Year in Review & Welcome the New

A new year is upon us, so it is only fitting to recap all that happened in 2009.

What an eventful year!

I started 2009 with my best friends from college, lived in the ever-entertaining sorority house with the company of 45 other wonderful women where I had every meal prepared for me, went to class about 8 hours a week and spent the rest of the week goofing off. I did spring break, bar crawls, and date parties with grace.

In May, I finally graduated with a degree in Finance {yipee!}. In June I moved to the big city {to live in a newly furnished apartment, thanks to graduation money}. In July I was blessed to start a great full time job. In October dad moved 100s of miles away {hard for a daddy's girl to handle}. Essentially, my life has seen a lot of change.

I now live alone in a 1 bedroom apartment. I have learned to shower, sleep, and live on my own without letting my imagination {or loneliness} get the best of me {with the exception of the occasional nightmare or pitty party ~ it happens}. I am learning to cook and be independent. I am gradually meeting new people and exploring the town. I am learning more than I could have ever imagined at work. I am officially acting like an adult.

Reflecting on how much things have changed and how much I have grown in 2009, I can only imagine where I will be a year from now. 

In 2010, I hope to:

• Continue to meet new people and make the new city feel like home. I want to be more open to new things. Even though something or someone is different, that is ok.
• Create a better work-life balance {thus also supporting the aforementioned goal} while also learning and growing in my job.
• Start living a healthier lifestyle. I want to continue working out regularly, but "change" can no longer be my excuse for not eating healthy.  

I have learned so much about myself this year, and I hope to begin finding what truly makes me happy in the new year. This year has been full of good times, but has also been very, very challenging. I will continue to focus on the positive, and with that I know 2010 will be outstanding!

This has been a year of change {excuse the cliche Obama catch phrase} for many of us!  What is your favorite memory from 2009, and what would you like to change in 2010?

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday Dear AsFran, Happy Birthday TO YOU!!!

I hope you have a wonderful day and an even better evening! I'm so glad that I get to see you on your special day even though we are usually so many miles apart.

Love you, girlie! :)

HS Reunion

On Saturday night, we had our annual friends Holiday Party ~ tacky Christmas sweaters and all!

I am so glad that all of our high school friends still get together regularly. It is sooo much fun to catch up, remember old times, enjoy a couple too many drinks, and pretend like we can dance.

It seems like just yesterday we were going to prom, dressing up for basketball games, and having poker nights. I miss those days dearly, but am happy we are still such good friends.

Cheers to old times!

Tacky Sweaters to the MAX

Sarah's outfit put everyone else's to shame ~ so funny!

It was also Jason's birthday ~ Happy Day!

Santa Claus is Coming!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and enjoys time relaxing and being with family.

I am so looking forward to getting out of work mode, sleeping in, hanging out with old friends, and being with family this holiday season.

I love cooking, playing games, and watching movies with my parents and my brother over Christmas. Lil' bro beat us in a game of Settlers last night...tonight I plan to crush everyone in Jenga! :)

On Christmas morning, Tony still wakes us all up before 6am..even though he's now 20. Despite my initial grumpy morning attitude, I love that he keeps the excitement and child-like spirit alive in our home!

After opening all our gifts under the tree, we then look in our stockings for final little surprises, followed by mom's infamous "skinny pancakes" for breakfast {which are somewhat like crepes...but better :) ... for those of you not fortunate enough to have tried them}.

We spend the day relaxing and finish it with a delicious meal {which includes stuffing...my fav!}. Above all, I am so thankful for the love of my family!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Date a Driver?

On Tuesday morning I was once again the last rider on the shuttle that leaves from my parking garage and drops me off in front of work. Dyno the {40-something year old} driver took this as an opportunity to get personal {as always}.

As I was getting off at the stop in front of my office, he asked if I would like to go to a basketball game with him.

Thanks.

But No Thanks.

I sincerely apologize for my absense. When I got back to my apartment after being home for Thanksgiving, I attempted to turn on my laptop {to update my blog of course} and it gave me an error saying I'm missing a driver. That's funny...I don't remember putting it anywere ;)

I took it to the Geek Squad, and they essentially said they couldn't fix it and I need a new computer.

Hopefully Santa Claus is aware of this {hint, hint...}

For now, I can only post on borrowed computers, but I hope to fix this problem soon!

Be Happy

Although it is usually always hard for me to get out of bed in the morning, once I'm up I really enjoy my morning routine.

Depending on what time I wake up, I either go to the gym and work out next to Mr. Hot Boy that doesn't know I exist and then come back and watch the Today Show {love it} while I get ready, or I listen to Chris Carr & Co. on the radio {so funny} when I need to go into work early.

Top this off with my morning latte, and it puts me in a pretty good mood.

People must think I'm crazy as I laugh hysterically out loud during my entire drive in to work...interrupted by occasionally singing along to music.

I am then greeted by friendly workers at my parking garage. Every day, they smile and genuinely say "good morning." They all know me by name, and when I'm running a bit late and they see my car pull into the garage they hold the shuttle for me so that I don't have to walk in the cold.

