Humidity, Family Time and the Ramones

Okay, but I'm really ready for the humidity to go away. Everybody always jokes about dry heat, but bloody hell, there really is something to be said for a dry heat (sure once it reaches 114, it really doesn't matter), but the difference between 90˚F with 20% humidity and 90˚F with 93% humidity is HUGE!!! I'm so tired of putting my make-up on at 5:20 a.m. and sweating profusely because the humidity is too much for cute little window unit. The other day (Tuesday?) started out with stupid high humidity, but the weather forecasters said that it was supposed to lessen throughout the day. And amazingly enough, they were right and when I walked out of the building at 2:00 p.m., it was hot, but not suffocating. And then Wednesday wasn't bad, but Thursday that damn humidity was back. Again, they say the humidity is going to lessen today, I hope they're right again. It just sucks.

It's very exciting, there are only three stages left in the Tour de France and Lance is looking good. Today will be a basic flat stage, there shouldn't be any changes within the top 10-20 positions, but tomorrow will be where it all shakes out. Whoever has the yellow jersey going into Paris on Sunday will keep it. The big question to be answered on Sunday will be the Green Jersey of the sprinters. They'll be the ones you see go out and do the laps of Les Champs Elysées. I have a feeling that Robbie McEwen will end up beating out Thor Hushovd and that will not make me happy, but I have a feeling that I'll get over it.

My big plans for tonight have gotten canceled because Martha's plane isn't coming in until 3:30 a.m., if she even decides it's worth coming home now when she'll be right back at the airport Monday morning by 6:00 a.m. I told her that it probably wasn't worth it. I mean, it'll be 4:30 a.m. before she even gets home and then she'll probably a little wound up and not able to sleep until 5:00 or 5:30. She's going to sleep the day away and then just end up messing with her sleep cycle. I'm really bummed, and I know she is even moreso, as she won't be able to come home until two more weeks now.

I know that my aunt will call me when she gets in today and see if I'm going to Grandma's tonight. I'm leaning toward not going for a number of reasons: 1) I'm going to see everybody tomorrow, and then 2) I'll see them all again on Sunday, and 3) too much of my family, extended or not, will make me crazy. I'll just stay home, watch my tape of the Tour and then get to bed at a decent hour so that I can get up early and watch the time trials tomorrow before I have to head to Grandma's. When my aunt calls me today, I'll find out what time I'm supposed to be at Grandma's as I'm too lazy to search out the invitation which is on my dining room table somewhere (probably very easily accessible, if I care enough to put that effort forward).

I weighed myself again yesterday and I have lost nothing. In fact, I checked the sheet that the gym did where it listed my vitals from March and not only have I not lost weight, I've gained six fucking pounds (bloody shingles). I'm really really really discouraged. My friend Paula said that I have to kick-start my metabolism so not to eat more than 20 fat calories in a day. I don't even know what a fucking fat calorie is, so I'm basically going to avoid fat. I had one cup (or so) of dry Cheerios for breakfast and a bottle of water. Lunch I'm going to have some fat calories, but then dinner is going to be steamed broccoli and raw celery. So, no fat calories there as I don't put butter on my broccoli (I prefer it plain). Tomorrow at the graduation party I'll avoid the cheese tray and stick with the veggie tray (no dip). *sigh* Are there fat calories in fruit? Can I eat fruit? I've been doing an hour on the treadmill with increasing speed and increasing incline throughout the hour and then 15 minutes on the stairmaster, but it looks like I'll have to get back to the elliptical machine as well. I wonder if an additional hour is too much? Shit, I lost no weight when I was doing 90 minutes of cardio, maybe I need 2 hours.

On a happy note, the NHLPA ratified the contract that Bob Goodenow (that worthless piece of shit) and Gary Bettman (his own brand of worthless shitness) finally agreed on with 90% of the players voting for it. I wonder if the 10% was just trying to make a statement. I have no clue what that statement could be, but whatever. We'll have hockey next year and it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out and what the Red Wings will look like, as well as the Rangers. It'll be funny (or not) if the salary cap helps the Rangers actually end up playing better – I think their salary total was higher than the Wings the past few years and they couldn't even make the friggin' playoffs (and trust me, I'm not complaining). The only team I want to see lose more than I want to see the Rangers lose is the Colorado Avalanche (sorry, Heather). The next few months are going to be fascinating to watch as teams figure out who they can keep and who they can't.

I've been listening to "We're a Happy Family – A Tribute to Ramones" and I have to say what a fun album this is. Somehow U2 doesn't come across as pompous when singing "Beat on the Brat." It's on loan from a friend, but I think I'll need to pick this up for myself.

And with that I'll sign off for now. Have a great weekend if I don't find more with which to bore you all.