OP Uh Ohs…

Working at the OP is going to be a big challenge for me. After all, that place played a large part in me going from 108 lbs to 140 four years ago. So did all the beer drinking, but if you saw the food at this place you would understand.  I think they put crack in it.

I wanted EVERYTHING that came out of the kitchen last night. From onion rings to chicken alfredo pizza to a greasy, breaded tenderloin. It doesn't help that I am working in one of my favorite restaurants that really only has carb and fat loaded foods. Even the salads are loaded with fatty sauces.  My favorite is the Sante Fe Chicken Salad and I terrified to figure out any of that nutritional information. Luckily, the owner made 3 rib-eyes for 8 girls to share. About 5 oz of  rib-eye is better than bread stix and beer cheese right? The rib-eyes also came with some of his amazing potatoes that were covered in a sour cream sauce. I had a few bites but did my best not to overdo it! Since I didn't eat much throughout the day, I had a FEW calories to spare.

I was also craving a shirley temple last night. This might have been because that’s what I ALWAYS drank when I worked there 4 years ago – if I wasn’t drinking “vanilla cokes,” as we called them. I don't know why I wanted it so bad - I hardly ever drink soda anymore, particularly shirley temples! After trying to fight the craving for about 3 hours, I poured myself about 8 ounces and added A LITTLE bit of grenadine. That satisfied me and I was happy with drinking water the rest of the evening!

The last couple days I have been tracking my food intake on Spark People.  After a few days, I am realizing that I really haven’t been being honest with myself.  I am not eating as well as I thought for damn sure.  My fat intake is out of this world.  My carb intake is within range and my protein intake is pretty low. I’m pretty upside down on the food pyramid lol.

It is going to be a lot more difficult to meet protein requirements than I thought. I originally thought that I didn't have a problem getting enough protein because I always crave meat, not sweets. I love me a good, rare steak (don’t care what cut it is!) or grilled chicken…or any meat grilled actually. After all I'm a meat and potatoes kind of girl from growing up in Iowa! This is gonna be something I have to work hard at! Today I'm going to go buy some eggs and some more chicken so hopefully that will help me out a bit. I also have a little bit of designer whey left so I will have a small shake after my leg workout today. 

7/7/11

 

I am still in Washington!  I love it here during the day.  At night…not so much.  It gets sooooo cold.  But the days are absolutely gorgeous!  And I thought it rained here?  So far it has rained like once.  Awesome for me, I guess.

Yesterday, Princess and I took a little drive over to deception pass.  We didn’t do any major hiking or anything because It was already 3pm when we got there and we wanted to hit up the farmers market that started at 4. 

We found a trail that look like it didn’t get walked all that much and decided to follow it around the little island between the bridges.  It was so gorgeous – def recommend to anyone coming to this area.

There is also a state park that you can go through but we chose not to since we were time limited and they charge $10 per person.

We ended up making it to the farmers market and it was so worth it.  I wanted something from every vendor!  We actually ended up buying some dill cheese  (which I cannot wait to snack on this evening), toasted almonds, a bread braid for the Princess, and some AWESOME sweet and hot mustard from a retired Navy guy.  Apparently this mustard won the gold medal at some mustard contest. He recommended trying it with some sweet potato fries…I can’t wait! Check out Aldrich Farms – they also have syrups, jellies, etc.  Soooo delicious and at a reasonable price.

After that, we went out for some Korean food with friends.  Princess and I LOVE Korean food, particularly Bimibap.  Though it wasn’t the best, it was delicious and worth the drive.  The couple with us got the Arirang special.  It was a beef dish that was cooked on a grill at the table.  I looked for a pic of it because I didn’t take any but can’t seem to find one that looked remotely like what they had.  It was a type of grill that you added water to in order to cook the meat.  Eventually, they found that if they left the meat to cook long enough in the water, it would caramelize into a bbq-like sauce.  I tried one piece and it was soooooo delicious. Princess and I are going to go back sometime, just for that!

Anyways, I’m off to do a long run today since I will be traveling Sunday.  Laterrrrrr

Have a Safe Holiday Weekend!

Today starts the beginning of my favorite holiday of the year.  Growing up in Clear Lake during the summers made this an easy one for me.  There’s something I love about being on the water and the heat.  I love going to Farmer’s Beach – just listen to Craig Morgan’s “Redneck Yacht Club” and that will pretty much sum it up.

I have loved that song since the day it came out.  It doesn’t fail to bring a smile to my face – mostly because of all the memories it triggers.  My other favorite part about the 4th of July weekend is the BBQs, beer, friends, and family of course!  Many people from the area come to Clear Lake for the annual carnival and what I believe to be the best fireworks in the Midwest. 

Unfortunately, I will be missing the biggest Farmer’s Beach party of the year, as well as my friend’s annual “Gurge Party” because I am going to be here:

Source

I have to get up bright and early tomorrow and drive to Princess’s parents’ house in Omaha and they are going to take me to the airport.  It’s a three hour drive but the ticket was cheapest out of there and I won’t have to pay for airport parking.  I guess it’s a win – no matter what my mother says.

I’m excited to see the Princess.  He flies into Seattle from San Diego about 20 minutes before me.  He just finished a military training this week so he will probably be super skinny, not that he isn’t already.  Anyways, I hope everyone has a FABULOUS holiday.  Be safe – don’t drink and drive and PLEASE don’t swim in unauthorized areas.  This happened here yesterday – so please be reminded.

Divers Find Body of Drowning Victim

How am I already burned out?

So I can barely keep my eyes open right now. Its only 6:30 pm. I have been a busy bee the last couple days! After a relaxing weekend, anxiety kept me up fairly late Sunday night. I went to the hospital/clinic and observed an OT during the morning hours which was pretty sweet once again.

I then drove two hours to Des Moines for a job interview and arrived an hour and a half early! When my anxiety is up there, I tend to arrive obnoxiously early for things. Its really annoying, but I guess its better than being late. I ended up having a pretty good interview and it was probably the longest one I've ever had. I should hear the final news on Friday.

After the interview and a meeting at the American Cancer Society, I went out for sushi with the cousin and another friend as well as his girlfriend. It was a a great time - I love going out with them! They always make me laugh my butt off. It didn't help that the cousin ordered a sushi roll call "Big Unit." I really should have taken a picture, but I don't have a camera and my phone is broken. I preferred so spare myself the embarrassment of everyone seeing my broken screen. Anyways, it comes out looking like a huge, hairy...penis. You can bet there were plenty of jokes made about it.

It ended up being a really late night and I didn't get to bed until after 1am. I got up at 6am this morning and went back to the hospital to observe again. I also had an "interview" at another place that I worked at previously. It was really just, "you know how to wait tables. You've worked here before. Get your stuff done. When are you available?" I love interviews like that lol - the joys of being in a small town! I start "training" tomorrow after a full day of OT observation. Even though I think I might go in a little later than I have been! I'm going to bed now. Peace.

Productive Day :)

Yesterday was fairly productive. I spent the majority of the day at Cheslea Creek, which provides rehabilitation services such as speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. I observed two different occupational therapists and they were so kind! I can't discuss much because of HIPAA laws (why is HIPAA involved in everything I want to do?!). However, I did discover that I really might enjoy working with children! See, I have never been one of those that enjoyed children. I'm an only child and I didn't babysit when I was younger. The one time I did was a disaster and I never wanted to again. I've never really wanted children of my own either. I've always been one of those that is content with someone else's for about an hour and then I'm over it. I think I'd be most happy with a dog the rest of my life.



Gosh I love my lil baby, I don't think I need children! But maybe that will change. I'm open to it. But like I was saying, I observed a number of sessions with some children who had various difficulties to overcome. It was soooo awesome to see how sweet they were and they had much more positive attitudes, as well as that willingness to learn! I LOVED IT!!! I go back on Monday, but I will be working with adults in an acute care/skilled nursing unit. Friday really made me realize that this is something I definitely want to do and I'm glad I am on track now!

