I'd Like to Make a Toast to the End of Shin Splints!

Image credit: Brooks Running

TA-DA!!!! I'd like to introduce you to my brand-spanking-new-I'm-so-excited-and-can't-wait-to-run-in-these Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11 running sneakers! Aren't they pretty? I think so. More importantly, they are comfortable and give me running super powers. (Ok, maybe not, but I feel pretty invincible in them.)

The story of how I found these beauties is a pretty good one -- especially if you're a runner because we're geeks like that -- and you can read all about it in my Yelp review of Rhode Runner. If you are in the area and looking for some expert help in selecting running shoes/paraphernalia, definitely hit up Rhode Runner. I want to thank Christin of A Classy, Southern Wife -- and a fellow runner -- for recommending a visit to a running speciality store; I wasn't able to visit her spot in Memphis, but I think Rhode Runner is its Southern New England twin.

That's all I got for you today, folks. I have been terrible about my #Trust30 posts, I know. The prompts are sitting in my inbox scolding me daily for not addressing them.

It's Punishment Just to Read

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I read less than 25% of this book, and I didn't care for it at all. I'm of the opinion that if a book cannot catch my interest in 100 pages, it probably won't in 500 pages. I really wanted to read every book on my 30-before-30 list, but I just can't make it through this one (so not like me to not finish a book).

What was the problem, you may be asking? Well, I'll sum it up for you. The main character (so it seems) commits a murder by page 100. I wasn't really sure why, however, usually when you read about a murder in a book, it's thrilling, suspenseful, intriguing. You're at the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen to this criminal. Well, with a title like "Crime and Punishment," I'm pretty sure I know what happens to him.

Happy to return this ancient novel to the library stacks where it belongs and move on to my next literary delight. One that truly delights me.


View all my reviews

#Trust30: Sweet dreams are made of these...

Dreams by Michael Rad

Abide in the simple and noble regions of thy life, obey thy heart. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down your top three dreams. Now write down what’s holding you back from them.

1. To get married and live happily ever after.
2. To travel the world.
3. To be a professional dancer.

I tried to go with long-time, lingering dreams here. Now, on to part two -- the hard stuff.

1. Well, this is the fairy tale, isn't it? And I think that's the problem with it; it's so scripted, and so not completely dependent on oneself. Unfortunately, I am not completely in control over whether or not I get married. Sure, there are actions I can take to tip the scales in my favor, but it's just not up to me. Putting that aside, it is up to me. Frankly, I'm just not there yet. I'm not completely me. I am not the best me I can be for that perfect someone else. I'll get there.

2. Right now, money is holding me back. I'll admit I can be a bit of a spoiled brat, and backpacking isn't really my thing. I don't just want to travel the world, I want to travel the world in style. (Maybe I should have noted that little caveat above, huh?) I'm working on a saving plan, but #1 also kinda gets in the way of this grand scheme of traveling everywhere. Again, a bit dependent on someone else if #1 is going to be accomplished. There's so many logistics to work out. It will take time, but I hope someday I can say I've been there.

3. Ha, this one is almost laughable to me now, but it still tugs on a piece of my heart. Dance was my life for so long, and I aspired to that level with so much passion, but it just wasn't good enough. Ok, I don't think I believed it enough to completely go for it. Now, yeah, maybe I regret it just a little bit. At my age, in my condition, there's not much chance I'll reach that professional level. However, I'm a mean club dancer. I'm there!

Sweet dreams, y'all...

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

Tuesday Deserves Two Posts!

It has been a long time since I've published two posts in one day, but I found these questions at Girl With The Red Hair, and I wanted to play along.

Photo credit: weheartit

1. How do you pronounce the word aunt? Does your pronunciation rhyme with ‘haunt’ or ‘can’t'?
I can't stand when people say "ant." I don't like to compare my relatives to bugs. :(  So, my pronunciation rhymes with "haunt." 

2. Do most of the people in your life know you blog? Or are you partially or totally anonymous?
I don't publicize my blog to family and friends, but my posts go on my Facebook wall and into my Twitter feed, so they are there for all to read. My close friends definitely know I blog. 

