BikiniBound's Diary

[bikinibound]

Exercise this week:
11/19—None, weight: 226.5
11/20—30 min circuit training, 10 min exercise bike, 3.8 miles biked, weight: 227.5
11/21—35 min circuit training, 25 min ex. Bike, 9.2 miles biked, weight: 225.5
11/22—None, weight: 227
11/23—50 min exercise bike, 18.3 miles biked, weight: 229.5
11/24—None, weight: 230

Food for Saturday:
Total: 1,983 calories, 101g fat 47%, 181g net carbs 38%, 74g protein 15%, 18g fiber

Food for Friday:
Total: 2,774 calories, 102g fat 35%, 275g net carbs 42%, 151g protein 23%, 38g fiber

Food for Thursday:
Total: 4,135 calories, 174g fat 39%, 463g net carbs 46%, 143g protein 14%, 56g fiber

Food for Wednesday:
Total: 2,182 calories, 67g fat 29%, 216g net carbs 42%, 144g protein 28%, 39g fiber

Got a little behind in posting my stuff...or should I say posting how I got stuffed...hehe.

Pie update: only 1 slice today! woohoo! The pumpkin pie is all gone, and there are only 3 slices left of the apple/pear/cranberry. So that means the most damage I can do tomorrow is 3 slices...lmao.

Another crazy couple of days in college football. Once again, the #1 and #2 ranked teams lost. And now Paul's Georgia Bulldogs will probably be ranked 4th in the new poll, and will most likely play in a BCS bowl game. Gooooooo Dawgs!!

Now I've got to get to work on that FS app.

 

[hickgurltx]

..Hey sweet stuff..

Whatcha doin'?

LOL

Gosh, I'm wide awake!

I thought after stayin' up till 4AM and hubby havin' ta wake me up at 9 so he could go to bed/sleep 4 work, I'd be out by now..

No such luck.. <grrrr> I just got a 2nd wind.

****

So now that TG is over, what do ya want your calorie range to be?

For me I'm thinkin' if my exercise is gonna be low until I can get myself in gear, I need ta stay at 1,300 - 1,500...

 

[bikinibound]

[COLOR="Indigo
So now that TG is over, what do ya want your calorie range to be?

For me I'm thinkin' if my exercise is gonna be low until I can get myself in gear, I need ta stay at 1,300 - 1,500...[/COLOR]

I've been working on that Foreign Service application. Answering those questions is VERY hard. But, I just got done with two of them. So I've got 5 answered, and just one to go. But it's a doozy and I can't think of a thing besides running this challenge, yet I don't want to use it for reasons I've already mentioned..lol. It's question #5--I've posted it before.

As to my calories, I'd like them to be between 1500-1850. Today's were still higher than I'd like--but way better than they have been the last few days..lmao.

 

[Omega]

Hi Kimberly

Well done for working on the application. Only one question left is a good place to be.

You should lose weight on the 1983 calories for Saturday - well done - it is always hard getting back on track after a splurge. As you know I feel happy at that level of calories. I am sure that you will be well below your maintenance level with that.

Take care
Love
Margaret

 

[bikinibound]

There is one other thing with this application that I'm mulling over. We have to chose a career track, and cannot change it once the app is submitted. There are 5 career tracks, but these two are the ones that interest me most. The consular track appeals to me because I would be helping Americans in trouble abroad, but the day to day visa/passport dealings could be tedious and boring (although not difficult). The public diplomacy track is more interesting, although probably more difficult. Posing as the embassy/consulate spokesperson is somewhat intimidating to me, but the other aspects of the job are appealing. Also, I have heard that more people apply for the public dip track, so I'd have better chances of getting in under the consular track. But like I said, once I'm in--there's no changing tracks.

Consular Career Track:
• Acquire expertise in local laws, customs, and political climate.
• Provide both emergency and non-emergency services to American citizens.
• Respond to inquiries from a range of sources, including congressional offices.
• Adjudicate visa applications to determine who may enter the United States.
• Work to combat consular fraud.
• Develop innovative practices to protect U.S. citizens and keep U.S. borders safe.

