So I started taking the melatonin last week and I can say without a doubt that I'm sleeping MUCH better - although God help me if I have to wake up in the middle of the night - soo disoriented and groggy. I don't know if I can say its all because of my sleep, but so far since Friday the 5th, I'm down 5 pounds total. Go me!

I have not, however, been able to give up coffee. Quite the contrary actually. On Sunday TBG and I did some power shopping and came home with this bad boy, a coffee grinder, tamper, frothing pitcher, and a big bag of Starbucks' espresso beans. We also bought a new DeLonghi coffee maker. We immediately rushed home and spent the next hour testing it out - trying to figure out the perfect granule size in the grinder, the perfect "pull" etc. We finally got it working, and yum! Still not as good as Starbucks, but not bad for a home version.

Also have I ranted lately about MY NEED FOR SPACE? Just like bathroom etiquette dictates that you should leave a stall between you and the next person, don't in an otherwise empty bathroom go into the stall right next to the one person in the last stall. Ew. Well, anyway, like bathroom etiquette, at the gym when there is a circuit thing going, and there are 20 stations and only 4 people, do NOT come up the station right in front of me so that I now have to finish my workout in your trail of stank and sweat - especially when there are 15 other possible stations and plenty of options that would leave 4-5 stations between you and the next person!

Also on stank at the gym? I work out almost every day in the morning at 6:15 so that I have time to shower and dry my hair and all that jazz before work. On M-W-F, there are 2 other girls that come in at 6 so they are just getting out of the showers as I am going in. And EVERY M-W-F, the bathroom is SO NASTY smelling. I don't know what they're doing in there - apparently gutting fish or something - but I swear I'm going to switch to evening workouts or else start bringing a big ol' bottle of Lysol in with me to spray down the shower area before I go in. It's just .. Guh.

In other news, I had my interview at competitor today (again slinking across the street hoping I wouldn't be spotted waltzing into enemy territory) and I think it went okay. Can't tell really, but it sounded like maybe I was either the only one or maybe one of only 2 that came back for this round. I met the entire rest of the team and they seemed nice enough and most were pretty positive. One little wierd thing? One of the team members is friends with the other Senior manager in my office and she recognized me. I hope she doesn't blab that I was over there - I'd rather keep my interviewing on the DL, yano? Should find out something by the end of next week, so keep your fingers crossed. That's all I got for today.

1. Jobs. I didn't get the position at my old company - evidently not enough of a specific type of experience, but considering that they called me the day before my interview and gave me a 5-page document to review and then create a 5 page presentation from - OVERNIGHT, knowing full well I'm currently employed and can't work on that stuff at work.. its probably just as well. Sounded a bit like they were desperately clinging to the idea of a miracle worker. So oh well, no real hard feelings there at all. Still waiting to hear back from competitor company - had 2nd interview with their HR person who then responded to my thank you note with a "thank you, glad you're interested, we'll get back to you next week." Which in the email the tone was sounding a bit like "don't call us - we'll call you". So who knows? I do still have 2 other irons in the fire, but they've not panned out just yet to be anything worth mentioning.
2. Birthdays. Woop! My birthday was Monday, and I've been celebrating all week. So far I've had cake and cupcakes and birthday barbecue, lunch at Cheesecake factory from the girls at work, sushi with TBG, movie (Wedding Crashers, loved it), pool party, and fabulous massage. Have pedicure from girlfriend still to look forward to, another movie (yay AMC gift cards!) and full license from TBG to spend some cash this weekend on a much-needed brow wax, hair cut, and whatever other little pamper-y spa things tickle my fancy. The downside of all of this is that I'm now in my mid-30s. Am no longer a child, young girl, young professional, or any other incarnation of the word young. Stay tuned for my inevitable mid-life crisis.
3. Family and friends. I have neglected most of them horribly, but trying to make amends slowly by picking up the phone and actually dialing it. Planning a mini-vacation to Seattle in October to visit neglected best friend, found out that one friend had a WHOLE DANG BABY since the last time I talked to her. so that uhm.. roughly translates to "oh.my.god has it really been more than 9 months since we got together, I totally didn't even know you were pregnant!" Ahem. I'm a terrible friend. Also reaching out to highschool and college pals that I've also neglected recently. Mom is coming to visit in September, yippie! I am SO looking forward to seeing her.
4. Summertiiiiimme. and the living is lazy. Have not hit the gym even once since before vacation but have had 5 or 6 trips to the inlaws' swimming pool for paddling about. Have also neglected to cook for the better part of July and August so far. So, because of pending trip, I've decided that starting today I'm banishing my inner summer-slacker. I stopped by the gym and got weighed and measured (yuk) and was pleasantly surprised that I kept some of the weight off. I will actually work out this evening and today begins anew my eating like a thin person, instead of eating my weight in cream of all varieties.

I think that sums it up. For now anyway.