3. When you grocery shop, do you prefer to bag your own groceries or do you like it when the store bags them for you? Paper, plastic, or reusable bags?
My parents both worked in a grocery store, and they were always picky about how the store's baggers packed their groceries (they always did it "wrong"). As a result, I have an inbred distrust of grocery store baggers, so I usually bag my own groceries in reusable bags.

4. Do you have a green thumb?
Not at all. I don't like to get dirty. :) I do miss fresh-picked produce though.

5. If you watch the Food Network, which chef/show host is your favorite?
I don't really watch the Food Network much. But Gordon Ramsey is my favorite TV chef, and I love all of his shows.

6. Do you like to take baths? Do you take them very often?
I don't think I have taken a bath since I was seven years old. It's a shame really, but they never make me feel clean. Hot tubs are a whole different story, however.

7. What color are the walls in your kitchen?
Not my choice, but the back splash is a chicken/hen wallpaper border that is deep red, green and neutral colors. The main wall is dark red on the top half, with the stupid border, and then a red, green, gold, white plaid on the lower half. I don't mind the red, but everything else has to go.

8. Do you prefer to dine outdoors or indoors?
Outdoors when the weather is nice and the bugs are in control.

9. Describe your ideal weather.
I lean towards warmer weather, so I think my ideal would be 80 degrees, sunny and dry.

10. If you could learn any foreign language, which would you choose to learn?
Italian, so when I finally visit Italy, I can converse with the locals.

#Trust30

One Thing by Colin Wright

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take a moment, step back from your concerns, and focus on one thing: You have one life to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. Sounds simple, but when you really focus on it, let it seep into your consciousness, you realize you only have about 100 years to get every single thing you’ve ever wanted to do. No second chances. This is your only shot. Suddenly, this means you should have started yesterday. No more waiting for permission or resources to start. Today is the day you make the rest of your life happen. Write down one thing you’ve always wanted to do and how you will achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to be very specific in how you’ll achieve it: once you start achieving, your goals will get bigger and your capability to meet them will grow.

Oh my gosh, reading this prompt scared me! My stomach literally dropped. It's morbid, isn't it? I don't think that is the feeling Colin meant to elicit, but it was certainly my reaction. Let's use it as motivation, shall we? To really live every day with the knowledge that we have limited time to fulfill ourselves, to take a step every day that makes us truly happy.

One thing I have always wanted to do -- that I can recall -- is travel. The destination, activities and companions change through the years, but the desire to GO remains. as a kid, my parents took me to the "kid places" like Disney World and amusement parks, but they also took me to actual cultural and natural attractions such as Acadia National Park, Washington DC and museums. They cultivated a curiosity and interest in me to learn about different people, time periods, events, cultures and places.

So, I'm going to be broad here and just say that I want to travel -- not to any specific place -- to learn about this world in which I live. Unfortunately I have limited resources and companions to just up and go, but I realize there are still steps I can take every day, like saving a little bit in a vacation fund.

I would like to take at least one trip a year to somewhere new. I think that is a reasonable goal. If I have to go budget, I'll try camping in a new national park or try staying in a hostel or using Airbnb. Regardless of what I have to do to get there, one new place a year.

Who's with me?

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: Making Up the Path as You Go

Alternative Paths by Jonathan Fields

When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name; the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The world buzzes about goals and visions. Focus. Create a vivid picture of exactly where you want to go. Dream big, then don’t let anything or anyone stop you. The problem, as Daniel Gilbert wrote in Stumbling Upon Happiness, is that we’re horrible at forecasting how we’ll really feel 10 or 20 years from now – once we’ve gotten what we dreamed of. Often, we get there only to say, “That’s not what I thought it would be,” and ask, “What now?” Ambition is good. Blind ambition is not. It blocks out not only distraction, but the many opportunities that might take you off course but that may also lead you in a new direction. Consistent daily action is only a virtue when bundled with a willingness to remain open to the unknown. In this exercise, look at your current quest and ask, “What alternative opportunities, interpretations and paths am I not seeing?” They’re always there, but you’ve got to choose to see them.

I LOVE this prompt. Thankfully I learned this lesson awhile ago, but it's not an easy one to hang onto because "the world buzzes about goals and visions." It is really tough to respond to the questions about your goals, visions, dreams, one-five-10-year plans with, "I know I want to do this, but I'm staying open to possibilities and opportunities that come along." People just don't comprehend that; they want a solid plan.