Last night, we spent some time out at my parents new property. Mom has planted a garden which I am ecstatic about. She wants to do everything as organic as possible so there are no fertilizers, weed killers, or pesticides. I spent a couple hours pulling weeds and then planted some kale (yummyyyyy) and radishes. The scallions she planted earlier this spring are already ready - she pulled one up and it was def ready to be eaten. And we did eat some of them for dinner - soooo good.

Today I've been lazy for the most part anyways. I did get up and do Jillian Michaels' "30 Day Shred" video and then went for a 3 mile run. It felt soooo good! I came home to find this:



Mom was outside so of course they had to watch her like a hawk. The other two pups are my moms, Cassie and Rocky and they are both yorkshire terriers. Love them all but Apollo is still my favorite :) Anyways, the auntie just called and asked me to walk over and help her make some ceviche - one of my favorite things to make :)

9 weeks, 10 lbs? I think its manageable!

In 60 days, I will be re-entering ISU. Since the last time I was in a class at ISU I have gained 15 lbs. So, in the next 9 weeks I am going to force myself outta bed to go on my scheduled runs and eat well. I know, I know, I talk about it all the time. For the last four weeks, I have been living out of a suitcase and now that I am pretty much settled in at my parents until August - its time to buckle down and finally do it. My goal is to lose 10 lbs. That's just a little over one a week.

I started this week with a 2 mile run on Tuesday and JM video yesterday followed up with a 2.5 mile run. Today I got up and did some yoga which really loosened me up. Tomorrow I'm planning to get up and do three miles before I go to the clinic to start doing my OT observation hours.

I feel like I'm finally getting started on what I want to do for a career and am SO EXCITED. I also have an interview on Monday for a company that provides services to people with disabilities. Hopefully everything goes well. Here's a pic of me and Apollo - he's more interested in the birds outside so this was the best I could do.

Oh Iowaaaaa

Well, I am finally back in Iowa. I actually have been since Saturday at midnight. It seemed like I didn't even get a weekend really. I have some job thoughts that I would love to talk about but my head will probably end up on a platter at our family Thanksgiving.

I have begun the what seems to be endless (when you start) search of looking for jobs. I'm kind of in a bind because I cannot move into the place I will be living in while I'm in school until August. As mentioned, I will be staying with my parents for a couple months. I would love to work now but so many places will not hire someone who is basically seasonal - and I don't want to detassle. Detassling is TORTURE. Today I probably filled out 5 online applications and put a few resumes in the mail. I also went to a restaurant I worked at a few years ago and dropped off a resume. I'm really hoping they will hire me one again because that place is what I like to call a gold mine as far as serving goes.

I also went on my first run in like 3 weeks today. It wasn't too bad but what started out easy soon turned into more of a HIIT workout. I started going hard because it poured on me. And then in quit raining so I slowed down. And then it poured again. This cycle continued for the majority of my run. Still felt great :)

Here are a couple photos from our drive:

Badlands, SD





Pretty town, WA - I really don't remember what this place was called but would love to return:





I'm off to check the Iowa job board for more of today's postings. Wish me luck because I certainly need it!

Cross-country Adventure

Last time I wrote I mentioned that I would moving back to Iowa over the next few days. My portion of the move was successful. We visited with my parents for a day and they agreed to watch Apollo so I could travel out to Washington state with Princess.

We spent the last two evenings with his family. Yesterday we spent the majority of the day at the Omaha Zoo with his parents. Having been to the San Diego and St. Louis zoos, I didn't believe what Princess had been telling me for two year - that the Omaha Zoo was the best in the country. Now I must admit, after yesterday, I do believe that it definitely ranks right up there. Many of the animals are able to be seen rather than hiding in the shade away from the crowds. Since I LOVE large cats, particularly lions, I was very impressed with the cat exhibit. Most zoos I have been to have a very small exhibit, but this one was exceptional. The had a couple jaguars, about ten tigers, and I counted four lions. There were also other cats, such as pumas and bobcats.

They also had a large monkey and gorilla exhibit. I also live gorillas and shocked to see that they had about ten of them. The zoo was also the first successfully to produce a "test tube" gorilla. I didn't get to see him but he is still kept in Omaha.

Last nights dinner was Korean food at a place called "Maru." Princess and I both love Korean food and since the only Korean restaurant we knew of in Pcola closed, we have been craving it. Maru was fabulous! We all ordered bimibap which is definitely a favorite of ours. Princess's parents even loved it.

Today, we are back on the road and I am blogging from my phone in BFE Nebraska. To make the drive more exciting we are going to go through the badlands and black hills. I will try to take pics but probably won't be able to post them until much later. Anyways, time for me to play navigator. Hope everyone is having a fab week!

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The Navy Will be the Navy

So last night I wrote that I would be driving across the country alone when I move on Thursday. Well what do you know, Princess texts me at 9 this morning and said that he had to report to WA the 17th. He finally got orders but this gives us approximately two days to figure out HOW we are going to get 3 vehicles and a U-haul across the country. Not to mention the fact that he will be leaving me behind in Iowa. Not so thrilled about pulling another vehicle with my car.



Hopefully his brother will be able to help him with the second half of the move and that a dealership in town will be willing to pay a reasonable amount for the truck. So, even though I was planning to move this week, I've now got a whole condo to pack up in two days. This also creates some other problems since this is such short notice but I prefer not to go into it. If anyone has any tips I would very much appreciate it!

Yes, I'm Still Alive.....Barely

I think its been a couple weeks since I posted. I'm such a terrible blogger! About a week and a half ago, Princess finished flight school here in FL. He got his wings Memorial Day Weekend - such a perfect weekend for that! His family was here for a few days so we had a great time entertaining them. We went shopping, showed them around base, ate so much food I put on about seven pounds, and of course we went to the beach. His family really is wonderful. Here is a pic from the ceremony. I can't believe I didn't cry!



Then I found out that he might be getting orders pretty quickly. Apparently, a guy that finished after him already got his and they were messed up. Princess was also told that he had to go to the next part of his training June 20 and report to his new squadron July 10. Because of the the length of time he has, there isn't time to move in between so he was going to attempt to move before....so I quit all of my jobs. Wonderful right? And guess what? Still don't have official orders! This is a prime reason why one should never ever listen to what anyone tells you unless you have it in official writing. Now I'm unemployed and its looking like they are going to make Princess stick around down here. Oh well, it would have looked worse if I left my job without notice.

This weekend, by best friend was down here. We had a lot of fun. Almost too much, if there was such a thing! Took her to the piano bar Thursday night which was a blast. Friday we spent the day at the beach and for dinner we took her to our favorite sushi restaurant. She has never eaten sushi before so we made her try some along with a seaweed salad. She wasn't much of a fan. But at least she liked the drink I suggested:



Its called a Geisha and don't ask me what's in it. You would think I would know by now since I have been ordering them for two years but all I can tell you is Sake and Blue Curacao. Delish.

After dinner we went out to one of the beach bars for another crazy night. That eventually resulted in a cab ride downtown to pick up one of Princess's friends at 2am. Don't ask me why. I swear it was a terrible idea. Went back to our place for after hours that turned into after minutes because Princess and I went to bed right away.

Got up the next morning and we spent the day on the river. It was a great time, but I'm glad its over and I have my home to myself. I'm tired and super cranky. I def drank and ate way too much today. And yes, I will be going to bed at 9pm tonight. I sure hope what my professors taught be about making up sleep is wrong and what I heard on a podcast is right cuz I need to make up for a lot of lost sleep!

Time to be honest with myself

So I have got to do something more. I think that something more is being honest with myself. This week, my eating has been completely off track. I haven't really gained any weight but it has been so bad you would think I was pregnant. I ate cookies. Oatmeal cream pies. Nachos. Chips smothered in blue cheese (my fave). Pasta. Soda. Lemonade from chick-fil-A (the best). Not to much a lot of beer and even more wine. Here is a pic of our "dinner" last night.



It was late and this restaurant has huge portions of everything. We decided we wanted nachos and blue cheese chips - like I said these are my fave. Meal also included a salad and Irish Coffee for me.

WHAT THE EFF AM I THINKING?

I have to run a 15k in 4 days!!!

So the next couple days I have got to get on track. I know carbs are ok right now but no more JUNK!