Public Diplomacy Career Track:
• Develop and maintain contacts with those who influence public opinion.
• Serve as post spokesperson, and address all media inquiries; support Ambassador with media events.
• Explain the complexities of U.S. society, culture, and foreign policy agenda.
• Manage academic and cultural programs and encourage bilateral participation.
• Ensure U.S. positions are understood and that misrepresentations are corrected.
• Promote U.S. core values of free speech and transparency.

Granted, in many smaller embassies/consulates the small number of staff means they are often required to do jobs that would normally be done by someone in another career track.

 

[Omega]

Hi Kimberly

I will ponder that one:

In addition to what you say about comparitive number of applicants and how appealing the tasks sound major decision criteria that pop into my head are
- which route is most likely to take you to nice places and not war-torn hell-holes.
- which route gives the best skill-set for applying for jobs in the outside world x years down the track if you decide that you want out.

Take care
Love
Margaret

 

[AmbaLove]

My papa always said with difficult decisions, flip a coin. Not because you should do what it says, but because as soon as it is in the air, you usually know what you hope it lands on, and thats your answer. Strange advice, but I've used it...and it tends to be true.

 

[daiseeangel]

My papa always said with difficult decisions, flip a coin. Not because you should do what it says, but because as soon as it is in the air, you usually know what you hope it lands on, and thats your answer. Strange advice, but I've used it...and it tends to be true.

I have never thought about it that way!! That makes perfect sense!!

 

[hickgurltx]

Happy Sunday my lil love muffin.



Oppss...It's not tld yet...lol

*Have A Goal Reachin' Day!*

 

[bikinibound]

Hi Kimberly

I will ponder that one:

In addition to what you say about comparitive number of applicants and how appealing the tasks sound major decision criteria that pop into my head are
- which route is most likely to take you to nice places and not war-torn hell-holes.
- which route gives the best skill-set for applying for jobs in the outside world x years down the track if you decide that you want out.

Take care
Love
Margaret

LMAO!! As far as avoiding war-torn hell holes goes, I don't think either one would give me an advantage. However, I think there would be more posts available to someone in the consular track. I do like the aspect of international exchanges that is part of the pub. dip track, though.

When it comes to where they assign you, a lot depends on your background, language skills and current openings. Most officers are expected to spend at least one or two shifts in what would be considered a hardship post (basically anywhere in Africa, some Asian and S. American countries). But no matter where you are posted, you move about every 1-4yrs. I think the "hardship" posts are nearly always 2yrs or less. A nice aspect is that you get hardship pay and danger pay depending on the post. So it's possible to increase your salary up to 50%. I think it's unlikely they would put a newbie in a war-torn area such as Iraq, Afghanistan or Darfur. They usually send experienced diplomats to those countries.

 

[bikinibound]

My papa always said with difficult decisions, flip a coin. Not because you should do what it says, but because as soon as it is in the air, you usually know what you hope it lands on, and thats your answer. Strange advice, but I've used it...and it tends to be true.

That is a very interesting concept.

 

[Omega]

I think it's unlikely they would put a newbie in a war-torn area such as Iraq, Afghanistan or Darfur. They usually send experienced diplomats to those countries.

So a plan could be to get a job which gives great skills in the outside world and then stuff your notice in and escape to a well-paid outside world job the minute they try and send you to a war-torn hell-hole.

Or hope that there are no war-torn hell-holes by the time you get experienced! (- even I cannot believe there is much likelihood of that!!!)

 

[Blancita]

You could have a sizeable impact on people in the consular track. My sister dealt with the US consulates in both Bermuda and the UK, and had vastly different experiences with each. While in Bermuda they did what they could to be helpful, reasonable, fair and nice, the consulate in the UK did whatever possible to make things difficult, make arbitrary decisions, behave unfriendly and bordering on mean, and just completely unreasonable and unworkable. As an American citizen its important to have good people at the consulate that can look out for you in a foreign country if needed or assist you with your US rights.

 

[bikinibound]

Eureka, I've Got It!!

This question has been stumping me, but finally a little light bulb went off.

5) Foreign Service Officers are often required to manage projects, demonstrating the ability to plan and organize, set priorities, employ a systematic approach, and allocate time and resources efficiently. Describe a project you managed or helped to manage and how you sought to achieve the project’s goals. (What was the project? What steps did you take to manage the project? What was the result?)

