Nifer Musings

Lazy Friday and some travel info

2012-01-27T14:28:00.002-05:00

Ah, a Friday off from work. I always have such grand plans for my days off, but so far I have managed to get out of bed, make coffee, drink coffee, eat Pop-Tarts, watch recorded crime drama shows, write a few Yelp reviews, read a couple of blogs, and... yeah... house cleaning is definitely still on the list.

And I wrote a blog post! The second in two days; this girl is on a roll! Unbelievable.

Any big plans for the weekend before I delve into Lauren's lovely blanks? I have delightfully little planned -- just a dinner with friends tomorrow night to exchange belated Christmas presents and celebrate a birthday.

Image credit: the little things we do

1. My favorite place I've ever traveled to is a tie between San Diego, CA, and Bermuda, but I'm leaning towards Bermuda since it wins in the beach category.

2. Italy is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus or car ride or train) by usually sleeping and listening to music since if I try to read or watch something, I usually feel motion sick.

4. My three must-haves when I travel are good luggage, good music, a good book.

5. My favorite travel companion is my boyfriend. We travel incredibly well together.

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is being taken on a completely roge jet skiing trip in Roatan, Honduras. Oh, or there was the time it snowed in Arizona and our tour bus at the Grand Canyon was struck by lightning. And people wonder why I don't want to go back...

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is tartare and ceviche.

8. If I could live anywhere else, I'd live in San Diego. Warm and sunny all year, great city, by the ocean, casual scene, friendly people. I fell in love. I think I would miss New England though.

9. I have been to 11, plus Washington D.C. States in the U.S.

Keep your fingers crossed for a big running year!

2012-01-26T15:49:00.000-05:00

Photo credit: Real Simple

I haven't talked about running in a while because I'm injured, and I haven't run in over two months. I believe an old injury to my left foot is coming back to haunt me, as I get some intense pain when I run now -- and the pain has extended into other activities such as Yoga and skiing. I have an appointment with a podiatric surgeon on Valentine's Day (romantic, I know), so I hope I will get some answers then. And that those answers don't involve surgery.

Obviously my training has been on hold, and I have been terrible about getting myself to the gym for non-impact activities to maintain my fitness. I miss running, and nothing else has motivated me in the same way. Regardless, I have made running plans for 2012 -- not going so far as to register for any races yet (I don't have that kind of money to just throw away should this be something serious) but mapping out the races I would like to run.

My BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) for this year is to run a half marathon. Run. Not walk. Not just finish. Run. Without stopping.

Due to this pesky injury, I have scheduled a backup half later in the year in case I can't start training in March.

Without further ado...

April: B.A.A. 5K

Image credit: B.A.A.

I just found about this new race medley from the Boston Athletic Association (the organization behind the Boston Marathon) yesterday, and I am extremely frustrated that medley registration closes January 31st (read: before my doctor appointment). I'm hoping there will still be space in the individual races for me to register for each one (and pay more, grrrrr).

The medley begins with a 5K on April 15th, the day before the Boston Marathon. This will be a good gauge of where I am in terms of running early on in the year. But I'd love to run it in 32:00 or less.

May: Harpoon 5-Miler

This is my team for the Harpoon Brewery Annual 5-Miler last year. As you can tell from our beaming beer faces, we had a great time. This was my first race, and I don't think anything will compare to how I felt crossing that finish line, but I really hope I can run this race again on May 20th.

My goal for this race is to simply beat my time from last year, which was 53:26. Shouldn't be too difficult, right?

June: B.A.A. 10K

The second race of the B.A.A. medley, the 10K, falls on June 24th. I wanted to run this race last year, but I didn't feel ready to tackle a 10K yet. If this is the only race in the medley I can do, I'll be happy. I ran my first 10K back in October (when my foot really started bothering me), and while it was tough, I loved it. This might be my sweet spot distance.

Oh, my time for that painful 10K was a pitiful 1:14:38. Yeah, pitiful. Therefore, I'd love to kill the B.A.A. one within 1:05:00.

July: Harvard Pilgrim 10K

Photo credit: Harvard Pilgrim 10K

Another race I wanted to run last year but didn't feel ready for. I ran my town's 4th of July 4-miler instead, and it was brutal. Not too mention I wasn't really thrilled about the race in general. So, this year, I want to be like this guy and run through a giant, inflatable Patriots helmet in Gillette Stadium. What's more patriotic than running through a Patriot helmet? 'Nough said.

Goal: Beat B.A.A. time.

August: Providence Rock & Roll Half Marathon

After what I hope to be six full months of training, I will run my first half marathon in August, on the 19th. I was a spectator at this race last year, cheering on four of my friends in the pouring rain. I was dying to run, but I knew I was in no way prepped for 13 miles with an UPHILL TO THE FINISH. Yes, these race organizers are a bit cruel, but I want to run in my city regardless.

Goal? Well, we already established I am running the whole thing, but I didn't say I would be running fast. 2:20:00 would make me happy.

October: B.A.A. Half Marathon? Tufts 10K?

What happened to September? Well, I didn't race in September last year, and I don't have anything planned this year either. I just didn't find anything that interested me that much after a summer of racing.

October 7th is my second shot at the half distance with the B.A.A. Half Marathon. Goals will be the same as for Providence -- unless I run Providence, in which case I'd obviously want to run B.A.A. faster, even if it's only by seconds.

I am assuming the Tufts 10K for Women that I ran last year (see pitiful time above) will fall on Columbus Day again this year, which would be right after the half. Ugh. But I really liked this race last year, and I really want to do it again. October's a bit up in the air pending foot results and Providence.

December: Norfolk Annual 5K Jingle Bell Run

A lot of my running friends ran Jingle Bell or Santa races this past December, and I felt a little left out. So, this year, I want to run a very local Jingle Bell 5K in the town I cover as a freelancer for a regional newspaper. As my last race of the year, I just want to have fun and enjoy not running in crazy hot temperatures.

Well, there you have it. I've written it down. I've shared it. I'm committing. Well, assuming my foot cooperations...

By the way, I totally stole this post idea from Aron of runner's rambles. Thank you, Aron!

In 2012, I challenge myself to read.

2012-01-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

See my shiny new 2012 Goodreads Reading Challenge widget over there to the right??? I know it doesn't look too different from the old 2011 one that was there yesterday, but I am still excited for the challenge.

Last year, I challenged myself to read 12 books -- one a month. I didn't do as well as I thought I would, but I did squeeze in 10, finishing that last one on Christmas eve. I think my problem was I was also challenging myself to cross off all 30 books on my '30 Books to Read Before I'm 30' list, many of which I wasn't particularly a fan of. Once my birthday passed, I decided I was going to focus on books that interested me and I would enjoy reading, and I started flying through pages.

Don't worry, those pesky 30 books are still on my list... and I'll get to them someday.

In 2012, I'm back to the goal of reading a book a month, if not more. I have almost 600 books on my Goodreads to-read list, and I'm anxious to start all of them -- though at at once; I'm not someone who can read multiple books at the same time. So I'm committed this year. If I hate a book, I will not force myself to finish it. It will go to the discard pile so I can start something fresh and hopefully lovelier.

I'll be back to record some of my other goals/challenges/resolutions/ambitions for 2012. In the meantime, what was your favorite book of 2011? Is it something I must have on my list?

Happy New Year! Thanks for reading!

Christmas fill in the blanks

2011-12-23T12:04:00.000-05:00

Image credit: Lauren

1. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to smile, forgive and be kind.

2. The thing I love most about Christmas is the universal cheer and good will... and the lights and sparkle!

3. The holiday season is a time for love!

4. My favorite thing to eat at the holidays is eggnog cake.

5. I will be spending Christmas at my boyfriend's grandfather's house for dinner, then my parents' house afterwards.

6. 'Tis better to (give or receive?) Give. Sure, I love getting gifts off my wish list, but I always pause the receiving to watch those I love open the presents I carefully and lovingly selected for them. No better feeling than giving the perfect gift!

7. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. (Does anyone else find the warm December weather ridiculous??? Not only is it making me sick, but it's messing with my ski plans! And let's not forget the environment.)

I'd like to wish all of you, and your families and firends, a very merry Christmas (or a belated happy Chanukkah or Festivus)! May you experience hope, love, joy and peace this holiday season!

And... just in case I don't make my way back to these parts beforehand, happy New Year! I have a feeling 2012 is going to be great!

Bad Blogger

2011-12-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

Ugh, I was just going through my Reader, and I realized that out of 21 days of journaling for #21DJC, I managed just seven posts. Double ugh... 14 ughs to be exact.

Through the challenge is officially over, I still plan on addressing the topics here... just as soon as this cold/sinus infection/cough decides it's month-long stay is over and work slows down just a tiny bit.

I'm also pushing just a bit to accomplish my goal of reading 12 books in 2011. I have four more to go... in three weeks!

Finally, I'll admit that I am a little bummed, and I have been TERRIBLE the last two months about working out. I hurt my foot after my last race -- the Tufts 10K for Women in Boston -- and I decided since that was my last race, some time off would be good. Since then (October 10th for those who are counting), I have run a total of two miles. One was two weeks post race, and the other was about two weeks ago. It was painful -- not only because I hadn't been running, but more importantly on my foot. Several "personal experts" I've talked to think I torn a tendon or ligament eight years ago when the problem started, and running has only aggravated it. Anyway, I need to see a doctor. Soon.

This puppy will tear your heart out...

2011-12-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

Huck: The Remarkable True Story of How One Lost Puppy Taught a Family--and a Whole Town--About Hope and Happy Endings by Janet Elder

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It has been many years since I have read a book in under two weeks, which should be point enough for how wonderful and delightful and heart-wrenching this book is. Huck will make you fall in love with you, break your heart, and then fill your heart with so much love and hope that the harrowing journey will be worth it.

Janet Elder takes her readers on a personal, emotional journey -- offering the invitation into her life, the lives of her family members, and the lives of kind strangers she meets along the way. You feel like you are there, and you ache to do something to help this family find their beloved pet. Coincidentally, I am vaguely familiar with the setting of the book, having visited there several times -- I even ran through the streets of Allendale and drove past the Hilton where the Elders took up residence during their search. I will also admit that having an adorable dog of my own who has won my heart made this book touch closer to home, but even if you never had a pet, I think you will find yourself on the edge of your seat to find out what happens to Huck and his owner, Michael, and smiling as you turn the last page. You can't help it.

I wanted to hug Huck all through this book, and there were several times I found myself looking up from the book at my own dog or even giving him a pat to remind myself that he is home and ok. I could not put this book down, and I bet you won't either.

This will go on my virtual shelf as one of the best books I have read this year.

View all my reviews

#21DJC: I'm going back in time, like Huey Lewis and the News...

2011-11-28T03:15:00.001-05:00

This is a catch-up journal entry, but one that I was very excited about. Hindsight is always 20/20, they say, and I really try to live in the present and stay out of the past. However, I do believe it is often worthwhile to reflect on some key decisions you made in the past and what you learned to gain some insight into the present and how you would like to act in the future. That said...

Image credit: Personal Excellence blog

If you are to travel back in time to three years ago, what advice would you give yourself? How old were you three years ago? What was happening at that time? What would you say to yourself and why?

Let's start with the easy facts. Three years ago was November 2008, and I was 27. This was before I started this blog, so we cannot go back to this time in Nifer Musings history to see where I was and what I was thinking. No, you're just going to have to take my word on all of this. My life was radically different.

I was slaving away at the same job I had been doing for two and a half years, and I dreaded going into work every day. I loved my teammates, but all the drama surrounding me and what I did was ridiculous. I was looking for a way out professionally and felt pretty discouraged. The light at the end of the tunnel was my freelance gig, which I still maintain today.

The one awesome thing about my job was the amount of vacation I received. I had just returned from a week-long cruise in Bermuda with my boyfriend, best friend and her husband. We had a great time, despite the ship not living up to our expectations.

Overall I was happy. I was dating the man I had loved for years (and still am!), I had enough freedom and plenty of cash due to living at home. Life was pretty good.

Ok, there was another dark spot: my father was sick and on dialysis for kidney disease, which I have wrote about on this blog. He was getting progressively worse, and his deteriorating health strained all of our relationships.

If I could go back and have a cup of coffee with 27-year-old me, I would tell her to slow down and relax. Back then, I was very anxious for the next thing -- getting a better job, making more money, progressing my relationship, moving out of my parents' house. All of that came, and will come, in time. Perhaps it all came too quickly because I was pushing too hard for it. There is a time, a season and a reason. Respect that.

I would advise myself to be patient with my parents since they were going through an awful time, facing challenges no one should have to face. I would let myself know that things would get better soon; Dad would not be sick forever, and once he started feeling better, he would be happier and easier to get along with.

Be grateful for what you have and where you are right now; this is the easy time when you don't have the world on your shoulders, you aren't particularly challenged professionally or emotionally or financially, and you are free to travel and have a little bit of 20-something fun. Enjoy that. Live it up. Don't take it for granted. Someday you will miss the things you are cursing now.

See? Those are all lessons that I can apply now, as well as I could have applied them three years ago. In fact, we could all apply them now, I am sure.

So, what would you tell yourself if you could travel back three years? Where and who were you then?

#21DJC: The Dark Side of Me

2011-11-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

Image credit: weheartit

What is the most painful thing you have ever experienced to date? What happened and why was it painful to you?

Several incidents ran across my mind when I read today's journal challenge question: break-ups, surgeries, lost friendships, accidents, childhood teasing... but none of those match my battle with depression.

I found the above image, and I thought it was a good visual of what living with depression -- or at least my depression -- feels like. The vast emptiness swallows you so that you view the world through a dim, dulled lens. The pain is sharp at times, aching but constant at others, and it permeates everything... even those drips of happy moments you catch. Depression claims you, and over time, you lose who you were, who you are, and you just become sadness and exhaustion. Oh, the exhaustion is overwhelming. I remember just being so tired with life -- with my life in particular. I was truly lost. Nothing excited me, nothing stirred the passion inside me. I just hurt. All. The. Time.

