I moved this blog to WP today. The decision was rather difficult to make, but in the end I’m glad I did. It is so much easier to reply to comments! and I found it easier to operate in creating side pages and things. I hope to keep all my followers from before (!) and find new followers along the way. Remember to switch your bookmarks! The new site can be found at The International Loser.
Hope to see you there!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
9/11
Although I am not in America at the moment, I am first and foremost an American. I am Proud to be one. Like many fellow Americans and people throughout the world I am remembering today and the tragic events that took place on September 11, 2001. It is hard to believe that so many years have past since this event took place. The wounds are still fresh in my mind and nothing can ever make up for the senseless tragedy that took place.
photo source
My heart goes out to everyone that lost someone on this tragic day.
photo source I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news of a plane being driven into one of the Twin Towers. I was at my locker (I was a freshman in H.S.) getting ready to head to my science class which was right across the hall from said locker. A friend of mine, Jake, came rushing up and said that a plane was flown into the Twin Towers. A small Midwestern girl that I am had no idea what the Twin Towers were. But I immediately went to class where my teacher was crying and playing it on the television. I sat there with many fellow students and cried, while I didn't personally lose anyone in this tragedy I still felt the pain and loss like we all did.
I ended up moving to New Jersey, a mere 30 minutes outside of NYC, in 2006. I heard firsthand stories from people that were in the city at the time and people who lost loved ones. I don't think that enough could be said to portray the depth of the tragedy that took place on this day a mere 9 years ago
I ended up moving to New Jersey, a mere 30 minutes outside of NYC, in 2006. I heard firsthand stories from people that were in the city at the time and people who lost loved ones. I don't think that enough could be said to portray the depth of the tragedy that took place on this day a mere 9 years ago
My heart goes out to everyone that lost someone on this tragic day.
Recap of the Week
Can't say I don't follow through all the time!
Since my last post of dressing to impress I have been doing just that. Now I'm a bit resentful of the time I have to put into getting ready when some people can just walk out of the house looking like they are hitting a runway! But, I also have experienced much more self confidence and self esteem since doing it!
Me and my two favorite Hungarians went to the park to play Frisbee! I'll willingly admit that I am not going to be playing frisbee professionally any time soon!
Friday the Minimax (the Hungarian Nickelodeon) came to our town. They had lots of things for the kids and I didn't leave empty handed got a nice Hungarian magazine, now if only I understood it! Best part of the Minimax was the bus!!!
An American school bus!
Brought back memories of the days of riding the bus to and from school. In Europe the buses don't look like this so the kids loved being on it, they kept calling it "the magic school bus" because they get that show!
after we left we cooked up some Jell-O!
One of the few American products I brought back with me.
And good news, well I assume it is! Today I got an email that I assume means I was accepted into the Criminal Justice Masters program at Cincinnati University! Well the email wasn't an official acceptance letter, it was a letter telling me that the new student orientation was Monday.....so that means I am in right?!?! Guess we will find out Monday!
As to if I am staying or going, I appreciate those of you who commented. The consensuses was to go with my heart. I've been thinking about it heavily lately, and I haven't made a decision yet. There are so many pro's and con's to both. It is definitely something I am going to have to consider a lot more in the next few weeks.
Since my last post of dressing to impress I have been doing just that. Now I'm a bit resentful of the time I have to put into getting ready when some people can just walk out of the house looking like they are hitting a runway! But, I also have experienced much more self confidence and self esteem since doing it!
Me and my two favorite Hungarians went to the park to play Frisbee! I'll willingly admit that I am not going to be playing frisbee professionally any time soon!
Friday the Minimax (the Hungarian Nickelodeon) came to our town. They had lots of things for the kids and I didn't leave empty handed got a nice Hungarian magazine, now if only I understood it! Best part of the Minimax was the bus!!!
An American school bus!
Brought back memories of the days of riding the bus to and from school. In Europe the buses don't look like this so the kids loved being on it, they kept calling it "the magic school bus" because they get that show!
after we left we cooked up some Jell-O!
One of the few American products I brought back with me.And good news, well I assume it is! Today I got an email that I assume means I was accepted into the Criminal Justice Masters program at Cincinnati University! Well the email wasn't an official acceptance letter, it was a letter telling me that the new student orientation was Monday.....so that means I am in right?!?! Guess we will find out Monday!
As to if I am staying or going, I appreciate those of you who commented. The consensuses was to go with my heart. I've been thinking about it heavily lately, and I haven't made a decision yet. There are so many pro's and con's to both. It is definitely something I am going to have to consider a lot more in the next few weeks.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Dress to Impress....
