11/29/2013
11/28/2013
Happy Thanksgiving!!
I'm going to keep this short: had a good day. Thankful for salt trucks/road plows. Like my family and really happy I get to/want to hang out with them every year. Ate too much. Made it thru 7 egg custards out of 12. Couldn't eat any more.
11/27/2013
Shoes
I need new workout shoes. I'm currently wearing Innov8's and I like them a lot. They are a minimal drop shoe (the sole is about the same height from toe to heel) and are very light. I got them in a royal blue/green combo.
The only downside? I've had them for about 6 months and the mid-sole is starting to break down. I think the breakdown is from rope climbs (which we rarely do at my gym). I also feel like they are more flexible than when I first got them. I think I can get a few more months out of them...but know I need to at least start looking into a new pair.
Things that are important to me:
light
minimal drop
pretty colors
durable
comfortable
Here are a few I'm looking at.
Another pair of Inov8's. I know I like the shoe. I am a little disappointed with the price (approx $120) and only holding up for 6 months. (I got my first pair on sale)
The Inov8 Bare-XF 177. These are supposed to be unsurpassed in rope climbing technology. But again - cost vs durability.
Reebok Crossfit Nano Speed. These shoes are made specifically for crossfit. They are lighter than the normal Nano and are a crossfit shoe you can run in. I guess a lot of crossfit shoes aren't good for running. Anyways, these retail for about $100. I like this color combo but am worried because the other pair of black shoes I have always make me feel like I'm in a 1988 hip hop dance group. But these are a "ironstone" and not black.
New Balance Minimus 10v2 - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this color combo. It has a 4mm drop, which isn't huge but I'm used to either a 3mm or zero drop. So I'm not sure if the 4mm would feel like I was standing in wedge heels. They are on sale for $90.
New Balance Minimus 20v2 - I like this color combo. It's got a 4mm drop and is $70. I like this price...but am curious how they differ from the one above it.
Does anyone have any experience or advice on good crossfit shoes?
The only downside? I've had them for about 6 months and the mid-sole is starting to break down. I think the breakdown is from rope climbs (which we rarely do at my gym). I also feel like they are more flexible than when I first got them. I think I can get a few more months out of them...but know I need to at least start looking into a new pair.
Things that are important to me:
light
minimal drop
pretty colors
durable
comfortable
Here are a few I'm looking at.
Another pair of Inov8's. I know I like the shoe. I am a little disappointed with the price (approx $120) and only holding up for 6 months. (I got my first pair on sale)The Inov8 Bare-XF 177. These are supposed to be unsurpassed in rope climbing technology. But again - cost vs durability.Reebok Crossfit Nano Speed. These shoes are made specifically for crossfit. They are lighter than the normal Nano and are a crossfit shoe you can run in. I guess a lot of crossfit shoes aren't good for running. Anyways, these retail for about $100. I like this color combo but am worried because the other pair of black shoes I have always make me feel like I'm in a 1988 hip hop dance group. But these are a "ironstone" and not black.New Balance Minimus 10v2 - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this color combo. It has a 4mm drop, which isn't huge but I'm used to either a 3mm or zero drop. So I'm not sure if the 4mm would feel like I was standing in wedge heels. They are on sale for $90.New Balance Minimus 20v2 - I like this color combo. It's got a 4mm drop and is $70. I like this price...but am curious how they differ from the one above it.Does anyone have any experience or advice on good crossfit shoes?
11/26/2013
I almost forgot!!
I almost forgot to blog!! So close to the end. But I have to go pack and unload my dishwasher so this is all you get tonight.
11/25/2013
5 more days!
5 days left NaBloPoMo. Aside from that slight mix up where you didn't actually publish the post I wrote at the beginning of the month, I've felt good about you this year. Some days finding things to write about was hard. Some days it was easy. But I've written (or put a picture up) daily. We've had a successful month.
Highlights of today:
- did my first workout with unbanded kipping pull-ups.
- my boss was in a good mood which encouraged me to be in a good mood.
- there was a really cute paramedic patient in today. We flirted for a bit. I liked that feeling.
- I decided to text someone...just to say hey and not have a particular purpose for the conversation. (For those of you that I do this to regularly, it's not a big deal. But I only talk to like 3 people with a rambling, non-purposeful conversation.)
- It snowed and it was pretty.
- I did not wreck my car in the icy snow mixture.
- I made it into the chiropractor and had a good adjustment.
- I managed to eat healthy all day, including a kale/beet/blueberry juice that turned out to be pretty tasty.
Highlights of today:
- did my first workout with unbanded kipping pull-ups.
- my boss was in a good mood which encouraged me to be in a good mood.
- there was a really cute paramedic patient in today. We flirted for a bit. I liked that feeling.
- I decided to text someone...just to say hey and not have a particular purpose for the conversation. (For those of you that I do this to regularly, it's not a big deal. But I only talk to like 3 people with a rambling, non-purposeful conversation.)
- It snowed and it was pretty.
- I did not wreck my car in the icy snow mixture.
- I made it into the chiropractor and had a good adjustment.
- I managed to eat healthy all day, including a kale/beet/blueberry juice that turned out to be pretty tasty.
11/24/2013
Why Me?
I'm going to throw a quick pity party. You're all invited. Keep reading if you want to come. Stop reading if you don't want to make an appearance.
What is it about me that make people think it's ok to cancel on me last minute? I'm a nice person. I don't think I do this to people. But it gets done to me on a regular basis. I invite "friends" out to dinner and they say they'll come...and then about an hour or so beforehand, "Oh hey, something came up. I can't make it." I get that things come up. I'm an understanding person. But why is it that every time someone is going to hang out with me...something comes up? How does that happen every single time? At what point do I stop trying to hang out with those same people? It's mean. And it hurts my feelings.
If this were one person, I'd think it was just them. But it's multiple people. Which makes me think it has to be something about me. Is it ok to run over me? Do my feelings not matter? Do they think I don't have feelings? It's not everyone that I know that does it. I have a couple friends who rarely cancel on me. I try to focus on them and hang out with them more and the cancelers less...but they aren't always around or available. Which has me making plans with the cancelers and then hanging out by myself.
Ok, pity party over. I'll find something more upbeat to talk about tomorrow.