So, after this weekend, I am making a promise to myself. Clean eating with one cheat a week and very limited alcohol. Alcohol must be red wine or clear liquor (gin, cuz I hate vodka and rum is too sugary). I will be allowed 3 drinks at Princess's winging party and then I will be DONE!

In order to ensure this happens, I am going to scour the internet and take suggestions on meal plans. To make sure I am accountable, I am willing to pay for it. Money is always a good motivator for me - hence why I am willing to pay entrance fees to races (many of my friends think this its ridiculous to "pay" to run with a large crowd). When I pick a program - no yo yos - I will let ya'll know what it is!

Here's a pic of me and Princess this weekend. There were dozens of people taking pics by this fountain so I made him take one with me as well.

Getting to Know You

I had an early morning because I had to go to my second job today. I have one of those alarm clocks that blares music when the alarm goes off. To ensure that I wake up, I have it set to a rock station. Anyways, I must have really been dreaming this morning because when it went off, I woke up screaming! I thought I was in hell or something. Turns out "Nightmare" by Avenged Sevenfold was on.



How fitting. Haha

After I got off work, I stopped by Bealls Outlet to see what they had (One of the nurses told me they had some great stuff). Not wanting to spend a whole lot of money because of the upcoming move, I mostly browsed. I ended up purchasing a Kenneth Cole bikini for $30. I'd say it was a good buy - even though I'm moving away from the beach. At least my parents live on a lake :)

When I got home, I caught up a little on my reader...I do a lot of lurking...
Then it was time to clean. I am one of those people that loves to cook and absolutely hates to do the dishes. As you can guess, it tends to build up throughout the week, especially since I work 8am-6pm and don't get home til about 6:30. Not to mention that I try to run first thing and yeah...by the time I'm done eating and showering, I'm ready for bed. It doesn't help that I live with a 25 year old going on 6. Hate to say it but its true ;)

As for a little something tonight, I will go ahead and "getting to know you," courtesy of MannLand 5. Random thought, because of the way emails are generated at my job, a person who no longer works there had the funniest email address:

testes@********law.com

HAHAHAHAHA


1. have you ever gone to see a movie by yourself?
Can't say that I have. I like doing a lot of things independently but I can't say that going to the movies is one of them. I'm not much of a moviegoer anyways.


2. would you rather go through a tornado or a hurricane?
I haven't been through a hurricane. So far FL has been kind to me. I am terrified of it though. Tornadoes haven't really bothered me since I grew up in Iowa. However, my family has not been devastated by one personally - with the exception of some distant relatives who lost pretty much everything a couple years ago


3. have you made summer vacation plans?
MOVING! I still haven't picked a date but so excited. I will be staying with my parents for a short time but thats ok :)

4. what's your favorite accessory?
I just as well be a guy. I can't think of on that isn't jewelry that I am head over heals with. I had some shoes that I bought at a boutique a couple months ago but my dog has since gotten ahold of them and they had to go in the trash...

5. have you ever been thrown a surprise party?
No

6. are you friends with your neighbors?
Not really...we say hi to each other and stuff but I wouldn't call us friends. Most of my neighbors are my grandparents' age and stay inside all the time...back home in Iowa is another store

7. what's the last movie you saw in the theater?
Bridesmaids. I haven't laughed that much since The Hangover!

8 what's your favorite food network show?
Just to make it simple because I don't really watch Food Network (or much tv for that matter) I'm gonna go with Man vs. Food.

A runner's pet peeve

I ran 5 miles this evening. Very slowly because my legs hurt but I still did it. Anyways, I always make it a point to smile and sometimes wave at other people when I meet them. I have noticed that if they are cycling or running as well they usually reciprocate.

However, I saw A LOT of people out tonight. Many of them were walkers. And even thought I was hurting I tried to smile at all of them. Most of them just glared at me. This really really bothered me, because I don't understand it. Isn't it some kind of social norm to smile or wave back at someone when they do it to you?

Ughh...makes me miss Iowa where nearly EVERYONE waves when you drive by!

Has anyone else encountered something like this?

I Shouldn't Be Allowed to Have Nice Things

Hellow everyone out there!!! So today I had originally planned to get up at a decent time, complete my run, and then go into work for a few hours. Yeah...didn't happen. I slept til about 8:30 and when I got up to take Apollo outside, there was two police officers in the parking lot. Of course I asked what was going on. Apparently, someone had been urinating by our fence and one of my neighbors called the police. I took this opportunity to tell the officer about some suspicious neighbors.

They moved in a few months ago and look a little rough around the edges. This didn't bother me until I started running and walking the dog. There are always (strange) people coming and going from their condo. These people don't even park their cars...they pull over onto the side of the street, frequently leave the car running, go upstairs to go inside, and leave shortly after. The people that live there are almost always home and have their garage door as well as their front door open, which I don't understand. But I suspect there is someone making a drop. The more I pay attention, the more convinced I am that these people are drug dealers.

I told the officer all of that and he agreed that they were probably selling drugs. He also suggested that there could be some prostitution going on...apparently thats common around here? I think the female that lives there is the guys girlfriend so I doubt that. But I am convinced that they are selling drugs. Anyways, the officer said he would try to drive through her a little more often and see if her could pull off a traffic stop or something to get some info. Works for me.

Then Princess called from the airport. He was flying out of there today instead of the base and wanted me to bring him breakfast from McDonald's since he couldn't leave. I agreed to take it...I mean, its across the street and McDonald's is two blocks away. While I was ordering, I gave in and got myself a southern style chicken sandwich, knowing full well that it was a terrible idea. And yes, I ate that southern style chicken sandwich and came home to sit for a little bit.

So then I eventually made it on my run. I told myself that I needed to do a 15k practice today and I was actually going to do it. I got about 3/4 of a mile into the run and realized my phone, an HTC Evo, had fallen out of my pocket. Ughhh...I decided to run back towards home to find it and I didn't find it until I was about a block away from home...well that didn't take long. But I know I was lucky that no one had run the phone over and that it still worked. My mom always told me I shouldn't be allowed to have nice things! I learned my lesson and zipped my pocket this time. I headed back towards the airport and stopped at a convenience store around mile 3 for some H2O and a power bar for later. Instead of going all the way around the airport, thanks to my little detour, I decided to run down a road that goes behind the airport where there are frequently a lot of runners and cyclists. Its a lot more shady than the main road anyways, and at this point it was noon. I was hurting so I starting running abut 3 minutes and walking 30 seconds. This got me through the run and I ended up doing about 13.5k instead of 15k but it hurt. My feet and legs really hurt as well.

I decided it was time to get some new running shoes. I've been saying I need to for awhile now. But I finally got the fraud/identity theft situation fingered out as well as the situations with my crappy cell phone company, so Princess and I went down to the local running store and I got fitted for some shoes. It was hard for me to choose and I went back in forth a lot, but ended up buying the first pair that I tried on!

Source

They are GT-2160s and very very comfortable!! Can't wait to have them broken in and go for my first run in them.

And my baby decided to put on a bra this morning. I don't know how but he managed to get each of his front lets into a strap. Except the cups were on his back...



And I don't care if the pic is too big. I *might* try to fix it later.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day. I think I might send my mom a grandma card just to mess with her...

My First 10k!

Last weekend I knocked another one of my goals off of my list! I was originally planning to run the 5k race that was being held in my city until I got to packet pick up. I was supposed to run an 8 mile training race on Saturday so that would have meant that I would have to come home and run an additional 5 miles. So I figured running the 10k at a race pace would save me my afternoon! I found out that it would only cost me an additional $5 so I went ahead and changed my registration.

That night Princess and I went to Binelli's and enjoyed some DELICIOUS Italian food. Their lasagna is to die for! I also sipped on a glass of chianti, which I forgot how much I enjoyed. Then we made a very brief appearance at a winging party before heading home so I could crash and get up to get some food in my belly before the big race.

I woke up bright an early. Ate some oatmeal and fruit and then we headed over to PJC which is only about 3 blocks away but I made Princess drive me anyways since we were running late. The race started out great. Its always weird when I see previous clients in public and sure enough, I looked over at some point in the first mile and saw a familiar face. Legally I can't say anything to them unless they confront me first, so I definitely kept my mouth shut but it was sooooo awkward having that person run next to me for so long and not saw a word.