Okay so one of the most obvious ways to tell if you are experiencing weight loss is by how your clothes are fitting, (well that is if you don't think the way I do and assume your clothes are just no longer shrinking in the wash! ) and you start to feel good about how you look because your clothes are fitting. I know that since I realized I have lost weight I have been finding myself through clothes, I have completely gone about shopping in a different way. It is no longer what fits and more about the style.
When I was home I found a box that had all my pictures in it from H.S., I looked and was shocked at what I saw. (Really really wish I had a photo to show you, so you could see for yourself. I even just went to my fb and alas there are no hs pictures on there. )
Looking at those photo's I could not believe that was me. For some strange reason I thought I looked good in H.S, but now I realize I was hiding myself behind clothes that were to big because I was ashamed of who I was. In H.S. I was relatively popular, I got good grades, was involved in clubs and sports (track and field!), I was social and I was happy but I was hiding myself behind clothes that were to big.
While I grew up being overweight I didn't experience the social downsides of it, I wasn't picked on, I wasn't picked last for things, I was friends with "the popular crowd", I wasn't an outcast. The one thing I vividly remember hating about my size was clothes. I wasn't able to fit into name brand clothes like American Eagle and Abercrombie past Jr. High. I felt that a part of me, the part that wanted to dress like everyone else and be normal with the fashion trends couldn't because I wasn't able to wear those clothes without them looking like they were painted on.
I found two different sets of photos, one where I had on the skin tight name brand clothes, and the others where I wore clothes at least three sizes to big. There was no perfect in between. When I found these photo's and was talking to a long time friend I made a comment about myself and said something along the lines of "I dressed like a tent". My friend looked at me and in a very serious thing she said that I look a lot better now, not because I have lost the weight but because I dress in a way that says "I like myself".
It was in our discussion that I realize that I didn't like myself at the time. I hid behind clothes. I wore clothes that made me feel protected. I had shirts hanging out me in a way that I could probably had stuffed another person in there! I have been thinking about this since I came back from America, and I realize that while I dressed up when I was home, in Hungary I am still dressing in the manner I did in H.S. I wear an 18 yet I'm still wearing 22/24's. My shirts that were 2xl I still wear even though I am a XL/L. Granted I've come a long way and don't wear these all the time, but the fact that I still wear these shows I am still hiding.
So as part of my mission to stop hiding and embrace the weight I have lost so far and to boost my self confidence and self esteem, I am going to start dressing to impress. The one day this week I got myself together meaning I ditched the sweats and college logo shirt, my hair wasn't pulled up, and I wore make-up I received several compliments (they may have came in the form of two very sweet children and their grandmother, but none the less it made me feel good). I realized that I don't want to hide my figure or myself any longer. I have decided to embrace myself. I am going to start putting an effort into my appearance.
I may not leave the house looking like this.....
but I am going to start caring what I wear, not just throwing any random thing that matches on.
Do you think you dress to hide your body? Or do you dress to show of the success you have accomplished so far?
When I was home I found a box that had all my pictures in it from H.S., I looked and was shocked at what I saw. (Really really wish I had a photo to show you, so you could see for yourself. I even just went to my fb and alas there are no hs pictures on there. )
Looking at those photo's I could not believe that was me. For some strange reason I thought I looked good in H.S, but now I realize I was hiding myself behind clothes that were to big because I was ashamed of who I was. In H.S. I was relatively popular, I got good grades, was involved in clubs and sports (track and field!), I was social and I was happy but I was hiding myself behind clothes that were to big.
While I grew up being overweight I didn't experience the social downsides of it, I wasn't picked on, I wasn't picked last for things, I was friends with "the popular crowd", I wasn't an outcast. The one thing I vividly remember hating about my size was clothes. I wasn't able to fit into name brand clothes like American Eagle and Abercrombie past Jr. High. I felt that a part of me, the part that wanted to dress like everyone else and be normal with the fashion trends couldn't because I wasn't able to wear those clothes without them looking like they were painted on.
I found two different sets of photos, one where I had on the skin tight name brand clothes, and the others where I wore clothes at least three sizes to big. There was no perfect in between. When I found these photo's and was talking to a long time friend I made a comment about myself and said something along the lines of "I dressed like a tent". My friend looked at me and in a very serious thing she said that I look a lot better now, not because I have lost the weight but because I dress in a way that says "I like myself".
It was in our discussion that I realize that I didn't like myself at the time. I hid behind clothes. I wore clothes that made me feel protected. I had shirts hanging out me in a way that I could probably had stuffed another person in there! I have been thinking about this since I came back from America, and I realize that while I dressed up when I was home, in Hungary I am still dressing in the manner I did in H.S. I wear an 18 yet I'm still wearing 22/24's. My shirts that were 2xl I still wear even though I am a XL/L. Granted I've come a long way and don't wear these all the time, but the fact that I still wear these shows I am still hiding.