I faced two periods of deep, serious depression, both of which followed romantic break-ups but also times of intense change in my life. I think the combination of losing someone I cared about, questioning my self-worth and attempting to find my way on new ground was the recipe for the perfect storm.

The first came during my freshman year of college, and lasted through my sophomore, and maybe even the beginning of my junior year. I was away from home, in a big city, by myself. Unlike some of my friends, I didn't have fellow high school classmates at my selected university, and that university had a starkly different culture than the warm, comfortable high school I left. I had a strong vision for my education and future career, but that was about all I had. I didn't make friends easily because I didn't know who I was and I wasn't will to trust. I didn't even trust myself, that I made the right choice for me at the time. Eventually, I made friends -- people who understood me -- and I realized my high school friendships weren't going anywhere. I learned to lean on my support system and on myself. I started to appreciate where I was and open myself to new people and experiences -- although not as much as I now wish I did. The depression faded.

It came raging back after college graduation. Again, I had just broken up with my boyfriend at the time, and I was not where I always thought I would be. I wasn't working in my field. I wasn't even writing. I was discouraged and defeated. Again, I didn't know who I was, and I didn't trust myself. I didn't trust myself to make the right choices, to know the right path, to accomplish my goals and dreams, to be successful. It was self-sabotage at its worst. I recognized this demon within, and I reached out for help. I clued friends into what was going on, and I even asked my doctor to recommend a psychologist, whom I never called. I didn't have the courage. DON'T LET THAT BE YOU. I eventually recovered and bounced back, but the process could have been faster, easier, more comfortable and ultimately more enlightening with professional help. I believe that by not seeking professional help, I left myself open to be struck a third time.

I missed out on so much because of my depression. Two formative years -- after high school and college graduation -- that are supposed to be about self-discovery, trial and error, beginnings, growth, and acceptance were fraught with nothing but pain, sadness, isolation, self-hate, fear and loss. I do not have any regrets in my life except for this one: that I let depression take over and steal those years from me. Whenever I feel myself slipping, I remember that, and I refuse to let those feelings and that dark side of my mind take any more from me.

I am by no means a mental health expert, and I do not recommend my path to anyone. Know that I am sharing this as part of my journaling experience, and if a side effect of that is someone is helped, I am grateful. If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from depression, I urge you to talk about it with whomever you feel comfortable. No one should have to face this demon alone.

#21DJC: What does love mean to you?

2011-11-20T20:26:00.000-05:00

Image credit: Personal Excellence blog

What does love mean to you? What words or phrases would you use to describe love? How do you identify if you are feeling the emotion of love, or something else? What does the word 'love' mean to you?

Love means...

light
freedom
unselfishness
warmth
caring
sensitivity
thoughtfulness
gratefulness
forgiveness
hugs and kisses
knowledge
understanding
listening
giving
acceptance
worth
respect
affection
time
sharing
common interest
happiness

I thought a little free association might help with answering this huge question. Throughout my life so far, I have had many different definitions and understandings of love: parental, sibling, friend, romantic, unconditional, divine... and each stage has been different and more intense. I ask myself this question periodically, but now, it seems like you can't really define love; it is like trying to define God, and some will say God is love. I certainly believe that love is divine, and when we love, we reflect the divine in ourselves. I believe that God wholly encompasses love, and nothing else. Therefore, love -- regardless of who it's for or with -- is incredibly personal and spiritual, while being completely universal.

How do I know when I feel love? Well, it's two things. First, I am unselfish; I feel the need to give to whomever I feel love towards. I want to share... everything... Second, I feel whole when I am loved and when I am loving. Love completes us -- not that a person completes us, but the act of loving and accepting love completes us. When either of these is not present, it's not love. When both of these conditions are present, I know there is love, and I am whole and happy.

A Friday Blanks Break

2011-11-18T12:20:00.000-05:00

Gah! I got off track with my journal challenge again and forgot to write yesterday! Lately, the days have just been getting away from me, and I have a hard time fitting everything in. I've also been a lot less organized than I usually am. Anyone else experiencing this?

I hope to post my journal entry for today a bit later, but for now, how about some fill-in-the-blanks courtesy of Lauren?

Image credit: Lauren

1. A nervous habit I have is playing with my Claddaugh ring. When I'm nervous, I'll twist it around my finger and pull it on and off. Someone called me out on it once, and it was a bit embarrassing!

2. Something that makes me sad is this news story I heard at the beginning of the week about some people using a rabbit as a hockey puck. The poor thing was so beaten. I hate animal cruelty -- even roadkill.

3. Today I am thankful for awesome plans tonight! With this cold and sinus infection, I haven't done anything fun that I've enjoyed in two weeks, and I have had to cancel a bunch of plans.

4. My favorite room in my house is the master bedroom. It's all beach themed and shades of blue -- my favorite color. It's so soothing and relaxing.

5. I can't stand messiness, which I just read a great blog post about. I'm a bit OCD, and it drives Jed nuts.

6. If I had an extra $100 to spend on whatever I wanted today, I would treat myself to a few extra drinks tonight and maybe a sassy pair of new shoes to wear.

7. The last person I hung out with was Jed, all week long.

What do you have going on this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy and get a well-deserved rest!

#21DJC: I get by with a little help from my friends...

2011-11-16T18:16:00.001-05:00

Oh ain't it the truth, and 'friends' is an all-inclusive term for me. I have friends in the traditional sense, but I also include my boyfriend and family as friends -- well, in some cases anyway.

Image credit: Google Images

Today's journal challenge topic is: Who do you enjoy spending time with?

The answer is a bit obvious here, folks, I enjoy spending time with people I consider friends. But, let's get more specific -- perhaps a top 10 list is in order... well, in no particular order.

10. My boyfriend. While I don't always enjoy time spent in the daily grind with each, I can say that I truly enjoy spending time with Jed. I love doing new and different things with him. He's the ultimate travel buddy. I love watching him discover the world, and I love that I can be myself, always, around him. I love the sound of our mutual laughter and conversation.

9. My dog, Morris. How can you not include your pet on this list? My dog just brings me simple joy. Whether I am playing with him, snuggling with him or just watching him sleep from across the room, he makes me smile. He reminds me that life doesn't have to be so complicated all the time.

8. Yelpers. Wow, what a fun, diverse, united, interesting group of people they are. I haven't met a Yelper yet that I didn't like, and I'm meeting new Yelp friends all the time (if you haven't jumped head first into your local Yelp community, get on it). This collective stretches me, challenges me and pulls me out of my comfort zone; it's incredible that a group of people with only a website and a city in common get along so well and become such fast friends.

7. My sister. Ok, so we have spent the better part of our lives as mortal enemies, but something shifted over the last five years or so, and now, sister time is fun time. Usually. There is an inexplicable sisterly bond that makes time spent together like time spent with your clone. We come from exactly the same place. We don't have to explain what we mean. Sometimes a look or an act says everything. We share enough in common to have fun together, but also have just the right amount of separate interests to keep the relationship interesting.

6. "The group." There's some overlap here, as "the group" consists of three couples: Jed and I, best friend and hubby, and JB and girlfriend. These are my closest friends in the world. We get together every other week (and have been for, like, eight years) to eat dinner and catch up on our lives. These are the people I call when I'm looking for something to do. These are the people I go on vacation with. They have all been there for me in their own way, and they always support me.

5. The band. When I want to dance, this is who I look for, and they are usually playing somewhere good. One of these guys is a close friend of mine, and I totally enjoy the one-on-one time we get to spend together because this is the person I talk to about dreams -- he's living his, and I think it's inspiring. They bring out a little bit of my alter ego, and it is always a good time.

4. My dad. Oh yes, I am a Daddy's Girl. I share several traits with my father, from physical to personality, and for that I'm proud. Dad and I can chat about everything from TV shows and cooking techniques to what I'm going to do with my life. He looks out for me, and he is the number one person I go to for practical advice.

3. Auntie. She's the cool aunt. The one without kids of her own that adopts her nieces and nephews. The one who got me into golfing and skiing. The one young enough to be my friend but old enough to have been my babysitter. We share books and weekend trips. She's always interested in talking about what I have been up to and where I have been.

2. Mom. For the simple reason that she is my mother and knows me like no one else -- even when I haven't even told her about everything. Mom just knows. When I am sad or confused or upset or scared or happy, she is the person I want to be around. I may not tell her what is causing what I'm feeling, but just her being there resolves almost anything. Mom is home.

1. My best friend. I never spend enough time with this girl. I have never grown tired of spending time with her in the 16 years I've known her; I've never needed a break. I love her to pieces. Whether we are out and about, sharing a meal, tanning on the beach, or just sitting on a couch, time spent together is always time enjoyed immensely. How she sees me is how I most love to see myself, and it is probably my truest self. She never judges, always listens. She cares. And, perhaps the best part of all is that it is entirely mutual.

There are several people that I definitely could have added to this list -- so if you're reading, and you weren't mentioned, it doesn't mean anything, I promise. It is interesting to note that in all of these relationships, during all of the times I have spent with these people, there is one thread that runs through. That thread is comfort. Nothing is forced or feigned in these relationships. Conversation comes easily and naturally, and when it doesn't come at all, that is perfectly fine. Through all of these relationships I can find myself.

And that is the mark of a true friend.

Worthwhile exercise: Who do you enjoy spending time with, and why?

#21DJC: A little competition is healthy.

2011-11-15T15:14:00.000-05:00

Apologies I have not been keeping up with my journal entries for #21DJC. Last week I developed a horrible sinus infection, so I have been spending all of my free time sleeping or chilling in front of the TV. Each day I have been feeling a little bit better, so I'm back to catch up on these prompts, starting with today's. I'll continue with each day's prompts and schedule the previous prompts as posts when I can.

Photo credit: Personal Excellence blog

Today's topic is: What drives you?

While it is not always the best driver, competition does drive me. I have always loved striving for the top -- amongst my peers as well as against myself. Lately, the competition with myself has become more important to me. Constantly improving. Increasing my strengths and skills. Developing my abilities. While my passions and interests constantly evolve and change, this desire to push to be better remains.

I am also a collector, not so much of things, but of knowledge and experience. I love to learn and read, which is evident in my to-read book list, the piles of magazines around the house and my Google Reader. I am constantly reading and absorbing new information. I also enjoy traveling and exploring new parts of my community. As an avid Yelper, I love trying new businesses and posting reviews. I challenge myself at work to learn new parts of the business and get involved in different projects.

All of this contributes to transforming myself into the best version possible, which I think is one of the reasons we are here. As Celes wrote, in reflection of the self-love posts yesterday, we are all on a journey to become better, and that journey has no end. It is the journey that matters -- what pushes us and the choices we make along the way.

What drives you? In life, at work, in your relationships...

#21DJC: What is your ideal diet?

2011-11-10T10:20:00.000-05:00

My ideal diet would be perfectly balanced and include the freshest, local meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. I'm also going to throw in that I would like to have a personal chef who would prepare every meal for me and ensure I am getting all of the nutrients I need daily. I struggle to come up with consistently healthy meals on a daily basis; I get lazy quite a bit, which is why I love going out to eat.

Where I am usually reasonably active. I would eat five to six times a day: three meals and two or three snacks when I need them. I love hot breakfasts, and I hardly ever have time to make one. So, at least three times a week, I'd want a hot breakfast with eggs, French toast, pancakes, or something along those lines. It would also be awesome to have fresh fruit with breakfast daily -- that is one of my favorite parts of going on a cruise, the fresh fruit.

While I love hot breakfasts, I usually prefer cold lunches on the smaller side. Gourmet sandwiches and salads would be my rule.

Dinners are all about variety. I love trying new foods and flavor combinations, so dinner is the time to go wild with food. I want it all: meat, fish, pasta, vegetarian, pulling from different places around the world. Make my mouth water during dinner.

For snacks, I usually have one mid-afternoon between lunch and dinner. And, although it's not the best for me, I am a dessert girl. Whip me up something sweet for after dinner.

What is your ideal diet? Are you eating it now?

Around the world in... however long it takes.

2011-11-08T20:40:00.001-05:00

If you are to do something for free for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I'm assuming this question means free of compensation and free of cost -- at least that is how I am interpreting it. The true question is: What is your real passion? What is priceless to you?

So, assuming I am independently wealthy and have no need to make money nor spend money, I would travel, around the world, to every continent and every country. Then I would go back and visit my favorites again. I'd start with every state in the United States, then I'd tackle all of North America. I would make my way South to Central and South America before hopping over to the South Pacific and Australia. I'd trek through Asia and the Middle East, down through Africa and back up through Europe.

While I'm exploring, I will write about what I find and how I feel about it; I will photograph the beautiful and the ugly I see. I would love to share it with the people I love.

I want to see everything this world has to offer, taste food around the globe, hear different languages and meet different people. I want to learn about different cultures and history and religion. And somewhere along the way, I hope I finally discover who I am and where I belong.

I know I don't have to take an around-the-world trip to find myself, but I am the type of person who needs to know all of the options available to me before making a choice. I am the kind of person who agonizes over not being able to try everything, and that paralyzes me in my decisions, making me always second guess what is right for me. Therefore, if i were free to do something for the rest of my life, I would explore all of my options and find the option that fits me best.

What would you do?

#21DJC: If I had a million dollars...

2011-11-07T15:28:00.000-05:00

I'm participating in a journaling challenge over the next three weeks, and I wanted to share my entries here. This should be interesting, and I really hope to stick with the daily writing schedule. If you'd like to sign up, click the link above. Celes has some really interesting questions (I've participated in her challenges before), and she really tries to build a good community.