The rest of the race was wonderful. It went down 12th avenue which is pretty and shaded. I walked about one block around mile 5, and kicked it at the last mile. I used the strategy that my high school track and cross country coach taught me and started picking people off one by one. This strategy always seems to work extremely well and I finished at 1:02:34. That's about 10 minutes faster than I was planning!

I made my way to the bananas, oranges, and beer and waited for Princess to show up. He got stalled by a train so was a few minutes late, not to mention me finishing 10 mins faster than I had planned. We walked around a little and went back home to get ready for a day at the beach. I may or may not have indulged in a few beers Saturday afternoon, but heck, if you ask me, I deserved it after running my first 10k!

Productive Saturday and Happy Easter

Woke up this morning and started my day kinda slow because I thought I was supposed to go to work. Then I double checked the schedule and found that they had double booked me and another girl to do visitation. I called the other girl and she said that she was going in, they probably meant to schedule me next week and made a mistake since she is off NEXT WEEK! Well that was nice...I'm glad I don't have to work 15 days in a row!

So I got busy and made myself an amazing breakfast of apple cinnamon french toast. I used almond milk instead of regular milk and added some cardamom and cinnamon to the egg mix. The I chopped up an apple and cooked it in some butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Topped the french toast with the apple mixture and didn't even need to add syrup because it was delicious just like that!

Then I got busy cleaning the kitchen which needed it REALLY BAD! It looks so much better. I also managed to do about 8 loads of laundry today. The two house chores I hate more than anything are laundry and cleaning anything in the kitchen so I am feeling very accomplished right now :)

Matt n I also went to our favorite sushi place which is pretty much our Saturday lunch thing. I had a delicious seaweed salad and some Rose Maki Hand Rolls. This is probably my favorite thing to get there! The staff/owners are so nice. They always make excellent recommendations and frequently give us complimentary sake and seaweed salads. This will probably be what I will miss most about this town when I move. I wish I could take the restaurant and staff with me!!!

Then we went to wine world to pick up some wine and good beer. I got an excellent riesling and I'm really sorry but I forget the name of the winery. It is delicious...gulp....

Came home and did a few more house chores. Finally it cooled down enough to go on my run. This run was probably the highlight of my day! I did a few things different tonight. Of course I made sure I was well hydrated but an hour before I also took my multi-vitamin (forgot this morning) and downloaded some podcasts. Usually I listen to music but I thought I might as well use my running time to edumacate (my mom always says that) myself. I chose to leave my water belt at home and mapped out my run before hand instead of just seeing where I would end up. Since I was scheduled to run 7 miles, I took it pretty easy on my pace - which was a blessing. Seven miles is the farthest I have EVER ran in my 24.5 years. Every other training run I have gone on I have also walked a few times at various points. NOT TONIGHT! There was no walking...just easy running, paying attention to my breathing, and learning about abortion, dermatology, and marathon training. Such a pleasant run. I hope I have a lot more runs like this!

Then it was time to make dinner. I really wanted something like fettucinni alfredo but I have become very weary of pasta (even though i should be eating a lot of carbs now!) so I stuck a spaghetti squash I had in the microwave for about 12 mins. While that was cooking, I minced some garlic and chopped up an onion and sauteed that in some butter. Once the onions were softened I added a can of cream of mushroom soup and a cup of non-fat greek yogurt and stirred it in with some salt and pepper. Once the squash was done, I sliced it open, scooped out the seeds, and the scooped the squash into a bowl. I added the sauce mixture and OMG was this amazing! Pretty sure I will be enjoying this for another week since Princess won't eat spaghetti squash but I don't care at all since it is so delicious.

I'm a little disappointed in the Spurs tonight but I know my favorite basketball team is awesome at making comebacks and can def come back against the Grizzlies. GO SPURS GO!

But that's about it. I'm gonna get a little more wine and get to bed. Got to get up bright and early..not for church but to work a double shift at the psych hospital. Actually pretty excited about this. Good night and HAPPY EASTER!!!

busy bee

Good morning world! Since tax season is over I'm just chillin in the office attempting to come up with some ideas for upcoming financial ed classes...so far I haven't got much. Definitely open to any suggestions. I thought maybe a little writing would open my mind up a bit.

Its no secret that the last couple weeks have been a little rough on my emotions. Starting to come to terms with what that might be but there isn't a whole lot I can do about it without being a quitter. And I don't want to be a quitter. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel but every day I feel like July is taking soooo long to get here. I guess April is almost over...so that leaves me three months.

I am going to be working a lot in the next couple months. Asurion that evil cell phone insurance company has charged me an outrageous amount of money and I have to have a root canal on May 11. With my meager paycheck, I'm not going to be able to cover it all so I am going to be working more often at my part-time job on the weekends. When next Friday is over it will be 14 consecutive days...and I'm already worn out!

With all the hours I have been putting in for work, I have been able to put in at least 45+ minutes of working out 5 evenings/week. I continue to tell myself that no matter how tired I feel when I get off work, I will feel better after my run and that is usually the case. It allows me to clear my mind and think so I stay on track with everything that is going on.

As far as weight loss goes, I am still maintaining at 147. This is actually ok with me because I can tell that my legs have become very muscular. My body always reacted like this at the beginning of track season and then I lost weight near the end. Time will tell. At least I am losing inches!

There isn't much else going on...I am going to be working all weekend so hopefully I will be able to squeeze a blog in at some point. Have a great day!

Did you....?

FILE YOUR 2010 TAXES?

I hope that everyone out there who had a filing requirement did! I have been waiting 4 months for today to come and am ever so thankful. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

In case no one knows, I am a member of Americorps Financial Support Services. Part of our mission/goal/grant whatever is to host a free tax preparation site for low income individuals and/or people with disabilities. I'm about 8 months in and now that tax season is "over," I am going to say that I hope the only 1040 I ever see again is my own. I know I will probably see a few more in the next few months but I guess I will have to get over it. I really enjoy working with people and a lot of the clients I get to work with are absolutely wonderful people - that is the BEST part of ANY job! The computer system we had to work with frequently made things difficult and the software certainly isn't the most user friendly.

But now we are going back to conducting financial education classes which I'm pretty excited for. I am going to spend Thursday planning a few classes so I'm totally stoked! I had a class last fall of GED students and really enjoyed teaching. I couldn't be a teacher as a career but having one class is pretty rewarding! Can't wait!

My week in a nutshell, but I can't publish the biggie

Wow! I have been busy this past week! I discovered a MAJOR disaster at work which I can't really go into detail about on here, but luckily I caught it fixed it before it was an even bigger disaster. Mass mail-outs are not my friend... it def threw my week off track and and stressed me out. when I went in this morning I immediately had trouble concentrating. This continued throughout the day until I went and got myself a sugar free Red Bull. I think that caffeine stimulated my brain because tonight I have been able to focus extremely well.

The other day I came across my old resume. It was very outdated, so tonight I updated my resume and drafted some cover letter templates. I probably won't be applying for any jobs so soon, but its nice to have an updated resume on hand just in case. With the current economy, you just never know...granted I'm not in fear of losing my job, but its nice to have none the less.

Earlier this week, I was feeling pretty down and skipped my runs on Sunday and Tuesday. After the disaster at work on Tuesday, I probably should have gone for a run but I didn't. I did, however, go out for a drink with some girls from work which was a nice change. Then I came home and did some TRX to substitute...and boy did it make my legs super sore!!! Ran 4 miles on Wednesday and Thursday which also contributed to the soreness my legs are still feeling. Thankfully today was a rest day because I really needed the recovery before a long run tomorrow. I'm shooting for 6 miles!

As far as my eating is concerned, it has been pretty good, but far from perfect. Sunday I ate some ice cream with hot fudge. Wednesday I ate a huge piece of key lime pie from my favorite place across the street. Yesterday I had a huge cookie covered in frosting courtesy of our IRS SPEC, delicious. Today, thankfully was pretty good except for the 3 bit-size Milky Ways I snatched from a co-workers candy bowl ;)

Anyways, that;s my week in a nutshell. I'm definitely thankful for the weekend to be here even though its really only one day for me since I have to work at the "hospital" this weekend. I'm excited to see all my old co-workers and the patients especially. I miss them all so much!