What is it about me that make people think it's ok to cancel on me last minute? I'm a nice person. I don't think I do this to people. But it gets done to me on a regular basis. I invite "friends" out to dinner and they say they'll come...and then about an hour or so beforehand, "Oh hey, something came up. I can't make it." I get that things come up. I'm an understanding person. But why is it that every time someone is going to hang out with me...something comes up? How does that happen every single time? At what point do I stop trying to hang out with those same people? It's mean. And it hurts my feelings.
If this were one person, I'd think it was just them. But it's multiple people. Which makes me think it has to be something about me. Is it ok to run over me? Do my feelings not matter? Do they think I don't have feelings? It's not everyone that I know that does it. I have a couple friends who rarely cancel on me. I try to focus on them and hang out with them more and the cancelers less...but they aren't always around or available. Which has me making plans with the cancelers and then hanging out by myself.
Ok, pity party over. I'll find something more upbeat to talk about tomorrow.
11/23/2013
Getting Old
I think I'm getting old. I don't know which of these makes that most evident:
1. It's Saturday night and I'm doing laundry.
2. I'm watching The Lawrence Welk Show. And enjoying it.
3. It's 7:15. I've already eaten dinner and am in my pajamas.
4. I'm trying to stay awake until 9pm.
1. It's Saturday night and I'm doing laundry.
2. I'm watching The Lawrence Welk Show. And enjoying it.
3. It's 7:15. I've already eaten dinner and am in my pajamas.
4. I'm trying to stay awake until 9pm.
11/22/2013
Cooking, cooking...and then more cooking
Since I have to work tomorrow (and mostly because I'm a homebody), I decided to stay in tonight and prep food for the next few days. I've been at work for about 3 hours now. I'm not done. I'm done for the night. Here is what I made:
Breakfast burger sandwiches - comprised of 2 turkey patty "buns", bacon, spinach, mashed avocado & a tomato slice. They look pretty good. But they are pretty giant. I'm willing to bet they will be incredibly messy and not a good car food.
Paleo chili - a recipe from crossfitchicago.com. It's chili with bacon, beef, peppers, onions, and fire roasted tomatoes. It has good heat and the flavor is tasty. But I like beans in my chili. Beans are not paleo. But if this chili had beans in it, it would be the bomb-diggity.
Egg Stuffed Tomato - It's basically egg salad put into a hollowed out tomato. Simple but it looks pretty.
That is as far as I got. I still need to make:
Sweet Garlic Shrimp (served over spinach)
Fish & Chips & Mushy Peas (A British classic supposedly. I think mushy peas sound really good!!)
Chorizo & Beef Burgers (also served with spinach)
11/21/2013
A Good Night
Yikes. I don't know what has been up with my brain the past 2 days! I forgot my purse at work yesterday. I forgot my keys in the house today. I don't know where my brain has been but not in my head.
Tonight didn't go exactly as planned but it was still a good night. The plan was: gym, cook dinner/lunch/breakfast for the next few days, relax, watch tv. Since my keys were sitting in my house, that didn't quite work out. I did make it to the gym. That's about where the plans ended.
The gym was good - I bench pressed about 80% of my max bench for 2 rounds of 9 & 10 reps respectively. If you're like..."huh?", that means the most I've ever bench pressed is 80 pounds and to do the exact same lift at 80% for multiple reps means I could probably lift more than 80 pounds for only 1 rep. I also did some deadhang pullups (starting from a hanging position and not using momentum) at a lighter band that what I'd normally use. Which is good. I need to get some good pullup action going on.
This is where the plan strayed. Instead of coming home and cooking (since I couldn't get in my house), I went to dinner with the maybe-dumb guy. He was heading in almost the same direction as I was, so I tagged along. I didn't want to wander the city by myself looking for a bus. He offered to grab a drink with me if I needed to waste some time. I suggested dinner instead since we had just worked out & both needed to eat. We ended up at a mexican restaurant. I know, I know. Mexican! I love mexican! But! Just you wait. I didn't eat a single chip! I got fajitas with no tortillas, no rice & beans. It was meat & veggies with a side of sour cream & guacamole. I did have a margarita. But only 1. And it was the smallest size available. They ended up bringing complimentary shots of tequila at the end. I think the waiter felt bad that I didn't get any food with my meal. But I really enjoyed the company. I didn't get the impression that the guy was dumb this time around. I liked talking to him. I kinda want to hang out with him more. Maybe this is the tequila talking though?
Anyways, we parted ways, I made it home and the property manager was nice enough to let me in the house. It turned out to be a good night, just in unexpected ways.
Tonight didn't go exactly as planned but it was still a good night. The plan was: gym, cook dinner/lunch/breakfast for the next few days, relax, watch tv. Since my keys were sitting in my house, that didn't quite work out. I did make it to the gym. That's about where the plans ended.
The gym was good - I bench pressed about 80% of my max bench for 2 rounds of 9 & 10 reps respectively. If you're like..."huh?", that means the most I've ever bench pressed is 80 pounds and to do the exact same lift at 80% for multiple reps means I could probably lift more than 80 pounds for only 1 rep. I also did some deadhang pullups (starting from a hanging position and not using momentum) at a lighter band that what I'd normally use. Which is good. I need to get some good pullup action going on.
This is where the plan strayed. Instead of coming home and cooking (since I couldn't get in my house), I went to dinner with the maybe-dumb guy. He was heading in almost the same direction as I was, so I tagged along. I didn't want to wander the city by myself looking for a bus. He offered to grab a drink with me if I needed to waste some time. I suggested dinner instead since we had just worked out & both needed to eat. We ended up at a mexican restaurant. I know, I know. Mexican! I love mexican! But! Just you wait. I didn't eat a single chip! I got fajitas with no tortillas, no rice & beans. It was meat & veggies with a side of sour cream & guacamole. I did have a margarita. But only 1. And it was the smallest size available. They ended up bringing complimentary shots of tequila at the end. I think the waiter felt bad that I didn't get any food with my meal. But I really enjoyed the company. I didn't get the impression that the guy was dumb this time around. I liked talking to him. I kinda want to hang out with him more. Maybe this is the tequila talking though?
Anyways, we parted ways, I made it home and the property manager was nice enough to let me in the house. It turned out to be a good night, just in unexpected ways.
11/20/2013
Happiness is a Habit
My fake nutritionist (he's not fake. But if you heard some of the stuff he has recommended, it goes against "conventional" dieting advice. That's a different post.) posted this article today. I liked it so I'll share it with you.