With that little introduction, let's get on with the first entry, shall we?

Image credit: Google Images

What would you do if you have one million dollars?

I have actually put a lot of thought into this question over the years because I'd love to be independently wealthy and never have to worry about money again. I also suffer from an overactive imagination.

The first thing I would do is pay off my parents' mortgage, so they wouldn't have to worry about the house. I would also give them money to create their dream kitchen and fix up the bathrooms.

Next, I would automatically put 30% into savings... for a rainy day, for vacations, for my children's education.

Then I would build boyfriend's and my dream house somewhere and sell our house now. Finally, I'd buy a new car -- the one I really want -- pay off my studient loans and other debt, and go on a relaxing two-week vacation in Hawaii.

I'm pretty sure that would account for all of it. Now that I actually budget it out, could I have two million?

What would you do with one million dollars?

When I was a kid...

2011-10-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

Photo credit: Lauren

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be a professional ballerina when I grew up.

2. As an adult, my dream job would be a travel agent... or a professional ballerina :) .

3. When I was younger I wanted to be just like my cousins .

4. The childhood Halloween costume that I remember most was when I was a Honker. Remember those things? From Sesame Street.

5. My favorite childhood toy was my swing set. I spent all summer out on it .

6. The time I got into the biggest amount of trouble when I was a kid was when I didn't listen to my mother. That covers a whole range of things, which is a bit of a cop-out because I can't remember a specific incident.

7. I get daily inspiration from bloggers, books, nature, the world around me.

Book Review: "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis

2011-10-19T23:31:00.000-04:00

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was not at all what I expected it to be, but I ended up being completely ok with that. After seeing the movie trailers, I was expecting your typical feel-good, slightly mushy athlete story. This was far from that. This was a quality piece of journalism by a writer I greatly respect and admire. This story reads like an extended profile in the Sunday sports section -- a very extended profile. Lewis balances the heart-tugging story of the birth and rise of Michael Oher with in-depth analysis of how the entire world of football has evolved over the last 30 years, leading the reader to realize those evolutions that enabled Michael Oher to become Michael Oher.

As a football fan, I found both sides of this book interesting. I certainly learned quite a bit about the left tackle position and how it developed over recent years. However, I will admit that there were sections that dragged a bit for me. I really wanted to just read about what was going to happen to Oher at times and leave all of the game-changing history to another book. Both sides of the story are critical, though, as the reader realizes in the end, and I think Lewis did an excellent job tackling this story.

I would definitely recommend this to any football fan or lover of a great journalistic non-fiction piece of work.

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Peeking into Houses

2011-10-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

I have always loved exploring houses, whether they belong to family and friends or complete strangers present or past. There is something about peeking into rooms where people live their daily lives that fascinates me. I try to imagine how they use the rooms, what they do in there, who they spend the time with, what their decor inspiration was. Most of all, I think I like to imagine how I would live in that space.

So, when The Travel Belles asked today what my favorite museum is, I knew immediately.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

(Sorry for the awful picture quality.) This is The Breakers mansion in Newport, RI -- a place I visited many times throughout my childhood. As a kid, I always told my parents that someday I would live in The Breakers, not understanding the hold the Historical Society of Newport has on the place.

This was the summer "cottage" (yes, that is what these monstrousities were called) of the Vanderbilts back at the turn of the 20th century. They would travel from New York City up to Newport in the summer months to relax and socialize with all of their fellow New York elites. I can't remember how many rooms are in this residence, but suffice to say, it's a lot, including rooms with gold-leaf accents. Oh, and let's not forget the life-size doll house for the young Vanderbilts or the carriage house down the street. The myriad of acreage is astounding (what did they do without ride-on mowers, let along gas-powered mowers???), and the backyard overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, where the waves break on the rocks far below (hence The Breakers).

If you are ever in Newport, I highly recommend visiting The Breakers and a few of the other mansions down there. The admission can be pricey, but I like to think of it as my contribution to preserving these giant pieces of American history. They also did away with the live tours -- tour guides always have unique and interesting stories to share on their tours -- in favor of a self-guided audio tour, but still check it out.

While this is probably my favorite because it's so local, I love these types of museums anywhere I go. When I visited Key West, FL, for a day on a cruise, the one item on my must-see list was Heminway's house, and it was amazing.

Do you like to peek into other people's homes -- past or present -- and imagine how they live? What's your favorite museum?

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-09-30T13:30:00.000-04:00

Image credit: Lauren

1.   My current obsession is      weirdly enough, marshmallows. I just polished off a bag of mint-chocolate ones  .

2.    Sunshine      makes me happy.

3. My greatest strength is writing .

4. My need for control is my greatest weakness.

5. My life is    busy! Between picking up extra projects at work and nearing the end of my 10k training, life has been a bit hectic .

6. In high school I was    such a perfectionist and so driven. I was super book-smart but not so street-smart. I strived for great grades, good friends, and the star ballerina .

7. When I'm super tired    I can unconsciously get extremely cranky and short with people. I really can't think of anything else but sleep when I'm that tired; I go into survival mode .

Make sure you link up with Lauren if you play along! Have a wonderful weekend! I'll be enjoying our new fall weather by apple-picking with my family and then having what will probably be the last cookout of the year.

Girl Needs a New... [Fill in the Blank]

2011-09-24T16:10:00.003-04:00

Ok, or I just need to beef up the savings account. I have seen several bloggers I read do this as an alternative to Goodwill or consignment, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I'm putting some items from my spring/summer wardrobe on an end-of-season sale to celebrate the first day of fall. Below is the first group of many since I'm still cleaning out the closet.

The details:

PayPal only, prices include standard shipping within the US
If you're buying multiple items, I can do a discount
Sales are final
If interested, send an email to jhoward03 {at} gmail {dot} com
Unless otherwise noted, condition is worn but well-cared for (no rips, worn spots, stains, etc.)

$12

Gap short-sleeve cotton/lycra sweater in raspberry color, size small. This top was perfect to wear to work in warmer weather, but it also looks great with jeans. Also available in pink and blue (color and fabric samples below).

$12

Puma heavyweight cotton pique golf shirt in lime green, size large (these ran small, I'm a 35-36" bust). If you golf, this shirt is perfect; if you don't, it's a nice bright polo to pair with shorts or jeans in the summer. This is a high-quality shirt that I only wore a couple of times; it's like new. I also have it in pink and turquoise -- color samples below.

$15

Gap three-quarter sleeve cotton/lycra cable-knit sweater in pink, size small. Just like the cotton sweaters above, this was a spring work staple for me. It's a little Lily Pulitzer, but if that's your style, you're gonna love it!

$16

Express short-sleeve white cashmere/cotton wrap sweater, size small. You'll need a camisole to wear under this sweater, but it is such a pretty piece to add to your work/dressy wardrobe. Looks so polished with a pencil skirt and pumps. Lightly worn.

$12

Express printed sheer three-quarter sleeve v-neck shirt, size small. Again, you'll need a cami under this, but I loved this top -- even though I only wore it a few times. It's appropriate for work, a date or a night out with the girls. The print is light blue and green (zoomed-in picture below).

New York & Company nylon/spandex camisole in ivory, size medium. Great laying piece for the top above. The satin finish dresses it up more than your typical cotton cami. The straps are adjustable, and it has a shelf bra. Also available in black. Both camis were only worn a few times; they are like new.

$14

American Eagle khaki cotton shorts, size 8. These shorts have a three-inch inseam and low-rise; they sit on the hip. Button fly, belt loops, front slash pockets and back slot pockets, weathered edges and finish, and stretch fabric. These shorts are like new.

$14

Old Navy slate blue cotton shorts, size 8. These shorts have similar styling to the AE shorts above with a higher rise and a less worn finish. There is a hook and slot closure with zipper fly. (Sorry they are so wrinkled! They were in my dresser at the bottom of a pile.)

$14

Old Navy khaki cotton twill shorts, size 8. These shorts have a five-inch inseam with front slot pockets and back utility pockets. Button closure and zipper fly, low rise, like new condition.

$14

SU... GSJC denim skirt, size 9 junior. Skirt has classic denim jean styling with worn finish on front and back, medium denim color. I am 5'5" and it hit my mid thigh.

$16

J.Crew cotton twill cargo skirt, size 6. I wore this skirt maybe twice, so it is like new, despite being wrinkled. There is a cargo pocket on one side, flap pockets with button closures on the back and slash pockets in the front. It hit my lower thigh.

I hope to get another one of these posts up this week, and I will update this post as items are sold.

It's Where I'm From

2011-09-22T03:24:00.004-04:00

Image credit: Wikipedia

I am from swing sets, bikes and books, from American Girl and Disney.

I am from the stairs that creak, the floors that feel cold and the kitchen that smells of garlic.

I am from the garden that grew every summer, the apple tree.

I am from Thursday pasta nights at Nana's and stubborness, from Laura and Lauren.

I am from the loud conversations and squeals of laughter.

From eating everything on your plate and cleaning your room.

I am from God, like everything else that exists. Mass on Sundays, Our Father prayers, saints and sinners, white dresses and Jesus on a cross.

I'm from the home of Harvard University, England, Ireland, Germany and Italy too, from potatoes and pasta.

From the meat-cutter who fell in love with a supermarket cashier, the chemical engineer and the stay-at-home mom.

I am from the two-bedroom apartment on the Charles River, the three-bedroom Cape house that Mom fell in love with; from Walt Disney World, Silver Lake and Niagra Falls; from Nana's house and Catholic schools. I am from good times and bad times, but always from love.

This post inspired by

fill in the blank friday

2011-09-09T15:07:00.000-04:00

Image credit: Lauren

1. Somewhere someone is experiencing their dream come true. Inspiring, isn't it?

2. The world is/are my muse.

3. It would suck if summer was no more because I can't deal with the cold and clouds for too long.

4. My perfectly coiffed and bathed dog is/are my favorite thing about today. (He had his first trip to the groomer today! So worth every penny... look...)

5. Life is kind of like a road trip. The journey is the fun part; the destination is just the frosting on the cake.

6. If I could have anything I wanted, I would want enough money and time to travel wherever I desired for however long I needed, whenever I felt like it.

7. A funny thing happened the other day... when I stepped out of my comfort zone and met a wonderful new person.

Following up on that last blank, I ran with Team Luna Chix last night in Cambridge, and it was awesome. I have discovered that I enjoy running with other people (as long as they are at my same pace); it really makes runs fly by. We did 2.3 miles, and I was amazed how quicky it went. I was seriously ready to do another 2-3 miles when we were done! These ladies host weekly runs around the Charles River every Wednesday night, so I'm thinking of trying to join them once a month -- it's just too far for me to go every week.

This weekend should be another good one. Tonight, Jed and I are going to a fund-raising dinner for RI foster children, then I might head out to see a local band I know and grab a quick drink. Tomorrow I am treating myself to a mani-pedi with a Groupon I got, hopefully making it to Yoga class after, then heading out on the boat pending nice weather. Sunday is church day followed by more boat and hopfully some running!

What's on the agenda for you this weekend, dolls?

Labor Day Blanks

2011-09-02T09:11:00.001-04:00

Image credit: Lauren

1. One thing that is completely superfluous, but that I could never give up is my dance gear. It took a decade for me to relinquish all of my costumes, let alone my practice gear and bag full of shoes that I hang on to.

2. Forced conversation makes me feel awkward.

3. I can't start my day without, coffee.

4. Fruit is my favorite snack.

5. Lately I've been really focused on runnhing and being my best self.

6. If at first you don't succeed try again, if it's worth it to you.

7. Fall is coming too quickly this year! I'm not ready to leave summer yet.

Fill in your favorite blank in the comments, then tell me what you're planning for Labor Day weekend! Or, visit the little things we do and fill in the blanks on your blog.

My plans are rain-dependent this week, as there is a chance of rain all weekend, with increasing liklihood as the weekend progresses. Saturday, we're planning a little boating followed by a cookout at my parents' house (as if I haven't spent enough time there this week already!). Jed's cousin is getting married on Sunday, so we'll be celebrating with them, and I'm looking forward to a lovely wedding. On labor-free day, we'll be back on out the boat if the rain holds out, otherwise, I'm sure we'll be chilling -- maybe catch a movie.

That Time When...

2011-09-01T13:22:00.000-04:00

This idea just came to me: To record those memorable (or not-so-memorable) life moments on this blog using a bit of that Friends theme. For your edification (or warning), I'll use the above title for all of these posts.

Let's get right into it.

That time when... we lost power for four days courtesy of Hurricane Irene and National Grid. As you may or may not know, Hurricane Irene made her way up the East coast this past weekend, hitting New England early Sunday.

I wasn't overly concerned; I thought it was going to be a bust. I even partied for her arrival Saturday night at Gillette Stadium for Kenny Chesney's Goin' Coastal tour (amazing, by the way). I glaced above to watch the show lights illuminate rapidly moving dark clouds, but I just thought it was a cool effect to an already crazy, to-heck-with-the-weather atmosphere. The bands seemed to play on forever, throwing their collective middle finger up at the rain, and by the end of the night, the set list had been swept away.

Sunday morning was a different story -- although, as Kenny promised, I did wake up with the words to Out Last Night running through my brain. I also woke up to no power, rain and some pretty impressive (but no where near scary) gusts of wind. No biggie. We'll unplug for the day, hang out in our PJ's, play Monopoly and order delivery for dinner. We went over to Jed's parents after dinner to make s'mores over their grill and chill in the candlelight.