If these guys can exude happiness every day, despite driving a shuttle in circles over and over, I can choose to be happy as well.

I do have so much to be thankful for, and life is better with a smile :)

TV 4 ME

Sadly, tonight is the very last episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8. Yes...I still watch this show. Team Kate all the way.

The season finale of Project Runway was last week as well.

And now I'm left with only Desperate Housewives on my DVR...not that I don't adore this show...

However, I need advice. What other good shows are out there that I should be recording? The weekend is terrible television, and I always wake up on Saturday wanting to watch DVR but nothing is ever waiting for me! Help! =)

Deck the Halls

I made {and ate} holiday Chex Mix....

...while setting up my very own Christmas tree...

...topped with girly ornaments and a pink tree skirt...

...and I finalized decorations with a photo of friends much missed.

Happy Holidays {a little early}!

A Short Post

Not all things are good when they are of the short variety.

Examples include:

Short Guys

Short Tempers

Short Deadlines

Short mini-skirts

Short Guys...

But short work-week, yes please! :)

P.S. Stay tuned for pictures of my decorated Christmas Tree. I exchanged my tree yesterday and finally decided on {very girly} ornaments. I may or may not have also purchased a pink tree skirt... Can't wait to decorate!

Re-organization Station

I had training at work the past two full days. In addition to getting to work before 7am to finish some things up before our sessions begin, I also do some work when I get home at night. I'm exhausted and figured I deserve a break today. I left at 5pm for the first time since I can remember. :)

It. was. fantastic.

I felt like I had ALL night to enjoy!

Having all this time on my hands, I picked up dry cleaning, ate dinner, caught up on Desperate Housewives (awesome!!!), cleaned up a bit....and then decided to re-organize for my new christmas tree.

Fail.

I huffed and puffed moving around furniture by myself....took the tree out of the box...and it's HUGE!!!

No way that puppy's fittin' in this living room.

I'll be taking it back for the trendier {skinny} tree.

For now, I think it's bedtime...is 7:50 too early? hahaha

In Other News:

• I spent three hours shopping for christmas decorations today. As I was in line to pay, I decided I didn't like the ornaments I picked out. I left with only a tree. At least it was 50% off...what a steal!
• My brother played in his second NCAA soccer tournament game tonight, and I got to watch it live on-line. Technology these days... Anyway, they WON {beating the #1 ranked team in the nation} and will be moving on to the sweet 16 game in either Pennsylvania or New York!! I'm so excited and proud of their team!!!!
• I am currently completely, absolutely, 100% in LOVE with this berry wreath I got as a birthday gift:

...Now if only I could find ornaments for my new tree that I am equally in love with.

• I'm taking a two day excel training course this week, and I am not being the least bit sarcastic when I say I am pumped for it.
• I'm also branching out and going to a play downtown on Tuesday night with a random group of girls from work that I have never met. I was somehow attached on a mass email invitation, and decided I should respond...it can't hurt.

Surprise!!!

Upon arriving at my friend's house on Saturday night, I was surprised by 6 of my best friends from college in town for the evening!

I could not have asked for a better birthday present! :)

We started out the night with dinner & wine at Mitchell's Fish Market, one of my favorite restaurants in town {where I felt extremely grown up...as we were all sipping wine and discussing our work lives}.

The food was delicious! "Best meal I've ever had"...as Kari some people would say. As this was a joint birthday celebration, we got THREE free desserts...7 Layer Carrot Cake {tdf}, Ice Cream Pie {also delish}, and a Java Lava Molten Chocolate Cake {my favorite dessert ever...}. Needless to say, this sweet tooth was in hog heaven.

Here's a picture of the Happy Birthday Girls:

The size of my smile could be directly related to the size of my dessert. I'm just sayin'...

The entire group at dinner:

Enjoying the city skyline:

I didn't stop laughing all night as we caught up on stories about our lives, reminisced about old ones, and made even more lasting memories.

We ended up at a very random bar full of very interesting people. Very entertaining to say the least! As my dad has always said, "It's not where you are, it's who you're with." No matter where I am with these friends, I have a wonderful time.

To my amazing friends ~ Thank you for the fabulous surprise! I only hope you had as much fun as I did! I miss you guys every day, and cherish the times when we are all together again. No matter where life takes us, when we are with each other it feels like no time has passed. I believe that is a sign of lasting friendship. I love you all!

Fab Day

My birthday was FABULOUS!!

To start off the day, people at work remembered it was my day. I got a {homemade} card and some guys at work bought me lunch AND frozen yogurt with sprinkles...yes, I did turn 23, but they know the sprinkles are my fav.

I opened all my cards when I got home from work, and felt so special that all these people were thinking of me. In fact, many of the cards made me shed happy tears. I greatly miss my family and friends that are far away.

To end the day, a group of new city friends and I went to dinner at a place we'd never been before and it was delicious! The restaurant was cute and the company was great. I haven't laughed that much in a long time. There were six of us, and we had all never hung out before, but we were giggling the entire night. The waittress came by about 5 times before we were ready to order because we were too distracted to look at the menu. This is the best gift I could have gotten...new friends in the area! =)

And being that it still technically is my birthday month...I'm going to treat myself to Starbucks and write some Thank You notes. Happy Weekend!!

