7 Links: Welcome New Readers Edition

August 21, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 13 Comments

Greetings all, and a wonderful Sunday to you! At this very moment, I’m writing from the deck of my shore house in Ocean City, New Jersey (my favorite place on the planet.) I left the Healthy Living Summit yesterday about an hour or so after the sessions ended because, although I wanted to spend time with the new people that I met, I don’t get to see my family too often (as I live in Durham, NC and they all live outside of Philly). From reading the tweets and posts from these new beautiful bloggers and bloggettes, I missed out on some mischief making, but the opportunity to sip rum & coke with mom and dad and cuddle on the couch watching CSI with my siblings (and the always-gorgeous Horatio Caine was clearly too good to pass up.

Pierce me with those eyes, Lt. Caine... (click image for Source)

Though I was ~~nominated~~ ~~chosen~~ picked for this whole “7 Links” meme a while back by a fellow blogger or two, I figured I’d hold off for a little because it seemed like the perfect way to introduce new readers to myself in a fun, organized fashion. And also, sometimes, I’m a lazy bum. But mostly it was because of how appropriate it is for new readers.

For the ease of access, feel free to check out my “About Me” to glean some background info. And on that note, I’m going to dive right into things.

My Most Beautiful Post
Football, Football, Football (Oh, and Friday.)

A Sea of Carolina Blue

Maybe it’s because I’m romantically involved with my alma mater, UNC. Or maybe it’s because I think tailgating is the most wonderful Autumn pastime of all. But whatever it is, this post fills my heart with joy and makes my heart beat a little faster when I read it. If you love college football (or college sports… or any sports), you might think this is lovely as well. If you don’t, here’s a post on my best friend’s wedding that ought to tide you over: The 61 Hour Whirlwind Wedding Weekend: Picture and the Ceremony. Don’t say I never gave you nothing….
My Most Popular Post
New Belgium Tour de Fat, Meet: DURHAM!

Beer Education: So hot right now

During a hot summer day this year, I was able to dress up like a champagne bottle and volunteer for the New Belgium Tour de Fat in downtown Durham, North Carolina (the closest city to me). Being a HUGE craft beer fan (obviously, with a name like “food, sweat, and beers“) I jumped at the chance to volunteer. I helped bring beer tokens to the masses, got to participate in a mini beer-du-cation class with some of the brewers from New Belgium, and realized that retronasal tasting is a real term (though most folks use it regarding retronasal wine tasting). I think this post was especially popular in the Durham, NC area. But beer fans far and wide are welcome to continue enjoying it.
My Most Controversial Post
Women and Chick Beer vs. Craft Beer: A Response

The Infamous "Chick Beer" that sparked the discussion

While I can’t say this post was incredibly controversial, the topic certainly was, and the discussion was the most enjoyable to read in the comments section. I also brought discussion about this topic. As I mentioned before, though I just attended a Healthy Living Summit, my passion is also craft beer and this whole topic of women being “catered to” in the craft beer world with weak flavored, low carbonated beers really got me fired up. Apparently, I was not the only one that cared about it, because I still hear this topic discussed. It’s a pretty interesting read, if you care about beer, but also if you’re interested in marketing techniques targeting females.
My Most Helpful Post
Eating Good in the Neighborhood (Pool)

Poolside with my buddy, Claire

In the summertime, on the weekends, if I’m not at the shore/beach, I like to be at the pool. I think this post provided a lot of good advice (and it was a pretty popular one, so clearly others were interested.) However, I also liked my post on Lunchbox Variety and mixing up your sammies. Eating healthy on pool weekends AND mixing up my lunches are both challenges for me, so hopefully these posts helped folks in similar situations.
A Post Whose Success Surprised Me
No Pants Wednesday

I. Hate. Pants.

I guess I’m not SUPER surprised that people love the idea of No Pants Wednesday. But when I shared with everyone the fact that the reason I go home every day for lunch, I never thought they’d get so fired up about me hating pants.

Then again, who really likes to wear pants?

If you do, I don’t mean offense…. I just think you should give No Pants Wednesday a chance.
A Post I Didn’t Think Got the Attention It Deserved
Wisdom Teeth: Be GONE!

So Very Loopy.

