Summer’s over, school has started… time for a new theme

Kids are going back to school…

Days are getting shorter…

Nights are cooler and morning dew shows on the grass…

It must mean it’s almost Fall.  Beautiful foliage will be here soon here in New England, so I’m jumping ahead. Time for a header update.

Courtesy of renatela at Flickr.com.

I Need to Lose Weight!

I have been trying to seriously lose weight for the past 3 weeks. By seriously, I mean working out 2 or 3 times a week, eating right (sorta!) and drinking water instead of sodas and other drinks full of sugar.

We have access to a free gym where I work, so a colleague and I work out as much as we can.

I avoid everything that has high fructose corn syrup in it – do you know how hard that it?? I never realized so many of our processed food contains that nasty little ingredient. I am also getting used to drinking water. I was never a big fan of water, still not am. But I learn to enjoy it. And if I focus hard enough, I can pretend it taste like whatever I want it to. When I’m really sick of it though, I drop some Crystal Light in it.

On the food side, I was never a big fast food eater. Every once in a great while, I will crave a Big Mac and I just go for it. But we’re talking once every 2 or 3 months. I haven’t completely shied away from carbs and I probably won’t. I eat lost of greens, grilled meat and fish once a week.

So what’s the result you ask on the edge of our seats? 0… I have lost 0 lbs! I guess I need to step it up. I am 160 lbs for 5′4”. My BMI is 27.5, which is overweight (between 25 and 29.9) and halfway through to obese.

I have signed up for Self’s Make Yourself Over, which will help me keep track of what I eat and how much I work out and my measurements. My goal before hubby and I go grocery shopping this week is to find healthy recipes for lunch and dinner. I am completely throwing out anything that is fatty and sugary. Snack will consist of granola bars and fruits from now on.

I will have to fit this in with my vacations that I am taking from 9/13 to 9/27. I am going to visit my family in France. I can’t resist gran’ma cooking. It’s going to be tough!

Status:

Current weight	160 lbs
Goal weight	140 lbs
Time	10 weeks

Photo by: magnifique faith on flickr.com

Sunday’s Four o’clock snack… Plum Clafouti

There is a little ritual in France that we call the “Quatre Heure” (or “Four o’clock”). 4 PM is the time when kindergarten and elementary school kids get out of school at. So the “Quatre Heure” is the snack they get after they have made their way back home. It can be just about anything. From yogurt to Nutella tartine (hhmm… Nutella) to Lu cookies, or for the health conscious: fruits.

However, the “Quatre Heure” doesn’t have to be only week days

I was reading The Boston Globe Magazine this afternoon and found a recipe for a Plum Clafoutis. I love clafoutis, they’re moist and sweet and fruity and so yummy. What is a clafouti, you ask? It’s pretty simple, a clafouti is a “custard-like baked French dessert that is typically made by baking fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a batter (…) in a baking dish.” (from Wikipedia’s Clafouti entry).

Recipe (from The Boston Globe Magazine, August 26, 2007)
Note: I halved all the ingredients. The recipe said it serves 8, but there are only 2 of us here.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 or 4 plums cut in eights
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 and 1/8 cup of milk
• 3/4 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 and 1/8 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Set the rack in the top third of the over and heat the over to 350 degrees.In an 8-by-8 inch baking pan, pour the melted butter and swirl to coat the sides.In a medium bowl, toss the plums with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and pour into the buttered pan. In a food processor (a simple bowl and whisk work just as fine), combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, flour and salt. Use about 10 one-second pulses to combine. Do not over-mix. Pour the batter on top of the plums. Bake 45 to 55 minutes. The clafouti is ready when it is lightly browned, slightly puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.Remove from oven and serve immediately or while still warm and enjoy…

Public Transportation Etiquette

In a post a few weeks ago about Boston’s MBTA, I concluded by writing I would make another entry about “the “do’s”, “don’t’s” and “really don’t’s” on public transportation”.