I'm not going to say it...

ok, fine.

TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY!!! woohoo!!!

I have a stack of cards and a surprise from my mom waiting to be opened!

Hoping maybe someone at work will tell me happy birthday too! We'll see if anyone remembers. haha...pathetic.

Random Thoughts...

• I had an AMAZING weekend at home! Every time I go down there, I come back feeling so rejuvinated (maybe because I sleep like a rock in the comfort of my parents' home) and grateful for the blessings in my life.
• On Friday, we went for a birthday dinner at my favorite restaurant. I said I was too full dessert, but mom ordered me some to go....she knows me too well. I was digging into the dessert even before I opened gifts when we got home! Funny how I can always find room in my stomach for sweets...I'm convinced I store dessert in a separate part of my belly.
• My mom allowed me to open my birthday presents early since I'll be up here on my actual birthday. My jaw dropped to the floor when I opened these gorgeous earrings:

I pretty much haven't removed them since I got 'em!

• She also gave me a beautiful single pearl necklace, several new cookbooks to try, and an Excel Book for Dummies (apparently, I talk about work a lot...)
• My brother made me laugh by giving me a card in spanish...he's so random! I'm assuming the card said Happy Birthday, but the words he wrote in it were so sweet they brought tears to my eyes. I miss him so much.
• I've been learning the words to my new Carrie Underwood CD as well...I just love her! I think her voice compliments mine well in the car =)

...not to mention, she's stunning!

• I took a spinning class for the second time tonight, and I LOVED it! I may be addicted to these workouts. They are so hard, but really get the endorphins pumping =)
• I probably should have taken the class 3 times over today because I can't count on one hand how many pieces of leftover Halloween candy I ate at my desk today....good grief, I have zero self control around chocolate!
• I got two birthday cards in the mail today!! I am trying to practice self control in this area of my life, and I am not letting myself open them until Wednesday so that I have something to open that day. I can tell one card is holding a gift card, so it's making it more difficult to wait....
• Sorry this post is all about BIRTHDAY stuff...it's just as exciting as I remember! Only 1 more day!!

Conference Champs!!!

Today was a GORGEOUS day outside, and what better way to spend it than at an exciting soccer game...

Lil' Bro and the team one 2-1 (against my ex-boyfriends alma mater) making them conference champs and earning them a bid to the NCAA tournament! Good job boys, you deserve it!

indecisive

{in-di-sahy-siv} adj. lacking definition.

I admit, I have a problem.

It is now 12:30am and after 3 hours I have just finished packing for my weekend trip home.

I know I'm only going to be gone for two days and there's no way I'll wear four pairs of jeans, but I just couldn't decide which ones to cut.

I know I don't need 5 pairs of shoes, but what if I actually decide to workout while I'm down there? I have to pack my gym shoes as well...

The 3 scarves? Each one goes perfectly with the separate outfits I packed and the 2 coats I'm bringing.

Yes, I can explain why I'm bringing four bags...

1. The computer bag (totally doesn't count).

2. gym bag (just in case)

3.  one for clothing, duh

4. and my toilletrie (how the heck do you spell that word, anyway?) bag

I've decided. I don't care who's judging, I'm going to have a great weekend at home no matter how much it takes to make that happen! Better safe than sorry. I can't wait to celebrate my birthday with dinner at my favorite restaurant, (hopefully) go shopping with mom, and to watch my little brother play soccer. Sounds delightful! =)

One Week!

Today marks one week until my 23rd birthday. In years past, I would count down the days until my "birthday month" so far in advance every friend is annoyed by the simple utterance of the word November. As another sign of me growing up, I have not even had time to think about my birthday between how much I have been working.

However, as of today I have 1 week left of being 22, so I thought I better start getting excited!

I don't think my actual birthday will be anything special (as it is on a Wednesday, so I naturally have to work all day...welcome to the real world), and I won't be with family or friends. In fact, we are not officially celebrating my birthday until Thanksgiving. Seems so far away....oh, how I'm looking forward to that break...

Anyway, here are some things I'd love to have one week from now:

• Clothes {of course} but more specifically, I am sick of wearing the same dress pants to work every day! New skirts and sweaters are always welcome as well! =)
• Black boots...without too high of a heal
• new gym shoes/workout pants
• Season 6 of One Tree Hill
• stretch gift: Louis Vuitton wallet to match my purse =) I know, not happening...but a girl can dream.

Hope mom is reading this!

Happy Halloween!

I finally decided on my Halloween costume...but not until yesterday!

Luckily, everything worked out perfectly, and I didn't have to pay a dime for my outfit because I simply borrowed it.

The Plan:

Laura, Kristen and I got ready at my apartment before going to a Halloween Party at a bar nearby. I had fun meeting new people at the party and witnessing some extremely interesting costumes (and people...), but the most enjoyable part of the evening was realizing what wonderful friends I already do have.