Yup

This weekend was pretty chill. I really like that they are getting to be that way and not so busy. I think I was in bed at like 11. Got up yesterday and went for a run in the East Hill area where there are some hills. It was definitely a rough one. I'm not sure what my deal was but my legs really really hurt! Makes things difficult when you are running 4.7 miles. But anyways, I was able to get through the run which was a definite plus even though I walked quite a bit. I'm getting really nervous about the 15k next month. I hope I'm in better shape and that I make it!

Last night was a friends bachelorette party. I had never met any of her other friends but they were all very nice and very fun to hang out with. I ended up pouring my heart out to one of them about something I very rarely talk to anyone about. Thinking about it now, I'm not sure what I was thinking and I'm not sure how I really feel. While I'm really excited about the changes that are going to be taking place in the coming months, there is A LOT OF ANXIETY that is also associated with it.

It doesn't help that I'm feeling down today. I really hate this dreadful feeling and I want it to go away. I've been trying to think as positively as I can and its helping some but I'm not a hundred percent there. Oh well. I'm just going to stop before I pour it all out and I don't think I want all of it online.

04.06.2011

I felt pretty great today! Woke up at about 5:15 and couldn't go back to bed so I got up and got ready and actually made breakfast. Scrambled eggs with some tomatoes and spinach and then I topped it off with some homemade ceviche (my favorite food ever!)! It was soooo delicious. Work was work, and I guess I'm starting to get a little stressed out with that but like I told a co-worker...there's nothing you can do but your best and if its not good enough well, it got done and do better next time.

For a snack I munched on some berries. OMG soooo good! I wish blackberries, blue berries, and raspberries weren't so darn expensive! Lunch consisted of a wrap with turkey, swiss cheese, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Delicious as well. Then I snacked on some yogurt. For dinner, we got out the trusty George Foreman for the first time in over a year and 'grilled' some chicken breasts. Used them to make sandwiches which were ok. Then....I ate an M&M cookie. I did so well all day and blew it. But it was so worth it.

I also got out the TRX tonight for my cross training workout. I forgot how good of a workout this is. Gonna have to do that a couple more weeks and then I will hopefully get results a bit quicker!

So the next question on 50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind:

If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

Not going to get very philosophical on this one. All I have to say is limited time. There are things that need to be done that we don't like therefore limiting time to do the things we want. Sure if I really wanted to I could make sacrifices to do the things that I want to do but the sacrifices aren't necessarily worth it if it means being homeless and not having food.

On the road again...

To being blonde! I feel so much more confident as a blonde, I don't know why, but I just do. It probably has something to do with the amount of comments I get every time I go back to blonde.

It has definitely been one of those days that I really hate my body and not because of how I look! I made it through 2.5 hours of work today and decided it was time to come home. Clients were telling me I looked ill and my boss said I looked “pale.” It was only cramps but I'll take the day off ;) I had to grab a few things at Target and since I've been considering going back to blonde I grabbed a highlighting kit. I was hoping Princess would have finished his simulator by noon but when he wasn't home I started pulling my hair through the cap myself. It was pretty easy until I got to the back and Princess still wasn't home. I found myself sitting in front of the huge mirrors that are my closet doors with a very small hand mirror in one hand and the needle in the other.



The process took me another hour. Thankfully, I have short hair in the back and didn't want to pull much through. Otherwise it might look a little funny. For a home job, I'm very happy with the results. I almost feel 17 again. I posted this pic on FB and had to laugh at the initial comments/'likes' I got since they were all from guys I had “dated” in the past.



Eventually I want to be blond again but that will take some time. This is me and my cousin, Jordan, on my 21st birthday, nearly four years ago.



Hopefully I will also be down to that size by August, maybe smaller. :P Since I was having some abdominal pain, I decided to torture myself with Jillian Michaels's yoga video. Having only done yoga a couple time I'm not that experienced. However I did not care too much for the video. It made me sweat but it was nothing like the classes I had been to.

I haven't had a cigarette since Friday night!!! Yay! I am going to try to stick with this. I frequently hear that when people quit smoking, the first 3 days are the hardest. So today was day 3 for me and it hasn't been too bad, especially since I don't have any. Tomorrow will be the challenge though, since I will be at work and soooo many people smoke they are constantly going in and out. It makes a nice break. Goal is to take that break and not smoke!!! I really want to keep this going since its such a terrible unhealthy habit. I mean, I've already lost 3 grandparents to lung cancer. My dad wasn't a smoker but I'm still at risk for heart disease now so I really need to be taking care of myself!

Anyways, its time to get some zzzz's!

Don't ever try raw octopus!

For today's post I decided to go ahead and participate in MannLand5's Getting to Know You Here's today's questions and answers


1. do you weigh yourself? Very regularly, as in every morning. I never ever used to weigh myself and then I gained 20lbs. Now I've become obsessed....

2. what's the nastiest thing you've ever eaten? raw octopus...body and tentacles. it was was the most disgusting, chewy ball of slime ever!

3. snail mail or email? snail mail. most email i get is work related - ughhh - also known to ignore a lot of emails that i get. in college, i got in a bit of trouble with a professor because i rarely read email and frequently missed some important information. that was when i decided i had to get a blackberry so it would kind of be like texting - it helped but not 100%! i like getting cards and letters in the mail tho!

4. do you have any irrational fears...what are they? for some reason i hate going on balconies when i'm drink wine. always afraid of dropping my glass off the edge. this might have something to do with loving the sound of broken glass combined with a little social anxiety, idk. as i mention in a previous blog, i'm afraid of being outside in this town alone. absolutely horrified that someone will do a driveby while i'm out for a run (this actually happened to someone when i first moved here)!

5. do you play an instrument? I played the flute in high school. Its been about 8 years tho so dunno if i could pick it up again.

6. would you rather be bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear? bitten by a snake

7. do you ever go braless in public? rarely. i'm very uncomfortable at home when i dont have a bra on...

8. today i am thankful for........................? beautiful weather! getting ready to go on my long run that i skipped yesterday!

April Fools

That last post I started writing earlier this week but waited to post until today because...I um forgot about it. Anyways the last couple days have been a treat (except today). Thursday evenings run was AMAZING. I did not want to stop at all but it was getting dark and I have yet to feel safe in this city during the day let alone at night. It just creeps me out and I've become a bit paranoid I guess.

April Fools Day – my supervisor got us good at work. One of my co-workers is leaving next week :( and she was training me on something she works on since I will be taking over. Anyways we were sitting at my cubicle and an email from my supervisor pops up so naturally I opened. It went something like this

“What the eff is this? How could you have messed this up?! The case type isn't even right!”

Below that were some emails from one of our attorneys and a client. The one from the client basically said that she had been waiting for me to get in touch with her but I hadn't blah blah blah and that she had called the bar and filed a complaint on our firm. This is one of my biggest fears when it comes to my job so boss lady really got me anxious. I was seriously about to have an anxiety attack and my co-worker was like, “Don't pass it off as an April Fools Joke, cuz what if its real! Just go talk to Justin when we finish, it'll be ok.” Thankfully, within minutes there were gasps throughout the office and other people were freaking out. She had sent the same email to everyone as a joke. Totally fabricated everything! The attorney was even in on it and was waiting for one of us to go in his office so he could 'yell' at us. Luckily we figured out it was a joke before someone went back there! It took me half the day to calm down after that one.

Last night we went to dinner at Carrabba's. I hadn't been to one since I lived in Texas so it was a nice treat. I couldn't remember what I used to order all the time so I got the Mezzaluna and added sun dried tomatoes...sooooo good. Princess had Manicotti and a side of sausage which the foodrunner forgot to bring out. The server came over and I felt so bad for her. She looked terrified that we were going to start yelling and not tip. Having been a server in this town, I know that this frequently happens (I used to go home and cry nearly every night) so it was the last thing either one of us was about to do. I tipped her a little extra so I hope her night got better.

