Okay, I'm back. I don't know who that was that posted yesterday but hopefully she won't be back for awhile.

Well today is the last day of the first month of 2007. So lets review how 2007 is starting out:

1) I've lost over 6 pounds this month. I feel like that is a great start. I hate to say I don't feel or think I look any different. More to come.
2) I managed to run 85 miles since Jan 3rd, not including hashing.
3) I met with a trainer and he has helped me set up a plan for next month. I'll be doing a little less running and a lot more strength training.
4) I've lost my boyfriend of over 2 years (not sure yet if that is a + or -)
5) I've taken on the responsibility of another dog.

So what should I do for next month:

1) lose another 4 pounds
2) run 50 miles (I stole that one from ITP)
3) strength train 2-3 time a week
4) Get back to one dog and keep it that way
5) Have a date (I'm not sure about that one yet?)

I also have a trip planned for the middle of next month. My sister is expecting her second child and I will go up to say hello. I don't really like going to Indiana and quite honestly if it wasn't for my niece I don't know if my sister and I would ever speak. We've had an awakard relationship for years, there is a lot of baggage that is in our past. I would like to forgive and forget, sometimes I just can't, but she is the only family I have.

Well I'm going to grab some lunch and head into work (yes, I'm working from home this morning).

Hurts so good

No, not really. Between the twisted ankle I received on Saturday and my first workout with the trainer, I'm not feeling 100% today. It feels like it is 100 degrees in the office today, I can never tell if it is really hot or I'm just having hot flashes. Plus the office is really noisy today and lets face it I'm a bit distracted. I wish I was working from home but I would probably just crawl under the covers and go back to sleep. Someone is Grumpy!

Seeing the ex and spending most of the day with him on Sunday was a big mistake. I'm still pretty angry about the way things ended with us...and he wants to be my buddy? WTF, I don't quite get it. He doesn't like me being friends with someone I use to go out with, he's accused me of being 'improper' with other male friends, so why should we be friends? What happens if/when I meet someone else? By his standards we can't be friends...so why bother. I've never really remained friends with people I've been in relationships. Sure you go out a couple of times it doesn't work, fine, that isn't the problem. Most of my relationships have ended badly...I know they all end badly or they wouldn't end, but I mean knocked another girl up badly (3 times in case anyone is keeping count), another guy just got up out of bed, headed for the door and never spoke to me again after I told him I loved him. I can pick them.

Anyway, it looks like for the time being I'm going to have to curtail some of my activities because I really just can't stand the sight of him right now. He has made me feel so bad about myself. I am trying hard not to put our friends in the middle of this mess. So I'm sorry if I've made anyone feel uncomfortable...

So what do I need? I need a vacation BAD!!! I've had this job for about a year now with no break, it is the hardest job I've ever had. I'm not complaining, I really like this job, most of the people I work with, I'm challenged more days than not...but I'm tired. I would love a chance to just lay back, relax and recharge the batteries. It doesn't seem to be in the cards. I don't really have anyone to go with and I hate to travel alone. I admire people that can do that, but I've been there, done that and I didn't care for it.

What else...maybe a new guy? I don't know, I really can't even imagine myself with anyone else. This is the longest I've ever been in a relationship with the exception of James back in the 90s but I lived here and he lived in Chicago, so it isn't like we spent a lot of time together. I'm currently at a loss as to how to meet someone new. There really isn't anyone in my group of friends that I could date (they are either friends of his, or ex's of my friends, etc.), I'm never going to meet anyone at the office, and I am really not strong enough to go back to the world of on-line dating.

UGH, okay back to work, I need to figure out ANOTHER way to tell this person there is NO DATA...geez...it isn't there?

Okay, I promise I will be in a better mood next time.

Issues?

When someone says 'you have issues' it is rarely a good thing. Have you ever noticed the person that says that to you, is usually responsible for at least one of them?

I had a resonably good weekend all things considered.

Pro:
A nice glass of wine on Friday night
Sunny, warm weather for the Boner Zone
A long lazy Sunday with friends, beer and good food

Con:
Lost my car keys
Twisted my ankle
Having to deal with the ex

The Classics?

Sometimes I'm a little embarrassed by the education I received growing up. Mind you I've done quite well for myself, a BS from Purdue and a Masters from Emory, but why do people always seem a little surprised? I'm talking about middle school and high school. Growing up in rural Indiana the options were limited and I had little parental involvement/encouragement.

So why am I dwelling on events more than 20 years old? I was watching PBS the other night and Jane Eyre was on and I realized I have never read this book? I didn't even know the story line. This isn't the first time this has happened. I haven't read To Kill a Mocking Bird, Catcher in the Rye, For Whom the Bell Tolls, etc. I remember reading some Shakespeare, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet and MacBeth. My Honors English teacher really like science fiction, we read Vonnegut & Orwell, I also remember reading The Jungle (Sinclair).

It's not that I don't read, anyone who has been to my house will notice there are books everywhere. Most of them are non-fiction, either political musings or provide more information on disease than you would ever want to know.

Where is this leading, well I couldn't stay awake to watch the rest of the movie so I've bought the book and my goal is to sit down and read it.

This is a post-breakup ritual I seem to after every failed relationship...I'm going to 'better' myself. Last time I got half way through The Inferno before I gave up, let's see if I can do better next time.

So here are two list, there are many more out there, of the 100 Best Novels:

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

If everyone else jumped off a bridge would you?

Maybe. It seems everyone is blogging these days and I thought I would try my hand at it. I'm a little slow getting to the party but better late than never.

I'm not a great writer but I'm hoping that there will be enough in my life going on to post every couple of days.

So why Martha's house you ask? It just seems to be something that has worked it's way into the vocabulary of many of my friends...I like to believe that Martha's House makes them think of good times. I'm going to guess most of the people that read this will know me as Martha but Martha isn't my real name. It is my hash name, devised to protect me from anything silly, stupid, embarrassing or possibly illegal I may do while hanging out with the half minds I call my friends. Several times I've almost slipped and introducded myself as Martha...Martha and Laura are very different people.

Right now my life pretty much entails work, the dogs and the gym. Being newly single and it being a new year, I'm going to get in shape. So with the New Year, I'll try for a new blog, a new body, maybe a new boyfriend?? Well let's work on the first two for now.

I'll try not to bore you with the ins and outs of my diet and workouts, but it does seem to be working. I have a set back every weekend when beer and orange food replace my normal routine. I will try to keep my updates to major and minor milestones. Like today when the scale went below 145 for the first time in a couple of years!! I'm not too excited, the weight flucuates every day but it was nice to see.

Well that is enough for now...I hope you check back soon.