Doing our makeup and getting ready together made me miss living in the sorority house so much. I miss having dozens of fashion experts around to help me put together an outfit. My original version of my costume had a turtle neck and leggings with flats, and no pinning to the costume...the definition of "frumpy." Thankfully, Laura helped alter the costume to make it a bit more sexy youthful and Kristen helped to secure my "hat". Here is the end result:

Here we are, ready to go!

To start the night out pleasantly, I left my phone in the cab after getting dropped off at our destination. I was so afraid that was a bad sign for how the evening would end up, but we simply had the same cab pick us up to go home and everything was fine (and sadly, I had no missed calls/texts for the entire 5 hours we were in the party...sad! haha). Side note: Our driver's name was LaMan...I translate that to mean "The Man" in some foreign language, and I find that hilarious.

The party was a lot of fun. We got to dance and meet new people. And I dealt with people "spinning" my hat all night...and then threatening to touch me in awkward places.

When we got home we laughed hysterically telling stories about the evening and recapping all the randomness of the night! Our sleepover was so much fun, and I am so lucky to have these girls in my life. =)

Pretty Polish

Although I was admittedly addicted to fake nails throughout high school and college, I refuse to pay for a manicure now that I am paying for everything on my own (sorry, dad, for wasting your money all those years).

I just bought this color:

It is OPI's "Manicurist of Seville" and I HIGHLY recommend. I love it!

I have a fresh mani / pedi and I'm all set for another work week.

Painting my nails may have been the only productive thing I've done all day, but everyone deserves a day off. (I'm assuming catching up on DVRed Project Runway and taking a 2 hour nap doesn't count as productive..?)

Side note: I also attempted to balance my checkbook today and realized several weeks back I ADDED $500 instead of SUBTRACTING that purchase! No wonder my statement wasn't balancing...oops! I've fixed that minor mistake now just in time for payday this week.

Fall in love with Fall

Have I mentioned just how much I LOVE the fall?!

Here are several reasons why:

Order a "Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte" from Starbucks and I promise you will not be dissapointed. Everything great about fall in one little cup.

• Weather is cooling down and I can begin to wear turtlenecks and scarves - my favorite!!
• Seasons of my favorite shows - including Desperate Housewives - have started once again. I love curling up with a blanket and watching some TV to relax.
• It is now acceptable to make chili. I have this delicious recipe for White Chicken Chili cooking in my crock pot currently. Try it, it's super easy: 

2-3 cooked chicken breasts

1 (32oz) box of chicken broth

1 jar of mild or medium salsa

3 cans of northern beans

2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2 onion chopped and sauteed

Add all the ingredients to a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Delicious with corn bread or by itself! Enjoy :)

• All the leaves are beginning to change colors and they look B-E-A-utiful!
• My birthday (the most important day of the year, if you didn't already know...) is less than a month away!

• Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner...and that means days off from work! woohoo!

Hope you all are enjoying this season as much as I am!

Obsession.

I cannot peal my eyes away from this show.

I know, I know, I'm no longer a teenager...in fact, i'm several years removed. However, this drama-filled, totally unrealistic show has me hooked.

Please, Peyton and Lucas get back together soon!

BOOtiful Idea

Halloween is coming up and I need a little help with costume ideas, seeing as I've been an indian 4 years in a row.

Last year I copied the fabulous idea of being a rock star. Which I LOVED because it was so out of character for me.

Please note the fabulous acting skills.

I was thinking of being a rock star again this year, but I'd hate to be a repeat costume offender yet again. I better get to work...the big day is getting close. I have Halloween plans before I even have a costume...eek!

I'll eat healthy starting next week...

I learned first hand last night why it is a bad idea to go to the grocery store hungry and unsupervised.

Came home with iced animal cookies, reeses peanut butter cups, chips and salsa, and ingredients to make homemade fudge. Oops ;)

Day at the Races

I may have gotten the best deal ever. Yesterday, through a group of "young professionals" that I am a member of, we took a big trip to Keeneland Horse Track for a day of trying to stay warm, tailgating, betting and fun.

For only $45, we were served breafast (Bruegger's Bagels-my favorite!), lunch (which was terrible and made me very grateful that I ate the entire bagel), and dinner, all you can drink, transportation on charter busses there and back, a tailgate (with flipcup and cornhole), admission to the track, and an afterparty once we got back home! Although I didn't bet on any races, I think I came home a definite winner.

The five of us signed up for the trip together hoping to meet new people in the area. What better way than being stuck on a bus for hours?!

I'm so grateful for my friendship with Laura. I may go crazy up here without her constant optimism.

As an added bonus, I also got to see sorority sisters who were having a separate tailgate. I miss them every. day.

How quickly habits change with a full time job...

I'm so proud of myself because I got up at 5:45am (!!!) this morning to workout before heading to the office. Although I would not classify myself as a "morning person," this was a great start to my day. I know it will get even harder to wake up as it gets cold outside, and it's depressing to get to the gym and return before the sun is even in the sky, but as of now I plan to maintain this routine. I need to go to bed at about 9:45 to get enough sleep, but I really enjoy having my whole night free to do nothing whatever I want. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up. My alarm is set for early early again tomorrow morning so I better get to bed. Goodnight!

