eating my words

So...remember when I said that I wasn't going to make my MS150 challenge goals, so I wasn't going upgrade my bike?

Weeelll...I changed my mind.

I was recently offered a very good deal on one of these...too good to pass up. Though I feel a little bit like I'm cheating on my 30-lb./5000-mile upgrade requirement, I was able to justify this to myself because I'm only buying the frame right now. I figure it will take me at least till summer to buy the rest of the components, so I'll definitely hit 5000 miles by the time this bike is ready to ride. Until then, I'll just store it in my office, stare at it longingly, maybe run my fingers over the top tube every once in a while.

The bike is a little bigger than my Pilot, which worried me. I've been thinking for the past year that the reach on Amelia was just a teeny bit too long, and the Orbea top tube is about 4mm longer. However, with the more-aggressive geometry all around, I wondered how much difference this would really make. I went to the local Orbea dealer and asked his advice, and he didn't really set my mind at ease. He said that a 51cm frame (the size I'm buying) was a borderline fit for me...he would normally fit someone my size on a 48. However, when I got home and looked at the specs for the 48, it seemed way small. The top tube on it was only 51cm...the same length as the Dolce I tried back in July '05, which was eliminated from my list of possibles because my knees were all up in the handlebars. Again, the frame angles make a difference, but ultimately I would have to ride and see.

So, I asked the seller for a test ride. Even with his 110mm stem (I ride with an 80 on the Pilot), the reach wasn't uncomfortably long. I mean, it was long, but I was also more stretched out overall. And aside from the reach, the bike was the best ride I'd ever had--light, fast, responsive, stable. And, of course, really beautiful. Not as dead-sexy as the 2007s , but I'd have to sell my car to afford one of those. I like bike commuting, but not THAT much. Houston's a big place. :)

So anyway, I should be picking up the frame sometime in the next few weeks. I think I'll call him Keiko.

lady in red

so yeah, about this dress I bought? I'm a little nervous about it, for several reasons.

1. It's red. And not really the cranberry red that I love and trust. More like fire engine. Oh, sure, it's got a little bit of the cranberry in it...like maybe one of the fire-engine reds had a clandestine affair with his cranberry cousin, and this was the result. It's not just red--it's red.

2. It's got sequins. I'm more of an embroidery girl, generally. I'm not sure that I've ever bought a dress with sequins before. Not that it's one of those mermaidy dresses that are all sequins or anything...the sequins are mostly on the straps, and then a few flowers on the bodice. But the sequins do cover the straps. All 4 of them.

3. The neckline looks weird to me. I bought the dress anyway, because it fell nicely over the rest of my body and didn't bunch anywhere. Rob says the neckline looks fine, but it still bugs me. I think it's because the ( four! sequined!) straps cross in the back, which is great in that they won't be slipping down my shoulders all night long, but makes the span between the straps look too small. It doesn't gap or bunch or anything...it just gives me the impression that they used the same size pattern for the size 6 that they did the 14, and just added material around the back and sides to allow for the bigger size. It doesn't look bad, necessarily, just...weird. And maybe just to me. I guess the pictures will tell.

4. I bought it at a mall department store. This is not necessarily a bad thing either. Assuming that this dress is as flattering to others as it was on me, there's a chance that one of the other hundreds of women at this party will be wearing the same dress. And chances are good that they'll look better in it than me. (Insecure much?)

I guess there's still time to take it back and get the other (black) dress that I tried on. Except that one wasn't as kind with my saddlebags as this one. Sigh. I love dressing up, but I'll love it a lot more when I don't have so many flaws to work around.

and in other news...

I want this dress for the company holiday party in December.

There are several problems with this, however.

1. Since I'd be buying online, I cannot try it on beforehand.

2. It's only available in sizes up to 12. I am nowhere near a 12 right now.

3. Especially not a Lauren 12, which (in my experience) does not buy into vanity sizing.

4. Speaking of vanity, the front of that dress looks a bit on the unforgiving side, doesn't it? Unless you have abs of steel or some serious bodywear, profiles will not be so glamorous.

5. My hip to waist ratio is larger than stick-girl there...I fear bunching. See also 1.

6. My shoulders are, shall we say, less than square. Barring superglue or staples, I'd be pushing straps back into place all night long. But then again, maybe the crossing in the back would counteract some of that.

7. Two words--Arm. Flab.

Still, it's beautiful and I want it. I wonder if I can be a flat-tummied 12 by December? Given the concerns in this and my last post, I probably shouldn't break out the credit card just yet.

ahem.

I know I'm not under 180 yet, but I had room in the budget and couldn't stand waiting any longer--I just ordered Minnie. She's blue. Her ship time is 4 weeks.

So, this means that I have roughly 4-5 weeks to make it to 176. I do work better with a deadline, you know. :)

(Also, woo!)

ahem.

I know I'm not under 180 yet, but I had room in the budget and couldn't stand waiting any longer--I just ordered Minnie. She's blue. Her ship time is 4 weeks.

So, this means that I have roughly 4-5 weeks to make it to 176. I do work better with a deadline, you know. :)

(Also, woo!)

*droooool*

while running wedding errands, we found ourselves in the Galleria area, and I dragged Kat to the Apple store to look at the Minis. I wanted to see one in person, to hold one in my hand.

We walked in, went straight to the display and started playing with them. They're smaller than I had pictured, and pleasantly light. I'll admit, the touch-wheel is a little freaky, and it took me a little bit to figure out the volume control. After a couple minutes, I had it worked out.

Folks, I'm so in love right now. Apparently everyone else is too, though, because they can't keep them in stock. They were sold out of every color, with a waiting list. The guy said that it's going to take just as long to get them at the store as it would to order them online, since they sell out as soon as they come in. Yikes.

Ah well...I still have 4 lbs. to go anyway. :)

carrot on a stick

Well...I've been thinking about ways to keep myself motivated lately. I can see my willpower flagging, and I've been living with myself long enough that I know exactly how unlikely it is that I will make it more than 6 months without completely falling off the wagon a dozen times. So, to avoid that, I've come up with some rewards for milestones.

go under 200 lbs. - get hair done

190 lbs. - go use that gift certificate to the day spa to get a massage

175 lbs. - take one leisure learning class--creative writing, photography, something

160 lbs. - buy a functional black blazer that will go with everything, and will still fit in 6 months

Meeting the exercise goal for an entire 4 week period - put $50 toward furniture for the upstairs bedroom/office/playroom.

That's all I have right now.