This is a tough one, because honestly, I never think to myself “this post DESERVES so much attention.” Who am I to expect any attention from anyone? ~~(other than awesome.)~~

But really, if you want a laugh, check out the pictures on that post. For some reason, when I was loopy on pain medication, I was SO intense about the nurses taking pictures of every step of the way. And I demanded to keep my teeth (not unlike my new buddy, Jessica and her pillow of baby teeth.) Now, not only am I the weirdo who was a total bossy brat at the dental surgeon’s office and documented every step of her wisdom teeth removal, but I’m the creep with four bleached wisdom teeth in a shot glass in my apartment.

Be careful if we ever do shots at chez moi… no one wants a shot of tooth.
Post I’m Most Proud Of
Wake-Up Call

Namaste.

This post was both a reminder to myself of all the progress I made (I have lost 40-45 lbs since March 2010 with the help of Weight Watchers, exercise like Zumba and Body Pump , and support from family/friends, as well as a reminder that sometimes, all you need to change your entire life is a little wake-up call. It sums up my progress, it talks about how my thinking about food and health changed over the past year and a half, and it has a cute shot of me sleeping (in case you’re into that kinda thing.)

This weekend, I realized that even though I never really have experienced the hardships of disordered eating that many of my peers dealt with, I had my own interesting set of circumstances that others might benefit from. No one becomes who they are in the exact same way, and though my story feels unique, I am sure I’m not the only one who slowly put on weight until they were living an unhealthy lifestyle without even realizing it, and then decided to change things up.

So there you have it. Some funny posts. Some poignant posts. Some food posts. Some beer posts.

Read up, learn about me, comment, email me, follow me on Twitter, and let’s get this party started.

Now, I’m back to hanging out with this stud:

Princess of the Jersey Shore

Isn’t he handsome?

What I’m Loving This Thursday

August 11, 2011August 11, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Hey there everyone!

I’m so glad you all got a kick out of my trip down memory lane yesterday. I’m a big fan of hopping down that particular lane now and then, so thanks for obliging my guilty pleasure.

In a not so guilty manner, I made today’s lunch knowing that tonight I’d be enjoying a few beers and maybe an appetizer (or two) at the Sam Adams Octoberfest Meetup tonight at Rockfish!

Beastly salad or salad beast, now you don't have to choose!

In today’s delicious lunch was:

Spinach
Red pepper
Green pepper
Lowfat mexican blend cheese
Reduced Sodium Bush’s Black Beans (my very favorite of all beans)
Half a small avocado
Some crumbled chips (but more on them soon)
Salsa!

A virtual fiesta in the mouth.

As I was making this little jewel, I looked around my kitchen and noticed a few new products that I’m a big fan of and wanted to share with the WORLD (or the several of you that read what I’m writing!!)

First up, something I’ve talked about before:

Actually the perfect pinch

I use this McCormick Perfect Pinch Cajun Seasoning on just about everything lately (including my reduced sodium beans… kind of defeats the purpose of the reduced sodium, I know.) I threw it on my blackened cod the other night and it just rocked my face off. Ryan likes it because it’s spicy too. And really, it’s very versatile. Use it instead of salt and pepper, or instead of taco seasoning.

Trader Joes, you did me right again!

After my picture, I crumbled a few of these Spicy Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips on top of my salad. They aren’t actually very spicy, they just crumble deliciously in my mouth, and it’s nearly impossible to not eat 100 in one sitting. That could be good or bad for you, depending on what you’re looking for in a chip. For me, it’s a little of both. I love the little flax seeds in it, and the texture of the chips is great. Also, the ingredient list is totally natural normal everyday stuff. Wins, all around.

Spinach artichoke HUMMUS?!

I’ve discussed my love for Sabra hummus many times (and tweeted too. I’m like a Sabra groupie.) But until yesterday, I’d never seen this particular flavor in a store before! Well, the moment I saw it, I grabbed it and clutched it to my bosom like a mother who’d saved her child from a burning house (read: Death grip.) I have only tried it with the aforementioned spicy chips, so the jury’s still out (too much flavor from the vehicle). I’m hoping to get something plainer this weekend and give it a real focused taste. Stay tuned.

Lime popcorn? It's a crazy hybrid like that coronarita I had!!