I don't necessarily think of myself as a "happy" person. I'm not an unhappy person. I'm not really a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person. There's a glass. There's liquid in it. Depending on the day, my viewpoint changes. I try to maintain a positive outlook....but I'm good at letting things get the best of me. I get annoyed far too easily. And I let things bother me way too much. So I'm going to try to keep these things in mind:
I don't necessarily think of myself as a "happy" person. I'm not an unhappy person. I'm not really a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person. There's a glass. There's liquid in it. Depending on the day, my viewpoint changes. I try to maintain a positive outlook....but I'm good at letting things get the best of me. I get annoyed far too easily. And I let things bother me way too much. So I'm going to try to keep these things in mind:
11/19/2013
Winter Has Arrived
Winter is here. How do I know that? The trees have been stripped of their leaves. There is a chill in the air that never goes away. Winter jackets are appearing everywhere. Fur-lined hoods are being seen. It takes people 5 minutes to disrobe upon entering a building. Snowflakes have drifted about. The radiators have been clanging. (Seriously. It sounds like someone is banging on my radiator with a metal spoon. All. Winter. Long.) The barren trees are now flaunting holiday lights. Christmas displays are in the windows. (Let's be realistic though - they started appearing at least two months ago). Thanksgiving shows are in abundance on television. My stomach is excited about stuffing and egg custard. My heart is aflutter at the thought of seeing my puppy girl. But the thing that most tells me it's winter? This finally has been broken out:
11/18/2013
I bet you thought I forgot...
Well I almost did. I was out at the Eli Young Band concert. It was fun but really crowded. I guess I'll probably never be at a big artist like that giving me a private performance....but I hate constantly getting shoved! I set up camp in the corner where I could halfway see the band. My friends tried to get closer - they managed about 2 feet further up. So the view was the same and they go shoved around. I guess I like live music but I like my "bubble" of personal space more. It was a fun time with everyone though.
11/17/2013
Crazy winds & flat tires
I'm supposed to be at home blogging from my computer but I'm not.
I went outside to drive over to K/H's new house. I remembered to check my oil. And as I backed out I realized I had a flat tire. I've seen enough tires changed so I decided to give it a go myself. I gathered the tire iron, spare and a jack. I jumped on the tire iron and was able to get the ....those....off. Lug nuts? I don't know what they are called. They came off. I jacked the car up, put the spare on. Started lowering the car down and realized the spare was flat. Eh. Called AAA. They came to put air in the spare. Went to Firestone...and they are closed Sundays. As is Midas and Walts auto World.
Went to Wal-Mart. I know, I know. But I didn't really have any other options. Oh. I almost forgot: throughout the entire day numerous people kept asking me if I was ok...I guess there were tornados in the Chicago area. Ok, fast forward to wal-mart. The store shut down due to a tornado touching down not too far away. They corralled everyone to the shoe department and let us hang out for 10-15 minutes. Eventually the storm passed and I got my car but there are supposed to be high winds the rest of the night, there are trees down all over and semi trucks are flipped on their sides on the toll road. So I'm hanging out another night and will try to make my way home in the daylight tomorrow.
11/16/2013
11/15/2013
11/14/2013
Steak Au Poivre & Meatzza
I'm in charge of cooking while I visit my brother's girlfriend this weekend. (She's my friend too...but easiest to describe her relation to me as the bro's gf) My brother is out of town. He tends to do most of the cooking when I'm around. I asked if we could try to maintain my paleo diet and she said yes....if I cooked. Since I'm cooking for myself all week...I figure I can cook for her too. I don't really like cooking for other people since sometimes the food turns out questionable (Remember the raw chicken & burnt rice?) I saw this recipe on The Chew and thought it sounded a)paleo and b)delicious.
Steak Au Poivre
3 pounds Sirloin Steak
Salt
Coarsely cracked Black Pepper
Butter
2 Shallots (chopped)
3 Garlic cloves (minced)
Olive Oil
1/4 cup Bourbon
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Half and Half
Steak Au Poivre
I'll serve it with brussel sprouts & maybe some mashed cauliflower. I'm most excited about the bourbon cream sauce.
I'm also going to make meatzza. "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS MEATZZA?" you might be wondering. It's pizza but made on a meat crust. "THAT SOUNDS DISGUSTING" you might be thinking...except it's actually pretty good. I'll try to remember to take pictures. Picture, if you will, a thin sausage crust, topped with pizza sauce, cheese and more meat. It's better than it sounds. Promise.
11/13/2013
Juicing
I want to juice. I don't want to be one of those crazy "I only eat liquid meal" juicers. But maybe one a day to really pack in my veggies. I'm working on taking in 2-3 servings of leafy greens per day. I don't actually know how big one serving should be. (ok, I just looked it up. Each serving is approximately 1 cup.) Smoothies and juices were recommended.
I had my first one on Tuesday. As I blindly combined ingredients, I had this look on my face. Ew. It was sounding pretty gross. Coconut water or filtered water? Coconut? Kale? yes. Spinach? yes. Green apples? ....yeah? I was instructed to add some fruit because right now I pretty much just had a warm smoothie and that wouldn't be very good. The grocery store that was making this smoothie froze all their fruit. So bananas and pineapple found their way into my smoothie. I was pretty terrified taking a sip...and wow! It was actually pretty good! It tasted mostly of banana. And it was very green. It was about 2 servings of my leafy greens for the day!
So the smoothie was delicious. But it was $5. I can't spend $5 a day on smoothies. That seems ridiculous and excessive. So I want to buy a juicer. Or a blender that can handle all of those ingredients. I don't know much in the way of blenders vs juicers. It is definitely time to do some research. Does anyone have any input? A favorite blender/juicer? Any favorite ingredients to throw in?
I had my first one on Tuesday. As I blindly combined ingredients, I had this look on my face. Ew. It was sounding pretty gross. Coconut water or filtered water? Coconut? Kale? yes. Spinach? yes. Green apples? ....yeah? I was instructed to add some fruit because right now I pretty much just had a warm smoothie and that wouldn't be very good. The grocery store that was making this smoothie froze all their fruit. So bananas and pineapple found their way into my smoothie. I was pretty terrified taking a sip...and wow! It was actually pretty good! It tasted mostly of banana. And it was very green. It was about 2 servings of my leafy greens for the day!