Then it was off to Monica's to celebrate her 23rd birthday! She has the cutest apartment and I'm wayyyy jealous. A couple girls from work joined us and so did another of Monica's friends. There were many shots and many drinks. I am still feeling the effects as a I write this but it was definitely a great night and I'm glad I went. Hanging out with some girls was a nice change from all the guys from Matt's squadron we hang out with almost every weekend. I slept away my day and hangover today. I feel very guilty right now because I skipped my long run and literally slept til 7pm. I will do a long run tomorrow instead of a short one to make up for it. But for now, I hope everyone is having an excellent weekend!

Which is Worse: Failing or Never Trying?

The next question on Marc and Angel's 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind is "Which is worse: failing or never trying?"

I'm a person that likes to look at the facts...sooo it depends on the facts. For instance lets use drugs as an example. Lets say someone tries heroin for the first time (I already call this a fail but am going to go on) and he or she does a little too much and overdoses, ultimately resulting in death. In this situation, this person definitely failed and should have never tried heroin right? Trying is worse

This is really only a smarty pants example. But, it is true. In most cases never trying is worse. I think its very important for a person to not be afraid of failure. Just because one fails once does not necessarily mean it will continuously happen. A lot can be learned from failure. You might find out that a particular career path you chose isn't going to work out but something far more interesting came along. Such as my situation.

When I graduated from college with degrees in both political science and psychology, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. When I was about seven years old, I had a dream to being an attorney and at 23 it was still somewhat something I wanted to do. I also really like psych but wasn't sure if I wanted to make a career of it. Third, I had recently learned about occupational therapy and thought it sounded cool. Instead of simply choosing one, I got a little experience with each! When I first moved to Florida, I worked at an inpatient acute rehab facility. A lot of clients had schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. I learned a lot at this job about these conditions as well as about myself. I really enjoy working with people in an environment where I am helping them but I do not want to work is psychiatry every day for the rest of my life. It really takes a toll on a person and requires a very special type of person.

Then I was offered a job with a law firm. I am very happy I took this job and learned a little more about myself. I had been told numerous times to get experience in law before going to law school to make sure it was something I wanted to do. Best advice anyone has given me career wise. I think a lot of aspects about my job are very interesting but I cannot sit in an office all day long. I can't talk to clients on the phone more of the day. All in all this is not the type of job I would be happy in, especially since it requires a lot of hours.

So far my only experience with OT has been with my dad. When he was initially recovering from the heart attack he had lost a lot of his strength and had to relearn how to talk, write, walk, all sorts of things people take for granted. I worked with him a lot on his hands and arms, providing resistance for him to regain strength in his arms. Playing cards to work on fine motor movement in his hands. I really enjoyed it and at the time a lot of people were encouraging me to get involved with an OT program, which is what I'm doing down a year later. Now that I got my feet wet in all three things I want to do, I've finally made a choice! With occupational therapy I will get to work with a variety of clients and help them. I won't have to sit a a desk all day if I don't want to. I will get to be creative and see people make so many improvements in life! Soooo excited!

Even though I tried out a number of different things before I made a decision, I don't consider them fails. It was important to me to be sure that whatever I chose to study in graduate school was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life before I spent a lot of money to find out I didn't like something. I am very confident that I will enjoy OT. But anyways, its time go eat. Good night!

Whats your real age?

I hate Mondays. At my last job I loved them because it was my day off. Now I spend my Mondays at AFSS from 7-5. It doesn't help that I'm certainly not a morning person and the rest of the week I get an extra hour to sleep since I don't have to be to work until 8. The smart thing would be to get up early every day and get my workout over with to energize my day. Yet, I prefer to run in the late afternoon/early evening when its still really warm out. I have found that its actually easier for me to breath...

Anyways I ate like crap today. I started off with

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal with everything 390 cal
Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte 160 cal

Thats what the Starbucks claims but I don't really believe it...I didn't have a snack because I was so busy at work so it was simply 3 cups of water. Around 1, I realized I wasn't going to have an opportunity to go pick up lunch and since I was running behind this morning, I hadn't brought anything. So Princess brought me a

Chik-fil-A chicken sandwich 410 cal

When I got home, I was STARVING! I had some already cooked shrimp in the fridge - no cocktail sauce or lemons :( so I threw them in a pan with some BBQ sauce and super hot salsa Princess had leftover. My mouth was on FIRE for about 20 minutes. I love spicy stuff but this was way too much

Shrimp with BBQ 200 cal

It was supposed to be a rest day for me but I was feeling a little anxious about eating that Chik-fil-A sandwich so I put in Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and did level 2. Glad I only went that far since level one was way too easy but level 2 definitely made me work! I was hungry afterward and have been craving a PB&J all afternoon since I saw a co-worker eating one. Definitely gave in...

PB&J (almond butter) 240 cal

I guess that puts me around my 1350 calorie goal but I'm still hungry. Probably because I at all that CRAP! Maybe I will snack on some bell peppers. Anyways this is about to turn into a really long post because below is something I wrote a little earlier today.

As Part of my Day Zero Project, I plan to complete the “50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind” from Marc And Angel Hack Life. Instead of doing this as a simple questionnaire, it is probably more beneficial to answer a question with each blog that I write and put a little bit of thought into it. The first question is:


How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

This is a little difficult. Often, I am told I am mature for my age. For the most part I disagree with this but I have been through a lot the last couple years that has definitely made me stronger. I would say I would think I as 22 if I didn't know better. I finished college later than other people and certainly haven't figured out what I want to do the rest of my life.

I guess I will begin with why I think I'm immature for my age. I like to have fun and party. When I do, I drink way too much and usually find myself in some kind of trouble. Princess frequently lectures me for this since he always ends up being the one to drive home. As much as I try to keep my home clean, I can be a total slob. I don't like cleaning up the kitchen after I cook and I refuse to take the trash out unless I'm the only one there to do it. I frequently find myself thinking petty things about some people, which I firmly believe is a very immature habit for anyone. Fortunately, I only express these things to Princess and some close friends. I want to go back to school, because I long for the college experience again. I truly feel like an 18 year old in a 24 year old's body, with the exception that working out does cause some pain in my knees in hips which might say otherwise. The fact that I feel I can barely take care of myself – I know I can but I get very self-conscious and anxious about it. When having to do something that I am unfamiliar with, the anxiety that I feel is frequently so bad that I do my best to avoid the particular activity.

Now onto the things that might make me more mature for my age. Being terrified of the possibility of losing both of my parents before I turned 25 certainly had an effect on me. As many people know my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and at one point we had been told that it was at a stage that made things very scary for our family. Luckily, it was only in an early stage and she was able to receive treatment and recovered very well.

Shortly after her recovery, my dad had a very bad heart attack and was hospitalized for about 6 weeks. Most of which he was in an induced a coma. Mom and I practically lived at the hospital, terrified every morning about news we might receive that day. Thanks to everyone's thoughts and prayers, my dad has made a miraculous recovery and I certainly do believe in miracles to this day. In January, he became a candidate for a heart transplant and it wasn't long before they got the call – he was on the list for like 8 days! His transplant was successfully completed less than a year after his heart attack. I am so grateful for how fortunate he and our family have been in this situation.

These things definitely made me a stronger person and strengthened my faith in God. Like I said, I now know that miracles are real and that what appears to be impossible certainly isn't. I grew a lot as a person because of the last two years. Being in a relationship with a man who is in flight school definitely added to the stress as well. Part of that was a long distance relationship which was certainly difficult. As we are getting closer to being separated again, I now have faith that we can make it through this if we both really want to.

And the obvious. Being an only child. Some might say that I was spoiled rotten and all the other stereotypical stuff that goes along with being an only child. Yes, I was spoiled but not as much as some might think. I got my first “job” as soon as I was capable, washing dishes and doing some cleaning at my aunt and uncles B&B when I was 12. At 14, I had a serving job at a little restaurant in my hometown. I worked there until my senior year of high school when I started only working weekends at a different restaurant where I could make more money. The only time I didn't work since I first started was my first semester of college and I HATED IT!!! I thought it would be nice to have all the free time but after about a month I found myself longing for a job. I ran things by my parents over Christmas and they agreed that I could use some extra money since I had so much free time. I certainly cannot NOT WORK. Even if I have other things to do such as school I find myself very bored and getting into trouble. Also, being an only child I was around more adults growing up than I was other children. Many of my parents' friends didn't have children until I was older if they had them at all. Also, many of their friends were older than them! This probably has something to do with why I thoroughly enjoy talking to elderly people. One of my favorite things to do when I am visiting home is see some of my parents friends rather than my own! Anyways, that about sums it up, there's probably more but this post is getting long. Adios for today!