In college, I was very one-track-minded. I was a journalism major, and anything that did not contribute to that goal was not worth my time. I carefully selected courses that would make me a better writer and thinker. I read all the time. I knew what I wanted to be: a newspaper reporter. Why should I entertain anything else? In college that is a HUGE mistake, and I partly blame my father for insisting that I declare a major as an incoming freshman. I wish I had the guts to explore other majors or careers. I wish I had taken a couple of random courses that had nothing to do with journalism or media. I missed those opportunities that may have been.

Guess what? I have not worked a day of my life as a full-time staff newspaper reporter. Never. Instead my career looks like a Venn diagram with newspaper reporter in the middle; I just dance around in the bubbles on the outskirts. It has been a learning experience for sure, and the most important lesson I have taken away? Remain open to what may come. Don't block anything out. Even if you don't love it, you will learn something. It's all about the journey, right?

Now I don't mind telling friends and family that I'm not really sure where I'm going; I'm along for the ride. I think most of them get that about me. It's still really hard, though, to fend off the questions at work -- in the professional setting. I'm not an easy employee to manage when you are trying to set my goals for the upcoming year, and I really don't have a five-year plan for myself. So, I take what comes; I try new things. This year is the perfect example: I have taken on an objective that is pretty far out there from anything I saw myself doing, but I think I am going to learn a lot. That's what it's all about, right?

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: Imitation is the Finest Form of Flattery

Divine Idea by Fabian Kruse

Imitation is Suicide. Insist on yourself; never imitate. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down in which areas of your life you have to overcome these suicidal tendencies of imitation, and how you can transform them into a newborn you – one that doesn’t hide its uniqueness, but thrives on it. There is a “divine idea which each of us represents” – which is yours?

Flattery for the original, suicide for the imitator... Ick. I have struggled with this my entire life. How do I be myself? Who is that even? How can I be myself when I see someone else doing it better than I ever could? Wow, that's deep huh? Really cuts to the core.

I think there are two areas in my life right now where I am imitating rather than letting my uniqueness shine, and ironically, they are also the two most challenging areas of my life right now. I think when I find myself "not living up," I imitate those who I see as doing it better, as doing it how I want to do it.

First up, my relationship. Man, I am surrounded by some great examples of love -- close friends, family, reality TV... ok, maybe not so much on that last one. When I don't know how to love, I find myself imitating someone's relationship other than mine, or trying to. It never works, let me tell you, because there are two people in every relationship, and that other person usually is not willing to mimic the actions/thoughts/words/feelings of the partner in the relationship you are trying to copy. It is disastrous. Hm, or as Emerson so eloquently stated: SUICIDAL. Even worse, you are dragging someone down with you. Just don't do it.

A relationship is something that is so beautiful, so unique, so kinetic; no two are alike because no two people are the same, and no two people's interaction can be the same. I think the answer here is easy: Let it flow. Be who you are. Feel what you feel. Say what you think (with kindness). Let go of the comparison because it just can't compare!

The second area I find myself imitating is in my career. Man, sometimes work is just... work. It's hard. It's tiring. Sometimes I just don't know what to do, and instead of figuring it out, I play this game of "What Would 'Fill-in-the-Blank' Do?" I know, we all need mentors, teachers, coaches, guides. We need someone to show us what to do sometimes. However, I have found myself in situations where I look back, and I know that my actions didn't reflect who I really am.

I think many of us tend to lose ourselves in the corporate world. We're different people at work and at home. It doesn't have to be that way, especially today. Companies are actually realizing the value in the individual, so let's let it shine! Here is where I need to stop being a drone and start letting my unique perspective shine. Here is where I need to do the work.

Where do you find yourself imitating and why?

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: Dear 24... Dear 34...

Five Years by Corbett Barr

There will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in their hour. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?

I'll begin by stating that I completely agree with the Emerson quote above; I believe that, if we are true to ourselves, our actions are true to ourselves in that moment in time... whether we later like or agree with them or not. I think, if you remember Emerson's sentiment, you will have no regrets. I don't minus one major action on my part a long time ago.

That said, let's get this party started!

