Updates and such

Has it really been over two weeks since I blogged? My apologies; I neglect you all shockingly.  Although, in my defense, I was totally oinking on self-hatred and cake, as Goblin's Humiliator so aptly suggests.  But, at long last, I have dragged myself out of the trench of disappointment, self-hatred, and cake I'd immersed myself in since my heartbreaking rejection letter, and I am now back on that querying horse.

So, updates. It’s been a crazy few weeks, that’s for true.  Our old roommates moved back in (huzzah!), I got a raise (DOUBLE HUZZAH!), my father-in-law popped in for a surprise visit, and I found out that I have PCOS, which has bestowed upon me both acne and insulin resistance (frowny face).  Which, in a way, is good.  I knew I didn't eat enough to be as overweight as I am, but you can't say that, because no one ever believes you.  But now I can, because a doctor told me so.  I was not overeating, at least not to the degree that my waistline would suggest.  It was my ovaries all along.  My poor, cyst-ridden, hateful ovaries, sending out their dirty little hormonal signals for my body to produce copious amounts of insulin and facial oils.

My doctor suggested I go on a low-carb diet, which I started last week and I LOOOOVE. The last time I went on it, I lost 60 pounds in 3 months and felt better than I had in years. Let me say that again. 60 pounds in 3 months. You read that right. The only reason I quit the diet last time was because it’s expensive. But, thankfully, now that I’ve gotten a raise, we can afford for me to do it again. I’ve been on it for about a week now, and I’ve already lost 5 pounds. It would be more, but I had to take that stupid glucose tolerance test earlier in the week, which threw my diet off for a couple of days. Ah, well.

Before you even ask:  It raises GOOD cholesterol, not bad, because without carbohydrates your body can’t hold on to saturated fats (in most cases; in a few instances it slightly raises bad cholesterol, but it’s completely overridden by how much it boosts good cholesterol). It’s also good for your triglycerides and lowers blood pressure, not to mention the staggering weight loss and, in some cases, the fact that it can almost eradicate Type 2 diabetes.

Yes, I do eat bacon and steak and eggs and cheese, but I also eat chicken and turkey and tons of vegetables. I eat broccoli, salad, cucumbers, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, and/or black olives every day. I never eat so many veggies as I when I’m on the Atkins diet. The best part, though, is that I don’t have to starve myself or exercise like a demon in order to slowly (if I’m lucky) lose a piddling 1-2 pounds per week. I’m never hungry and even if I don’t work out, I still lose weight. Although I should work out. And I will. When it gets warmer outside.

As for cravings…I never much cared for bread and I can live without pasta, though I did enjoy potatoes. The one thing I REALLY miss is sugar, because I LOVE me some sweets. But at least there are some awesome sugar-free candies etc. out there to help satisfy my sweet tooth.

And, last but certainly not least, I got a partial request from an agent for Eyes of Stone! WOO-HOO and TRIPLE HUZZAH!!  I also sent a query to a publisher, although it was with my previous, less-awesome query letter. That older one was was ok, but I think the new one better represents the feel of the book.  I haven't hear back yet, of course, but we'll see.  Also, I learned that not everyone in QLH knows what the duck they’re talking about.

Alright. I didn’t mean for this post to degenerate into a post about dieting, but it happened anyway. I’m going to go eat some more meat and wait for my pants to get looser.

Have a great weekend!! :D