Happy Birthday Auntie Lori =)

I'll be thinking of you and hoping you have a wonderful day! (Although I wish we could be together...)

You are such an inspiration to me. Thank you for being so supportive during this transition time in my life.

I love you!

Dinner Date

Don't get too excited..my date was not with a boy.

However, it was with a new friend, which in my book is equally as exciting.

I was invited by a girl at work to come to her apartment and eat with her and her roommate. I was really looking forward to it and beyond impressed with her cooking skills! She cooked Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Zuchinni Orzo topped off with Pumpkin Pie for dessert~so fancy! And it was delicious! Inspired by the pumpkin pie dessert, we decided we are going to make our own Thanksgiving meal. One of the girls is from Guatemala, so she has never had an official Thanksgiving dinner. I feel it is my duty to introduce her to my true loves, stuffing and sweet potato casserole. Forget the turkey. We are sticking strictly to side dishes - bring on the carbs.

Although all three of us work for the same company, we are all in completely opposite departments...from IT to Finance to Consumer Knowledge. It was nice to meet them outside of work and to hear about their experiences with work so far. They began working the same time as me, and seem to be adjusting really well.

I'm so glad I went over for dinner, and I can't wait to hang out with them again soon!

Wonderful Weekend

After an awful week, all I could think about was spending the weekend at home. I cried almost the entire drive home, and after quality time with good friends I made the drive back in a much happier mood. =)

Mom and I went for sushi on Friday night when I got in town, and then came home and got distracted by a puzzle and mom believing she could sing oldies music.

On Saturday, I woke up early to go wedding dress shopping with one of my best friends. She found a dress that she looks stunning in. I feel so fortunate to get to go through this experience with her. I am beyond excited for her and her fiance, they are a beautiful couple.

After shopping all day, we went to dinner and hung out at her house (even though we had chinese food for dinner, we also made brownies...yumm!)

I have been so lonely lately (in fact, lonely is an understatement). It is hard to see the positive things in my life because I am currently surrounded by so many things I am uncomfortable or unhappy with. Being surrounded by people I love was just what I needed this weekend. It has given me new perspective, and I have realized I need to take action and begin finding out what makes me happy. I pray that I have strength to get through another week of work. I think I can, I think I can...

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times,
For during those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes,
For they will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary
Because it means you've made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.
~Author Unknown

Perhaps by the tone of my last post you could tell that I'm feeling down today, and this quote was just what I needed to read. My dad always says you must go through tough times so that you can better appreciate the good ones. I need to focus on these positive thoughts. Although I'm feeling down and lonely today, better days are coming soon.

p.s. I did make it to the gym. And more imporantly, I made it home safe.

So. Annoying.

Let me start by saying I thought I was overall very satisfied with my apartment.

However, this week the people living above me have been extremely noisy. I swear they literally ROLL out of bed at about 4am. As in, they don't step out of bed like a normal person. I do believe their entire body slams on the ground as they summersault off their mattress. This leaves me trying to fall back asleep and staring at the clock while counting how much time I have left to sleep before my alarm goes off at 6-something. They wake me up 5-10 times during the night. When I am trying to fall asleep they are stomping around above me. I'm not sure when they actually sleep because they are always walking around up there. Although I've been cold, I've been keeping my fan on in my bedroom to attempt to drown out the noise. Not working.

Then, to top it all off, I got home after a long day of work today to see that our parking lot (both entrances) was blocked off. Apparently they are "resurfacing" the parking lot and we are not allowed to drive/walk on the lot. I had to drive elsewhere and find a random parking spot. Awesome. We'll see if I get motivation to walk in the dark to my car in BFE to go to the gym. Not likely.

Goalllllll!!!

Change of plans...instead of going to step class, I got the pleasant surprise through a text message that my brother had a soccer game up here tonight.

Although it was "misting" which is MUCH worse than raining because umbrellas become pointless and my hair completely frizzes and sticks to my neck, I headed to the other side of town after work for his game.

I love watching him play soccer! The team played so well! They won 3-0, and my brother scored 2 of the goals! Woohoo!

Lil' bro is so excited this year because he was named soccer team captain. I'm very proud of him and am glad he gets to have the experience of being on a sports team in college.

Even though I only got to talk to him for 5 minutes, this surprise visit from family made my night :)

Step, Sweat & Spandex

A friend and I have been taking a step class at our gym for some time now. Flash back to the 80s, I know.

The class is taught by a man. Who has been teaching longer than I have been alive. He wears spandex shorts. That show more thigh than any clothing I own. And are colored lime green, purple, and turquoise. He has been on vacation for the past 2 weeks. He returns tomorrrow.

I may have actually missed this man.

To be honest, I can't wait to go and sweat for an hour tomorrow after work!

True Life: I may be a penny-pincher.