I got kinda freaked when I woke up Monday morning still without power; I was not used to this (the longest I had been without power was, maybe, six hours). I admit that I used a vacation day at work to emotionally deal with the entire situation. I emptied the freezer and brought everything to my parents' house since they got power back. I used the time without TV to fold two loads of laundry that had been waiting around for over a week. I tidied up the house. I went for a run to assess the neighborhood damage and pick up the fallen branches in the yard. I finished the book I was reading. When Jed got out of work, we ran down the street to eat dinner at a local restaurant. (Yes, it was very weird to have power a block away from our house for three days while we were in the dark.) I read by a LED camping lantern and went to bed early. The darkness was unreal, but the silver lining was being able to see the stars like never before.

Tuesday morning? Still no power. I took Morris to my parents' house, where I worked for the day and took a hot shower (oh, the cold shower on Monday was a shock). Jed drove up after work, and my parents were nice enough to feed us a good meal.

Still no power Wednesday morning. The day before, I had started following National Grid on Twitter, along with hastags #RI and #RIirene. Whoa, there was some serious bitterness going on! I was upset, but I also realized that there wasn't too much I could do besides alert them of our blackout and follow the updates. My main concern was all my food going bad in the fridge and freezer. I was grateful that all of our Omaha stuff made it safely frozen to my parents' house, and I could deal with what was left. I was also grateful that we still had water (albeit cold only) at our house.

National Grid had given us and estimated time of restoration of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday. I tried calling our house phone several times Wednesday, and it rang busy -- which indicated we still didn't have power. I had dinner at my parents' house Wednesday night, and we called, and the phone rang! By the time I got home last night, our lights were on, our fridge was running, and our clocks were flashing that glorious random time. I was so happy!

Man, I will never take electricity for granted again! It really is amazing how much we have come to rely on it. My heart goes out to those in my area who still don't have power and are facing ETR's of Sunday. I really feel for them, but I am giddy with my hot water, lights and TV right now!

What do you do when you lose power?

One Summer

2011-08-30T15:49:00.000-04:00

One Summer by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I believe David Baldacci is known for his vast library of mystery thrillers, but this novel couldnn't be further from his normal reportoire. Not that that is a bad thing. "One Summer" is a book that had me crying within the first 20 pages and captivated through the end to learn how this family would progress.

The novel is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and Channing, South Carolina, where the piecemeal Armstrong family relocates for one summer to discover their identity. The story is not a completely happy one, and there were many times I felt this could not possibly end well, and who knows if it truly did -- I'm not going to give away the ending. I loved the imagery in Channing, which sounds like my perfect beachside town.

I fell in love with the protaganist, Jack Armstrong, from the beginning. He is a complex but completely likeable character. The other characters, with the exception of Jack's sons -- Cory and Jackie (Jack Jr.) -- are also well-developed and likeable. This would make one heck of a summer movie.

"One Summer" is a well-written, entertaining beach read.

View all my reviews

First 10+ Mile Week!

2011-08-23T12:14:00.000-04:00

Photo credit: Real Simple

I logged my first 10+ mile week running last week! I had to squeeze in three training runs and a race to do it, but I did it, and it's only up from here! I think the most important thing is that I feel great: no pain, no soreness, no tiredness. My runs were tough, but not unmanageable. I can't believe how far I have come in the past year; a year ago, I could not even run three minutes, and now I'm running two miles at a time on my best days.

How did I do it? Well, I am using Ease Into 10K to prepare for the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women I am running on October 10th. The plan calls for three interval-type runs a week, but I missed my third run of week 1, so I did it last week.

Monday
EI10K W1D3: 2.2 mi., 13:11 avg. page
This was a 29-minute run with a 5-minute warm-up and cool-down, then alternating running for three minutes and walking for one minute, five times. My pace time includes warm-up and cool-down (Do all of you runners down there include these times in your pace?) I did this run on the treadmill at the gym, and I even used a one percent incline for the second half.

Wednesday
EI10K W2D1: 2.66 mi., 12:47 avg. pace
Week 2 ramps up to 34-minute runs with four-minute running intervals. I also did this run on the treadmill.

Friday
EI10K W2D2: 2.9 mi., 11:44 avg. pace
I love seeing that average pace increase along with my mileage! I know you're only supposed to increase mileage or intensity, but this run was on the road (and I don't have a watch), so it's hard to gauge my pace. This was a tough run because it was hot outside, and I was dehydrated. It was a good lesson for race day on Sunday, but I didn't really pay attention to it.

Saturday
5K race day! 3.1 mi., 10:55 avg. pace
This time does not include warm-up or cool-down, so this is a more accurate reading of my actual running pace. I used the race as day three of my training program because the running time and distance are close enough to what I was supposed to do that day, and I had already registered for the race. I didn't follow the EI10K prompts during the race; looking back, I probably should have. I ran the first 1-1.5 miles straight through, keeping a steady (albeit too fast) pace. The second half, I had to take a ton of walk breaks because I was so hot I felt like my body was shutting down. Tough lesson, I know. I finished with a gun time of 34:08 and a net time of 33:49, which is almost a full minute slower than my last (and first) 5K. Pretty disappointed about that, but running is all about dealing with the conditions thrown at you on that particular day, and the conditions were tough. I really was not happy with my race performance though because I was expecting to do so much better than I did.

This week, I move onto week three of the program, which requires five-minute run intervals with one-minute recoveries in between. I'm really going to push myself to stick with this and run in the allotted times. I would love to finish the 10K in under an hour.

Ok, now I have a question for you: Are you enjoying these run updates of mine? I know I just started really getting into running, so my long-time readers are probably wondering what is going on here. I want to know your thoughts.

Happy Tuesday!

What's Up, Friday?

2011-08-05T16:34:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! I have been a little bit here, there and everywhere lately! I'm really branching out on the intrawebs: Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Google Reader, Goodreads, #30BBM, Yelp, and a little mysterious side project. As a result, I haven't been posting nearly as much as I would like. It's been a challenge balancing it all, but I am having a blast!

Today, I thought I would participate with Lauren on Fill in the Blank Friday.

Photo credit: Caroline of Coeur de la Photography

1. My go to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is a short, black, cocktail dress. I found it at White House/Black Market, and it has been a worthy LBD for many years now .

2. This week has been challenging. I haven't been feeling well. I've really tried to commit to #30BBM. Work has been busy. I haven't felt like running. Really trying to get back on track this weekend .

3. When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy I'll usually eat pasta. It is my go-to meal. Pasta, sauce or EVOO, maybe some meatballs or veggies thrown in. Easy peasy .

4. My favorite pair of shoes are my running sneakers! They are so comfortable and supportive (man, do I sound like an old lady or what?), and they're pretty! I'm also still a big fan of my flip-flops in summer and my equestrian-inspired boots in winter .

5. A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary, but that I could never part with is my stuffed animals. Completely useless, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away .

6. My favorite person is my BFF. I admire and love her so much. I owe her everything .

7. If I were going to write my own blank it would say You can carry only one thing with you for the next five years. What would it be?

Have a wonderful, fun, refreshing weekend!

Exposed to "Exposure"

2011-08-01T10:12:00.000-04:00

Exposure: A Novel by Therese Fowler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Here's the lowdown: I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't mind-blowing. Therese Fowler crafts a beautiful and bittersweet story of two young high-schoolers in love -- a love that will overcome anything, or so they think. Their world is shattered when Amelia's father discovers indecent photos of a young man, Amelia's secret boyfriend, on her laptop. The plot spirals out of everyone's control as Fowler delves to the depths of these characters of her imagination. The emotion and relationships are raw, real and powerful, which makes sense after discovering Fowler was inspired by a real and very personal event.

The end was ruined just a tad for me by participating in a #SITSBooks club discussion with Ms. Fowler herself before I finished the book. Resist temptation to read the epilogue or author's notes at the end of the book before you finish reading. Just trust me.

Perhaps the most brilliant part of this novel is its title and the heavy meaning it takes on as the story progresses.

P.S. Thank you to Andrea of Great Thoughts for sending me a copy of this book and leading the discussion with Therese Fowler!

View all my reviews

First 5K in the Books!

2011-07-28T19:13:00.001-04:00

Photo credit: Real Simple

I haven't posted this week's run update because I have been busy working and recovering from my very active, but fun, weekend. I ran my first 5K Saturday morning: Run, Walk or Crawl -- We Won't Lay Down to Cancer 5K. It was a great race, so well organized!

But it rained. A lot. I arrived about an hour before the scheduled start to rolls of thunder and bolts of lightning. We all huddled under tents or the roof overhang of the high school we were at. When the storm passed, we emerged to stretch and line up at the start. Just before the gun went off, it started pouring again. Thankfully the thunderstorm had passed, but the rain stuck around for the entire race. I was drenched, and my carefully planned white outfit (I thought it would be cooler in the predicted oppressive heat!) became unexpectedly see-through. I thought my iPhone and iPod were goners, but they miraculously survived even though I had to run without music.

I finished respectably: 32:57.1 -- well within my goal of 34 minutes. I think I could have shaved those 57 seconds off if it weren't for the puddles, but there's always the next one! While I didn't win a prize for high placement, I did win a $150 spa gift certificate in the raffle! My next 5K is toward the end of August, and I hope to simply beat my time from last weekend.

As if running 3.1 miles wasn't enough for the weekend, I hiked 4.5 miles Sunday with my aunt and sister. It was my first time hiking since I was a kid, and I admit I enjoyed it. It was a great workout! I don't think I'll be doing any crazy multi-day hikes anytime soon, but I would be willing to do another moderate hike again.

Sunday night, post-hike, I went to see Tim McGraw. I really didn't think anything could beat his concert last year, but he topped it... with a broken foot! He started the show about 20 feet away from my seats in the middle of the venue! He sang a bunch of my favorite songs, including Red Rag Top, and he did a duet with opener Luke Bryan on Back When. So fun. However, I didn't get home until around 1:00 a.m., and I had to get up at 6:00 Monday morning because...

I took the day off, and my parents were going to Martha's Vineyard! They picked me up at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. Ugh... I am not a happy camper on five hours of sleep, and by the end of the day I was feeling sick. I had never been to M.V. before, though, and it was a nice day. I'd love to go back when I'm not so tired and rent a bike to ride around the island.

So, the run rundown from last week...

Total Miles = 7.3
Tuesday = 2.23 miles @ 9:37 avg.
Wednesday = 1 mile @ 10:11
Friday = 1 mile @ 10:39 (it was over 90 degrees and humid, which made me slower)
Saturday = 3.1 miles (5K race) @ 10:38 avg.

I'm being lazy and taking this week off unless I really feel the urge to do an easy run, but I'm back at it next week!
Tuesday: 2.23 miles
Thursday: 2.23 miles
Weekend: 3.57 miles
Total Mileage = 8.03 miles

Running Update: This Week's Plan and Race!

2011-07-18T16:41:00.000-04:00

Photo credit: Real Simple

I have been reading a lot of runners'/running blogs lately, and I realized it has been a while since I've done a running update. Yes, I have been running regularly, two-three times a week, at my own pace, at my own low mileage.

While I am not "in training" for my upcoming 5K races, I am trying to steadily increase my mileage by 10% a week while really focusing on running those miles -- not walking -- and improve my breathing and stamina. This is what my plan looks like for this week:

Total mileage: 7.3 miles
Monday = 2.2 miles @ 12-minute pace
Wednesday = 1 mile @ 10:20 pace
Friday = 1 mile @ 10:20 pace
Saturday = Run, Walk or Crawl for Cancer 5K!

I hope to finish the 5K in under 35 minutes. I think I can do it if I stay mentally positive and focus on breathing well. Wish me luck!

There are a few other 5K's in the book over the next few months:

Butterfly 5K on August 21st
Ocean's Run 5K on September 25th
Amica 5K on October 15th

These are really just motivators to keep me on the road and pushing for improvement. I hope to be able to whizz through the 5K by October. After that, I will start training over the winter for my first 10K and half marathon, which will be next spring/summer. After THAT... well, I'm not ready to say what comes after that yet. :)

Any of you pounding the pavement this summer? What races are you doing? If you don't run (which I don't blame you in the least for!), what are you doing to stay active this summer?

Want Another Quick and Easy Chicken Recipe?

2011-07-11T21:14:00.000-04:00

Well I have one for you! I found this quick chicken and wine recipe via Allrecipes.com app when I was looking for a chicken recipe that took less than 45 minutes. I was a bit skeptical cooking it that it was going to turn out right, but it ended up being perfect. The wine adds a different sweet yet savory flavor that is absolutely yummy. I used regular white cooking wine from the supermarket shelf, but I'm sure it will be better with your favorite inexpensive bottle of white. I served it with whole wheat rotini mixed with shelled edamame (my new favorite food), EVOO, a pinch of kosher salt and some dried basil. The entire dish took me about 40 minutes start to finish.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips (tenders work perfectly)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons butter

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. In a shallow plate, spread Parmesan cheese. Divide chicken into three parts and dip seasoned chicken in eggs, then coat well with Parmesan cheese. Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are well coated (if you run short on egg and Parmesan, add one more egg and more Parmesan as needed).
In a skillet, melt butter or margarine over medium high heat. Cook chicken, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
Reduce heat and add wine. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Recipe via Allrecipes.com

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

2011-06-24T10:17:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-22T18:11:00.000-04:00

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...

2011-06-17T23:48:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-06-14T20:38:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-14T14:28:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-13T11:28:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-10T11:39:00.000-04:00

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...

2011-06-08T22:50:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-07T12:50:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-03T18:21:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-02T18:03:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-01T19:23:00.000-04:00

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.

Quick, Easy Summer Salad Recipe!

2011-05-31T12:48:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh, I am in love with this salad! Pardon the mid-devouring picture, but once I took the first delicious bite, I knew I wanted to share this. This is my lunch today, and it really just came out of needing to use some fresh veggies I have in the fridge. I'm in the middle of my workday, so I can assure you this is really quick and easy to prepare; you could even prep it beforehand and bring all of the ingredients into the office. Oh yes, and it's super healthy too!