I started thinking about this and so many things came to my mind when picturing people behavior on the train. Let’s stretch our legs with a few “duh’s”

1. Make way, make way
   When someone tries getting off the train, why do people waiting to get in have to crowd at the door and force you to push them out of the way. You will get on the train, just as soon as you let me off.
2. Don’t be scared to move in the car. People will let you off when you need to… (Only if you’re nice)
   I understand that at rush hour, it’s hard to get all the way in the train, but you will be able to get off when you need to and guess what? It might just make it easier for other people to get on.
3. News flash: your backpack/purse/briefcase can touch the floor and it doesn’t need its own seat
   Truth is I like it so much better when I get poked in the ribs on my way to work.
   When you have a bag, any kind of bags, please put it between your legs on the floor. Especially during rush hour, when we all have to squeeze into each other. I don’t need or want someone’s purse in my face.
   And since when does your bag need a seat?
4. Take your cell phone and shove it
   Need I say more?
   But talking about cell phones:
5. Find me the guy who invented those Nextel phones and hang him
   Who invented them anyway?? Why didn’t he just get ran over that day?
   I am already annoyed enough to have to hear your side of the conversation, please don’t make me endure the response. I don’t care that your boyfriend/girlfriend is cheating on you or that your boss is a jerk (everyone’s boss is a jerk).
6. I understand you want to get home as much as I do, but preventing the doors from closing will get you or I no where…
   So get off and wait for the next train!
7. If you’re high on something and carrying drinks, please sit down so you won’t spill it all over the other passengers
   Yes, it has happened to me once. ‘nuf said!

So there you have it… There are so many more annoying behavior on the subway, and those are the ones that came to mind rather quickly.

Feel free to add on to the list.

I Am Job Hunting

It is no secret (well, to me at least) that I have been looking for a new job for a few months now. Why so long? Well, first of all 12 (yes, 12!) months isn’t that long. Second, I don’t completely hate what I’m doing so I’m taking my time to land that great (dream?) job.

What am I doing to land this great job:

1. Figuring out what I really want to do.
   This is not as easy as I thought it would be. I want to do so many things, but I have narrowed it down to 2 areas:
   • Java Software development
   • Data and Technology Forensic
   • Web development
2. Find companies that I would like to work for and where I could achieve the what-I-want-to-do part. Listing all the companies would be too long, but I’ve narrowed down the type of industries:
   • Consulting firm
   • Young and fun Software company
   • As a consultant/contractor

   Alright, we’re making progress. My resume is up-to-date and I have specific-(ish) goals.

3. What are my skills?
   Database Management: I have been a content manager for 3 years, working on an Oracle 9i database with SQL Developer
   • I am good at SQL. (They call me the queen of joins)
   • A little rusty at PL/SQL
   • I can analyze a query, tell you what it’s supposed to do and why it’s not working, all with a smile on my face

   Software Development: I am starting as a Junior Software Developer. I attended a training week on Sun’s Campus a few weeks ago and plan on taking the SCJA (Sun Certified Java Associate) by the end of this month.

   • I am familiar with UML designs and have experience with JSP
   • I am good at figuring out what’s broken (a.k.a troubleshooting) and fixing it or calling for help if I need to

   Web Development: I’d love to get a jobs as a contractor/consultant to help build web sites for people that already have worked on the graphic design part and build a strong and diversified portfolio.

   • I love HTML, CSS and doing web development. I can spend hours in front of my code, modifying it, tweaking it and seeing the result on a website.
   • When a web page looks great, it needs a little logic behind it, that’s where PHP, ASP and JavaScript come in…

   Skill list? check…

4. Next step? Listing of my non-technical skills. Stay tuned…

If you’re interested, you can write to me:

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PS: For those wondering or just thinking “Geez, look at her. What shameless promotion!” Well, I have a blog and am looking for a job, so you bet I am using it to my advantage

Stop Using Plastic Bags

I have been living in the US for almost 7 years and am still amazed, among other things, at the number of plastic bags people use at grocery stores.

In France, stores have been encouraging people to switch to re-usable canvas bags by restricting the number of plastic bags they can take with them. Some have even not made plastic bags available anymore at all – a little extreme, but it works.

How pleasantly surprised was I when I noticed that my local Shaw’s was selling canvas bags for a buck a few weeks ago. I jumped on them. I bought 3 the first trip and 3 more the following weeks and we have not used any plastic bags from our grocery store ever since.

The bags are made of 100% non woven polypropylene, which is biodegradable. I would have liked to see something else than “Made in China”, but I guess you can’t have it all!