This popcorn totally reminds me of those Hint of Lime Tostitos. Only better. I love popcorn, I love lime and citrus flavors, and LOOK they even rimmed everything in salt!! Great treat for watching a movie, and each mini bag has only 190 calories. Better than popping that MOVIE THEATER BLAST O’ BUTTER that I used to like, and with much more flavors.

Finally, the coup de gras:

Fiber One 80 Calorie Cereal!

This Fiber One 80 Calorie cereal is AH-MAZING! It tastes like honey and crunch and awesome, AND has 40% of my daily fiber! I even added strawberries, like the picture suggested, it was perfect. Sweet, crunch, filling. I used to eat the Fiber One original literally EVERY DAY when I first started Weight Watchers. That was 60 calories but tasted like sticks and twigs.

Morning Delight

This has at LEAST 400 calories more worth of flavor, but only 20 more actual real live calories. I plan on buying 100 boxes as they’re currently on sale at Harris Teeter (and you can get a coupon for Fiber One Here!)
Ok, so those are my most recent tasty MVPs….

How about you? Any new products you’re digging?

Can I See Some ID, Ma’am?

August 10, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 17 Comments

Hey there y’all, and happy Hump Day!

Hope you’re enjoying this lovely Wednesday. The weather in Durham is a cool, breezy 90 degrees (note the sarcasm) and I’ve been spending it in an almost Arctic office. We call it the frozen tundra. After yesterday’s in-office lunch ordeal, I decided it’d be wise to come back home and eat on my little perch.

I'm basically the cleanest lady around.

I have been taking to typing and eating and chopping up here, this little counter might be my favorite aspect of my tiny little apartment. It’s bar height, and it’s perfect for a giant like myself. Lunch was FANTASTIC, just what I was craving:

Piping hot!

On the menu:

Steamed veggies (the same as I had with last night’s tasty fish! Total mood booster)
Coke Zero
Sandwich Thin featuring:
Turkey
Provolone cheese
tomato
spinach
one fried egg!

Perfect and delish. I also nibbled on a few chips from Trader Joes while cooking and watching Pretty Little Liars (my Wednesday lunch show of choice!)

Now let’s get onto the good stuff.

Last time I was home, I rifled around in my old bedroom, as I always do when I return home. And I found some REAL gems…. That’s right, various IDs since like… 7th grade. Now, I present to you:

The Evolution of Jordan

Braces and some sweet single strand bangs

This shot’s from 7th grade, and I’m pretty sure the fiercest of the bunch. Clearly, I was Sm-eyes-ing. And presenting quality posture. Did everyone at your school do those single-strand bangs that we all were into, pulled tight to your head?

Yeah, no, me either, this was def a fluke.

Grade: 10 Shirt: Volcom Attitude: Pure Jordan

Up next, we have a snapshot from 10th grade (we’ll call 8th and 9th my “black” period during which I refused to take photos…. ~~or I couldn’t find those ones~~.) I think this was when I started standing up straighter, and truly coming into myself. I was on the varsity basketball and volleyball teams, playing lotsa sports, and finally feeling like I had a place in the world/school. I also shopped almost exclusively at PacSun and owned more tshirts with little characters or logos on the front than I own VS underwear now (hint… well over 30… and 40). It was a pretty good time.

This might be my favorite ID outfit of all time. Also, sorry for the crumbs in front of the ID.... maybe those TJ chips I was talking about.

In 11th grade, my mom finally started demanding a modicum of fashion sense from her eldest child. I thank her for this every day of my life. At this point, I was thinking almost exclusively about colleges to go to, Junior proms, and being the captain of my sports. Oh, and boys. But let’s be honest, even though I had my first real kiss at 16, stuff didn’t start getting really interesting until my senior year.

Yeah, that's me. Winking obnoxiously. In my senior ID.