Dear 24-year-old Nifer,
At this point, you are staring down the quarter century mark. It's a little scary, huh? Those milestones always are, but you take them on and go through them the best you can. Boy, you celebrate 25 in style! You live it up, you party hard, you surround yourself with love and laughter, and you do it right. You have the best birthday ever to look forward to. Don't change a thing. You're gonna get hurt. Bad. I'll warn you, even though you know that already. You're going to do some uncharacteristic things, but you learn and grow from them. You are truly discovering who you are, and, babe, it's beautiful!
P.S. Take more advantage of your opportunities at work. Don't get lazy. Keep learning because you're gonna be there for a long time.

Dear 34-year-old Nifer,
I will be honest: I have really high hopes for you! I hope, above all, you are unbelievably happy and that you are content in every moment of your life. I'd like to say I hope you are married and have a little abundance of joy running around, but I only hope that if that is what is making you happy right now. I hope the past five years have been good to you. I hope you challenged yourself, living boldly, loving fully, laughing daily... and stilly partying hard! I know you got it in you, girl! I hope you have found daily pursuits that thrill you to no end but still have that burning desire in your soul because it is what drives you and keeps you alive.
P.S. You better have been to Europe and Hawaii by now! I'll be majorly bummed if you haven't!

Your turn... This is such a fun exercise, both remembering who you were and where you were five years ago, and reflecting upon who you might be and where you might be five years from now. Let me know what you'd say in the comments, or direct me to your blog post!

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30 Catch-Up

Whoa did I get off track with this whole #Trust30 thing. Whoops! I'm not going to let it slide though; I am going to get back on the bull. The answers to these prompts may not be as deep or verbose as I would like them to be, but I'm covering them... starting with the other half of the Post-It Post.

This was not easy for me because so much of my challenge stems from my belief that my income is perpetually less than my expenses. There is this never-ending GAP.

However, life isn't easy, and we have to face the challenges it throws at us. The answers aren't easy either. First of all, I need to stop spending so much. Sales are my arch-enemy; I can't turn down a good sale on something that I like or use frequently. For example, today I received an email that the Vera Bradley "Morgan" purse is being retired, and, as a result, it is heavily discounted. Whoa... a good-size Vera for $18?!? Can't miss that! Boom... $25 gone. That has to stop. I need to grasp the concept that I can only have what I can afford.

Second, I need to save. I've always known I need to save -- thank you Mom and Dad for that lesson. However, I've always had this concept that saving has to be BIG. I need to realize that, given my means, saving isn't always going to be big. I do well with the 401k, and I have a reasonable amount automatically transferred from each paycheck into savings (which sometimes I use to pay off that awful credit card bill), but I need to start little pots for each of my goals: house stuff, wedding, travel, emergency money. Even if each pot only gets $5 a month, that is something, and something adds up.

That's all I got. It's money management 101, an easy two-step process. What do y'all think? What do you do to spend less and save more? It's really hard, isn't it?

Travel by Chris Guillebeau

If we live truly, we shall see truly. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

This could be the never-ending post because I get the travel itch frequently, and due to the above, I'm not able to scratch it whenever and however I want. I dream of seeing the world, of knowing different cultures and collecting stories. However, my one place, ironically, is hardly exotic because it's right here in my home country. I feel it is different enough, beautiful enough and far enough, though, that it is a must-see. That place for me is Hawaii. It's the 50th U.S. state, and I can now value my parents' desire to see the country in which they live before they start exploring abroad. I would love to explore all of the major Hawaiian islands in my lifetime. I plan to tackle two or three on my honeymoon, and I'd love to cruise around some of the others, then maybe knock off the rest on an anniversary trip or two.

What is your "one place?"

Come Alive by Jonathan Mead

Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Take them off your To Do list and add them to a To Stop list. Resolve to only do what makes you come alive.

Bonus: How can your goals improve the present and not keep you in a perpetual “always something better” spiral?

This speaks directly to one of my goals for every day, probably the hardest thing I have ever tried to achieve. I want to become present. Forget about yesterday and tomorrow -- as cliche as that sounds -- and focus on RIGHT NOW, not even today, but this moment only.

I think it's a silly question to ask if you would do what you do if you knew your life had a time limit. Depending on that limit, the answer is probably no. Yet, everyone's life has a time limit; we just think it's so far in the future that we don't have to worry about it now.