I took yet another trip to the mall this afternoon and made some exciting purchases. Have I mentioned I love fall/winter clothes!?  I got really cute maroon colored pumps for work that are perfect for fall.

I also bought two pairs of winter dress pants from Banana Republic. However, I am really annoyed because as I was signing my receipt, the employee gave me coupons for 40% off 2 regular price items for every Wednesday in October. Those would have been nice to have before spending a ridiculous amount of money on those dress pants. I got the pants pinned to be altered so I was afraid they couldn't be returned. Now I'm wondering if I should go back tomorrow and return them after work...so that I can repurchase them on Wednesday...all I can think about is how much money I could have saved. Or is that too much work?! Maybe I'm being a tightwad...

Party "Pee"ople

Last night a group of us went to dinner after I got off work (at 7 again I might add...). We somehow got into a discussion completely inappropriate for the dinner table about gross bodily functions, and I was reminded of a traumatic experience from freshman year. Some friends may remember this, and for others please let me explain:

I was feeling pretty cute in my version of a "slut top," which is in fact still ultra-conservative going to a house party as a new member of my sorority. We drove up in a new Hummer H3 as a pledge dropped us off. I also felt cool getting out of such a nice car. New to college, I was excited to meet people and experience the much talked about fraternity parties.

Feeling good. Until...

We were walking under the deck towards the door, and I felt something hit me on the top of the head. Naturally, I looked up to see what it was and the wetness got all over my face. In shock, I had a delayed reaction and did not move out of the way nearly as fast as I should have. There was a guy standing above me peeing off the deck!

No longer feeling good.

Disgusted and nearly in tears, I told my friends I was ready to leave. They said it was not a big deal, I could just wipe off the mess in the bathroom. Yeah right, I needed to scrub down about 10 times in the shower.

I went to the bathroom and remember throwing every roll of toilet paper they had into their toilet. And hoping it would clog. Or totally destroy their facilities. Obviously these boys didn't use their restroom, so I didn't see why they'd need a working toilet. Or toilet paper for that matter.

I admit, this was a low point.

However, I did have the most disgusting story to tell at dinner last night!!

Nordstrom = Fail.

Nordstroms just opened last week at the mall by my house. Everyone around here, including me, was super excited for it to finally open!

I heard rumors that on opening day the employees were lined up by the doors clapping and cheering as people entered the store. The guy that sits at the desk next to me at work went with his wife not once, but twice last weekend. So, needless to say, I had high expectations of this place.

Since it has gotten so chilly and I am living up here without any warm clothes, I decided to swing by the mall after work (although I was there until after 7pm tonight..blahh..) to try to find a cute new jacket.

While the employees were friendly, they did not have a single jacket. She said jackets weren't in season yet. I thought stores were known for putting things out way too early. I swear I've already seen Christmas decorations in several stores...

I walked through the shoe section...again, nothing that caught my eye. Jewelry...nothing. Maybe I wasn't in a shopping mood, but I left empty handed. I thought it was going to be dangerous for my wallet to have the store so close, but maybe I'll be alright afterall!

I counted the walk around the store my workout for the day, so at least the trip wasn't a total waste of time ;)

I'm still alive...in case you were concerned.

So, I haven't posted in almost a month because I realized I was the only one reading my blog. However, I find it somewhat therapeutic to write my feelings, so I'm going to continue updating...for myself.

Here are some random thoughts and recent happenings:

- I got on the elevator this morning and rode all the way to the top floor before realizing I didn't push any buttons. When everyone got off at the top except for me, they looked confused as to why I was riding the elevator up and down for fun.

- I got my haircut last weekend and think it may be the best haircut I've had in years. I LOVED the hairstylist. She's young, energetic, easy to talk to, and most importantly gives input and suggestions on hairstyles. I showed her several pictures and she adapted them perfectly for my hair type. Added bonus: I can shower and get ready now in about 45 minutes because I have a lot less hair to control style.

-While on the elevator, prior to embarrassing myself, the woman next to me was giving me mad props on said haircut.

- I gave a big presentation at work today and received many compliments on that as well. I'm so excited that it went well because I'm still uncomfortable with certain many aspects of my job. However, I've decided I may like the attention of public speaking. It brings me back to my college campus tour guide and sorority president days. Ah, the glory days...

- I am currently obsessed with frozen yogurt with sprinkles on top. I know sprinkles are for 5 year olds. Don't hate.

- It got cold so fast here! Unfortunately, I don't have any fall/winter clothes in my apartment. In particular, a jacket would be nice. I guess I need to go shopping...oh darn.

- I have learned to appreciate time with my friends so much. I hung out with my friend and her family last night and laughed several times until I was nearly in tears. I miss giggling more often with girlfriends. There's not much to giggle about when home alone.

- I miss seeing my brother play soccer. Last season I went to every home game except for one, and this year I have only been able to make it to one total.

- I have rekindled my love for scrapbooking. I have to pace myself now though because my life is a lot less eventful and I don't want to run out of material to scrapbook about.

- Upon moving to this grand new state, I thought the water tasted awfully funny. Suspicions were confirmed when I read this week that water here is among the top 10 dirtiest places for drinking water. Every time I take a gulp I'm consuming 92 contaminants. Swell.

