1. The US Olympic Trials for gymnastics started yesterday. I haven’t really been following any of the other Trials because holy moly, there are a lot. I actually started looking at all the different swimming and track & field options and started freaking out. (Yes, I take the Olympics very seriously.) So I decided I’m just going to watch the gymnastics portion of the Olympic Trials. That’s all I can handle right now. (And can we please talk about the size of Jake Dalton’s biceps? PLEASE? He looks like Popeye. Heyyyyy there.)

2. I have a haircut scheduled for tomorrow. I’m still debating whether I want to chop it into a shorter style (closer to chin-length) or start growing it out again. I found this hairstyle on Pinterest which I love… but I’m not sure I could make it look like that every day. Oh, decisions.

3. Coming home from the cruise was quite the experience! The Sunshine Skyway Bridge was shut down due to the high winds, which is the bridge the cruise ship goes under to get back to Tampa. So the ship had to drop anchor in the middle of the ocean around 4:00AM and wait it out. We ended up not getting back to Tampa until 10:00AM (when we should have been back at 6:30) and I was four hours late for work. It was a crazy day, for sure! But I’m also so happy that Carnival took so many precautions for our safety.

4. I’ve been looking more and more into taking a long weekend in NYC for my birthday. I went as far as signing up for flight alerts on Kayak. I’ve been perusing hotel prices, looking into what I’d want to do, and trying to piece it all together. It’s just so much fun to plan and envision what you want out of your dream destinations! (And yes, NYC is a dream destination for me. I am not well-traveled at all, if you didn’t know.) The sad thing is that I’ll probably spend just as much (if not more) for 3 days in NYC as I did on my 6-day cruise. That, my friends, is why I love cruising oh so much.

5. I’ve been having a lot of regrets lately. I’m not a stranger to them, but the feeling that I may have screwed up something really good for my life because I let my fears get the best of me is not a fun emotion at all. (And how’s THAT for ending my Friday post on a bummer note?)

1 – This week has been one for frantic texts to blog friends turned real-life friends, constant prayers for clarity, and eating my feelings. But it’s also been a week where I realized that I’m not as broken as I thought I was and I’m turning into an independent and smart woman. I’ve lived so much of my life being afraid to stand on my own two feet, being scared to acknowledge my own feelings. It’s quite fun to see how I’m coming into my own. Twenty-four has really been a great year so far. And I’m excited to see what the second half of this age has in store for me.

2 – I went to see a podiatrist last Friday. I’ve been experiencing excruciating pain in my ankles and arches when I run and I wanted to get my feet checked out, to make sure there wasn’t anything else going on. The verdict? I spent $60 to be told I need to stretch better. I’m pretty bad at stretching my calves and ankles after I run or do any type of physical activity so my problem lies in my super tight muscles that are having to overcompensate and use muscles from other areas of my lower legs when I run. And because of all this, my knee hyper-extends when I run which is causing further problems. He gave me some strengthening/stretching exercises to do (and I plan on buying a foam roller soon!), but I’m also thinking of getting a sports massage to ease out all the tightness that’s built up over time. Except people on Twitter scared me of how painful it would be. Question: Is it worth it? My mom has had multiple sports massages before her races so I know they work. But would it help my issue, or would more frequent stretching be good enough?

3 – Today is the fourth anniversary of Minnie’s death. She was the first dog I ever had and one of the best dogs to ever exist. (Yes. In the world.) Last year, I wrote a commemorative post on her so hop on over to read it, if you’re so inclined. I never thought the day would come when she wouldn’t be an everyday fixture in my life and I can’t believe it’s been four whole years since I last saw her face. When we took her to the vet after feeling a strange lump by her throat, I never imagined she would be given a death sentence. Just six weeks after that appointment, she was gone forever. (And it was a horrible six weeks of watching her quality of life diminish so rapidly, we knew the most humane thing to do was put her down. Worst day of my life.) Pets, man. They completely destroy you in the best possible way. 🙂

4 – Remember how I used to complain about hating my long hair and how I couldn’t wait to cut it short again? Well, now that it’s short, I’m regretting cutting it. I look at my pictures with my hair when it was longer and get sad. I think part of my problem is I’m not a fan of the cut (the shorter layers barely reach my chin, which I hate) so I’m hoping once it grows out a little, I won’t hate it so much.

5 – A reminder to #twookclub-bers! The poll for our July book chat (to be held on July 29) is going up on Sunday night. A variety of books have already been suggested by a handful of you, but if you haven’t been on to suggest something, do so before Sunday night! We have a few frontrunners so it’ll be interesting to see what you guys choose for July!

Questions for you: Should I get a sports massage to help with the tight muscles in my ankles? Do you prefer your hair long or short?

 Sigh. I miss Jamaica.

1 – As a welcome back from vacation gift, my body has decided to rebel against me and get sick. It started with a sore throat on Monday afternoon and has morphed into congestion, sneezing, and just feeling very groggy. I can barely keep my eyes open at work, and sleep comes fitfully for me at night. I’ve been taking it easy after work but it’s been a very yucky week for me. I’m hoping I start feeling better by tomorrow because…

2 – I’m starting a new boot camp! To be honest, I haven’t really been feeling the new boot camp trainers at the boot camp I’ve been attending for a few months now that Michael Pittman is gone. I really, really liked the way he conducted the class and it challenged me in a good way and made me excited. Now that he and my absolutely favorite trainer are both gone, it’s not the same. So when I saw a Groupon for 4 weeks of unlimited boot camp classes for just $35, I snatched it up! I’ve actually seen this boot camp class at a park I sometimes run at and I thought it would be a good change for me. I’ll be going three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays) and I’m looking forward to challenging my body in a new way. And believe me, my body needs it after the past few weeks I’ve had!

3 – My dad friend requested me on Facebook two weeks ago. His request is still sitting in my inbox. On the one hand, giving him any sort of access to my life scares the crap out of me. And on the other? It’s my father. And I miss him like crazy. I don’t know what to do, but I can’t help but click on his profile once a day to see his face. And knowing he’s okay, for now, is a huge relief to me. (But I’m also not going to start back a relationship unless a change has happened in his heart and life.) For those who are confused, a back story on what happened with my relationship with my father is here.

4 – Who watched the premiere of So You Think You Can Dance last night? Last season was a disappointing one, in my opinion. (It was obvious who the judges’ favorite was and, well, she wasn’t mine…) So I’m hoping this season gets back to its roots! And also? Stella? Can she please go to Vegas? I know she’s, like, two, but I would vote for her! She had some serious moves and stage presence! (I’m keeping this episode in my DVR for whenever I need a pick-me-up. Stella has captured my heart.)

5 – I am completely 100% looking forward to this three-day weekend. I’m hoping to use it to relax and catch up on sleep, as well as do some home organization and meal planning (since I’m back at Weight Watchers as of yesterday…). I don’t have any fun plans but considering I just got back from a CRUISE… I guess that’s okay.