So, with that knowledge, yeah, I'd do what I'm doing now, and I do try to make sure there is something in every day that truly makes me feel alive, positive, happy, productive. I'd love to be able to quit my job and spend my days running, practicing Yoga, reading, writing and traveling, but I haven't figured out how to sustain myself with that yet. That is my preparation to live, I suppose. I've come to the realization that nothing is going to make my life "better;" what comes is only going to be different. My perspective is what makes it better, and I have that right now.

I have yesterday and today's prompts to still catch up on, but I think I am going to save them for a later post, since this one is already getting quite long.

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: My Post-It Question

Post-it Question by Jenny Blake

That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him. Where is the master who could have taught Shakespeare? Where is the master who could have instructed Franklin, or Washington, or Bacon, or Newton? . . . Shakespeare will never be made by the study of Shakespeare. Do that which is assigned you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Identify one of your biggest challenges at the moment (ie I don’t feel passionate about my work) and turn it into a question (ie How can I do work I’m passionate about?) Write it on a post-it and put it up on your bathroom mirror or the back of your front door. After 48-hours, journal what answers came up for you and be sure to evaluate them.

Bonus: tweet or blog a photo of your post-it.

Obviously I can't write this full post today, but I wanted to hold myself accountable by stating my challenge and question and posting my Post-It. :)

One of  my biggest challenges at the moment is money: a lack of, how to manage it, how to get more, how to pay for the things I need and want. It's pretty much a constant source of stress for me, despite making a monthly budget and working hard to pay off my debt. I want to save more because I know I really need to do that.

So, my question is...

I hope to post some answers at the end of the weekend. (As if I didn't have enough going on this weekend, now I have to think about this! LOL)

Slightly cheating here... but I'm taking suggestions! All you financial gurus out there, come forward! What should I do??? Any advice for me?


#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: One Strong Belief by Buster Benson

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

Wow, this prompt was really difficult for me because my friends and family can be pretty different in their beliefs, so it is tough to find something I believe in that they do not -- and this one may be shared by several of them, but I'm going with it anyway.

I believe religion serves us; we do not serve religion. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, and so was my family and many of my closest friends. The Church always teaches we are here to serve God and each other (and the Church, ahem), but I don't know that I necessarily agree with that.

I think the church is here to serve us: as a source of hope, as a community of support, as a place of rest and peace, as a leader in faith, as a teacher of morals. In that token, I think it is ok to "tweak" your religion to fit your life (nothing major, but just enough to make it yours).

In college, I spent several years as a "diehard" Catholic. I read the entire Catechism, and I followed it to the letter -- or at least I tried my darndest. And I realized I was shutting people out, which was not very Christian of me.

So I adjusted. I soul-searched. I studied (I was a class short of a religion minor in college). I read books, and I listened to people. In turn, I found MY faith, MY religion, and it feels like home.

This is really an easy one to live every day because it's really become who I am as a person. Sure, I'm not always as kind or forgiving as I *should* be, but that's what it's all about: stumbling, learning, picking yourself back up and trying again.

I'll go easy on you guys: What's one strong belief that you hold and why? (Your friends and family can share it with you, it's ok!)


This post is a part of #Trust30: an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. Thirty prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

#Trust30: Today by Liz Danzico

Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. The force of character is cumulative. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

If ‘the voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks,’ then it is more genuine to be present today than to recount yesterdays. How would you describe today using only one sentence? Tell today’s sentence to one other person. Repeat each day.

Today was about communication, both the volume of it and the unfortunate lack of it: a myriad of emails, meetings about improving communication, missed opportunities to communicate well, overwhelmed by communication, hurtful communication and silent communication.


This post is a part of #Trust30: an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. Thirty prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. 

Sign up to receive the prompts by email.

I am really excited about this blog challenge, and I hope some of you will join me. Some of my best posts, in my opinion, have come out of initiatives like #Trust30, and I love the opportunity to write about something "different." This also comes at a very opportune time for me -- and it's a bit... freaky -- that today marks the start of my birthday month, my 30th birthday month. So 30 writing prompts to look inside myself for my 30th birthday. How appropriate.