So the smoothie was delicious. But it was $5. I can't spend $5 a day on smoothies. That seems ridiculous and excessive. So I want to buy a juicer. Or a blender that can handle all of those ingredients. I don't know much in the way of blenders vs juicers. It is definitely time to do some research. Does anyone have any input? A favorite blender/juicer? Any favorite ingredients to throw in?
11/12/2013
You Better Work!
I have some things to work on. These are things that will probably better me and make me, in general, a more pleasant person.
1. I should wake up at least 1 hour before I need to leave the house. This way I have time to shower, do my make up and (this brings me to #2):
2. I should eat breakfast. I should allow myself enough time to cook breakfast. If I choose to have a shake, that is my choice. But I should make sure I have enough time to make it.
3. I should eat 3-4x daily. I have a bad habit of sending my body into starvation mode. I can think of at least twice in the last week that I have only eaten once per day. It's probably been more than that. Because I can only think back 3 days.
4. I should be better about taking my supplements. I take fish oil and magnesium. I should be taking 4-6 fish oil capsules per day to help aid recovery from my workouts and give me a healthy source of fat. If I remember, I take 2. I don't always remember. The magnesium is supposed to help me sleep. I don't remember to take it very often. I also should be taking Vitamin D, a multivitamin and maybe HCl. The HCl is a maybe because it seems to be giving me acid reflux, which means maybe my stomach is already producing enough acid on it's own. I'm taking a few days off to see if my sudden onset of acid reflux goes away.
5. As winter sets in, I tend to want to hibernate instead of working out. I need to maintain working out 4x/week.
6. I should work on taking in more water. I aim for 80-100 ounces per day. I'm usually right at 60. Hydration is a good thing.
These are all fitness/diet related. That is my main focus right now. There are probably other areas in my life that could use a ton of work but this seems the easiest to start with.
1. I should wake up at least 1 hour before I need to leave the house. This way I have time to shower, do my make up and (this brings me to #2):
2. I should eat breakfast. I should allow myself enough time to cook breakfast. If I choose to have a shake, that is my choice. But I should make sure I have enough time to make it.
3. I should eat 3-4x daily. I have a bad habit of sending my body into starvation mode. I can think of at least twice in the last week that I have only eaten once per day. It's probably been more than that. Because I can only think back 3 days.
4. I should be better about taking my supplements. I take fish oil and magnesium. I should be taking 4-6 fish oil capsules per day to help aid recovery from my workouts and give me a healthy source of fat. If I remember, I take 2. I don't always remember. The magnesium is supposed to help me sleep. I don't remember to take it very often. I also should be taking Vitamin D, a multivitamin and maybe HCl. The HCl is a maybe because it seems to be giving me acid reflux, which means maybe my stomach is already producing enough acid on it's own. I'm taking a few days off to see if my sudden onset of acid reflux goes away.
5. As winter sets in, I tend to want to hibernate instead of working out. I need to maintain working out 4x/week.
6. I should work on taking in more water. I aim for 80-100 ounces per day. I'm usually right at 60. Hydration is a good thing.
These are all fitness/diet related. That is my main focus right now. There are probably other areas in my life that could use a ton of work but this seems the easiest to start with.
11/11/2013
Dealbreaker?
Is it a deal breaker that the guy doesn't know what chamomile is? What about the fact that he pronounced it shamomile? Ok maybe I'm being a little picky....but what about chevre? Doesn't everyone know what chevre is? I bet Steve Harvey would make sure a guy could pronounce such common words as chamomile and chevre.
I feel like I owe you something more. I've had short posts for you the last few days. So, for my good friend, I will post this: I think my friend is one of the most awesome people ever. He can make me laugh or at the very least smile even in my darkest times. When I need advice, I can hear his voice in my head "You know I've believed in you for years babe." He is always on my side, even when I'm wrong. He'll tell me I'm wrong. But he's still on my side.
If I could clone him and make one of him for me - I'd do it in a heartbeat. But that would be weird. I can't clone him.
So, friend, there you go. That's what I think of you. I miss living near you and wish I could hang out with you every single day.
I feel like I owe you something more. I've had short posts for you the last few days. So, for my good friend, I will post this: I think my friend is one of the most awesome people ever. He can make me laugh or at the very least smile even in my darkest times. When I need advice, I can hear his voice in my head "You know I've believed in you for years babe." He is always on my side, even when I'm wrong. He'll tell me I'm wrong. But he's still on my side.
If I could clone him and make one of him for me - I'd do it in a heartbeat. But that would be weird. I can't clone him.
So, friend, there you go. That's what I think of you. I miss living near you and wish I could hang out with you every single day.
11/10/2013
I Owe You
I owe you a long post. Yesterday's post was pretty bad. I can elaborate. I was on my way to a friend's house for game night. I had pretty much no free time between working, a quick nap and getting ready. So I blogged from my phone in the cab ride down there. It was a fun night.
I had planned to give you a little more today...except I just got asked on a date. I think it's a date. I'm so bad at knowing people's intentions. He said "Do you want to get a drink sometime?" That sounds like a date, right? He asked if I was free tonight...and I am. Plus I'm bored with being in my house. So I'll jump at the chance to get out. So I'm off to a gin bar. And that means you get another short post. My apologies. If this goes horribly, I'll brainstorm ideas for a better post during the (?) date.
I had planned to give you a little more today...except I just got asked on a date. I think it's a date. I'm so bad at knowing people's intentions. He said "Do you want to get a drink sometime?" That sounds like a date, right? He asked if I was free tonight...and I am. Plus I'm bored with being in my house. So I'll jump at the chance to get out. So I'm off to a gin bar. And that means you get another short post. My apologies. If this goes horribly, I'll brainstorm ideas for a better post during the (?) date.
11/09/2013
11/08/2013
North Carolina or Bust
I made the decision to move back to North Carolina. It didn't take a ton of thought. Well, the location did. But leaving the city did not. There are aspects of city life that I like. I'll start with those.
1. the wide variety of restaurants
2. the variety of things to do - improv, music, theater
3. The summer time is easy living!
4. Being close to my brother & his girlfriend (Guess that's not so much big city living as the location)
5. ......I thought this list would be a lot longer.