- I'm pumped about the new season of Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to watch Sunday's episode on my DVR yet...and it's Wednesday.

- Also obsessed with Project Runway. Heidi Klum may be one of the prettiest people alive. However, this season's talent seems to be lacking a bit...Still an amazing show though =)

- I have started drinking coffee...straight up with a packet of sweetner...how grown up am I?!

Ok, that's enough. I'll be back soon for anyone out there that cares. Bueller....Bueller....

Labor Day

I'm pumped for labor day weekend, and I don't plan on doing ANYTHING "laborious"...in other words, I am excited to have friends in town. Tailgating, football games, outlet mall shopping, and firework shows are bound to add up to a great weekend =)

Is it Friday yet?

I've been at trainings ALL day the past THREE days...training makes for very long days, but I am really looking forward to the long weekend! College football begins this weekend (yay!!), and a group of friends are coming up for the game. Kickoff is at noon, and we want to tailgate beforehand. I suggested having mimosas and possibly brunch type foods/snacks. I'd be happy to recieve any suggestions though. I was thinking of making chocolate chip banana bread muffins or sausage roll-ups...Any better ideas?

An added bonus of training is that I've met new people. I met a guy that just moved here from Boston, and he asked me to dinner next week. I figured I'd better go because you never know who his friends are...I'm beginning to think the best way to meet people is through friends' friends. He talks a LOT so I don't think it will be uncomfortable at all.

What Summer?

I cannot believe today is the last day of August! I went to the pool a total of twice this summer..and each time was for less than 2 hours. Pathetic. I'm looking a bit sickly because my skin lacks any color. I guess this is what happens when you work full time...

However, I LOVE cooler weather and everything that Fall brings. College football season, pretty changing leaves, winter clothes, my BIRTHDAY(!!!), Thanksgiving...I could go on and on...I can't wait!

TOP 10 things I LOVED about college:

1. Going out every Thursday night and knowing over half of the people in the bar. Dancing like no one is watching me. Only paying $5 for all you can drink for the night. And when they kick us out at closing time, being able to simply walk home.

2. Not having any obnoxious obligations class until after 10am...only four days a week...Fridays were for doing nothing/shopping/resting after Thursday night.

3. Baking giant chocolate chip cookies the size of my face with our house mother in the sorority house. Even though we weren't supposed to be allowed in the kitchen. She had her favorites =)

4. Recruitment. 150 girls living under one roof provides an opportunity for lots of drama, but also for many hilarious memories. You get to know each other on a whole new level. Love it. And when it's all over and we set a record for recruiting the largest pledge class in the school's history, it feels so rewarding!  

5. Football Season. Period. Tailgating, dressing up, pretending to understand the game, the random things that go on afterwards, and always ending up at the same bar...

6. Enjoying Snow Days locked up in the sorority house playing card games and eating hot tamales until we couldn't feel our tongues anymore because they were on fire. Then, even though our tongues were raw, our house mom would make homemade hot chocolate and we'd drink that as well...usually resulting in burns to the mouth. But so delicious...she topped it with marshmallow fluff and a chocolate covered peppermint stick...mmmm!

7. Teaching a freshman orientation class and having all the clueless freshman look up to me and come to me with innocent questions and worries about college.

8. Wasting time in the TV room...but there were always at least 5 other people in there wasting time as well, so I never felt that bad about being lazy and catching up on gossip. The Ellen Show was a house fav...we watched it every day before being served dinner at 5pm like we were living in a retirement home, not on a college campus. The food was always delicious and I ate too much of it though, so I can't complain!

9. Gaining leadership experience through the many opportunities provided on campus. I learned more being President, working with others to manage all the girls in the sorority than I did in any single class.

10. Giving campus tours as a guide at the school Visitor Center. I loved meeting all the soon-to-be freshman and helping them make the important decision of where to go to college. It also provided many other opportunities...like being in school photo shoots for promotional material, traveling to school college fairs, and meeting many interesting people....which eventually led to being invited on the best ski trip I've ever been on ;)

There are so many other things I love and miss about school. I can't wait until I can make a list about this next stage of my life because good and exciting times should be coming soon!

Success in the kitchen!

I committed to cooking, and I did it...and it was actually delicious! Last night I made an Indonesian Pasta that had asparagus and red peppers in it. It tasted similar to Thai noodles, which I LOVE!

Plus, with the extra asparagus, I made this Tangy Asparagus recipe to eat with my meal tonight:

2 lbs. fresh asparagus
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper

Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Cook in boiling water to cover 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Arrange asparagus in 13x9" dish.

Whisk together olive oil and next 4 ingredients until well blended; pour over asparagus. Cover and chill 8 hours. Drain before serving.

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while now, but it takes preparation because it needs to chill for 8 hours. It was worth it though, I highly recommend! =)

Practice Makes Perfect

Ever since I moved into my own place, I have been threatening to do something other than heat a baked potato cook real meals. I really want to be a good cook, but I have yet to find the motivation to get started practicing. When I cook large recipes, I tend to eat larger portions...not good! Plus, by the time I get home from work, I just want to eat because I'm starving.