Ingredients:

1 small cucumber
2 small tomato (I used a vine-ripened from the store, but whatever your preference)
a few leaves of lettuce (I used green leaf, but again, whatever you prefer)
kosher salt (optional, I've had a major tomato with salt craving lately)
basil (I used the dried basil leaf from my spice rack, but fresh, chopped basil would be even better)
balsamic vinegar (probably no more than a tbsp.)
extra-virgin olive oil (no more than a tbsp.)

Instructions:

Rip up the lettuce and place in the bottom of a bowl or plate.
Slice cucumber and spread over lettuce.
Slice tomato and place on top of cucumber.
Sprinkle with salt, if desired, and basil.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and EVOO.
ENJOY!

I think this would be delicious with some fresh-brewed iced tea (didn't have time to make that yet today) and maybe some fresh, crusty bread... ooooh... with pesto!

Ok, I'll stop and go back to eating now. Tell me: What's your favorite fast, easy, healthy lunch?

Wee Bits on Wednesday

2011-05-25T19:02:00.000-04:00

I try not to participate in a ton of these types of posts because I started this blog to write, not to answer a bunch of questions about myself. However, I have had feedback that some readers like these posts and the "get-to-know-you/me" aspect, so I'll keep doing them every now and then.
If you'd like to participate, visit Leigh's blog for the button, the questions and to link up.

{one} what’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?Wow... I haven't had a whole lot of random dates... although I'm sure an awful one will come to me after I publish this. I guess the worse date I've ever been on was the date that ended with my boyfriend breaking up with me. Yeah, that was pretty bad.
{two} if you could be any other person for one day, who would it be?I'm going to just say Oprah because I am just so in awe of her, and I would love to know what it feels like to be her.
{three} what is your favorite kind of cheese?Anything fondue or melty. I love hot melty cheese.
{four} do you remember your 1st grade teacher?Barely. Her name was Mrs. Gay. Yes, she addressed that day one of school (this was 1987, after all).
{five} who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?No one anymore. I kinda just retract into myself to deal with it internally. I've become a pretty good coach for myself.
{six} were you ever in a school talent show?Oh yes. In neon pink leggings. No one should ever wear neon pink leggings.
{seven} who is your favorite fictional character?Hmmm... not sure... that is a really good question!
{eight} can you open your eyes underwater?No, because I'm usually wearing contacts, and I think that would make them fall out. Or cause a yucky eye infection.
{nine} do you look at the keyboard when you type?Not usually. I'm a pretty good typer, thank you Mavis Beacon. :)
{ten} when was the last time you took a nap?I came pretty close on Sunday after my race!

YESSSSS... fist pump... high five!

2011-05-23T16:41:00.000-04:00

That is what I said and did after sprinting across the finish line of Harpoon Brewery 10th Annual 5-Miler Race yesterday. Yes, I sprinted -- finishing strong. I set a personal record with a pace of 10:42/mile. I was shocked, and I have not felt so happy or so damn proud of myself in a while. If you're looking for a natural high, run a race.

Warning: This is a long post detailing my training and challenges up to the race. Feel free to skip to the bottom if you're not a runner or potential runner who's interested in that kind of stuff. :)

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while know that I started running last summer using the Couch to 5K plan. I was on and off with it, becoming discouraged when I found the running parts hard and the summer heat made it difficult to breathe. I gave up about three weeks in, starting and stopping several times. I ran on and off last fall, and I completely gave up running for the winter since I didn't have anywhere to run inside, and outside the snow and ice made running precarious. In late March, I joined a gym and started running again on the treadmill; not a week later, I signed up for the 5-miler... committed to train properly and finish the race, running the whole thing.

And I trained... three days a week, pushing myself just enough to prevent injury and burnout. Then April came, and with it, awful allergies and a work trip to Orlando -- which caused me to miss almost three weeks of training. I forgave myself (really, what else can you do?), and I got back on the treadmill as soon as I could. And I lost everything I had gained. It was like starting all over again, and I beat myself up for being weak and not training while I didn't feel well.

Then the fear sank in: "Oh my God, I don't know if I can do this? I'm out of shape. I can barely run a mile; I'm never gonna achieve my goal."

Well, I ran my first full mile about three weeks before race day, and it wasn't easy, but it wasn't terrible either. I changed my goal: finish the race and feel good about my run. If I had to take walk breaks, so be it. It is what it is.

I spent those last three weeks running three days a week: 2-2.5 mile runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a 3-4 mile run on Saturday or Sunday. I started running outside when I could to get used to running on pavement. I mapped out runs around my neighborhood, and I kept track of my pace (which scared me even more because I was averaging about a 13-min. mile).

Last Saturday (one week and a day before race day), I did five miles for the first time. On a treadmill. In 70 minutes. I wasn't thrilled, but I knew I could at least finish the race, and I felt good after my run.

Week before race: I hydrated like crazy, drinking six ounces an hour. I ran my 2-2.5 miles on Tuesday (outside) and Thursday (treadmill)... still not beating the 13-min. mile. I went to bed early the night before the race.

I woke up before my alarm Sunday morning, grabbed my pre-laid out race clothes -- checking the weather to make the game-time decision on shorts or pants (pants... it was in the 50's) -- and jumping in the shower to wake myself up. I made myself my normal breakfast of Greek yogurt, granola and blueberries, with a cup of coffee and some water. I filled water bottles to keep in the car and packed a bag of everything I thought I could need (thank you Amber for the Spibelt recommendation; it worked out so well, and everyone was intrigued by it!).

By the time I parked my car in Boston, I was literally shaking. I thought I was going to throw up, my stomach was in knots. Thankfully I knew people running, and after meeting up with everyone, I had calmed down. We walked up to the starting line, and I almost panicked again when I saw the banner, but I held it together and waited around the 12-min. mile pace. I was grateful my running buddies hadn't trained a lot and hung out with me at the start. I knew I wouldn't keep up with them, but it was nice not to wait at the start line alone.

I heard the pistol go off, and I shook out my legs a final time as I walked up to the actual start line. I reached the banner, and I was off! I kept telling myself to keep a steady, slower pace to start to conserve energy; I wanted to see how far I could run/jog without stopping for a walk break. I made it to the one-mile marker, and I allowed myself to slow down for 30 seconds. Mile two was up and down, scattered with walk breaks, especially through the first water station. I jogged most of mile three, and at that point, I could see one of my friends up ahead of me, but not that far ahead, which made me feel great. I was keeping pace! Whenever I felt discouraged, I would look back and see a crowd of people behind me -- reassuring myself that I was doing ok, I wasn't the slowest one.

On mile five, I actually recognized another one of my friends within reach, so I sprinted up to her, and we ran together until the last corner before the finish line. I was extremely thankful to have found her because she kept me running; I didn't want to stop and lose her. Finally I had to walk a few paces, and she wanted to speed up and finish fast. As I rounded the corner to the finish line, I broke into a sprint and pounded pavement as fast as I could until I crossed that line. It's so difficult to describe the feeling of crossing the line and knowing I had completed my first race -- no matter what my time. Those of you who are runners can relate, I'm sure.

I was confident I had kept within my 13-min. pace, but when I walked past the finish line and saw my friend, he told me I did an awesome job and had finished within 55 minutes! An 11-min. mile! WOW! I was sooooo excited. I felt like I had been initiated as a runner; I was legit.

Post-race party: Me, Liz, Mike, Tom, Erica, Amy, Stacy, Andy

Within 30 minutes, I was ready to sign up for my next race, knowing I had a list of summer races at home. The after party was so much fun; Harpoon gave all of the runners a plastic pint glass and two free beers, as well as some lunch.

As we were leaving, I found myself on the results board... I actually had a pace of 10:42! That was an awesome record, and I'm looking forward to building on the momentum from this race. I know I can run faster, and I'm going to push myself during my weekly runs to keep that pace.

I think my next race is going to the be annual Fourth of July race in my town -- four miles. Then I have a 5K in August and another in September I want to run. Next year, I'll up the ante to a 10K.

Do you run? Have you run your first race yet? What was it like? If you're a "seasoned" runner (I consider that being that you've run more than one race, LOL), what advice do you have for me? How can I increase my endurance to be able to run an entire race? How do you get faster?

The Fifth of May, Ole!

2011-05-05T15:50:00.001-04:00

Photo credit: Dana Gallagher for Real Simple

Happy Cinco de Mayo! How are you celebrating? If you're celebrating, that is, and if you're not, why aren't you???

I will be heading out to a local Mexican restaurant with Jed, my bestie and her hubs tonight. It is a belated birthday celebration for Jed with them, since they were unable to make his actual birthday celebration. My mouth is already watering thinking about delicious Mexican goodies, and of course, margaritas! Hence today's reflection of the day... I'll certainly be enhancing my curves tonight with all that merry-making! Haha!

In honor of the day, mix up a few of these classic margarias, courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4-6 limes)
1/2 cup Triple Sec or Cointreau
1 lime, sliced
kosher salt

Directions:

In a medium pitcher, combine the tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec/Cointreau and 1/2 cup water (or try ice in a blender for the frozen variety!)
Rub the rims of four glasses with a lime slice and dip in the kosher salt. Serve the margaritas in the prepared glasses over ice and garnish with the lime slices.

Serves 4.

A Premonition, A Fear Manifestation, or Just a Silly Dream?

2011-05-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

Image credit: Zales

It's my wedding day. I cannot believe it is finally here. My hair is done, I'm finish up my makeup, and look at my dress hanging over the door. I stand in front of the mirror and the butterflies jostle around my stomach as I see the beautiful woman staring back at me. Oh. My. God.

Today I am marrying the man I have loved for so long. Forever. This is unreal. Panic sets in. "Nonononononono!"

We walk into Burger King -- of all places -- he in his suit, me in my dress. It's just hours before the ceremony.

"What do you want?" he asks me.

"I don't know. I don't think I want anything," I reply, wondering how I am going to tell him.

I'm not ready. We can't do this today. I'm not ready. I haven't got your ring yet!

We sit down and talk about the upcoming afternoon: final details, the people we're going to see, what we're having for dinner, idle chit-chat, forever love.

Oh no, he has no idea. I can't tell him! I have to tell him. I don't have his ring! I didn't have enough time!

Inside I'm an absolute disaster zone of panic, and I don't know what to do.

We head back to the house where everyone is waiting, and I still haven't told him yet. He leaves for the church, and I'm left with my best friend and mom -- the two women I trust most in this world. I have to tell them. They will help me figure this out.

************

And then I wake up. I'm hot and sweaty. I catch my breath and sit up. It was just a dream. Yet, it was so real. What does it mean?

Of course I passed it off as a silly dream and went back to sleep to have another silly dream, but as today progressed, I couldn't help but remember it and wonder where that all came from.

No, I'm not planning a wedding; I'm not even engaged, but am I afraid I won't be ready? Am I nervous about planning a wedding someday? Or is this something deeper? Am I afraid of forever? It is an awful long time, after all.

I'm not sure what it means, and I'm not the type to dwell on "bad" dreams. The good ones I'll dwell on for weeks, however, so if the dream fairies could send me some of those, that would be great!

Do you remember your dreams? Do you have dreams you can't make sense of, that you think may be trying to tell you something? Do you believe dreams have meaning in our lives?

Alleluia! I'm back!

2011-04-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

I SURVIVED THE SIX WEEKS! And now I am back, and hopefully better! Let me tell you that the first week of going blogless for Lent was awesome. I had so much free time! But, by week two, I was missing you guys and this place in a major way. I became an incessant Facebooker and Tweeter (note to self: next year, give up all social media!). I cheated a tiny bit last week and cleaned up my Reader in preparation for today, but overall, I totally did without any type of blogging for the entirety of Lent.

The good news? I'm back, and I'm not giving up blogging in any way anytime soon.

The bad news? Well, I'm going to miss the free time, and to protect that time that I need to spend doing things other than hanging out in blog-land, I have had to make some tough decisions. I am back blogging here at Nifer Musings, but I'm not sure of my posting schedule yet (I do have some great things in store for you though!). Also, I am trimming the blogs I follow. It hasn't been easy; in fact, it's been really sad. I've unsubscribed to many blogs that I have been reading since before I started blogging myself. It needs to be done, and I'm sorry. If I'm not around your blog as much as I used to be, I hope you'll stick around here reading and commenting. The bonus is, now that I'm not reading as many blogs, I will have time to visit all of my commenters and comment back, which is something I've been wanting to do for a while.

So, we're still friends, right?

If you've made it this far, I'm glad you're still here, and I want to catch you up on what I have been doing since March 9 (seems so long ago, doesn't it???). For the sake of brevity, I'm using a bulleted list.

I got back into freelancing for a local newspaper (I had been on a several months long hiatus).
We resurrected "group night:" dinner every other week with two other couples we're friends with and went to high school with. This is my core group of friends, and I love hanging out with them on the regular again.
Jed and I celebrated our three-year anniversary of dating! We played Monster mini-golf (since it was too chilly to play outside and enjoyed a romantic dinner at The Melting Pot.
I joined a gym! I was in seventh heaven when I visited this place and signed a contract immediately. It is everything I have been looking for, 12 minutes from home. :)
I got another eye infection. Nastiness. Now I am completely OCD about my eyes and contact lenses.
I reunited with some old friends and made a point of hanging out with them.
I bowled for charity (Junior Achievement) with Jed's company.
I went to see my old cover band (ok, I was a groupie) and had an awesome night catching up with the guys and hanging out with my girl I don't get to do that with very often.
We attended our friend's son's first birthday party. He is the cutest!
My sister started taking up residence at my house every weekend...
I started running and signed up for my first race: the Harpoon Brewery Annual Five-Miler on May 22!
I got a bad cold, which impeded upon training for above-mentioned race.
I finally found a new primary care doctor... mandated by above-mentioned cold and the fact that I had to fly in four days with blocked ears and sinuses.
Jed and I went to Orlando, FL, for my work trip. I coordinated my company's annual sales fiscal year kickoff meeting at the lovely Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. It was kicka$$. I met some great people and learned what a 15-hour work day feels like.
Oh yeah, and I went to SeaWorld for the first time where I fed dolphins and met Shamu!
My mom and I attended an old coworker's bridal shower, and I was disappointed about missing her bachelorette party due to above-mentioned cold.
I got my hair cut. Finally!
I made my dad's ribs for the first time and successfully!
We went to see the Pawtucket Red Sox play, in a luxury box, for Jed's 30th birthday.
I finally finished reading David Copperfield.
We celebrated a happy Easter with Jed's family and my family.