Let's move onto the things I don't like:
1. Everyone is always in a rush and thinks the smallest things inconvenience them far more than it actually does.
2. There is a wide variety of people. Which isn't a big deal. But it's easier when everyone is like you. I like being able to say Merry Christmas. Here in the city, you have no idea if people celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Serbian Christmas, the month of December, nothing at all....you get the idea. And if you say Merry Christmas to the wrong person...oh no! You've insulted them and their entire family and everyone they know and they'll let you know it.
3. People don't think about how they treat other people. And since I'm accustomed to being nice, I get run over. A lot. People don't think twice about cancelling plans with me last minute. People don't think twice about making me work extra without asking me. People don't think twice about anything. And when I try to be like that, I have a bad attitude and I'm not being myself.
4. I don't like the person I'm turning into. I don't want to rush everywhere. I don't want to think only of myself. I don't want to feel like being a nice person means I'm going to get run over. It shouldn't be that way.
So the lists are actually about even. Which is surprising. But here's the tipping point: I want to be closer to family. I grew up in North Carolina and that feels like home to me. Even though I won't be (and don't want to be) living in my hometown, I'll be close enough that when I have a bad day and just need the comfort of familiarity, it's within reach. I like the food down there. (This should probably be a post for another day) I like the weather down there better.
I toyed with the idea of moving back to Charleston. It was between Raleigh and Charleston. Both are familiar. Both have people that I care about. But I tried Charleston and it didn't work for me. I don't know that enough has changed in the last 2 years that it will work for me. I don't want to put everyone I know in Charleston through that - my former coworkers, my friends, etc. How do I ask them to accept me again and then decide it's not for me? If I up and leave again, it's just not right. So I'll give Raleigh a try and see how it goes. I'm excited about the move. I'm excited to be back in the South. I'm excited to have manners again. I'm excited to be treated like a person again!
1. the wide variety of restaurants
2. the variety of things to do - improv, music, theater
3. The summer time is easy living!
4. Being close to my brother & his girlfriend (Guess that's not so much big city living as the location)
5. ......I thought this list would be a lot longer.
Let's move onto the things I don't like:
1. Everyone is always in a rush and thinks the smallest things inconvenience them far more than it actually does.
2. There is a wide variety of people. Which isn't a big deal. But it's easier when everyone is like you. I like being able to say Merry Christmas. Here in the city, you have no idea if people celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, Serbian Christmas, the month of December, nothing at all....you get the idea. And if you say Merry Christmas to the wrong person...oh no! You've insulted them and their entire family and everyone they know and they'll let you know it.
3. People don't think about how they treat other people. And since I'm accustomed to being nice, I get run over. A lot. People don't think twice about cancelling plans with me last minute. People don't think twice about making me work extra without asking me. People don't think twice about anything. And when I try to be like that, I have a bad attitude and I'm not being myself.
4. I don't like the person I'm turning into. I don't want to rush everywhere. I don't want to think only of myself. I don't want to feel like being a nice person means I'm going to get run over. It shouldn't be that way.
So the lists are actually about even. Which is surprising. But here's the tipping point: I want to be closer to family. I grew up in North Carolina and that feels like home to me. Even though I won't be (and don't want to be) living in my hometown, I'll be close enough that when I have a bad day and just need the comfort of familiarity, it's within reach. I like the food down there. (This should probably be a post for another day) I like the weather down there better.
I toyed with the idea of moving back to Charleston. It was between Raleigh and Charleston. Both are familiar. Both have people that I care about. But I tried Charleston and it didn't work for me. I don't know that enough has changed in the last 2 years that it will work for me. I don't want to put everyone I know in Charleston through that - my former coworkers, my friends, etc. How do I ask them to accept me again and then decide it's not for me? If I up and leave again, it's just not right. So I'll give Raleigh a try and see how it goes. I'm excited about the move. I'm excited to be back in the South. I'm excited to have manners again. I'm excited to be treated like a person again!
11/07/2013
What A Day!
When I started this blog, it felt like all these unrealistic things were happening to me. Like I'd tell a story and people would stop me midway thru the story and say "What, are you for real?" And I'd be like "Yes, seriously. These are for real things. I'm not making up any part of this story." It gave my life a surreal feel. Well, since I moved to the city and got more adapted to big city life, it felt like these things stopped happening. Maybe I just didn't notice them or maybe they weren't happening. Either way, my life quickly lost it's surreality (Is that a word?).
Today - all of that changed!
1. I woke up (easily) at 4:45. Now, I know you're thinking, whatever. You could do that every day if you wanted. And yes, perhaps I could. But me getting out of bed at that time is kind of a big deal. And for me to be happy at that time? Unheard of. It happened today. I got to the gym, had time to sit and warm up to the idea of being awake before I had to interact with anyone. I got to enjoy the silence of the morning. And it was nice.
2. I went to meet with the director of a movie. This actually might deserve it's own post but I'll come back to how I thought this was a hoax. Long story short, a friend of mine works in the movie industry and she put something on facebook about looking for someone that could contort or dislocate their shoulders. I replied and said I could, sent her a video and a couple pictures and she set me up to meet with the director. I could be a stunt person! I met with the director today and I don't think anything is going to pan out. But, still! She wants someone that can just pop their shoulder out and let it hang by their side. I can't do that. But I was on a movie set! (It seems like a pretty crappy horror movie - it's called Anguish. Look for it in the future and know that could possibly maybe be my shoulders!)
3. THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW CALLED ME! They were inviting me to be a guest on their show along with 4 of my friends. I was going to meet the man of my dreams that my friends picked out for me. I'm sure Steve Harvey would have helped. His input would have been the special touch. However, my work said that I could not have the day off to go for filming. So I will not be meeting the man of my dreams. Not with Steve Harvey's help at least. Maybe we'll find each other on our own....but with my track record, I'm not betting on it.
Today - all of that changed!
1. I woke up (easily) at 4:45. Now, I know you're thinking, whatever. You could do that every day if you wanted. And yes, perhaps I could. But me getting out of bed at that time is kind of a big deal. And for me to be happy at that time? Unheard of. It happened today. I got to the gym, had time to sit and warm up to the idea of being awake before I had to interact with anyone. I got to enjoy the silence of the morning. And it was nice.