Don’t worry, this wasn’t in the yearbook or anything (at least I’m pretty sure…) Since we had fancy shmancy senior portraits taken, these were just IDs used for lunch and to get discounts at the movie theater. And I figured, it was my last year at this joint, I was already accepted to UNC (GO TARHEELS!! LOVE OF MY LIFE!!), go hard or go home. As the photographer counted back from three (3… 2…. 1!) I hammed it up REAL big at the ONE and got this beaut to have and hold for the rest of my life. That year, I was voted Most School Spirit, Most Likely to Change the World, and (shocker) Best Sense of Humor. I wish they’d just used this picture for the yearbook superlative shot, it would’ve summed it all up…. (PS So as not to hurt anyone’s feelings, I chose Best Sense of Humor since we weren’t supposed to hoard the superlatives. BUT THE TRUTH’S OUT NOW, GARNET VALLEY ALUM! Sorry for spilling the beans. But not that sorry.)

Buzz's girlfriend... woof.

I hated my first one card with a fiery passion. My eyebrows are huge, I’m cracked out from having spent the past 2.5 days at Orientation (not sleeping and sneaking out to Durham to play ~~beer~~ ping pong with friends), and my hair looks like a horse’s tail.

Well, wouldn’t you know that got stolen (though, not for good) in 2007, so I had to get this bad boy:

Faded glory

My most used ID of my school years, you can really see the weight on my face in this one. So I guess my junior year was when the poundage started going on. Something to do with moving into the fraternity house and having constant access to my bean-cheese-hot sauce dip at all hours of the night…. really did a number on me.

And now, here we are!

Glamour Shot!

Hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane… Because that was a blast to write.

Can’t wait to get a new ID, maybe I’ll post that one to see how things have changed.

Do you keep your old IDs like a secret hoarder (or like me)?

What’s your favorite ID picture of you? (mine’s the senior year one, hands down.)

Garmin FR60: The Perfect HRM for an Everything Exerciser

August 9, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

Good morning y’all!!

After confessing to my Secret Snack Hoarding yesterday, I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my chest. To combat that newfound lightness, it only made sense to talk about something else that goes on my chest! (well, at least partially).

The Garmin FR60: The Little HRM That Changed Everything

I actually was lucky enough to win this bad boy last September from a blog…. that I don’t even remember, because last September I spent most of my time on my Tumblr blog CaseInPoints, and didn’t understand these crazy “wordpress” blogs… Oh, how naive and young I was (says the word-presser of like, 66 days).

Anyway, I had been jonesing and lusting after these so-called “HRMs” for a while before I was lucky enough to win one, and thought they were only for hardcore runners. I saw the giant 310XTs of Triathletes and the 305‘s of racers, and thought “I don’t run… I don’t bike…. But I wanna know.”

I wanted to know:

The length of my exercise
My average heart rate during different classes like BodyPump (or Pilates…. where I think my heart actually just stopped beating and took a nap.)
How many calories I truly was burning

I noticed a lot of variety when I used machines like ellipticals, and had no clue what I was burning in a group fitness room. It was very important to me, when I was deeply engrossed in my weight loss journey, to know exact numbers, and I hated not knowing. But that all changed.

BEHOLD! My first tracked workout!! (from September of last year, wow!)

What you see is what I normally post regarding my workout. That is a graph track of my HR throughout the near-hour of class, featuring the average HR on the left as well as the Max HR. You can also change what type of workout you did on the top left, but I didn’t really utilize that option. I did all this on Garmin Connect which I set up when I first received the FR60.

The Whole Kitten Caboodle

These are the three pieces that I use to track and upload my exercise. These are the only three pieces of my package that I received (other than the online program) that matter to me, FR60 wise.

The Wiggity Watch (and my attractive left wrist.)

This is the piece I look at the most, the watch. I was lucky enough to win a cute purple one, which is great because purple’s my second favorite color (after green.) I heard this HRM is water resistant, but have never tested it. One thing to note is the FR60 is NOT GPS-enabled. If you’re looking for a HRM that is, you may have to look into spending a few more doll-hairs. On the Garmin Website, you can buy the FR60 package for about $200 and that includes a foot pod (which is an accelerometer, better suited for runners I think.) But my package just came with the three pieces (no pod.) Just to get what I got, though, it runs about $129. The watch is smaller than the big’uns I’ve seen others wear and honestly, I’ve worn it as a watch before (not with anything nice, but out and about definitely.) It’s also very comfortable to wear and doesn’t slip, even at my sweatiest.

I'm with the Band!