So as part of my mission to stop hiding and embrace the weight I have lost so far and to boost my self confidence and self esteem, I am going to start dressing to impress. The one day this week I got myself together meaning I ditched the sweats and college logo shirt, my hair wasn't pulled up, and I wore make-up I received several compliments (they may have came in the form of two very sweet children and their grandmother, but none the less it made me feel good). I realized that I don't want to hide my figure or myself any longer. I have decided to embrace myself. I am going to start putting an effort into my appearance.
I may not leave the house looking like this.....
but I am going to start caring what I wear, not just throwing any random thing that matches on.
Do you think you dress to hide your body? Or do you dress to show of the success you have accomplished so far?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
ElliptiGo
What do you get when you put together an elliptical and a bike? Besides amazingness you get the ElliptiGo.
So I'll admit that I haven't exactly tried this product yet, but I really want to! The elliptical is the only exercise equipment that I actually like, and I use the bike pretty regularly so this it would make sense on paper that this product would be great for me. Plus, since I suffer from a short attention span this product would be perfect for moving ( it is not stationary) instead of staying rooted in one spot.
Downside this guy costs about $2,199. Since it is relatively new it is safe to assume that if it does last for a few years it will probably be marked down tremendously.
Fitness magazine had a article about the product that alerted me to it's existence, otherwise I'm afraid I would have been clueless! I don't see this becoming a popular product here in Europe, since trends take about a decade to reach and I'm positive if I was home in rural Indiana I wouldn't see anyone riding around on one!
Have you found any new fitness equipment or products lately?
So I'll admit that I haven't exactly tried this product yet, but I really want to! The elliptical is the only exercise equipment that I actually like, and I use the bike pretty regularly so this it would make sense on paper that this product would be great for me. Plus, since I suffer from a short attention span this product would be perfect for moving ( it is not stationary) instead of staying rooted in one spot.
Downside this guy costs about $2,199. Since it is relatively new it is safe to assume that if it does last for a few years it will probably be marked down tremendously.
Fitness magazine had a article about the product that alerted me to it's existence, otherwise I'm afraid I would have been clueless! I don't see this becoming a popular product here in Europe, since trends take about a decade to reach and I'm positive if I was home in rural Indiana I wouldn't see anyone riding around on one!
Have you found any new fitness equipment or products lately?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Back in Hungary!
Sorry guys, I know I could have been a lot better about blogging over the past month....but it was my vacation so needless to say I didn't spend a lot of time on the computer! Thank you all for your well wishes, I truly appreciate it. I love getting responses from people because it means that people actually read this blog...and that I am not babbling to myself!
So in the end I spent 4 weeks in America and the last week of my vacation in Italy. Oh how I missed Italy!
I have mentioned before that I lived in Italy, and behind America it is the best place I've ever lived in. The language, the food, the people, the places are all beyond words. Needless to say I go back every chance I get, and the fact that I have people there that are my family in every sense of the word besides blood it's a no brainier that I go there frequently.
When not hanging out in the lovely village that I fell in love with and lived in previously we went to
Bibione
I went with this lovely group of Italians...
We were only at the beach for one day, but in that time I got an amazing tan(!) but unfortunately the sun bleached my hair so my amazing dye job from America ruined as I am not almost blonde again! When we got back to I got to hang out with these little guys! Two years since I last saw them! I realized I missed them so much, and was glad that I was able to go and spend time with them also. These kids were the children I first au paired for way back when I was a naive 20 year old!
So Italy was amazing. It was worth the 30 hour journey, which was my own fault since I took the longest possible way. Now wanting to cancel my return ticket to Vienna, I went from Vienna to Bratislava, to Milan from the States. It was a long journey but the end results I couldn't ask for anything better, even if I did have to wear a ridiculous amount of clothes leaving Milan because the airline I flew with had a ridiculous luggage limit. (Tip! If you travel in Europe cheap airlines like Ryanair are great, if you don't take luggage. If you take luggage you pay the same amount as the plane ticket and they don't allow for you to take much. In Slovakia they don't weigh your carry-on, in Bergamo (Milan) they do!)
Blah so I managed to put on a few pounds while at home. Not good, but I'm not beating myself up over it. I realize I didn't let myself go, but did enjoy the occasional thing that wasn't great for me. I did so in moderation and for the most part I was conscious of what I was doing so do I feel guilty? Nope. I could beat myself up over it but at the end of the day my trip was fantastic and I left so happy that I'm not dwelling on the small stuff!
