Life&Style. OF THE Wy All tied up By Sharon Miki, Assistant Editor As we enter week four, the excitement of newness (diet, challenge, rivalry) has settled into a sort of oatmeal-flavoured flannel-textured bowl of drudgery that threatens to derail my rah- rah progress. C not winning, but I’m not losing either. nice as just being nice, I find myself hyper- analyzing peoples’ reactions to me. Thank you for noticing that my neck is less rotund, but was it really that grotesque before? A close friend embraced me yesterday and told me with what I’m sure were the best intentions, “Oh, Shat, you’tre really starting to look normal again.” How Adding tothe ——_“@ne thing that keeps me going is that people are starting to notice ©" being perilous flat that my body is changing. As muchas I'd like to say thatexternal 10, 20, or lining of our affirmation doesn’t matter to me, I’m not a robot; | appreciate 100 pounds experiment? compliments and find them motivating.” overweight Jacey and | make someone are now tied look not in weight loss percentage, since we’ve lost our first week’s progress due to the college scale’s miscalculations. It makes it hard to compete with the man when—despite constant heckling and attempts at rival sabotage—we just end up in the same boat. Still, I go on. One thing that keeps me going is that people are starting to notice that my body is changing. As much as Id like to say that external affirmation doesn’t matter to me, I’m not a robot; I appreciate compliments and find them motivating. Because I see myself every day, I can measure my results on paper, but they’re less apparent when | look in the mirror. Yet, because I’m me and can’t take anything “normal”? I can’t help but feel both flattered and offended by these kinds of comments. When I started this thing 20ish pounds ago, was I some sort of gremlin? Did I have a monstrous second ass that everyone was too polite to point out? Clearly, I haven't fully sorted out the emotional aspects of this whole thing yet, but I’m working on it. So long as I keep running while dealing with my feelings (instead of moping over Kraft Dinner and cupcakes), it should work out in the end—i.e. with Jacey enjoying roach al dente. Progress so far (from week 2): Sharon: -3% Jacey: -3% The Rival Report: Updates from Waistland By Jacey Gibb, Opinions Editor s of this article’s inception, I’ma Ar behind Ms. Miki. My first successful weigh-in documented a seven pound drop over the week, meaning I shed the two I gained from before and then lost a handful more. But success should only be savoured in small doses, as my first instinct was to go celebrate with some beer. As for breaking news on the fitness front, there is a lack of game-changing news on my side. I got a haircut and shaved my face, so I’m sure that'll knock a few pounds off my weigh-in next week. In theory, setting aside an hour a day to punish your body on an exercise bike might sound like an accomplishable task—but during midterms this became more impossible than finding a table at the Cambie on a Friday night. It’s difficult to divert energy to physical activity when you’re pulling all-nighters and snoozing through lectures. But the majority of those wretched examinations are behind me now, so resume Operation Keep Fit and Have Fun. Smart buying on Craigslist: "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy’ By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer raigslist. The magical website full of dubious personals, underpaying jobs, ——- —— craigslist.org sketchy conversation “forums,” and endless items for sale. It’s all so wonderful and tempting, but beware, dear reader, there are some tricks of the trade you must know. Assuming you are out of those glorious teenage years and no longer in possession of complete knowledge of everything, this article should be useful. lid Tip 1: Bargain! This is the first and most important tip about Craigslist (if it wasn’t obvious to you already). The same rules apply as when you head out to a Chinese Night Market; if you’re paying full price, you’re paying too much. It’s fi oa a a “great deal,” make sure that you off! know the product inside-out and backwards. An American-made “It’s not a store. There are no set prices. Start low and work him or her down from the initial listing price.” Tip 3: Meet in a public place. Not trying to sound like your discover the sale isn’t what you thought it to be, it is far easier to walk away with no fears or repercussions when in public. Tip 4: Don’t give out personal information. Again with the mom- related theme here, but try to avoid even giving out your phone number. If the seller wants to make sure he or she can get in contact with you once you arrive, get the seller’s number. No need for you to reciprocate. Tip 5: Don’t get your friend to pick it up for you. It can be an unpleasant situation when, while seemingly convenient at the time, your pal shows up at your place with a fake item that you just paid for. Put in the time and make sure you’re the only one to blame (or congratulate) for your purchase. not a store. There are no set prices. Start low and work him or her down from the initial listing price. Tip 2: Do your research. The age-old adage, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” holds true once again. If you’re going to shell out copious amounts of dough on 10 Fender Stratocaster for $150 from someone who has no idea what they have? Sounds like a perfect opportunity to rip-off that poor fellow. However, if you don’t make sure you're up to speed on it (serial number and such in this case), then you may be the one getting ripped- mother here, but yes, there are some unsavoury characters out there whose homes you may not really wish to venture into. Nothing sounds quite as headline-worthy as “Man enters complete stranger’s home; now missing.” Shocker. Should a deal go south and you Tip 6: Try to avoid the free stuff and the personals. Unless you have a burning desire to get your hands on a flea-ridden couch or a desperate, emotionally-unstable date, then it is probably a good idea to steer clear. Go forth and buy!