Weekend recap

Wow this weekend has been a long one. I wish it could keep going! Friday evening Princess and I met up with a buddy of his and saw the new movie Sucker Punch. I was not very impressed. The plot - if there was one - was terrible. Maybe its more of a guy movie but I'm not into human trafficking meets Lord of the Rings meets Girl Interrupted. It was just ridiculous. This young girl gets sent to inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation and soon finds herself being forced to dance and perform favors. You never actually see her dance though because then she goes into a visionary state where she's and some girls are fighting dragons and flying airplanes. After the movie we were all ready for a beer so we hit up this bar called Wisteria.



They have so many different kinds of beers, I would say over a hundred and its in what appears to be a trailer. They have Blue Point Blueberry Ale which I absolutely love and recommend to anyone. Princess found himself a $12 beer that he seemed to enjoy. Please excuse his buddy's sign language. He was apparently a little jealous.



Yesterday I ran some errands and took a trip to Target. I planned to go for a one hour run after my trip so just for the heck of it I ventured over to the sporting goods section and they had a New Balance Hydration belt! When I run I constantly feel thirsty, so I went ahead and bought one. It also has a SMALL pocket for keys/phone/etc which I found handy since I have been having difficulty finding running shorts with pockets at a reasonable price. I can only fit my phone in it but it helped.

Then I went on my one-hour run in a neighborhood I normally don't run in. I was hoping to find some hills but didn't have much success. It was about 80 degrees so I was so happy to have my hydration belt! I ran for a half hour and ran out of water...luckily I had an extra bottle of water in my car so I went back and refilled. I only ran about 4.5 miles since I did quite a bit of walking but hey, at least I got out there. I felt pretty good for the rest of the day!

Last night we went out to the beach for my coworkers' birthday celebration. Fly By Radio was playing, and while I had heard good things about them I wasn't expecting a cover band to be as good as they were. They did everything thing from Aretha Franklin to Metallica - very well! My friend Kristy developed a little crush on the guitarist



Not a very good picture (I had too much to drink & I took this right before we left) but he was def good looking. They called all the birthday people on stage but I'm not going to post those pictures. Someone might get mad at me ;) Anyways I'm definitely feeling the aftermath today. I still went on my run but it was rough. It was only 25 minutes but it felt like an hour. I had mild shin splints and some ankle pain the whole time but I did my best. I'm glad tomorrow is a rest day cuz I'm hurting.

Today I took Apollo to the groomers for the first time. He really needs a hair cut but they were unable to do it because he wouldn't sit still so they just did a trim around his face and feet. He looks sooooo much better. You can actually see his eyes now.



But anyways thats about it for now. I'm just spending my Sunday relaxing on the couch :)

Tore up..

Grrr I pulled a muscle or tendon in my bicep. For the last few days I haven't been able to really straighten it without some pain. Initially, I attributed it to the fact that I did a pretty good arm workout and just being sore. After a couple days of not doing much with my arms, I can still say that it doesn't seem to be getting better :( I planned to do a yoga workout tonight but decided to take the night off. Tomorrow was a scheduled rest day so if I feel better I will just go ahead and do yoga tomorrow and go easy on my left arm. If not maybe just go for a short easy run...

I talked to my girl Suzanne today and she is going to look at apartments for us in a few days. I'm so excited. Then I found one cheaper than the one she had in mind and remembered that my best friend from HS worked for the property management company so I sent her a quick text about it. She let me know that she moved about three hours away (which really saddens me now that I'm moving back), but gave me the number of a friend of hers to contact. Hopefully her friend hooks us up with a sweet deal! Especially since I have Apollo which will make things a little expensive back home. Pet deposits up there can run from half a months rent and the an additional $50/month or to a full months rent and a monthly fee. It can get pretty ridiculous, so hopefully this girl can help us out.

I'm still stressed and somewhat unhappy at work so there isn't much to talk about there. The phones were almost as crazy today as they were yesterday...but its better than working in a restaurant I guess. At least down here since people are frequently rude and don't tip well.

Ok back to the positives. I made some eggplant lasagna tonight and loved it. Princess hated it but whatever he's picky and has the body to be able to eat everything he wants! I will eat the leftovers tomorrow ;) Possibly some shrimpies as well. I still haven't heard anything from ISU - they need to get on it! I mean, I graduated with two degrees why wouldn't they accept me and my money? But mom did tell me that once I know for sure then they would help me out with getting a place since I'm pretty broke right now. That made me feel better.

Anyways, its time for bed. Goodnight!

insert off the wall creative title here

I don't have many ideas for a post today so I guess I will just give a brief synopsis of my day. I was planning to get up this morning and do a short strength training workout. When the alarm went off my arms were so sore it was a struggle to do this



but I still managed to hit snooze on all SEVEN of my alarms. By the time I got outta bed I had enough time to take Apollo



Outside and get ready. I had a "deadline" today at work and it was stressing me out, especially since I'm not at the law firm on Mondays. I had to go through and fix a bunch of stuff that I forgot to do/wasn't told to do until halfway through a project. Needless to say, the phones were ringing off the hooks and needed to be answered. Typically, I get records ordered for about 10 people/day and today I managed to get a whopping two.

By the time 5:30 rolled around I decided that I was going to get my coworker to talk about her spring break for the rest of the time she was there so I didn't get much done there either...but in my defense I did not take either of my 15 minute breaks or a lunch today. After work I was able to get some errands done at Target and Winn Dixie. By the time I got home, it was already dark but I went for my run anyway! I haven't felt safe at night in this town since I moved here - I still don't but I got passed it tonight!



I wish I could say it looked something like that, but at 7:30 there was no way I was going to drive down to the beach! Afterwards, I cooked dinner for me and my princess and I'm pretty sure they were the most amazing cheeseburgers I've had since that awesome place in San Antonio...then I prepped my lunch for tomorrow - which I haven't done in about two months. Lately I've been starving myself at work - skipping breakfast and lunch and snacking on Girl Scout Cookies and Doritos from the snack bin. For instance this is what my food intake for the day looked like

Breakfast
Nutrigrain bar and coffee

Lunch
Snack pack Doritos and a Coke

Snack
One Girl Scout Cookie that was hidden in my desk

Dinner
Cheeseburger
Mushrooms (my new favorite veggie/fungus/whatever)
Almond Milk

I think the only thing I did right today as far as my diet goes is drink 10 glasses of water and not consume any alcohol!

And now here I am. Princess is playing COD and I'm about to go to bed. Goodnight world!

No More BS

Well I'm sitting here with about 20 minutes of work left thinking about how I need to be more honest with myself as well as harder on myself.  This weekend I skipped my runs Thursday thru Sunday.  Well Sunday I did a 20 minute Jillian Michaels workout but that didn't do much for me.  I felt like I had just gotten warmed up when it was over, like I wrote last night.  If I am going to acheive my fitness and health goals which include looking like this:



I can't be eating stuff like this



Or drinking this



I keep picturing how I want my body to look but my bad habits are really getting in my way.  It doesn't help that my boyfriend refuses to eat healthy food unless its sushi.  I actually ate TBell last night simply because he went to the store and on the way home decided that he wanted some.  And today at work I had portabello shrimp and tomato soup from my favorite restaurant here in town.  OMG SOOOO GOOD!!!  I guess, that's going to be my last cheating meal.  Its time to buckle down and start holding myself accountable.

I also keep making excuses to not work out -- telling myself I need more sleep in the mornings and hitting the snooze which then puts my workout off until I get home from work.  Once I get home from work, I tell myself that I am too tired from sitting at my desk and staring at my computer all day.  I need to be held accountable and I need to stop making excuses.  I need someone to get in my face and tell me to stop with the bullsh*t.