So as I am back in Hungary I have the horrible decision on how long to stay for.... Since I got my degree confirmation (and diploma!!!) while home I am officially a Criminology major. Which means I should do the responsible thing and go get a job in my field of study and not travel whimsically around Europe. I'm split about even on my decision, stay or go. Both have pros both have cons. What would you do?
And now that I'm back hopefully I'll be a more dutiful updater!
So in the end I spent 4 weeks in America and the last week of my vacation in Italy. Oh how I missed Italy!
I have mentioned before that I lived in Italy, and behind America it is the best place I've ever lived in. The language, the food, the people, the places are all beyond words. Needless to say I go back every chance I get, and the fact that I have people there that are my family in every sense of the word besides blood it's a no brainier that I go there frequently.
When not hanging out in the lovely village that I fell in love with and lived in previously we went to
Bibione
I went with this lovely group of Italians...
We were only at the beach for one day, but in that time I got an amazing tan(!) but unfortunately the sun bleached my hair so my amazing dye job from America ruined as I am not almost blonde again! When we got back to I got to hang out with these little guys! Two years since I last saw them! I realized I missed them so much, and was glad that I was able to go and spend time with them also. These kids were the children I first au paired for way back when I was a naive 20 year old!
So Italy was amazing. It was worth the 30 hour journey, which was my own fault since I took the longest possible way. Now wanting to cancel my return ticket to Vienna, I went from Vienna to Bratislava, to Milan from the States. It was a long journey but the end results I couldn't ask for anything better, even if I did have to wear a ridiculous amount of clothes leaving Milan because the airline I flew with had a ridiculous luggage limit. (Tip! If you travel in Europe cheap airlines like Ryanair are great, if you don't take luggage. If you take luggage you pay the same amount as the plane ticket and they don't allow for you to take much. In Slovakia they don't weigh your carry-on, in Bergamo (Milan) they do!)
Blah so I managed to put on a few pounds while at home. Not good, but I'm not beating myself up over it. I realize I didn't let myself go, but did enjoy the occasional thing that wasn't great for me. I did so in moderation and for the most part I was conscious of what I was doing so do I feel guilty? Nope. I could beat myself up over it but at the end of the day my trip was fantastic and I left so happy that I'm not dwelling on the small stuff!
So as I am back in Hungary I have the horrible decision on how long to stay for.... Since I got my degree confirmation (and diploma!!!) while home I am officially a Criminology major. Which means I should do the responsible thing and go get a job in my field of study and not travel whimsically around Europe. I'm split about even on my decision, stay or go. Both have pros both have cons. What would you do?
And now that I'm back hopefully I'll be a more dutiful updater!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Stateside!
.
Hey guys!
My sister gave me a kitten....I named him Callen!
Atlanta!
Enjoyed some Orlando nightlife!
Hey guys!
So since my last post I have been stateside for two weeks! It’s crazy to be back! I’ve been so busy that it doesn’t seem like I have a minute of downtime. Currently I’m writing from a Starbucks in Orlando! My only moment of free time as I passed on going to Disney with the fam!
So where to start?
I dyed my hair dark!
My sister gave me a kitten....I named him Callen!
I was given a welcome back party!
My cousin came in from outta town for a visit!
Spent time with the family!
Went to Louisville!
I went to Indy to visit some family friends.
Atlanta!
Enjoyed some Orlando nightlife!
It’s so weird to be back in a country where everyone is speaking English! I am so used to not understanding everything that is being said around me, that it’s crazy when I overheard conversations and understand what is going on! Being back makes me want to stay back home! I'm not going to lie just being here makes me want to go back to Europe to just train the person replacing me and to come back for good. I miss America, I miss my family and friends, and I just miss the culture in general. I wouldn't trade my time in Europe for anything, yet lately I've been questioning if going back is the right thing for me at this point in my life....I guess we shall see.
I also wanted to share a tip I’ve learned for being on vacation and not gaining weight. Because let’s face it, we are on vacation and want to relax and enjoy our time. It is very possible to eat out and not gain weight! In Prague I managed to lose weight, and Europe is the land of large portions! Mainly it was due to the fact that I walked a lot! But when I would eat out I made sensible choices, and would listen to my body! It usually started with a light breakfast and heavy lunch and a light dinner. I would snack also on an apple or a piece of fruit or crackers if I was really feeling hungry. By listening to my body I wouldn’t eat just because it was time to, I ate when I was hungry! Wow, that sounds so much easier than it is right?! I am so used to eating because it’s time that I would sometimes eat when I wasn’t hungry, or if someone else was eating I felt I had to!
Do you have any tips on losing weight or maintaining while on vacation?
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