A Few Items of Interest

Hello, sponsors and supporters!

I just wanted to give you an update on the Sanctuary. Here are some highlights:

• The Sanctuary has changed its name and URL. Please make a note of it, and be sure to update your bookmarks. The Sanctuary is now called the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW). Their new URL is http://www.chimpsanctuarynw.org/ and there are all sorts of new items appearing on the site all the time, so be sure to check it often.

• The first seven chimps will be moving into the Sanctuary in the spring of 2008! This is truly a momentous announcement because getting chimps into the Sanctuary is what this is all about. As soon as photos become available, I will link to or post them here. The chimps' names are Annie, Burreto, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy, and Negra. The one male and six females currently reside at a lab in Pennsylvania, and it will be a happy day indeed when they get to move into their fabulous new home! For more information, see http://www.chimpsanctuarynw.org/chimp-bios.shtml and http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_chimp_sanctuary.html.

• While all of my supporters and sponsors have already been unbelievably generous, a few of you have asked me how else you can help the chimps. If you, like I, consider the use of primates in entertainment a cruel and unjustifiable pursuit, one easy way you can help is to join the Primate Patrol, an advocacy branch of the Sanctuary that works diligently to end the exploitative use of primates in entertainment and advertising. The people behind Primate Patrol conveniently provide all the information you'll need in order to directly contact those people and companies identified as exploiting primates. You can simply copy and paste the provided sample letters, or you can write your own message. It's a fast, easy, and free way to help end primate exploitation in entertainment. It might seem like sending an email or writing a letter is a drop in the bucket, but you know what happens when thousands of drops land in the same bucket, right? At the very least, every email and letter helps to raise awareness of what these chimps are forced to endure--and awareness is the first step in changing people's attitudes and actions.

In a perfect world, chimp sanctuaries wouldn't be a necessity at all. Until we get there, please accept another hearty THANK YOU for all that you're doing by sponsoring and supporting me as I lose pounds for primates!

10 Pounds Gone!

Whew! I finally hit the 1o-pound mark today! That came as a surprise because I've eaten some carb-heavy items over the last week or so. I haven't been feeling very well for the last few weeks, and I've been craving carbtastic foods like crazy. There's nothing quite as comforting and refreshing as a cherry Slurpee when my stomach is off. The sugar-free stuff just doesn't cut it.

Anyway, I've indulged those cravings within reason and without completely overdoing it, with the hope that I wouldn't gain any weight. A week of plateauing isn't the end of the world when I'm not feeling well, right?

Yesterday, I went to my favorite lunch spot (Boat Street Kitchen) and enjoyed an amazingly delicious tomato, cheddar, and mustard sandwich. It tasted heavenly, and it really settled my stomach in a way that only bread and cheese could. The most difficult part of eating at Boat Street is resisting the Best Dessert in Seattle: the famous Boat Street amaretto bread pudding. That's the kind of food that fantasies are made of.

Tonight I was craving pizza, so we ordered some Pagliacci. And you know what? That pizza (and the accompanying Gelatiamo cherry sorbet) was the best-tasting thing I've eaten in ages. I tried to savor and appreciate every bite because I know it was a rare treat.

I love food so very, very much. I just wish I loved working out half as much as I love food. How great would that be?

On a more chimp-focused note, check out this piece about some exciting progress on the sanctuary!

Next Stop: Double Digits

What a pleasant way to start an otherwise sleepy Monday morning: A trip to the scale this morning confirmed that I have now lost nine pounds for the chimps! It will be a very exciting day indeed when I hit the 10-pound mark. I'll check again in a few days. Stay tuned!

Happy Sunday

Sorry it's been so long since I posted my last update. Things have been a little crazy. But never fear--I am still doing well and steadily dropping pounds for primates.

I'm down to seven pounds lost so far. The weight hasn't been falling off quite as quickly as I would prefer, but that's OK. On one hand, I want to raise as much money as possible for the chimps. On the other hand, I want to form eating habits that I can sustain for a lifetime, and I know that slow, steady weight loss goes hand in hand with that goal. Besides, I really haven't been feeling too deprived. If I'm truly hungry, I eat something that's both healthful and tasty (e.g., Laughing Cow Light cheese, bell peppers and hummus, celery and peanut butter, Tofurky slices., yogurt, ricotta cheese with Splenda and almond extract...).

So, as long as I'm losing weight, not feeling deprived, making my sponsors proud, and raising money for the chimps, I'll call that success. I guess I'll just keep on keepin' on!