My current job as a Realtor involves planning, organizing, setting priorities, allocating time and resources efficiently. Every transaction is a mini-project that requires all of the above things. I have to coordinate showings (which involves mapping out the homes and estimating the time it will take to show them), once an offer is written I have to coordinate and set up inspections, order title work, follow up with repairs, and pretty much organize the closing. When I am busy I have to determine what things need to take priority and which things can wait. Yay!! Now I just have to type it out and submit. Woohoo!!

Weight was 228.5 today--so down 1.5lbs from yesterday. Only 3 more lbs to lose in order to get back to my lowest. Today has been pie-free so far.

 

[bikinibound]

You could have a sizeable impact on people in the consular track. My sister dealt with the US consulates in both Bermuda and the UK, and had vastly different experiences with each. While in Bermuda they did what they could to be helpful, reasonable, fair and nice, the consulate in the UK did whatever possible to make things difficult, make arbitrary decisions, behave unfriendly and bordering on mean, and just completely unreasonable and unworkable. As an American citizen its important to have good people at the consulate that can look out for you in a foreign country if needed or assist you with your US rights.

That is true, but then I'd have to deal with a bunch of assenine Americans abroad as well..lmao. And I have a VERY low tolerance for those kinds of people. I think I'd rather work with other nationalities and represent America well. Ya know, let them know we're not all arrogant, uneducated war-mongerers. Some of us are well-spoken, educated, compassionate perverts.

 

[hickgurltx]

That's my Kimberly! lol



****
I'm doin' important work as well..

I'm writing Santa and askin' for lots of electronics and batteries!

 

[Omega]

Hi Kimberly

I am so pleased that you have spotted an answer for the elusive question. Well done.

Make sure that you get it all done and sent off.

Let us know when you have submitted it - you dont want me to start nagging you to make sure that you have got it completed, checked and sent in.

As has been said before - I can nag for England!

Well done for bringing your weight down and staying pie-free. I am pleased that we dont have these pie-extravaganza bank holidays that seemed to have been. They sound delicious - but a killer for any weight loss plan.

Take care
Love
Margaret

 

[bikinibound]

Exercise this week:
11/19—None, weight: 226.5
11/20—30 min circuit training, 10 min exercise bike, 3.8 miles biked, weight: 227.5
11/21—35 min circuit training, 25 min ex. Bike, 9.2 miles biked, weight: 225.5
11/22—None, weight: 227
11/23—50 min exercise bike, 18.3 miles biked, weight: 229.5
11/24—None, weight: 230
11/25—60 min exercise bike, 20.67 miles, weight: 228.5
Total for week: 210min, 51.97 miles biked, weight lost: 0

Food for Sunday:
Total: 1,580 calories, 67g fat 40%, 116g net carbs 31%, 111g protein 29%, 27g fiber

Man, was my butt ever killing me by the time I got off the bike! I don't think I've ever ridden it that long before. When I did the 50min the other day, I did 30min and then took a break for about an hour before I did the other 20min. Today I did the whole 60min in one shot.

Very happy with my calories today.
Pie report: 1 slice. There are still 2 slices left. I'm sure I'll have another one tomorrow.

I printed out a sample of FS exam test questions today. I got 16 out of 20 correct on the job knowledge section, and 25 out of 25 correct on the English Expression section. I've attached the mini-exam if anyone wants to see it.

 

[bikinibound]

Margaret, I was too busy with the challenge tonight to get to the last question. But I will do it tomorrow.

 

[Miss Ladybug]

YEAH, OH YEAH!!! we are both grinches!!! Boy that sounds a lot like me. LOL LMAO!! nah, I'm a grinch when it comes to shopping during the holiday's I HATE IT! but when it comes to getting gifts for others, I LOVE IT! double edge sword right. DUH!

Sounds like you had a very busy weekend, like always!! Great job on your bike ride, my butt would have felt on fire had I sat that long and rode. WOW!

Well, I really looking forward to this week, it's a new day and with no PIE! LOL I'm tired of leftovers and I'm ready to hit the gym hard!! I think I'm going to limit my dinner calories a little also.

I'll check back by later!!
HUGS TWIN ( THE SUPER GRINCH)