2. I went to meet with the director of a movie. This actually might deserve it's own post but I'll come back to how I thought this was a hoax. Long story short, a friend of mine works in the movie industry and she put something on facebook about looking for someone that could contort or dislocate their shoulders. I replied and said I could, sent her a video and a couple pictures and she set me up to meet with the director. I could be a stunt person! I met with the director today and I don't think anything is going to pan out. But, still! She wants someone that can just pop their shoulder out and let it hang by their side. I can't do that. But I was on a movie set! (It seems like a pretty crappy horror movie - it's called Anguish. Look for it in the future and know that could possibly maybe be my shoulders!)
3. THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW CALLED ME! They were inviting me to be a guest on their show along with 4 of my friends. I was going to meet the man of my dreams that my friends picked out for me. I'm sure Steve Harvey would have helped. His input would have been the special touch. However, my work said that I could not have the day off to go for filming. So I will not be meeting the man of my dreams. Not with Steve Harvey's help at least. Maybe we'll find each other on our own....but with my track record, I'm not betting on it.
11/06/2013
An Early Night
I don't really have anything to blog about today. And I should have been in bed 30 minutes ago. I'm starting a new job at my gym tomorrow. I'm hoping to pick up 1 day a week in order to cover the cost of my gym membership. Right now I'm only working tomorrow and then waiting to hear about more available shifts. But that means I have to get up at 4:45. I don't do mornings. I have no idea how this is even humanly possible. I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes.
11/05/2013
Big Gains
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=560387497342895
" data-width="550">
Posthttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=560387497342895">Post
> by Crossfit">https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitChicago">Crossfit Chicago.Let's see if that works. I'm so bad at posting links/videos. But anyways on to the point of this post...
I don't know how many of you know this about me but I'm in a cult. This cult is sickening. It takes over your mind and, more importantly, your mouth. It's easy to allow it to consume your life. "What is this horrible thing you speak of" is I'm sure what you're thinking right now. It's...crossfit.
For those of you that don't know, crossfit is workouts that are constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity and scalable to your fitness level. Constantly varied means every day you’ll tackle a new or different workout. Functional movements are the normal movements your body goes through in life like running, lifting, squatting, shoving and pulling. We want to help you find your intensity while making sure the workouts you are doing are manageable based on your individual capabilities. Blah blah....what in the world does that mean, you might be asking? It's workouts that prepare you for real life. Now I'm pretty sure the only time in real life I'd need to do the above movement (handstand pushups) is....well...when would I need to do that? Maybe if I fell in a hole and was stuck upside down and needed to take some weight off my neck? Ok so maybe handstand pushups aren't the best example. Let's move on to squatting. I need to be able to properly squat to lift things or to help move things or if a zombie were attacking, a squat is a good starting tackle position. I'm fairly certain that crossfit prepares you for 2 things in life: zombie attacks and burning buildings.
I've been doing this for a little over a year at this point. When I started, I'd never lifted a barbell. And pullups? Why would I do those? Unless there is a piece of cake on a shelf and I couldn't find a chair to climb on to reach it...I think you get the point. I've seen some really big gains over the past year and each and every one is exciting. I'm nowhere near the really awesome people who do this. But my gains are big for me! I can actually lift over 100 pounds in a couple different ways! I never thought I'd be strong enough to do that. The above video (if it works) shows me doing my first workout with handstand pushups to 1 mat. I'm actually pretty good at those. I like gymnastic based movements. Tonight, I did my first kipping pull-up. I'm a little out of progression here. I should have a deadhang pullup first (kipping: uses momentum to get chin over bar. deadhang: starting from a hanging position) and I've been working on those, but we were working on kipping pull-ups in class so I thought I'd try it...AND IT HAPPENED! I did like 4 of them as I had to then run and show different people.
I like doing crossfit. It's the first fitness thing (aside from cheerleading) that I've ever really been able to stick with long term. I like noticing my new muscles, which is a little vain...but I've never really had muscles before! So if you see me rubbing on my arm...I'm probably just feeling my tiny little forming bicep!
11/04/2013
Get to Know Me
Well, let's go back to 2001 and complete one of these. It most definitely counts as a valid post.
1. Will you talk to the person you like on the phone tonight? No. Nor will I text him. (Did I mention today that I don't like him?)
2. Ever had a near death experience? No.
3. Where’s your cell phone? On my stomach so I can change the song I'm listening to.
4. What is the last thing you thought about? What music I wanted to listen to.
5. Do you regret anything? Not really.
6. If you found out you were pregnant who would you tell? My priest. Because there'd be some praying going down.
7. What are you going to do this weekend? Work Saturday. Beyond that, not a clue.
8. When was the last time you talked to one of your best friends? Tonight on the phone.
9. Do you prefer revenge or just pure jealousy/envy? I do not prefer any of those. I'd like to think I've outgrown revenge. And I hate jealousy/envy.
10. Who would you like your next “fling” to be with? If you've read any previous posts, I think you know the answer to that.
11. Would you curse in front of your parents? Sometimes. But mostly not.
12. What kind of camera do you have? uhhhh...an Iphone? (This must have been written in 2001 when people actually used cameras...)
13. Would you rather go to a party or out of town? Out of town.
14. Are you slowly drifting away from someone close? Aren't we always drifting?
15. When was the last time you held someone’s hand? Friday night? I'm questioning because I don't actually remember. But hand holding just to hand hold? Last December.
16. Who can you tell everything to? Mary Beth, Heather. Julia, if I am ok being told that what I'm doing is wrong. Sometimes I don't want to hear that because I already know that answer.
17. Can you play guitar hero? Not very well, but yes.
18. Do you like www.facebookcraze.com? I don't know what that is...
19. Is any part of your body sore? My butt/legs. Rough workout day.
20. Are you missing someone right now? Maybe. I don't know. I'm on the fence about that.
21. Is there someone on your mind that shouldn’t be? No
22. When was the last time you saw the person you last kissed? Friday night
23. Do you like your phone? sure
24. Last alcoholic beverage? Bourbon, beer and a taste of absinthe.
25. Have you ever slept in a bed with the opposite sex? ....is my mother reading this?
26. Have any of your best friends ever back stabbed you? yes
27. If you had to move in with a friend, which one would you pick? Julia or Mary Beth
28. What’s the seventh text message in your inbox say? Cool
29. When is your next road trip? Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving
30. What did you do this weekend? Got my hair done, went out with friends.
31. Met anyone new in the past week? No one that is relevant in my life at this point
32. What does your bestfriends call you? Neighbor, Kristin, Noodle
33. Who was the last person to go to the movies with you? Jessica
34. Are you currently fighting with someone? No
35. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach? Friday
36. Who/What would you like to see right now? my pillow. I'm tired.
37. Are you mad at someone right now? No
38. What’s the nicest text in your inbox say? "Hey cheer up. Don't let that places funky mood get you down. You know you're a great hygienist!! There are going to be good and bad months!"
