Tiffany needs ME!

The token of their affection! Whhoooo--Hoooo!!!


This was so fun! I received a phone call a couple weeks ago, just as I was about to hang up, the man said,
"I'm working for Tiffany & Co. and we would love to have you participate in a focus group."

I thought, this joker is kidding! but, no, when he gave the name of his research company, I googled them and sure enough, they were a firm in nearby Bethesda.

So, last night after work, I went to an office in Bethesda to participate in a focus group about shopping at Tiffany & Co. There were 10 women there of various ages, I think I was the oldest. Certain income requirements had to be met, so I guess we were all similar in that regard. However, some were stay at home mothers with 4, 5 or six kids!~
One was a "retired" attorney who left the rat race to raise two children. She looked about 40ish. One was single, one worked at home on a government contract, all appeared to be white.
We just sat around and the woman leading the group, Jane, ask us questions and videotaped the session. Mostly, it seemed to center around the three shopping avenues.
1. the Internet
2. Catalogues
3. Stores

We had to draw a diagram explaining the importance of each and the relationship between each.
For me, I shop on the Internet quite a bit, I shop in the store occasionally, but I don't especially like the catalogues. Some of those women said they actually keep the catalogues! Nuts, I don't have room for that crap.

One interesting question was: "Who do you shop for at Tiffany's, yourself or for others?"
I was the only woman who said "Both." All those other girls said they only shop there for gift giving, not for themselves. They said they wait for their husbands to purchase major jewerly, such as gemstones or diamonds.
Shoot, I don't! If I waited on my poor hubby, I'd never have any cute Tiffany stuff!
I think those girls are either married to gay guys or they are delusional!

The woman next to me pointed out a pink watch in a catalog and told me she bought that for her 12 year old daughter. It was an $895.00 watch! And she doesn't shop Tiffany for herself?! Huh?

One girl had a necklace that I think was Elsa Peretti Yards of Diamonds. Very nice piece, I suppose she didn't check it out before Hubby bought it...? Didn't "shop for herself?" Didn't make a subtle suggestion?

Anyways, it was pretty fun, they fed us sandwiches and coffee/coke, and I got a check for $150.00 which is always nice.

Oh yes, then they gave us the little blue box on the way out. Which was hysterical when I finally got home and opened it, because all those women had told the leader that they hated the jewelry that had T & Co. on it or the name of the store in any way. Said it was Juvenile! Said it was for the "younger set" -- really slammed it.
Except me, I had told her I liked it! and actually, I do like it. Its fine!
8-)

You are my Inspiration!

View from the East on Sugarloaf Mountain, in western Maryland.













Mamma's got her boots back on, look out!























"Ed (aka The Trainer) Nicholson" waits patiently on his slow partner.


Lucky fall day at Sugarloaf.

and it is an awesome Monday in Bethesda. The weather is being kind to us and I've lost -2.2 lbs. today at the WW meeting! Yay!! Whoo Hoo!!
Ed & I got to go hiking at a new place yesterday, Sugarloaf Mountain, about 40 minutes drive from our condo. But, its worth it! We're outside, it has actual nature and trails, rocks and trees, lordy! It was fun. We hiked for two hours. I wore my old standby hiking boots, and they felt great. No more pain in my feet!! My muscles aren't even tweeking today, I'm so grateful!!!

Ed & I both had to work Friday, which pretty much sucked, as this was the weekend we usually go to WV to spend time with family, which we like. But, his boss (and mine, weirdly) had other ideas. Ed had a lot to do because it was year-end for him. My boss will be out of town this week, so she wanted to get everything done before she left. However, she ended up not being too organized. She didn't have much for me to do on Friday, and I can see she must have worked Sunday as I have a few email from her. Oh Well.

We made the best of our weekend, even though we didn't get to have our 3-day trip to WV. The cooperation of the weather was an added bonus, as we were able to get out and walk. That is a good thing for us both.

He had a reaction to his insulin on Sunday morning, but he would not admit it to me. I thought he looked ill, very white and sweaty looking...he refused to let me drive to breakfast. He should have let me drive, he is such a stubborn man. I found a candy wrapper and ask him why he ate a candy bar...then he confessed about his insulin reaction. They are serious and can be disastrous. He definitely should have told me what was up. We were lucky he felt better after he ate breakfast.

So, he motivates me to prepare better food, to exercise etc. or else he'll die.

Pretty motivating.

Anywho...

Little known fact:
Did you know that I did not have a job outside the home from April 1978 until May 1987?
That is over 9 years. (And here you thought I had always been the articulate, well educated, suave career girl!)

I think the new dog in our family is cute. (Not my actual dog, but vicariously anyway.)

My niece makes cool knitted things too.

Everybody's got "Working Conditions"

NIH Goes Tobacco Free!























This is my usual lunch bench! Except that the umbrella isn't usually blown over the top of that awning. That's my little pink lunch bag.















I often have lunch out on this patio. Its pretty nice, especially since NIH went completely tobacco free.


































You can see that the security fencing and other security measures can be quite daunting. I have to go through this mess of a thing every time I enter and leave my work place. I have to use my security badge to get through. (Only to enter.)





Metro is fairly ugly, grimy and gloomy. I don't enjoy Metro, but it is quick and gets me there without a car.

Weigh In Day! Yay!!

Its Weight Watchers day for me here. Last week I lost -.8 and today I lost -.6 !
So, I'm being thankful that I had a good week (weightwise at least!)

This is great to continue the loss, as we were having a travel weekend and had quite a nice really mini vacation to Niagara Falls. Great fun, but not so great on the diet plan. (Although I did walk a lot, which must have helped the loss continue.)

I'm remembering to be especially thankful that I have been successful in incorporating halfway healthy eating into "RoadTripping Mini Vacations" and it works!! WhooHoo indeed!

I can see the weight loss pace has slowed down a bit. I have new goals set for my trip to see Amanda in December, so I'll have to focus really hard if I'm going to make my goal for that. I've learned to establish small incremental goals, seems to work for me.
Then I'll focus on a goal for the trip in March and then my Birthday goal in June! Yay - I've got a plan! That's half the battle.

Fall Weekend driving and hiking fun

Our drive home Sunday afternoon was about 4 hours, but we stopped in Rocky Gap State Park, in Maryland. We went on a hike around the lake there. It was awesome, but 5 miles around the lake but a bit much for me. I did it though, but it took me a while! the first two miles were truly 15 minute miles, but it went downhill from there. I liked all of it, but it got dark on us. I was wearing my really dark sunglasses, and couldn't see well with them....didn't carry my other glasses...so I tried to hike without glasses, but I'm basically blind w/o the glasses. bummer...
I stumbled around and finally got through it.



I really loved the trail, it was a good trail, well maintained. This place has a awesome campground too. We'll have to drag out the tent. We both loved the place and we enjoyed the stars also! You could actually see them!



We stopped here and had a wonderful dinner in the lodge. It was beautiful. We would have stayed the night, but we both had to be at work Monday morning. So, we forged on and got home about 11:30pm...way too late for us.




Ed had to go to Pittsburgh on Monday and Tuesday for meetings. Would you believe he was in an accident?
He was in the passenger side of the Dodge Charger when the tractor trailer next to them turned left on them. Broke the windshield and Ed's window, crushed the door standard beside Ed. He had to climb out the other side of the car. Ed wasn't driving, it was his co-worker in an Enterprise rental. Ed's co-worker was in a turn lane, but did not realize it. It was in a very torn up construction area though.