I think that just about covers it! What have all of you been up to? Tell me the highlight of your last six weeks!

Au revoir...

2011-03-08T20:22:00.002-05:00

{Photo credit: weheartit}

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Christian holy season of Lent. I realize that you may not be religious, be Christian, celebrate Lent, but that is the reason behind this post -- although not the subject of this post.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Lent, it is 40 days of prayer, sacrifice and fasting leading up to Easter -- the celebration of Christ's resurrection. It is common practice to "give up" something for Lent to facilitate a deepening in faith. In the past I have both given up something (nagging Jed last year) and added something (praying the Rosary daily, meditating on the Bible, attending daily Mass). I tend to take my Lenten sacrifice seriously and choose to devote myself to something that will help me be a better Christian; I don't give up chocolate, in other words -- even if it would help my health.

When I realized that Ash Wednesday was this week on Sunday, I started wondering what I could do for Lent, other than the standard meat fast on Fridays. After listening to the priest's sermon at church, it came to me, maybe at God's suggestion.

I am going on a blogging fast for the next 40 days.

That's right, I am giving up blogging: writing, reading, commenting. All of it. There are a couple of reasons behind this decision that I'd like to share with you all -- my readers, who obviously find value in this blog.

The priest mentioned a digital/electronic fast: leaving the cell phone at home one day a week, not going online and spending the time in prayer or with family, giving up TV to some extent. While I cannot see myself doing any of that, pausing my life in blog world felt like the right thing to do.

I've mentioned struggling with my purpose for Nifer Musings, and I think stepping away for a bit will help me clarify that without the pressure of posting every day.

What I haven't mentioned is the nagging that blogging is slowly taking over my life. Jed sometimes complains that I spend so much time blogging and reading blogs. I do spend hours daily catching up on all your blogs and more -- careful to leave thoughtful comments when I can. I need to find a realistic, positive space for blogging in my life.

So, what am I going to do during those hours that would be spent in bloggy land? Well, I'll certainly be thinking about what I would be writing if I were blogging: developing ideas, creating a strategy for my blog, realizing which blogs I miss reading every day and those I don't notice their absence. I'll also be reading, spending time with friends, praying, living a full life offline.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I truly believe that applies to this place for me.

I hope you all understand my reason for this fast, and I hope you will all be here after Easter when I return. I can assure you that I will miss writing and reading all of your blogs. I can also say with most certainty that I will be back; I am not giving up on blogging, and my intent in doing this is not to quit.

I wish you all the best over the next month and a half. Feel free to email me and let me know what you're up to; I will not be giving up email!

{Image credit: weheartit}

Friday Finally Shows... with Some Blanks

2011-03-04T12:21:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! I don't know about you, but I am so grateful Friday is finally here (and a sunny one at that!). This is my first five-day workweek in a while, and I've been busting it out overtime because work has been crazy, so I am exhausted. Looking forward to some fun this weekend painting our guest room and seeing a favorite cover band tomorrow night.

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Everyone is jumping on Lauren's "Fill in the Blank Friday" wagon, so I'm jumping back on and bring back and oldie but goodie.

Courtesy of Lauren

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is Jed just told me this week that I say "um" a lot when I am presenting for work. Embarrassing. I also use ellipsis and dashes a lot in my writing, I think...

2. Today I am thankful for Friday! See above .

3. My best friend is so fantastic. I love her to pieces, and I don't know what I would do without her. I am over-the-moon happy for her right now .

4. A quirky thing about me is my OCD tics. I've become more aware of them, and man, they are WEIRD .

5. This weekend I am checking out a new gym, painting the guest room, seeing a cover band with Jed, my sister and my ladies, going to church and doing whatever else the weekend brings .

6. Something that worries me is money. Really stresses me out sometimes. Like I woke up at 3:30 this morning and felt the urge to go check my account balance because I was scared I didn't have enough (thankfully I resisted the urge) .

7. On my night stand you would find alarm clock, lotion, pillow spray, scented tealight candle, cell phone charger, decorative vase with sea grass, wooden sea turtle and the teddy bear Jed gave me for Valentine's Day two years ago. I also usually have some sort of hair elastic or clip there that I was wearing that day and/or the book I am currently reading .

If you don't link up at Lauren's, tell me in the comments your answer to one of the seven questions above! :)

Do the Shuffle

2011-03-03T16:20:00.000-05:00

{Photo credit: weheartit}

I promised Micaela I would do this post because I absolutely loved hers, in which she landed upon one of my all-time favorite songs (feel free to guess what it is in the comments).

When poking around my iTunes library, I was a bit conflicted how to come up with this 25 songs list. Do I just do the shuffle, or do I pull my top 25 most played songs? Since my most played don't really reflect my current music tastes (although there are some really great songs in there), I decided to just do the shuffle.

That determined, here are my 25 "shuffle" songs:

Wild Women Do -- Natalie Cole
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems -- Kenny Chesney
Brown Eyed Girl -- Van Morrison
Old Blue Chair -- Kenny Chesney
Laughing Out Loud -- The Wallflowers
Heartburn -- Alicia Keys
Higher -- Creed
I Want to Come Over -- Melissa Ethridge
Neon -- John Mayer
What I Need To Do -- Kenny Chesney
Feelings -- The Offspring
I Touch Myself -- The Divinyls
Before I Met You -- Usher
So Right -- DMB
Get This Party Started -- Pink
Forever December -- Tabitha's Secret
Two Step -- DMB
Ticket To Heaven -- 3 Doors Down
The General -- Dispatch
The Life Of A... (Gangsta) -- N.O.R.E.
Someday -- Rob Thomas
Better As A Memory -- Kenny Chesney
Pig -- DMB
Light in Your Eyes -- Sheryl Crow
Truth -- Janet Jackson

Wow, I'm really pleased with what came up in that little experiment! As you can see, I have some pretty diverse music tastes, but the constants seem to be Kenny Chesney (love) and DMB (love) -- two acts I'll always see live when given the opportunity. I just might know almost every song by heart. Also falling into that category are Tabitha's Secret, morphed into Matchbox 20, whittled down to Rob Thomas (love).

There's also some songs in this list that really speak to my life and my personality: I Touch Myself is a BFF anthem, as is Get This Party Started. Old Blue Chair and No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems are inspirations for my dream lifestyle. Higher, Neon, Forever December and Two Step bring me back to some low points, while The Life Of A... (Gangsta) might be a highlight.

I really believe that our music choices can say a lot about us. What would we see if we peeked into your iTunes library?

Wee Bit Wednesday

2011-03-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

{one} do you wear holey jeans? if so, do you buy them that way?There aren't any holes in any of my jeans currently, but if an old pair happened to get some, I would still wear them around the house, grocery shopping, working in the yard, etc.
{two} do you get a full 8 hours of sleep per night?Eh, more like 7-7.5. I am usually in bed 8 hours before I have to get up, but then it takes me a while to fall asleep.
{three} what’s your favorite way to eat an oreo?Straight up. None of that dunking, separating stuff.
{four} do you wear shoes in your house?Rarely, except for slippers. Try as I might not to be, I'm pretty anal about dirty floors.
{five} who would you call first if you won the lottery?Jed.
{six} have you ever been in a food fight?Yeah, back in elementary and high school. Nothing crazy though.
{seven} do you snore?When I'm sick and congested, yes. Normally, no, not that I know of.
{eight} do you know how fast you type?Probably between 80 and 90 wph. It's been a while since I've timed it.
{nine} can you do a headstand (without using a wall)?No. I can barely do headstands -- blame it on a soft head. :)
{ten} how do you like your popcorn?Salted and buttered. In moderation.
ps. if you want to play along, visit Leigh Ashley and link up!

Easy as ABC

2011-03-01T17:31:00.000-05:00

I need some easy posts. I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself to create more quality content on here, but sometimes my brain is just too fried for that.

Side note: I'm putting a project on my to-do list to clean up my labels and try to really structure content around here, so if you're looking for something specific here or really love something you read here, let me know so I can be sure to include it. Whoa run-on sentence!

This post is courtesy of Amber at Girl With The Red Hair -- a blog I discovered recently and absolutely love. Amber's focus is mostly on a healthy lifestyle, using her own as an example -- fitness, recipes, running, Yoga, all that good stuff.

Now... my ABC's...

Age: 29

Bed size: Queen. Definitely need to upgrade to a king in the next house though (our current bedroom is too small for a king).

Chore you dislike: Cleaning the shower/bathtub. I'm not really sure why, but I'll clean the toilet before I clean the shower!

Dogs: Yes, one. An almost three-year-old Lhasa Apso named Morris Arthur. I love my pup.

Morris walking through the fresh snow in our driveway, Jan. 2011

Essential start to your day: Coffee. It is not a compromise.

Favorite color: Blue. Doesn't matter what shade or tone. I'll take them all!

Gold or silver: Silver... or white gold, but gold is just so expensive these days.

Height: Somewhere between 5″4 and 5″5 (keeping Amber's answer here as it applies)

Instruments you play(ed): None. I learned the basics on the recorder in high school. Tried a bit of piano. Notes confound me. I'm better with my feet -- I was a dancer.

Job title: Marketing Professional, Content & Events, during the day and correspondent by night (aka freelance reporter)

Kids: None, but I'm a great "aunt" and cousin. Kids are definitely in my five-year plan though.

Live: Rhode Island, but my heart will forever reside in Boston.

Mom’s name: Debbie... really Deborah, but she's not such a fan.

Nicknames: Jen, Nifer, Howie, J.Ho, Superstar, J Babe

Overnight hospital stays: My birth obviously, plus two, both for sinus surgeries when I was in high school.

Pet peeve: Bad drivers. That's a good umbrella for all those who don't use blinkers, can't merge, drive the speed limit in the left lane, can't grasp the concept of a travel lane, stop unnecessarily, think yellow means stop, etc.

Quote from a movie: I've gotten awful at remembering good quotes from movies, so I got nothing here. So sorry.

Righty or Lefty: Righty

Siblings: One younger sister, La. She just turned 24.

Time you wake up: Anywhere between 6 and 11 a.m.

Underwear: Yes? LOL... All Victoria's Secret. ALL.OF.IT. That's what happens when you work there for a year...

Vegetables you don’t like: There's a few: cabbage, spinach (except in rare situations where I can't really taste it), turnips... that's all I can think of right now.

What makes you run late: Blogging! LOL I'm late right now... :(

X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, sinuses, right forearm, left foot/ankle.

Yummy food you make: I made an excellent marsala pasta dish last Thursday (I've been awful about posting my new recipes!) that even Jed gave four stars to. It's going into the rotation.

Zoo animal favorite: Large felines, especially tigers. I could stand there and watch them for HOURS.

(Sorry for the weird font and spacing... ugh Blogger)

"Lord of the Flies" Review

2011-02-27T20:23:00.000-05:00

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my gosh. I had never read this book in school growing up, so I wanted to read it now, since it's considered a classic. It gripped me until the end, which I wasn't expecting. I can't say I loved it, but it was a good social commentary for sure.

The first three quarters of the book were to be expected; a story about what a group of young boys would do if they were stranded on an island by themselves. The last quarter, however, shocked me. I anticipated something awful based on the title and what I've already heard about the book, but I don't think anybody can prepare themselves for this. Golding masterfully draws his readers in and forms relationships between the reader and the characters.

In the modern world of tragic events, I think we've numbed ourselves a bit to protect us from the horror, but you will still be horrified at the events that take place in this book when the rules of society fall apart.

If you didn't read this book in high school, I would recommend picking it up now -- just for the sake of reading it once.

View all my reviews on Goodreads!

Love is... my definition

2011-02-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

Remember what love meant to you when you were a child? How about when you were a moody teenager?

I do. And while it was certainly drama-filled and uncertain (Does he like me? Should I kiss him? Why is he hanging out with her? Does he like her more than me?), I remember one very important thing about that young love. It was all-encompassing, all giving, selfless. Sure, I may have lost myself once or twice. Yes, love even made me depressed. But, you know what? Love is all-encompassing, all giving, selfless -- regardless of the cost.

I've been thinking a lot about love recently. What it means, what it looks like, how it acts.

As we get older, a strange thing happens -- at least that I have noticed personally. Everyone says adolescents are selfish and self-absorbed, and they are to an extent. The really self-centered people though are post-graduates. People in their mid to late 20's who are pursuing their dreams. These people are driven to advance in their careers, travel the world and expand their social circles. Us 20-somethings want it all.

At the cost of forgetting how to love.

Ok, maybe I'm generalizing to shelter myself here. This isn't a study on 20-somethings; this is me. This is my personal story, my experience.

I have forgotten how to love. The cost has been the life of my relationship.

No, I'm not newly single. Nothing is earth-shatteringly wrong to the naked eye. Love just feels... different. More so than the honeymoon period ending and the "real love" beginning. Something changed, and that something is me.

I spent SO MUCH time -- when all of my peers were focusing on building their identities and passions -- outwardly focused. I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted, and I excelled in school and at work. So much of my time, though, was spent on others. Pleasing men I loved, helping friends, listening to everyone's problems. Giving, giving, giving... and I never took.