39. Do you mainly use your house phone or your cell phone? Do people still have house phones?
40. Is there an empty place in your heart? My heart is an empty hole.
41. Do you count down the days till anything? Yes
42. Are you looking forward to something as of right now? Not really
43. Have you ever been called a tease? Probably
44. What are your chances of getting with your crush? Not good. Half because I don't think he knows I'm interested. Half because I don't think he's all that interested. And half because I don't know that I want to date him. (3 halves equal a whole, right?)
45. What is the farthest you’ve traveled with a friend? The Outer Banks from Chicago. I don't really do road trips with friends...
46. Are any of your friends so close that you consider them family? Yes
47. Anyone told you a secret this week? Not that I can think of
48. Do you ever turn your cell phone off? Sometimes when I need to disconnect
49. Do you hate anyone? No
50. Last time you wore the opposite sex’s clothing? About a month ago
51. What do you want in your life right now? Happiness. Peace. Predictability.
52. When was the last time you laughed so hard you thought you were going to cry? Wow. It's been entirely too long. I don't even really know.
53. Did you tell someone something today? I mean, I spoke to people today. I told someone they should floss their teeth. Do those things count?
54. Do you trust people easily? Not at all.
55. What were you doing at 9pm Friday night? Sleeping on my couch. I'm awesome. I know.
1. Will you talk to the person you like on the phone tonight? No. Nor will I text him. (Did I mention today that I don't like him?)
2. Ever had a near death experience? No.
3. Where’s your cell phone? On my stomach so I can change the song I'm listening to.
4. What is the last thing you thought about? What music I wanted to listen to.
5. Do you regret anything? Not really.
6. If you found out you were pregnant who would you tell? My priest. Because there'd be some praying going down.
7. What are you going to do this weekend? Work Saturday. Beyond that, not a clue.
8. When was the last time you talked to one of your best friends? Tonight on the phone.
9. Do you prefer revenge or just pure jealousy/envy? I do not prefer any of those. I'd like to think I've outgrown revenge. And I hate jealousy/envy.
10. Who would you like your next “fling” to be with? If you've read any previous posts, I think you know the answer to that.
11. Would you curse in front of your parents? Sometimes. But mostly not.
12. What kind of camera do you have? uhhhh...an Iphone? (This must have been written in 2001 when people actually used cameras...)
13. Would you rather go to a party or out of town? Out of town.
14. Are you slowly drifting away from someone close? Aren't we always drifting?
15. When was the last time you held someone’s hand? Friday night? I'm questioning because I don't actually remember. But hand holding just to hand hold? Last December.
16. Who can you tell everything to? Mary Beth, Heather. Julia, if I am ok being told that what I'm doing is wrong. Sometimes I don't want to hear that because I already know that answer.
17. Can you play guitar hero? Not very well, but yes.
18. Do you like www.facebookcraze.com? I don't know what that is...
19. Is any part of your body sore? My butt/legs. Rough workout day.
20. Are you missing someone right now? Maybe. I don't know. I'm on the fence about that.
21. Is there someone on your mind that shouldn’t be? No
22. When was the last time you saw the person you last kissed? Friday night
23. Do you like your phone? sure
24. Last alcoholic beverage? Bourbon, beer and a taste of absinthe.
25. Have you ever slept in a bed with the opposite sex? ....is my mother reading this?
26. Have any of your best friends ever back stabbed you? yes
27. If you had to move in with a friend, which one would you pick? Julia or Mary Beth
28. What’s the seventh text message in your inbox say? Cool
29. When is your next road trip? Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving
30. What did you do this weekend? Got my hair done, went out with friends.
31. Met anyone new in the past week? No one that is relevant in my life at this point
32. What does your bestfriends call you? Neighbor, Kristin, Noodle
33. Who was the last person to go to the movies with you? Jessica
34. Are you currently fighting with someone? No
35. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach? Friday
36. Who/What would you like to see right now? my pillow. I'm tired.
37. Are you mad at someone right now? No
38. What’s the nicest text in your inbox say? "Hey cheer up. Don't let that places funky mood get you down. You know you're a great hygienist!! There are going to be good and bad months!"
39. Do you mainly use your house phone or your cell phone? Do people still have house phones?
40. Is there an empty place in your heart? My heart is an empty hole.
41. Do you count down the days till anything? Yes
42. Are you looking forward to something as of right now? Not really
43. Have you ever been called a tease? Probably
44. What are your chances of getting with your crush? Not good. Half because I don't think he knows I'm interested. Half because I don't think he's all that interested. And half because I don't know that I want to date him. (3 halves equal a whole, right?)
45. What is the farthest you’ve traveled with a friend? The Outer Banks from Chicago. I don't really do road trips with friends...
46. Are any of your friends so close that you consider them family? Yes
47. Anyone told you a secret this week? Not that I can think of
48. Do you ever turn your cell phone off? Sometimes when I need to disconnect
49. Do you hate anyone? No
50. Last time you wore the opposite sex’s clothing? About a month ago
51. What do you want in your life right now? Happiness. Peace. Predictability.
52. When was the last time you laughed so hard you thought you were going to cry? Wow. It's been entirely too long. I don't even really know.
53. Did you tell someone something today? I mean, I spoke to people today. I told someone they should floss their teeth. Do those things count?
54. Do you trust people easily? Not at all.
55. What were you doing at 9pm Friday night? Sleeping on my couch. I'm awesome. I know.
11/03/2013
Why I Don't Date
I seem to be getting in conversations lately about dating. I try to end the conversation quickly with "I don't date." Sometimes this ends the conversation. Sometimes this leads to questions. So here is why I don't date:
1) I am horrible at it. I start out all super cool and awesome. And then when things get more serious, a switch flips. I don't mean for it to flip. I try to stop it. It's like watching a horror movie. You're all like "No! Don't go in the house!" But I go in the house anyways. Except instead of going in the house, I make snide comments (Who? Me??). I try to stay the super cool girl. But it always fails. I don't like to be crazy. And until I can find someone to date who will actually tell me "Yo. You're acting crazy. Stop it." I don't need to date.