Edit: I asked the question “Is polypropylene biodegradable?” on Yahoo! Answer.
I received the following answers:
- “Yes, but it takes tens of thousands of years. And, because the material is pretty inert, the biodegradation will need to be assisted by erosion.”
- “Polypropylene IS itself a plastic.
No, it does not biodegrade. Yes, it does disintegrate under sun’s UV if directly exposed.”
- “no it is not biodegrable. it is photodegradable meaning it breaks down into smaller pieces by the suns uv rays but other than that no.”
This has the merit of being clear. If you do buy reusable bags, you might want to go for 100% cotton bags.

I could list 100 reasons why you should not use plastic bags, but I won’t because I’m sure you have heard or read them all.

All I will do is keep this post short by asking you to do the same, and stop using plastic bags.

If your local grocery store doesn’t offer these bags, you can find them online. A site called reusablebags.com sells, well, just that: reusable bags, in many different size, textures and colors.
The Planet Bag sells cloth grocery bags through Amazon.com. Please check it out and make a difference.

Suze Orman, the Balance Transfer Game and My Thoughts

I was watching the Suze Orman show on Saturday night. Yes, my life is very exciting!

In her opening, she had a guest asking about “App-O-Rama”, a term I had never heard before, and taking advantage of 0%, no-fee balance transfer offers from credit card companies.

From app-o-rama.com: “The App O Rama is a strategy of completing multiple applications at the same time. The goal is to get as many bonus offers and new credit lines as one desires, in a quick and convenient way.”

The 0% no-fee balance transfer game is on the same line. People get approved for a large credit line at 0%, they deposit the money in a high yield savings account and collect the interest… while slowly repaying the credit card balance. Yeah! don’t forget the part where you have to repay the amount you transferred.

I personally believe that this is a dangerous and risky game where the benefits do not outweigh the risk. However, I don’t see it as something you have to avoid. If you are disciplined enough and don’t mind the idea of putting yourself $30k in debt for a $1,500 (assuming 5% rate) annual reward (which is, don’t forget, taxable) be my guest. If you want to find out more about how to do this properly and get a list of credit card offers, check 2million’s Guide to Taking Advantage of 0% Balance Transfer Offers. He has a little over $13k in the form of 0% balance transfer and he’s pretty good at it.

Even is Suze acts usually in a very conservative matter, I happen to agree with her reasons why this practice is not worth the risks:

• As mentioned above, you have to get a pretty huge amount transfered in order to get some benefits out of it.
  In the example above, if you were to get $30k and place it in a 5.12% APR (5.25% APY), you would end up with $1,575 at the end of the year.
• Any interests earned are taxable
  Let’s say you’re at the 15% tax bracket. That’s $236.25 you’d have to pay in taxes. You really only got $1,338.75 so far.
• If you so much as mess up one payment, even on another credit card, the universal default rate might kick in. Remember that credit card company will regularly check your credit report and change your rate if something bad happens on another one of your account. Read “Unfair” Credit Card Rate Hikes by Selena Maranjian at The Motley fool or Eight Things a Credit Card User Should Know on PBS.org, which states that “Even if you make your credit card payments on time, the credit card bank can raise your interest rate automatically if you’re late on payments elsewhere — such as on another credit card or on a phone, car, or house payment — or simply because the bank feels you have taken on too much debt“
• Your minimum payment might end up being quite hefty. And if you plan on repaying that debt before the special offer end, that payment will be even higher.
  If you have a $30K balance and the offer is good for 12 months, you will have to pay $2,500 a month to avoid any interest at the end. That’s quite a chunk of money.
• Even if all of that hasn’t deterred you from giving this a try, know that your credit score needs to be in the “pretty darn good” range in order to qualify for these offers.
  According to Suze, your FICO score has to be in the 760-850 range, which most people do not have.

Again, I’m not saying that playing the balance transfer game should not be done. I’m simply not sold on its benefits and reward/risk ratio.
If you are thinking about doing it, please make an informed decision and know what you’re getting yourself into. More reading:

Articles
Win the Balance Transfer Game by Elizabeth Brokamp at The Motley Fool
Can you make money in the balance transfer game? by Gregory Taggart at Bankrate.com

Blog Posts
Pitfalls of Using 0% Credit Card Offers To Earn Interest by Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
How to Profit from 0% Balance Transfer Credit Card Offers from nickel at fivecentnickel.com
How To Make Money From 0% APR Balance Transfers (Index) at My Money Blog