The band that goes around my chest has only ever bothered me a few times, once I realized that you can NOT have it set too loose on your body (or else you’ll be adjusting it more than a strapless bra at your cousin’s wedding.) Every now and then, when I’m doing ab work on my back, I’ll have to shift so that the adjustable part doesn’t sit on my spine. Other than that, it’s great. You can wash it with soap and water (and even throw the removable strap into the wash) and it fits so nicely that most of the time, I forget it’s there.

Sneaky little bugger

It’s the ANT stick, though, that puts it all together. Your link to Garmin Connect, and the only way you can pull your data from your device! Once, I lost this. It’s very small, the size of any jump drive, and I absentmindedly didn’t put it in it’s little trunk next to my bed…. never saw it again.

I caved and bought a new one on ebay for about 15 bucks (they normally sell, separately, for $50!!), because I just couldn’t deal with not knowing.

And now…. you know!!

Also, I have a feeling that, if I wanted, I could use even more functions on this bad boy but honestly…. it gets all the jobs done that I need. As a gym rat, but not much of a runner, this is great for me AND if I wanted to become a runner, I get a foot pod and VOILA it’s set for that!

Do you have any questions about the FR60? Thinking about getting a HRM? I’m an open book!!

Do you have a HRM that you love? Which one? (I always like to stay hip on the HRM knowledge)

Pilates: A Play by Play Breakdown

August 8, 2011August 8, 2011 / foodsweatandbeers / 16 Comments

Hey all, and happiest of Mondays!

I’m not a huge fan of Mondays, especially after an excellent weekend (Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ on Friday, so much fun and celebrations on Saturday and Sunday). If it has to be Monday, though, at least it can be a Monday featuring a delicious Fajita Salad!

Leftovers: A delicacy

I took the leftovers of my On the Border fajita meal and made a salad with all these goodies:

Spinach base
cheese
salsa
reheated Fajita fixins (onions, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and chicken)
Tomato

It was fantastic. I chased it with a chocolate Vita Top with a bit of marshmallow fluff (trying to recreate a s’more flavor… decent).

But honestly…. that’s not the point of this post. This post is about Pilates. Before, I did a Play by Play of a Body Pump class. And I continue to do Body Pump because honestly, it’s a good time and I like it lots. I figure it’d be nice to give a play-by-play of a class that I truly and absolutely have no interest in taking again.

Pilates: A Play by Play Breakdown

I was super-pumped to try Pilates with some of my coworkers this past Saturday. I think, even more than the class, I was pumped to wear some of the clothes that look like what I saw all the Pilates kids doing at my gym. I did the best I could to model my outfit after all those Pi-ladies.

Long tank top, bright sports bra, form fitting leggings

I was rocking the Under Armour ‘Shatter’ Capris that I got at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and they were SO comfortable. The picture doesn’t do them justice, I think, as it was placed on my table and self-timed…. but they rock.

Anyway, I got to the studio and it looked…. exactly like what I thought it would look like.

Soothing colors, random balls, carpet... the whole nine yards.

Before I knew it, the class was getting started. I chose a funky little tye-dye yoga mat, and was ready for whatever the instructor was bringing to the table.

LET'S DO IT!

I knew that it was going to be tough, though, when she mentioned that the free class was because she was trying out her first time teaching an advanced class.

Uh oh.

First, she talked about breathing. And then, demonstrated it. It truly sounds a lot like the breathing you’d hear in a Lamaze class (you know… hee hee hee, hoo hoo hoo, in and out). I tried my hardest to focus on this all class. You’ll see how that got me into trouble soon enough.

I’d done a few pilates-esque exercise classes in the past with AbSculpt, but this was different.

THIS was an "easy" move

I've seen swans in my life.... this is not what they look like.

We also did this one.... a bunch of times.

Lest we forget this little jewel.

Throughout it all, we were supposed to be thinking about our breathing, thinking about our abs, and considering other thoughts like where the sun was and pulling our bellybutton to our spine.

It was just too much for me to think about trying to get a workout. And honestly, I really don’t think I even got one.

My FR60 actually stopped working due to lack of sweat and too much moving around.

A few times, I felt light-headed because I was so busy focusing on my abs, I forgot my breathing, or vice versa.

Clearly, what this class proved was:

a) Pilates is not for me and

b) Be ready to multitask when taking this class!!