So...it was time to leave before I finished this post. When I got home, I put in a different Jillian Michaels video and that one really worked my body. Tonight I did "No More Trouble Zones" and my arms are on fire! I'm sure my legs will hurt tomorrow as well. Tomorrow I have a 30 minute run on a hilly course. Since my arms are killing me I'm really looking forward to it. I really hope that its as beautiful outside as it was today!

Anyways, I also downloaded a new app on my phone that sorts to do lists into topics such as work, grocery, wants, regular to dos, and additional categories. Now I need to make this habit! I also have some financial goals that I would like to achieve though that might be difficult considering my phone carrier is currently ripping me off. I guess ya gotta take the good with the bad right? I've been through more difficult times than this and things are just gonna have to be tight the next few months.

a sunny day with a large cloud...

A little over a year ago my dad had a heart attack and was in the hospital for weeks.  While he was sick, a good friend of his called our family regularly.  This friend also visited the hospital regularly and when dad was well he stayed in touch with our family and of course my dad.  I believe my dad considered this person to be one of his very good friends.  This very supportive friend passed away early this morning.  I don't have all the details but some say that he was supposedly drunk and was driving home and lost control of his truck, rolled, and well he didn't make it.  I called my dad, who had a heart transplant last month, to see how he was taking it and he sounded a little depressed.  He didn't seem to want to talk to me, particularly about his friend.  Who can blame him.  It was a person who had been very supportive of my dad and family the past year and could always bring a smile to someone's face.  I just want this person to know that his family is in my thoughts and prayers and I am so very appreciative of all the support that was given to my family over the past year.  God works in mysterious ways and we may never know what happened last night, but everything happens for a reason.

This also stands as a reminder to all of those out there that drink and drive.  DON'T DO IT!  You don't get better with experience either!

As some probably know, I ran my frist 5k in 5 years last weekend for St. Patricks day courtsesy of my employers.  Considering I didn't train, I have to say it went pretty well.  All in all it inspired me to continue running and now my goal is to run a 10k in May.  At this point, I haven't found one in the area that I am interested, but I'm sure something will come up in the next couple weeks.  Anyways, I skipped my last few training runs, including todays. So, tonight I decided to get out my Jillian Michael's dvds that I bought a couple weeks ago and haven't used yet.  I chose to use the 30 Day Shred video

I did level one of the video and it was too easy for me.  When the workout was over, it seemed as if i had just done a warmup so I guess that next time I'm gonna have to do level two.  I think I am going to do these videos in conjunction with with my 10k training.  Now I just have to have the motivation to get up in the mornings and make sure I run in the evenings or on my lunch hour.  I have a few fitness goals for the year.

1.  Lose 5lbs
2.  Cut out sweets
3.  Run a 10k in May
4.  Lose 10lbs
5.  Get into my size 4 jeans and be comfortable!
6.  Run a half marathon in July or August
7.  Run a marathon in November or December
8.  Eat clean and don't give into my boyfriends bad habits!

I have created a Daily Mile account.  Feel free to follow me ashleyp23@gmail.com!

Getting to Know You

Courtesy of MannLand5 I am participating in "Getting to Know You."  Check it out to link up...

1. if you won the title of miss america, what would your platform be? 

Bomb Libya.  Bomb Afghanistan.  Bomb Russia.  Bomb China.  Then we will have World power and World Peace!  Bahahaha...I'm a conservative and yes I think Obama made a the decision this weekend about Libya was an excellent one.  Oh wait, I bet Hilary pushed for that while Obama was filling out his March Madness bracket...I used to hate her but I am liking her more and more.

2. outdoorsy or indoorsy?  Outdoorsy.  I grew up on a farm and had a summer cabin at the lake.  I love being on the water!!!  I truly enjoy camping. I def don't have a problem PEEING in the woods.  I like hiking.  I love the sun! Now I just need my boyfriend to like that stuff.  He would rather stay in and play videogames...

3. pajama's out in public..classy or tres tacky?  Depends.  Lingerie or obviously pajaamas very tacky.  Sweats or shorts and a tee?  I will do it a second!

4. what's your favorite room in your house?  My living room.  I actually really dislike my condo...I wish I had more money to decorate but debt needs to be paid off so we are where we are and I can't buy pretty stuff!

5. nook, kindle, or book?  I don't have a nook or kindle.  I'm so old school, I refuse to try it because I believe that holding an actual book and turning the pages is one of the best parts about reading.  I have tried to read books on my computer and also have a kindle app on my phone - damaging my eyes more (I stare at a computer all day at work) doesn't sound like a very good idea and  I don't like it!!!

6. would you rather wear the same outfit for a week or not brush your teeth for a week?  I guess I have to go with same outfit for a week.  I really don't think I could go too long without brushing my teeth. Two days max and I would have to be lost in the woods or desert...

7. what's your favorite blog at the moment?  Does PostSecret count?  I'm not actually going to choose anyone in particular so thats the best ya'll are gonna get

8. lately i've been daydreaming about.........?  Iowa!!! I saw Zac Brown Band on Friday and when they played "Colder Weather" there was a video of a a barn and snow...I got soooo homesick - even though I HATE snow!  Going back to school to start my way into an occupational therapy program! Probably has something to do with my future plans as well!  Can't wait to live with my girl Suzanne!

Starting over...

Good evening!  I guess I will go ahead and introduce myself to everyone as Ashley.  I currently live in Pensacola.  Definitely not a native but rather an Iowa transplant.  I moved down here about a year ago with my boyfriend - now I'm definitely ready to move away.  While I love the beach, this is not the place for me and I don't think I could ever call it "home."  As he is finishing flight school and getting ready to move to the west coast, I am getting ready to go back to school in Iowa.  While I would love to go with him, it does not make sense financially.  I am planning to go back to college and take some pre-requisite classes and then apply to an occupational therapy program. 

This is a big change from my original plan to go to law school.  Advice for anyone considering law...get experience in the field before you go to law school!  Choosing to work in a medium sized firm is probably the best decision I have made in the past year.  I initially hated it but this is probably because I using a $50,000 piece of paper in a job where I was pulling staples and scanning documents.  Things got better and it wasn't long before I was working on a case.  For the first couple weeks, I actually enjoyed this...and that only lasted a couple weeks.  Recently I have began feeling disposable again.  I am not enjoying what I do at all and I have gotten very discouraged.  Honestly, I don't find it getting better.  A large part of this is because I cannot sit for eight hours a day and stare at a computer screen.  Maybe if I was in a recliner in my living room - and I could do my job from my couch (but not really allowed to) - I would enjoy myself a little more.  Like I said, I cannot sit that long...I need to have a little flexibility, change, and opportunity for movement and/or hands on work. 

That is why I feel occupational or physical therapy would be a great plan.  Its definitely a growing field with the opportunity to make a decent income and it incorporates a lot of aspects of what I would like to see in a career.  Interaction, hands on work, flexibility, and most importantly a challenge.  Having worked in an acute psychiatric care facility, I am not too thrilled about getting into mental health but I would enjoy working in a hospital with children, elderly, and those that have been victims of traumatic incidents.  I would also enjoy starting my own business as something like a life coach. LOL - I don't even know what I'm doing!  That is my current educational/work goal and I'm going to get it!

When I was in high school, I was really into running track.  I looked forward to late winter/early spring practices where we were running in the snow and having snowball fights.  Not to mention the practice after a meet when Coach would hand out medals.  I had a large collection of medals that I was very proud of.  I ran a 5k my sophomore year of college and after that I kinda fell of the bandwagon and got on a new one that consisted of beer and partying.  I recently ran a 5k without any training and was reminded of how much I enjoyed running.  It felt soooo good!  So, before I could talk myself out of it, I took the opportunity to register for another 5k.  A week or two after that I plan to find a 10k to run. 

Today I did my first training run.  It was an easy 20 minute run.  I actually made it 2 miles in 20 minutes.  For starting out, I am definitely happy with a 10 minute pace; however, I would eventually like to see an 8 minute pace (or faster!).  I know it will come with time.  But anyways, I'm off to bed...got a 30 minute run tomorrow!