2) It always ends badly. I know what you're thinking. You only marry one person and if you breakup, then in theory, that's a relationship ending badly. Except I always ends up with a broken heart, sitting on my couch with a pint of melting ice cream. For like a month. It's not worth it. When it's all over with, I don't even like the guys that much. So a month of crying/ice cream eating/couch sitting may seem a bit of an overreaction (who? me??) but at the time, it seems entirely appropriate.
3) I lose track of things that matter. I get wrapped up in the person and pass up on hanging out with friends, going to the gym, taking care of myself and my house. Then afterwards, I'm all like "Oh my house is so messy." And I notice it because I'm just sitting on my couch, adding to the mess. And eating ice cream when I haven't been in the gym in so long.
4) I can't actually land a date up here. I know...that's not so much my decision not to date as it is circumstances. But seriously? It's nearly impossible. I don't get it.
5) I hate emotions. I mean, I like happy emotions. But that feeling when you're starting to fall for someone? It's more like drowning. Which is not a happy emotion. Granted, it's drowning in happiness. But it's still drowning. Still bad. (If I have to drown in happiness, I'd like to drown in Mr. W's gravy. That would be the ideal thing for me to drown in.)
6) I'm not known for picking winners to date. I try to switch things up, try different types...but they always end up the same type in the end. Douchebags. Yes, it's true. They can start out so nice...and in the end? They are all jerks. So the question is, are they jerks when I meet them and I don't see it? Or do I somehow turn them into jerks?
7) I'm terrified of getting hurt. (See #2) That's a horrible place to end up in and knowing that the odds are in favor of things ending (And in my case, poorly), it makes me not want to go there.
Maybe one day, I'll meet a guy who makes me want to throw caution to the wind. But right now, I've got my wall up and it's not coming down anytime soon.
1) I am horrible at it. I start out all super cool and awesome. And then when things get more serious, a switch flips. I don't mean for it to flip. I try to stop it. It's like watching a horror movie. You're all like "No! Don't go in the house!" But I go in the house anyways. Except instead of going in the house, I make snide comments (Who? Me??). I try to stay the super cool girl. But it always fails. I don't like to be crazy. And until I can find someone to date who will actually tell me "Yo. You're acting crazy. Stop it." I don't need to date.
2) It always ends badly. I know what you're thinking. You only marry one person and if you breakup, then in theory, that's a relationship ending badly. Except I always ends up with a broken heart, sitting on my couch with a pint of melting ice cream. For like a month. It's not worth it. When it's all over with, I don't even like the guys that much. So a month of crying/ice cream eating/couch sitting may seem a bit of an overreaction (who? me??) but at the time, it seems entirely appropriate.
3) I lose track of things that matter. I get wrapped up in the person and pass up on hanging out with friends, going to the gym, taking care of myself and my house. Then afterwards, I'm all like "Oh my house is so messy." And I notice it because I'm just sitting on my couch, adding to the mess. And eating ice cream when I haven't been in the gym in so long.
4) I can't actually land a date up here. I know...that's not so much my decision not to date as it is circumstances. But seriously? It's nearly impossible. I don't get it.
5) I hate emotions. I mean, I like happy emotions. But that feeling when you're starting to fall for someone? It's more like drowning. Which is not a happy emotion. Granted, it's drowning in happiness. But it's still drowning. Still bad. (If I have to drown in happiness, I'd like to drown in Mr. W's gravy. That would be the ideal thing for me to drown in.)
6) I'm not known for picking winners to date. I try to switch things up, try different types...but they always end up the same type in the end. Douchebags. Yes, it's true. They can start out so nice...and in the end? They are all jerks. So the question is, are they jerks when I meet them and I don't see it? Or do I somehow turn them into jerks?
7) I'm terrified of getting hurt. (See #2) That's a horrible place to end up in and knowing that the odds are in favor of things ending (And in my case, poorly), it makes me not want to go there.
Maybe one day, I'll meet a guy who makes me want to throw caution to the wind. But right now, I've got my wall up and it's not coming down anytime soon.
11/02/2013
Fail!
I blogged from my phone yesterday. About my adorable hair. AND IT DIDN'T SAVE! I hit publish. It said it was published...but then I get on here today to blog - no post. Boo. So I'm going to change the date on this because I did post it yesterday. Long and short of it - my hair was adorable yesterday. I went to go get it cut and was flipping through a magazine while she was doing it. I commented on a hairstyle being adorable and she said she could do it before I left if I wanted her to. Score! (Will try to post a picture from my phone. Let's see if it actually works this time) (I just saw my failed publish from yesterday on my phone. So I know I didn't imagine posting it.)
11/01/2013
Welcome to NaBloPoMo 2013
Hey there everybody. It's that time of year again. You get me - every day. For an entire month. Lucky!! What shall I kick off this year off with?
I mentioned the other day that I'm moving back to North Carolina. Well...wouldn't it just work that now is the time that people want to be my friend? Don't get me wrong. I have a handful of friends here in the city. But not many. And suddenly in the last couple weeks, a couple girls from the gym are wanting to hang out with me. And there's this boy. Why does this happen when I'm ready to go? I'm going to go hang out with them...but where were they 6 months ago? Sheesh. Isn't that the way life works? But I'm glad to be making more friends. (Sorry this was a pretty crappy post today. I'm in a bit of a rush - plans with that boy that I don't like but I wanted to post before I met up with him.)
I mentioned the other day that I'm moving back to North Carolina. Well...wouldn't it just work that now is the time that people want to be my friend? Don't get me wrong. I have a handful of friends here in the city. But not many. And suddenly in the last couple weeks, a couple girls from the gym are wanting to hang out with me. And there's this boy. Why does this happen when I'm ready to go? I'm going to go hang out with them...but where were they 6 months ago? Sheesh. Isn't that the way life works? But I'm glad to be making more friends. (Sorry this was a pretty crappy post today. I'm in a bit of a rush - plans with that boy that I don't like but I wanted to post before I met up with him.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)