sustainable. I started it as a chronicle of my activities as a new orchid grower. All nice and well, but I made one very crucial error. I assumed orchids to be tricky little buggers.

And they're not.

So now I'm stuck pulling at my hair because half the time, I have no idea what I should write about.

Now I'm wondering. Would you all mind terribly if I combined this blog with that one? It's not highly scientific or anything and hopefully it shouldn't be all that boring.

The reason why I want to merge the two is that orchids are starting to form a significant form of my life, so it can be put in here every now and then.

What do you think?

Food blues

One advantage I have when it comes to writing this blog is the fact that I'm so much more self aware for it.

Especially when it comes to my "Taking Charge of my Life" posts. I never post something under that tab unless I've managed some extent of success with it.

It also means that often, I also know where I struggle. And yes, I do.

I struggle a lot.

The posts I write are up-beat and orientated towards successes, but there are always things I want to do better. To do more of.

One of these things is managing my weight.

And trust me, I've probably tried everything in the book when it comes to that. The only method I've found to meet with constant and noticeable success is cutting out sugar and refined flour to a large extent.

I say large extent for the same reason why I'm only writing this now, at 9 p.m., when I should have had this post scheduled this morning. Without some form of carbohydrates, I'm useless.

And no, it isn't some sort of food addiction thing. I've been off carbs for two weeks, wanting to kick start my weight loss and hijack control back over my food. I don't really crave any more (thanks to my "I don't want to eat these" thinking), but I'm definitely feeling the lack.

I don't lack energy. But I lack the sort of energy that pops up on demand. (Don't ask. I'm not a specialist. This is coming from own experiences.) Like yesterday, I tried to swim. It felt like I was in custard.

So yeah, cutting carbs and exercise are turning into an either/or thing for me. I want to like exercise. I want to like the way I feel sugar free.

Right now, I don't.

Still, I'm keeping to my challenge. Why? Because it's Wednesday of my second week. The third will be my last for now. Then it'll be much healthier choices for me.

In the meantime, though, I'm down to pure determination. I don't like eating protein all the time. I hate the lack of variety. Most of all, I hate the feeling I have to live with.

But by jove I will get through this, because I'm stronger than my food tastes.

Anyone else change the way you ate recently?

As promised...

Sorry for skipping the past few days. Work was really busy last week and when it wasn't I took the time to finish this instead...

Yup. Very late, but my grandmother finally has a completed Christmas present. In case you're wondering, the lady on the right is her. The one on her left is her cousin Joey.