Tonight, me and a friend cooked homemade spinach and chicken enchiladas. They were ok. For tomorrow night, I have planned to make a pasta recipe from this amazing cookbook I got as a gift before I moved. The book lists nutrition facts for every item in it, and it gives very good directions as to how to make the dish for beginners like me. There are also references in the front and back that have food equivalents and the definition for a lot of unfamiliar cooking terms.

I figure if I plan ahead to cook and have the ingredients ready, I will have a higher chance of following through. Wish me luck! Now, if only I had someone to share my meal with...anyone interested? ;)

Longest Day EVER

I cannot believe it's only Monday. It seems like ages ago that I drank my morning latte...

I also feel very homesick today for some reason, which is weird because I talked to a guy I met several weeks ago on the shuttle this morning and we both remembered each other, I saw people from work I knew at the gym (I usually get really excited when I run into people I know because it doesn't happen much up here), and the instructor of our weight training class asked my (by name!) why I wasn't standing in my usual spot. All of these incidents would normally make me start to feel like I'm getting in a routine, but instead I am missing home.

My best friend moved back to school this weekend to begin classes towards her masters. This has had me thinking about the different directions our lives are taking. It is so weird that campus is full of students again, sorority recruitment is over, and everyone is getting used to their new class schedule...and I will never go through that again. I miss it so much.

At least I am now getting a paycheck...and this week is payday! Hopefully the rest of this week doesn't drag on like today did...only 4 more days until the weekend ;)

I LOVE Sundays =)

Now, more than ever, I have such an appreciation for the weekend. Especially Sundays. I recently put a TV in my bedroom, and I thoroughly enjoyed waking up without an alarm today and lying in bed for a while watching TLC (does anyone else LOVE the marathon of "Moving Up" that's on on Sunday mornings??) until I was completely ready to get out of bed. It was wonderful.

I believe Sundays are meant to be relaxing, and I definitely had a relaxing day. Although I managed to do my laundry, clean the apartment, go to Target, the grocery, and to the gym today, I also spent plenty of time catching up on my DVR. Speaking of which...I think I'm really going to like this season of Project Runway. I haven't watched for several seasons, but I now remember how much I enjoyed this show!

Hope everyone else had a nice weekend! I'm going to get ready for another work week!

The Amazing Race

"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time" --Winston Churchill

I have a problem with thinking too much about the future. I am a planner, and sometimes that gets out of control. Lately, I have been stressing myself out about my future way too much. Instead, I've decided I need to simply start doing things today that will set me up for happiness and success down the road. Just take life one day at a time, and let life run its course.

I am anxious to meet more people in the area (a guy would be nice as well...), and I've decided that since I met tons of friends through social groups in college, I should try that in the new city as well. There are tons of "young professional" organizations here that look like fun.

Today, a team of four of us (basically all the people I already know in the new city) got together for a scavenger hunt through downtown. A big charity organization in town hosted a social scavenger hunt (similar to the Amazing Race but on a much smaller scale...alrthough it did seem like we were running/walking forever) and a happy hour afterwards (even though it was only 2 o'clock in the afternoon). There were 5 detour locations at bars that were discovered by figuring out clues and 5 destinations where you had to answer trivia about the city's history. Although this event was more social based, this organization does about 30 community service events throughout the year as well. I'm excited to get more involved in the group because everyone was very nice! Being that all of our team members were new to the city, we did not even come close to winning overall, but we did win in our minds because we gained a greater feel of the city and met some wonderful new people!

Workin' on my fitness

Somehow I managed to gain enough motivation to go to the gym after work today for the 5th time in a row this week! Friday workouts usually never happen because by Wednesday the end of the week all I can think about is catching up on much needed sleep. However, this week was different. For the first time since I've started working, I felt energetic and even somewhat productive at work. I refuse to admit that working out actually does give you more energy. That would mean I should work out more often, and let's be honest, that's probably not going to happen.

I took a weight training class today, but that is not the point of this story. After the class, as everyone was putting away their equipment, a fellow "classmate" came up to me. I've met her during previous classes, and she has been coming to this gym for over 6 years. This is the first time people at this gym have been mildly friendly or talkative...something I've been adjusting to because people from the south are much more sweet and welcoming. This woman asked how old I was and said that during her workout today, she realized how perfect I would be for her son who is my age. Apparently her son has been single since February, and I am her ideal perfect girlfriend for him.  She was very nice, and even admitted that this was random/strange of her to do. She said she was going to bring her son to next week's weight class to meet me, but thankfully promised she wouldn't say anything to him in advance.

I guess I'm flattered. She said that I am an attractive and friendly young lady. Now the pressure is on. I always get very self conscious in these situations because after thinking hard about how this guy looks, I suddenly realize he is also going to be judging me. No expectations, but maybe this could be a new friend in the area! Only time will tell... All I know as of now is that pizza for dinner sounds delicious. I do deserve it after all this time spent at the gym!