Today is a very good day

As some of you know, I've been trying to find the right job situation. I've had my own business being a !awyer, but it's hard to do it on your own! I've been supplementing that with work for other a!torneys and with contract gigs helping big firms prepare for specific cases. Irregular hours, fairly boring work, no opportunity for advancement. And I wasn't doing that much about it.

Until...a few weeks ago, I started sending out some resumes. And I got a call for an interview last week. First of all, I was wearing a new (old, but new cause I couldn't wear it for the past five years) suit, that I felt great in. Secondly, when I was asked to trek an hour in the opposite direction from where I needed to be, I didn't make an excuse and reschedule because I was tired or didn't want to exert the energy. I popped into the train and away I went...I had the interview, and I felt good about myself. I think that made me calmer. I was able to listen instead of babbling. And I felt like I had real value. Part of it was the very specific match up of my talents and abilities to this position. But part of it was me...I felt like I personally had value. And this is due to my weight loss. I didn't feel like I needed to compensate. I didn't feel like I needed to hide myself behind a bigger personality. I didn't feel like I was going to be judged based on my fat. I just felt like me.

And my new-found confidence had results...I had another phone interview yesterday, and today I was called and offered the position! It's perfect for me, because it utilizes my existing skills and gives me great opportunities to build new ones, learning from a very talented professional at the top of his game - my boss appears on network shows talking about his specialty, and teaches at two universities on top of his growing practice. My job will not only be to be a !awyer, but to eventually manage this particular branch of the entire practice - there are four offices in total.

I am very excited. I've never had a traditional career, which I have mentioned. I think my non-traditional career made me more valuable to my new employer because it showed him I wasn't afraid to try new things or strike out on my own - that will be part of my job, to reach new communities and bring in new business, and I am very excited to do what I do well, with support and a steady pay check. Plus, I hear there are bonuses...?

Anyway, to celebrate, I got a massage pedicure, a manicure, and a facial at a local salon, then hit the local Plus-Size resale shop, where I scored some stuff that doesn't fit yet, but will soon -  a Tahari pantsuit in size 16, an Ann Taylor skirt suit in size 16, two structured wear-to-work dresses in XXL and XL from Isaac Mizrahi for Target and Old Navy, a skirt from Anne Klein in size 16, and a sensible pair of black flats countered with a pair of high heeled yet very comfortable baby blue and white spectator peek-toe slingbacks.

Then I walked down the street and stopped at One Girl Cookies, a cute little bakery. I had a plate of cookies - 4 tiny one-biters and a cup of tea, while sitting in the window and looking out at the rain - what a nice feeling I had!

My day in food:
breakfast - cooked two eggs and some peas - a weird combo my mom taught me. Cooked with a dab of butter. Took 45 minutes to eat half. Ate the other half at seven pm! Also ate 4 Trader Joe's version of Light Wheat Thins, which is about half a serving.

Noon to one pm - sipped on a cup of hot tea - feels good! - and drank some water. Really wasn't hungry. Thought about eating something but opted out.

Thought about how to celebrate without food...I guess it is still ok to celebrate with food, although I am trying very hard not to reward myself with food.

Tea and cookies at One Girl Cookies at 5.30 pm. Four delicious bite sized cookies, eaten in the window seat with a cup of Earl Grey. Looking at people rushing home in the rain. How cozy.

Wait - that's all I ate today - two eggs, some peas, 4 tiny crackers and 4 tiny cookies...what? Who am I? Maybe I'll go have a yogurt to add some protein and calories to a very low day.

So, tonight I am lining up some outfits in the closet for the rest of the week, and tomorrow I start my new career! How exciting!

I am not going to bring all out band food to work right away, since I don't know where I'll be, etc. But I think a Luna bar, a string cheese, and a Greek yogurt in my briefcase will do me just right, and not too weird. I am pretty sure I will keep my surgery a secret here, especially because I am supposed to take over as the managing a!torney of this office.