Confused Woman!

It started in January with David Bowie.  He was one of those music icons that you thought would live forever.  So many hit songs that I loved as a teenager.  David was unique and different from all of the other pop music acts I watched and listened to on MTV.

April 21, 2016 was a horrible day.  I was at work when I saw on Twitter that emergency vehicles were called to Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen, MN.  My heart skipped a beat and I prayed the EMT’s were not there for Prince.  Unfortunately, they were, and I was devastated to hear he’d passed away.

Prince was a huge presence in my teenage years.  Not only was he a hometown hero, but he was a brilliant musician.  When Purple Rain and the soundtrack were released, it was everything.  To see our state in a hit movie and hearing songs that were so amazing was awesome.

He was another artist that I thought would live forever.  Prince seemed so healthy and was still performing that it was a shock to hear he was gone.  I still tear up when I see a music video or listen to his music.  Being from Minnesota, it was like he was a part of the family, taken from us way too soon.

It’s Christmas Day, and I hear the news that George Michael has passed away.  No!  I loved him in Wham and he had some of the best hits as a solo artist.  I was a junior in high school when the songs Faith and Father Figure were hits.  I watched those videos constantly on MTV and still love them today.

Two days later, Carrie Fisher dies.  What the hell?!  This can’t be true!  She’s Princess Leia!  She can’t be gone!  Not only was she the iconic princess, but she was a wonderful actress, a brilliant writer, and an advocate for mental health.  She had such a biting wit and a brutally honest demeanor that you couldn’t help but love her.

I’ve had enough sadness and tough losses.  Let’s hope 2017 is a better year.  Rest in peace, David, Prince, George, and Carrie.  Thank you for being such an important part of my life and reminding me how truly precious our time on earth is.

Here in Minnesota, we had been very spoiled by a beautiful, extended fall.  You know winter is on the horizon, but you secretly hope fall will continue into the holiday season so we can golf over winter break.

Suddenly, Mother Nature snaps her fingers and we’re smacked with winter.  If you’re new to Minnesota, you were previously thinking, “Hey, this isn’t so bad!  Why was everyone warning me about these harsh winters?”  Now?  “Ack!  This sucks!  I can’t feel my face!  The roads are slippery!  Why did I move here?!”

Even as a native Minnesotan, I am never prepared for the winter season.  I’m always in denial it will happen, and then all of a sudden, you’re buried in it.  What doesn’t help is the media going crazy saying, “The Polar Vortex is back!   We’re in for a cold winter, brace yourself!”.

I just want to reach through the TV screen and strangle them.  It’s not the Polar Vortex, it’s called winter in Minnesota, you idiots.  Just stop freaking people out thinking it’s Armageddon.  It’s cold and snowy.  Whoopee!

No, it’s not the hit song by Chicago, even though it was a favorite in the 1980s.  It’s about me, and my love of food and “happy beverages”.  When I’m stressed, happy, sad, content, etc. these are my go-to items. However, the stress and sadness increase the desire to consume them exponentially. Hence, my reason for wanting to lose weight.

I wish I could just snap my fingers and my desire for chips and Miller Lite would magically disappear.  When I’m stressed or bummed out, why can’t I crave broccoli and a meditation app on my iPhone?

The one saving grace is I have a tool on my phone which allows me to scan the bar code of a product in the store, so I know if I should put it in my cart or leave it on the shelf.  I know all too well if it makes it into the cart, it will end up in my house and in my mouth.

It’s obvious a bag of Cheetos is bad, but it’s tricky with other products like yogurt, which can be loaded with sugar. I loved Chobani Flips, until I found out the number of SmartPoints.  That’s what I used to always have for breakfast, not anymore!

I realize it’s not a quick fix, but a journey to better health and a better me.  I just wish the journey was down the block, not across the country!