I am not bashing pilates by any means, and I think that some folks are totally meant for it…. Those long, lean, flexible folks get my respect. And maybe even a bit of my envy.

Go on with your bad self, Gwyneth!

In the meantime, though, I’ll keep my workouts fast paced with blaring music and the possibility of being kicked in the face or dropping a weight on my toe (Danger is my middle name.)

Except when it comes to these Pilates Torture Devices.... Then my middle name is "No Thank You."

NOTE: To check out the sweet source of my pilates pose images, or sexy Gwyneth, just click on the image… it’ll take you there!

Have you ever done pilates?

How about a workout that you thought you’d like and ended up not being fond of?

Wake-Up Call

June 30, 2011June 9, 2016 / foodsweatandbeers / 24 Comments

Wow. So once, going through pictures and trying to find the one of me doing yoga at all, I found this one. Taken in Las Vegas, right as I was coming off of a summer of sloth following a wicked lame pre-summer foot break that incapacitated me, right outta college graduation, the caption on facebook of this was “My dream wedding.”

I think, in my mind, the joke was not only “wow, she just got married in the middle of the day, in vegas, in a full wedding gown, and is playing penny slots” but “and also, she is fat.”

However, reflecting on this picture (this was probably the heaviest I’ve ever been in my life) I am blown away by my own appearance. Because, after losing almost 50 lbs, I look at this and think “there are two people in this picture that are overweight, not just one.”

Talk about your belated wake up call…

I have to say, this isn’t a post to call anyone fat (even though I did just say that I considered both people in this image overweight), more to evaluate the change in my thought process. Because honestly, while I was happy as a clam that weekend, I can’t help but think I’d have had such a better time if I were my current weight. And while I didn’t THINK I was overweight at all at this time in my life, it’s like…. wow. Now that I see it having lost the weight, I can’t believe I just allowed myself to have all those extra pounds on my body. I remember once, at a UNC football game, I was loudly cheering for my team, waving my pom poms around like a locopop (GO HEELS!!! TAR HEEL BORN AND TAR HEEL BRED!!) when a random viewer at the game mentioned, off hand to her friend, that I should “calm my fat ass down because it was jiggling in [her] face”. That hurt. That hurt, so friggin’ much (I’d say another f word, but I’m unsure if wordpress monitors these supah hard.) I think that was the first time I thought to myself, “Wow. This whole ‘being overweight’ thing is miserable, horrible, and people mock you for it.” At the time, I was a happy, fun-loving UNC student, who got hit on a lot (just saying, for a while, that’s how I measured my self-worth) and looked sexy in clothes (in my opinion at the time.) How the HELL could some girl call me a fat ass? Well, now, looking back, I see it, and I believe I might think the same thing about old me now a-days. That’s harsh, right? Jeez. But I’m… just being honest. (Andre 3000, 2003).

The change is monumental. And my life has just changed so much.

I think about my health, my weight, my diet, my fitness…. so much. Like, constantly. Everything I put in my mouth, everything that comes out of me (TMI? whatevz), everything I do with my body, every activity I plan…

I was talking with my beau about how, despite the fact that we’ve both lost over 25 lbs since we initially decided to get healthified, we think about our weight/fitness more than we ever did when we had those extra lbs on our body. I guess it’s just part of adapting your awareness regarding your body.

Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Ocean City, New Jersey. It’s my home away from home, and my favorite place on the face of this planet. And once, 2 years ago, my grandma mentioned to my mother how terrible I looked on the beach. It’s stuff like that which make me so so happy to have decided to make the change, not because of her, not because of what anyone has ever said, but because I knew that if I wanted to live a long/healthy life, I couldn’t continue living the way that I was. And because of the changes I’ve made, I’ll be able to spend time indulging in my favorite treats, while enjoying my mornings being more active than I used to be. It’s all about balance and, as evident by that earlier picture, I’m all about balance (except for the fact that my balance is HORRIBLE due to breaking both my feet at different points in my life. I’m basically on a constant teeter totter.)

To sum it up: I’m so excited for this weekend. And I won’t feel guilty about anything I do. I will go to the gym tomorrow, I will enjoy strolling/powerwalking on the boards the rest of the days, and I know that I won’t look back on pictures from this weekend and think negative thoughts about myself.

It’s all because of a little wake-up call.