This week has both flown by and dragged.  It’s weird.  I had a late start to the week since I didn’t really get back to work until Tuesday.  What have I been doing all week?  (Other than obsessively stalking facebook for information on my friend’s accident…).

Yesterday I went to Blackberry Cafe with friends.  It was technically a business meeting, though I was meeting my friends Jen and Laura.  They had some things to talk to me about regarding Chamber Project St Louis, and I expect soon there will be an exciting announcement about some fantastic things they are doing.  But I’m not supposed to say anything yet.  Blackberry Cafe was good.  I had the falafel wrap, and instead of chips I had a banana (those were the options).  The man working (the owner?) was really friendly and nice.  He spent a little bit of time telling us how to tell that a $20 bill was counterfeit, so the lunch was both tasty and informative.  The more you know.

I’ve also been doing a fair bit of teaching at my new school.  I’m teaching three days a week now at the St Louis School of Music.  I’ve been meeting with many potential new students, and I have four more today.

I’ve also been practicing EVERY DAY since I got home from Chicago.  I’ve been focusing on standing up straight the whole time.  This might sound obvious, but it wasn’t for me.  It’s amazing how often I lean over or lean forward while playing and I have been working on standing up straight all the time.  Bonus:  I actually sound better when standing up straight.   Second bonus:  back/shoulders/arms feel okay for now.

I’ve been trying to get my runs in, but GOODNESS this weather is atrocious.  The excessive heat warning is going on for what, two weeks now?  and I’m completely over it.  All I can do is my best, go slow, end up feeling nauseous halfway through and suffer through the rest.  I just keep telling myself this will help out when the weather is cooler…right?  Today I’m meeting Jen for a run (shortly) and later have a workout with Mike.  Yes, it’s a double day…wheeeeeeee!  Weight-loss wise, I’m not back to where I was yet before my Chicago trip so I fear I’ve failed on the contest front.  I think it was worth it though, but I can’t help but feel disappointed.  Nonetheless I will continue the path on my own—I still want to lose some more weight and I will continue to work towards that goal.  My biggest weakness is eating out, and I’ve been doing that much more with Chris being out of town.  Once he returns it’ll be a little easier.  And I’m now only one pound up from last week, so I’m getting back there…but I really had hoped to be one pound down.  (Yes, I’m aware one pound isn’t a huge deal, sue me, I’m neurotic.)

I meet Mike this afternoon and he’ll ask what I’m doing this weekend.  The answer is, well, geez, I don’t actually have any plans.  And then I’ll feel BAD about it, like I’m 13 years old and getting made fun of again.  As if I have to have super awesome plans all the time.  I’m 33 years old!  Sometimes my joints ache.  Tuesday he suggested I take two or three weeks off from drinking and “see how great I feel.”  Then he asked if I ever use a steam room (he knows full well my gym doesn’t have one).  I hadn’t complained about feeling bad, in fact, I thought I felt fine.  Evidently I looked awful and run down, I guess…maybe I don’t pass for 26 all the time after all?  😉

(I’m aware it’s an unrelated picture.  It’s just cute.)

I’m just lucky to be able to not have plans…to be able to do whatever I want…to be awake and not in a medically induced coma…to have loads of friends all over the world who would rally around me just as much as people are rallying around Alicia (I think…then again she might be nicer…)…we sit there, on facebook, waiting for that little red notification box that means somebody has written something in the group…

I have to make sure that isn’t my weekend plan—sitting at the computer waiting!  I have a stack of magazines to catch up on, some Harry Potter books to reread, and a few other things to do (cleaning…cough, cough).  I also need to finish getting all my invitation stuff ready (for the wedding!) and figure out what the next step is with the rest of the planning.

So, I’m not going to ask what your plans for the weekend are.  I’m just going to ask you to stay cool, and keep thinking of my friends Alicia and Andrew.