Then something hit the trigger and the tables turned. I'm not sure what it was, but all of a sudden I didn't want to listen. I was done giving. I shifted my focus to me. Me. Me. Me. My career. My situation. My passions. My goals. What I wanted. My needs. How I did things. My perspective. It happened without me even noticing.

It hit me like a Mack truck when I realized it was poisoning my relationship. The honeymoon period had ended, and so had my love.

Don't get me wrong. I still love my man. I do, but I've forgotten how to show it in meaningful, true ways. And it sucks. I miss the way it used to be; not necessarily the yucky, gooey, smoochy honeymoon period, but the JOY. I miss the connection. I miss the love.

I need to shift focus once again. I am going to start listening. Without any ulterior motive of picking an argument, proving myself right or stockpiling ammunition. I'm going to shake up the routine, the awful rut we've fallen into; bring back the spontaneity and having fun. I'm going back to little, thoughtful surprises, which actually requires a change in my mindset to think of those little, thoughtful surprises. My new focus is HIM. Not ME.

My way doesn't matter anymore. Our way does. I'm sure you've heard love is compromise, but I'm taking that to a whole new meaning because love doesn't mean keeping score. Love means "turning the other cheek" -- essentially giving, giving, giving. Doing something (or not doing something) just because it will make the other person's day... or not even... make their moment. Because it affects them, it means something to them.

And, yes, love means figuring out how to stop giving for that beautiful moment when your partner starts giving... and knowing how to receive, but always going back to giving.

Love doesn't cost a thing; it costs EVERYTHING.

"I'm going back to the start..."

The Scientist, Coldplay

{Photo credit: weheartit}

Some wee bits with my afternoon tea

2011-02-16T17:15:00.000-05:00

I liked Leigh Ashley's questions today, so I'm gonna go with it. I hope you have a minute to visit her blog and join in if you like them too. :)

{one} what is your favorite breakfast food?Eggs, good French toast and pastry -- in that order. I hardly make any of them at home, but when I eat breakfast at a restaurant, that's always what I get.
{two} how many pairs of shoes do you currently own?Uhhhh... about 30... maybe a few more pairs of flip flops.
{three} city or country?Ah, the eternal debate. Both have their merits, but I think, deep down, I'm a city girl.
{four} what is your favorite part of your job?Writing and editing -- those are the projects I never put off and truly enjoy.
{five} what is your favorite junk food to snack on?Lately it's been Emerald's dark chocolate cocoa roasted almonds. Soooo surprisingly good!
{six} have you ever been mentioned in the newspaper?Yes! Multiple times. I'm a freelance journalist, so I've had many bylines in various newspapers. :)
{seven} do you use Post-It notes?Oh, I don't think I could live without them...
{eight} do you have freckles?Yes I do, and like most girls I used to hate them, but I am now learning to appreciate them.
{nine} is it okay for men to wear pink?Certain men, not all can pull it off successfully.
{ten} when was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?Do cover letters count? Honestly, it's been forever... and I used to be such a big letter writer.
Pretty fun, right? I just have one more thing for you all -- a favor if you will -- before I go. My coworker's son (who is only four) was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma almost two years ago. This little boy is my hero because he put on his brave face and charged into battle, beating his tumor last summer with no evidence of disease.
Well, today he went in for a routine scan, and, shockingly, the cancer is back. This is devastating to this wonderful family, who has been pushing through with nothing but faith, hope and love for the past two years. I know he will put on that brave face and fight again, but, if you could, please say a prayer for him -- to whatever higher power you believe in -- that he will stay strong and be healthy again.

Happy... um, belated... Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Whoa, it has been an entire week since my last post. I'm sorry... to you and to myself. So much for recording last week! Truthfully, not that much happened, but I hate that I left you all with my "I had a cold" post for an entire week. Yuck!

Catching up... how was your Valentine's Day? And while we're on the topic, what's your take on this "Hallmark holiday?" Do you roll with it and head out for a nice meal, exchange cards and gifts and eat chocolate while gazing at your dozen red roses? Or, do you have your own tradition you follow every year -- maybe making a special dinner for your loved one? Or... do you hate February 14 and do everything you can to treat it like just another day?

Honestly, I've fallen into every part of that spectrum: from going all out on V-Day to hating it to using it to love myself because I had no one else to love (romantically). This year, I fell somewhere in the middle. While I'm a girl who will always appreciate a nice dinner and flowers, I didn't really care about all that this year. Jed and I didn't discuss what we were going to do yesterday, so I wasn't expecting much.

I was going to cook a roast pork dinner for him last night, and I got him a card and some Reese's (which he loves), however, my roast didn't thaw in time for dinner! So, we ended up joining his parents (romantic, I know) for dinner at 99, which was pretty good.

I also got this when I woke up yesterday...

It is Harry & David's Deluxe Sweetheart Tower filled with:

Chocolate truffles
Chocolate strawberries
2 whoopie pies
Dark and milk chocolate truffle hearts
Cherry vanilla Moose Munch
2 Royal Riviera pears

Can you say YUM??????? The boy did good, I'll give him that! I have tried anything yet, and the pears still need to ripen, but I can't wait to dive in! I've had their chocolate Moose Munch, and it is addictive. And whoopie pies are my favorite; I can never resist them in the ski lodge cafeteria when I go skiing. Oh, and the pears? Supermarket pears cannot stand up next to these pears, they are that good.

Jed and I spent a lot of the day finishing up a custom built-in armoire we built for our guest room (pictures to follow soon!). Then, while he actually worked (I had the day off), I rid our house of the sawdust that's been making itself at home for the past week. It feels so much better in here now!

Other highlights from the weekend:

Girls' night out with my besties at a sketchy nightclub (where the band we love and went to see was a no-show).
Dinner and a movie at a friends' house, where I gave her darling baby boy a bath and got him ready for bed (love that kid, seriously). Side note: we watched Get Him to the Greek. Anyone else see it? What did you think? I wasn't a fan, but then again, I really don't like Russell Brandt.
Lots of work on that above-mentioned armoire.
Lunch with Jed's grandfather after Mass on Sunday.

{Image credit: Harry & David}

How I Had a Successful Cold

2011-02-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

My absence last week was due to a cold/flu that knocked me off my feet. I tend to get really sick when I get a cold -- a sinus infection is always guaranteed -- but this one was really different for a couple reasons.

I had felt a cold coming on for a week or two before I got really sick, and I tried to fight it by exercising, drinking lots of tea and orange juice (which I hate), eating clementines, resting and generally trying to take care of myself.

Oh, and I used this new friend of mine: my NeilMed NasaFlo neti pot (no, this is not a paid advertisement for this product, just an account of my personal experience).

I used this thing daily to help keep my sinuses clear so an infection wouldn't develop, and to hopefully flush that oncoming cold away.

It didn't keep the cold away; I woke up last Monday morning with more aches than I could recount, a headache, a cough, nausea and a general sick feeling. I had a temperature of 99.5. I continued the "cold treatment" regiment and told myself I'd call my doctor if I didn't feel better the next day. I thought it might be the flu. Ugh.

Tuesday morning, I was glad to notice the aches were gone, but now I was coughing and congested. I upped the neti pot usage to twice that day, but I was getting afraid of an impending sinus infection and started taking decongestants. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much Tuesday night because I couldn't breathe.

The neti pot didn't even work Wednesday I was so congested. Uh oh. Thankfully I had Monday as a vacation day, and I took sick days Tuesday and Wednesday to rest. Thursday and Friday were also vacation days, but I was supposed to be going up to Bretton Woods, NH, for my annual ski trip with my sister and aunt. I called my aunt to tell her I didn't think I was going to make it.

Miraculously, I felt better on Thursday -- still sick -- but I could breathe! I made the decision to drive up to NH Friday night and just make sure I got lots of rest after skiing.

Sorry for the TMI, but I don't want you to think I was slacking off here. :) I didn't even open my computer for the majority of last week, except to email my aunt.

I'm still recovering a bit, but I made it through a cold in ONE WEEK without getting a sinus infection! Folks, you have no idea what this means to me; I can't remember the last time I got sick and was able to recover so quickly without an infection. It has been at least 15 years. I owe it to the neti pot, which if you haven't tried, you should. Everyone told me how great it was for years before I tried it, and I was really skeptical, but it does work.

I had a decent weekend skiing. Unfortunately, I didn't feel much like myself, but I managed ok. My sister and I took a private lesson on Sunday, and the instructor (Leah -- who was awesome) took us out on a couple of black diamond trails, which we navigated quite well! She gave me three things to work on, and I will be quite busy mastering them for the rest of the season. I spent Sunday afternoon mostly tumbling down the slopes due to eight inches of fresh ungroomed powder, intense concentration on what I was doing and being tired.

Oh, and then I slipped and fell down the stairs in front of the ski resort hitting myself in the head with one ski and dropping the other down the stairs. OUCH! Still a little sore from that.

Tomorrow I am hoping to do a post on our stay at Bretton Woods. A little travel article for you guys.

{Photo credit: 1. Femininity in a Feminist World 2. Opinion Queen}

#reverb10 - You Need the Next Step

2011-01-28T05:02:00.006-05:00

Prompt: Action. When it comes to aspirations, its not about ideas. It's about making ideas happen. What's your next step?

This is such a broad question, so I'm going to take it and break it down into a couple of different pieces.

First up: I hope you don't mind but I am leaving the Reflection of the Day as is for a bit. I fell in love with this quote because it has such current, in-this-moment meaning for me. This is my first step, and I struggle with it in such a huge way: being vulnerable. I am realizing this doesn't mean be helpless or dependent or needy; it means opening yourself up to others, to experiences, to your life. It means being authentic and true to yourself. It means being a good communicator and a good person.

I used to be so good at being vulnerable, at sharing my feelings, at admitting my faults, at reflecting out loud with those closest to me. Somewhere, somewhen, somehow, I stopped. I closed up like a clam shell. I don't know why.

So my next step in improving my closest personal relationships is to be vulnerable. To open myself up, to share something intimate, to express those feelings I fear.

Next is my health goals, and this is so simple. My next step is to take the next step. Literally... take a step. Walk, run, dance, move, do jumping jacks while making my morning coffee (I really did this yesterday). I want to be more active, to incorporate it into my lifestyle.

Finally, professionally, I am facing a huge turning point. We are wrapping up our fiscal year and beginning to plan for "next" year. I had a meeting with my manager yesterday to discuss my plan for next year -- for my area and responsibilities. I got so excited! I took on some big projects this year, but I think next year is going to be even better. We are still building the plan... heck, I haven't even really started the plan yet, so the next step is to pull together this year's results and use them to recommend next year's objectives. Wish me luck!

Now tell me, what's your next step?

Fashion + Shoes

2011-01-27T03:52:00.003-05:00

I'll be the first to admit I'm not overly into fashion. Jeans are my wardrobe staple, and they are not designer unless you consider Gap and American Eagle designer. Sure, I like to look nice, and I'll subtly pick up on a trend here and there to keep things fresh and interesting, but I'm not fashion-forward.

That's why I'm so grateful for the...

Megan and Kristin keep me up to date on what's going on in the fashion world -- even if I'm not immediately hopping on the bandwagon (I'm just buying my first pair of straight-leg jeans since 1990 now, and only so I can tuck them into my new pair of riding style boots, also a recent purchase).

Yesterday, they introduced me to KM2 Shoes. Not only are these shoes gorgeous, but the sales support a wonderful cause: the end of human trafficking.

Aren't these heels delicious???? (photo credit: KM2)

These shoes are fashion-forward and gorgeous, and according to Kristin, they are comfortable as well! Oh, and did I mention that the Bon Bon Rose Girls are hosting a giveaway for a pair?!? Minor detail, but fashion is in the details, so you should definitely head over there to enter. You only have until February 1 to enter!

I have my eyes on a pair of the Stella...

(Photo credit: KM2)

#reverb10 - Alive

2011-01-26T05:15:00.000-05:00

Prompt: Body integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn't mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

One word: drowning. I was probably overreacting, but I really thought I was going to drown. I had watched way too many of those "lost at sea" Discovery Channel specials.

This is what I saw. This is all I saw. I was snorkeling in Caribbean waters off Grand Cayman. Without a life vest. Stupid. I was getting tired. My legs felt like jelly; my arms were so heavy. My chest was heavy. I couldn't see our guide, my best friend or her husband, or Jed. I had lost them. I looked above water, and while I could see our boat, it seemed so far away, and no one on it saw me.

I started to panic, thinking I wasn't going to be able to make it back. I felt my eyes tearing up in my goggles thinking of how no one knew where I was to help me. I tried to take a deep breath to calm down and enjoy the snorkeling while making my way slowly back to the boat. Have you ever taken a deep breath through a snorkel? Yeah, it doesn't work so well. I became very aware of my human-ness, of my position in this circle of live.

Every sense was on high alert: the smell of the plastic mask, the bright blue of the water and the fish swimming in front of me, the sound of the waves lapping around me (oh, I forgot to mention the waves), the taste of salt water and the feel of slightly cool ocean water surrounding me. My mind was in my lungs, it seemed.

For the record, I made it back through a combination of floating and kicking my feet. Everyone made it back. This prompt wasn't meant to be scary, but this experience immediately came to mind when I read it.

#reverb10 - 11 Things Lighter

2011-01-25T01:17:00.000-05:00

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

This year I am all about being a better me. Not just a better person, friend, daughter, girlfriend, sister, employee, but a kinder, happier, improved Jen. Living my best life, as Oprah says. I hope by eliminating these 11 things, I can achieve this goal.

Selfishness: It is kind of ironic that in focusing so much on becoming a better me, I'm getting rid of selfishness, but that's a paradox I am just going to have to figure out. I truly believe that I can be happier and more fulfilled by focusing on others' needs and wants instead of only thinking of myself.
Laziness: No more just coming home from work and sitting on the couch all night. I don't care if I go to Zumba class, run, walk Morris or go out to meet a friend, I will eliminate hours upon hours of sitting on the couch.
Mindless spending: I've struggled with money for as long as I can remember. We don't have a great relationship -- those green pieces of paper and me (or that pink rose covered piece of plastic as the case usually is). I created a budget this month, and I am tracking my spending in major categories. Already, I have become more aware of money as it leaves my bank account, and I make sure wherever it's going is worth the cost.
Control: Ok, I know what you're thinking; I cannot completely eliminate control. I need to have control over certain things, of course. Those things, however, need to be things I can control. No more trying to exert control over situations that are beyond me.
Negative thoughts: This is a tough one for me. I have had that negative soundtrack for as long as I can remember... it is so ingrained that I actually fooled myself into thinking I had become a positive person. I still think of the worst possible conclusion. I hope to eliminate that this year.
Awkwardness: There is absolutely no reason I need to feel awkward. Period.
Judgement: This one goes along with control and negative thoughts above. They are an evil threesome -- one I don't want to be involved with anymore. I pass judgement on people. I admit it. Sometimes it's fair, sometimes it isn't, but the important thing for me to remember is it is not my job.
Doubt: I have questioned everything over the past year. All my choices, thoughts, feelings, actions. I am going to be confident in myself, trust my gut. There will be no second-guessing, no questions after the fact. What is done, is done. It's in the past, and I intend to leave it there.
Insecurity: If I can get rid of all the things on this list, I should be able to feel very secure with myself.
Binge eating: I know I don't have an eating disorder, but sometimes I just go on these binges because I'm craving something. I realize afterwards that it was completely unsatisfying and unnecessary. I want to eat a healthy three meals a day, snack on fruit and nuts, and occasionally treat myself with something I really love.
Waiting: I wait to do SO MUCH. Tomorrow will be better, I tell myself. Oh, I can't do that until next week. Eh, I can do that in a couple hours. What's wrong with right now? I don't want to wait to live.

I made this list off the cuff, and I'm a bit surprised at what ended up on it, but I still think it's a great list. All these things stand in my way. I can't wait to get rid of them and feel lighter.

I won't make you list 11 things, but what's one thing you can do without this year?

#reverb10 - The Decision That Surprised Me

2011-01-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

Prompt: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

Look at me, catching up on #reverb10. I hope you'll be patient while I continue these posts and find them interesting. It is important for me to fully flesh out 2010.

I don't remember making many "big-ticket" decisions last year, but one decision I'm glad I made and was surprised how it turned out was going along with my friends' shore excursion selections for our October cruise. At first I was pretty adamant that I didn't want to pay to be dropped off at a beach resort for the day in Cozumel, but it was actually a really fun day, and I don't feel it was a waste of money after all.

My BFF's and I at the beach bar in Cozumel

The resort had a pool, nice beach with lounge chairs and umbrellas, and bright blue Caribbean water. Although, I didn't go in the water since my friend stepped on a sea urchin. No thanks. We were able to jet ski and parasail right off the beach (for a fee, of course). Our waiter was so friendly, and kept my pina coladas coming all day (unlimited drinks were included). We also had a delicious Mexican buffet lunch.

I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to see more of Cozumel, but we had a fun day, and I worked on my tan and read a lot of my book, so it was certainly not a waste. I would consider doing another beach day on an island that didn't have too much else to see.

Have you ever made a decision to concede that turned out surprisingly well?

Holy cow! Where have I been?

2011-01-21T11:24:00.000-05:00

It has been over a week since I have posted, and before that, I can't remember how long. Clearly one of my resolutions for 2011 was not to blog more. LOL

I have been thinking a lot about blogging and specifically my blog... while reading all of your blogs -- which you are so good at keeping fun and updated. What do I want my blog to be this year? What is Nifer Musings and how do I want to use it?

I realized I really do have a lot going through my head and a lot happening in my life, and this space is where I can hash it out, share it and, most importantly, store it for myself. I want this place to be somewhere I can visit as well as create -- a place where I can look back and remember what I did six months or two years ago.

So, I'm going to try. I'm going to try to take more pictures and write about what's going on with me. Plus, I'll still post recipes and TV commentary and articles I find interesting. Oh yeah, and I still want to finish #reverb10. :)

What has been up with you, peeps? It's been forever. Here's a little bit of what I've been up to...
- The holidays were great. This was the first holiday Jed and I spent together, so we were busy shuttling between both of our families (we haven't quite gotten this down to routine/tradition yet). New Year's Eve was pretty quiet. We had Jed's college friends and their spouses over to our house for Chinese, movies, games and watching the ball drop. Everyone wore their PJ's and just chilled... with bubbly and beer of course!
- Work is actually going pretty well. Q4 (we have an April 1 fiscal year) should be eventful, stressful and fun! I'm looking forward to the next couple of months.
- I decided that I won't be running this winter with all the snow and cold weather we've been getting, so I got a monthly unlimited pass to the studio my best friend goes to for Zumba classes. Zumba seven days a week people! It's been great. I hope to continue in February and March then go back to Couch to 5K.
- I also want to try out a new Yoga studio near my house for some Gentle Flow Yoga.
- I'm on week four of reading David Copperfield. I started out strong, but now I'm slowing down. I need to pick it up again and read daily!
- Last weekend, I went ice skating for the first time in probably eight years, and it was so much fun! I'm not a pro by any means, but my friend and I held hands and stuck together and had a great conversation too!
- Also last weekend, I went up to Mount Sunapee in NH with my aunt and sister to ski! It was our first time up there, and it was great! The conditions were perfect. It was a bright, sunny day, and it wasn't even too cold! I will definitely be going back there.
- I am very sad about my beloved Patriots. That's really all I have to say. I don't want to talk about it anymore.
- Yesterday was my baby sister's birthday. She's 24! Jed and I headed to my parents' house for dinner and cake. We even got to bring Morris, which sis loved, and he was such a silly pup.
- I can't believe it's Friday. I've been losing track of the date lately. On tap for this weekend is lots of Zumba (hopefully), maybe seeing Black Swan (can't wait, have heard such mystifying things about it!), going to a party tomorrow night for a friend's 30th birthday, and some skiing on Sunday.
- It's snowing today. Again. But I'm not going to complain. I'm extremely fortunate that I can stay home and work when there's bad weather; I know not everyone is so lucky, so I hope those of you who have to commute in the snow are staying safe.
- I'm going to have quite a few days off coming up. I have something like three weeks of vacation I have to use up before March 31, or I lose it. I just planned out 13 days off yesterday -- some of them for my upcoming long ski weekend at Mount Washington, NH. So excited! I have loved going up there for the past three years, and it has become such a nice tradition.
I think that's about all with me. Let me know what has been going on with all of you! What's on tap for the weekend?

P.S. Sorry this post is wacky with format... had some Blogger issues!

Snowy, lazy Wednesday

2011-01-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

I'm being totally lazy today and joining in 2011's first edition of...

{one} have you ever been on tv?No, but my apartment senior year of college was on "Chronicle" -- a Boston news story show. I stayed off camera because I had just come back from dance class and was a sweaty mess.
{two} what was the best movie you saw last year?"Eat Pray Love" I knew I would love it, and I was so glad I did. Although, I still like the book better.
{three} do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?In. I'm pretty OCD about sheets.
{four} do you cut coupons?Yes... when I get around to it.
{five} do you ever count your steps when you walk?Occasionally... usually when I'm stressed or upset about something.
{six} what sauce do you dip your chicken nuggets in?Honey mustard -- I'm with Leigh on this one.
{seven} do you have any magazine subscriptions?Nope. I subscribed to "O" for a year or two a few years back, but really I just hoard them, so now I read everything online.
{eight} when was the last time you wrote a letter on paper?High school? Yeah, that sounds about right... circa 1999.
{nine} what’s your favorite fruit pie?Apple.
{ten} black olives or green olives?Black in dishes, green by themselves.
Ok, that does it for today. I'm linking up with Leigh, if you want to join in the fun. Tomorrow I hope to be back with a #reverb10 post.
Happy Wednesday!

It's time to shop!

2011-01-10T17:33:00.001-05:00

Happy new year to all of you! I have been putting off posting for reasons unknown to me, but I'm trying to work my way back -- because writing is always part of my New Year's goals.

I still have to finish out #reverb10, but I have a special post for you today that I'm very excited about. I have a discount code for 10% off at Overstock.com! Merry belated Christmas! Now you can finally cross off your own Christmas list, and that is just what I'm thinking of doing... ok, none of this was on my Christmas list, but these items are on my future to-buy list.

I got these lovely boots for Christmas from my Mom, and I heart them.

The only problem is I'm a girl who always wore her pants OVER her boots, but I love the emblem on the top of these ones, and I want to show it off! So, despite my best attempts to avoid them, I'm going to have to purchase some skinny jeans -- just.to.wear.with.these.boots. Maybe some leggings too.

Overstock to the rescue! These jeans are only $15.99!

There are a few things I'm thinking of switching up around the house too. The number one thing is replacing the area rug in our living room. I remember picking it out maybe five years ago for Jed's first apartment, then it moved to his second apartment and then to our house. So, it's old... and ivory... so it shows dirt. And I don't own a steam cleaner. I'm thinking something in a darker color might be better, like this fun rug, which would match our current decor.

We have tan couches right now, but Jed isn't crazy about them, and I think they are starting to look a little worn down. I would love to have a sectional in the living room, especially one with a chaise lounge attached. I found this couch on Overstock, and I think it's pretty much what I'm looking for; I love that it comes with an ottoman too.

Doesn't it look so comfy???? I can imagine myself napping and reading in that chaise now, and we wouldn't lose any seating from our sofa and loveseat combo now. Now if only I could get my living room to look that nice and put together!

Let's move on to the bedroom. I've been struggling to find the proper bedding for our beach-themed room. I have a color-block comforter now that's nearing the end of it's lifespan, and we have a lightweight sand-colored quilt for the summer. I would love to replace the comforter with something like this.

It's pretty, but it's not overtly beach-themed. Overstock actually has an awesome selection of bedding if you're looking for something different.

Finally, my friends have won the battle and convinced me to try camping, but we need a "home" within to camp. I couldn't believe it when I found this two-person Coleman tent on Overstock for $39.99! With shipping, that's still less than $50.

Now that you've put up with my shopping, here is the discount code: 121745. If you're interested in buying some electronics, you can use 202234 for free shipping on those items. I have to admit I have never purchased anything from Overstock, but I had a coworker who swore by them. When she has her son, she ordered a lot of his furniture and baby items from them. They have cheap shipping that covers EVERYTHING, and you really can't beat their prices!

Happy shopping, and let me know what you get!

All the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. No monetary compensation was received for doing this post, however, I was provided with a discount code.

{Images: Piperlime (first image) and Overstock (remaining images)}

#reverb10 - Is this it???

2010-12-29T10:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't been so great about the second half of this whole #reverb10 deal. I did well the first two weeks, then I just fell off the horse... and the horse ran over me. Seriously, that's kinda how it felt watching those daily prompts gallop into my inbox every morning.

So, I'm a little late to the polo game. What's the big deal? I've been late my entire life, so why make this an exception? I'm dedicated to #reverb10, folks, just not every month in December. I'll complete every prompt, even if it takes me until March 2011 to do it! I do find value in reflecting back on the year, and these prompts challenge me. I believe they are helping me showcase some of my best writing on this blog.

Catch up is starting TODAY...

December 29 Prompt: Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

I just mentally went through my entire year, and it's pretty sad that I had a hard time remembering a lot of it! So it is as we get older and less emotionally involved, I suppose.

Then it hit me over the head -- my defining moment that is. After five years at my company, and seven years since I graduated from a prestigious communications college with a bachelor's degree in journalism, I finally got the job I had been wanting! I finally achieved what I had been working toward -- finally would be able to use my skills and do something I loved.

Or so I thought.

Unfortunately, with all of the downsizing of the past two years comes the upsizing of individual positions. People everywhere do more with less; employers call upon their employees to do the jobs of two or even three people.

So was the case with me.

I love communications. I love telling people what they don't know, or what they don't think they need to know. I love seeing my name in print -- or even just seeing something I had a hand in creating in "print" (since most publications are digital these days). I love working so hard researching and creating something and then watching it go out to the masses. I like publication design, content creation, collaboration and directing. I never thought I was creative until I realized that structuring an entire publication is creating.

But, that's not all my new job of internal communications was -- to my dismay. Also tagged onto the end of my title was sales communications and events.

I'm ok with the events part; it gives me the opportunity to expand my skill set and do something I've been casually interested in for a while. Sure, let's tack that bullet point onto the end of my resume.

Sales. OMG. Ew. LOL... I don't mean to be overly dramatic, but I've been trying to get into "sales" for 11 years -- ever since I started working in retail. It's not for me, friends, sorry. I don't get the thrill of taking money from people -- even if I'm offering them the best product or service in the world in return. I have no interest in convincing someone to choose my offering over someone else's; that's their choice. I have no aptitude for budgets or sales leads or revenue or that dreaded EBITDA. It's just not me.

So, while I finally reached that long-held goal, with it came responsibilities that I... just... am... not... good... at. Not only am I not good at them, but they don't excite me. And, because it's half my job, I don't get to allocate as much time as I would like to the things that do excite me.

I'm trying. I'm trying to learn and grow and "do something different." I haven't quite figured it out yet though. Is this just the way the professional world is, or am I settling? Do you have to take the bad with the good? Is there a way for me to custom-build a job where I only do things I'm passionate about and that inspire me?

All I know is this is a growing pain. There is a lesson here. There is a challenge here. It is not the end.