Recurring Series

TGIF (v. 2)

Happy Friday, friends! Fridays are really the best, aren’t they? And when you only work 3.5 hours, they are even better!

Let’s dive right into another TGIF post!

The high of my week was ladies’ happy hour with a bunch of work friends. It was a ton of fun! I drank a delicious mojito, shared a plate of nachos with a friend, and really enjoyed the conversation and our view (we saw a pair of dolphins swimming around the bay!). Also, word to the wise: if you ride together with friends to a social gathering, be sure to ride with other introverts because then you get to leeeeave early because you’re all socialed-out together. The best.

The low of my week was the heartache that was found in the news this week. Well, the news is always pretty awful, but this week really broke my heart. First, with the news that one of my favorite actors, Robin Williams, had died. My heart shattered when I learned about his death. He was such a big part of my childhood! (There was a time, when I was younger, that the only movie I ever wanted to watch was Mrs. Doubtfire.) Mental illness is such a scary, scary beast.

And then, there was all the scary stuff happening in Ferguson, MO. Oh, man! It’s been crazy. And frightening. And ridiculous. And I just want this to be resolved. What a mess!

A blog post I loved was Stuff Scarlette Says by Kayla Aimee. This week in the news has been heartbreaking and shameful, to put it mildly. So, instead of linking to one of the many articles talking about the sad stuff, I thought it might be better to link up to something cheerful, light, and would make people smile. Sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. This blog post is a gem!

A podcast episode I loved was Should Tipping Be Banned? by Freakonomics Radio. This episode was so interesting to me! One of the guests on the podcast threw out a crazy stat that in one year (this isn’t an updated stat, so it’s probably higher now!), Americans spent $40 BILLION on tipping. Cue the eyes-bugged-out emoji! That’s so astounding to me. This podcast takes you through some stats on tipping habits, how tipping in America is completely different than the rest of the world, and if tipping is actually discriminatory.

For my goal of working out 31 times in August, I completed 7 workouts! I did four cardio workouts and three strength-training workouts, so I’m keeping balanced with my exercising, which I’m super happy about. I’m at 12 workouts for the month, so I’m behind but I’m okay with that. I know I’ll catch up!

The best money I spent was $16.88 on a drink and a shared plate of nachos during ladies’ happy hour last night!

My plans this weekend include some boring adult stuff, like getting an oil change and doing a ton of workouts. And some fun stuff like going to a Bucs game! My mom’s friend gave us tickets and – this is the best part! – they are playing the Dolphins! Ahhhhh…. I am beside myself with glee!

What was the highlight of your week? Any fun weekend plans?

*Blog post inspired by Cait

Categories: Recurring Series

TGIF (v.1)

I dyed my hair this weekend! It’s pretty red, but I think I like it.

I’ve been following Cait’s blog for a while now and I’ve always enjoyed her TGIF posts. It’s a simple, yet fun way to talk about the week. I’ll be using her prompts, plus a few of my own that I added. So let’s chat, shall we?

The high of my week was supporting my friend as she taught her first-ever spin class. She did an amazing, amazing job! She was full of energy, and really put us through a killer workout. I was so proud of her! Another bright spot in my week involved hanging out with some girlfriends last night and starting my first-ever sewing project (a pillow!). There was pizza consumed, tons of laughs had, and a good time all around.

The low of my week was having to acknowledge that things would not be able to progress any farther with my crush, and it’s time to move on. A crush is fun, and it’s frustrating, and it’s exhilarating, and it’s confusing. But this week, I took a tiny baby step towards seeing if things can develop into something more and was completely shut down which was demoralizing and heartbreaking, but at least now I know I can stop pining and move on to someone else.

An article I loved was “How Melissa McCarthy Sold Out Overweight Women.” The author of this article really brings up an interesting topic on how Melissa McCarthy has spoken candidly about being a positive body image role model, yet how her movies seem to poke fun at her size, especially as it relates to her newest film, Tammy. It was a good read and I could identify with what the author was saying (even if I didn’t totally 100% agree with her).

Tammy, just like Officer Mullins in McCarthy’s buddy cop comedy The Heat, or Megan from Bridesmaids, is rough-hewn and unfeminine, stuffed into the same tent-drab T-shirts McCarthy loathes for herself. However, this, in and of itself, isn’t inherently problematic: We need more female characters who aren’t cosseted by the silken binds of prettiness and likeability. However, McCarthy’s movie characters aren’t just awkward and gonzo, they’re shown as less than, unworthy of the tenderness, love, and yes, good ol’ fashioned fucking, that many people, of all shapes and sizes, really want.

A podcast episode I loved was The Art Of Simple’s episode where she interviews her literary agent. As an aspiring author, it was very interesting and filled with so much good advice! If you want to write a novel – whether fiction or non-fiction – I highly recommend checking this episode out!

For my goal of working out 31 times in August, I completed 5 workouts. This included a hardcore spin workout (so fun! I miss spinning so much.), two workouts on the stationary bike, and two strength workouts (one using the Nike Training app and one using a Pinterest workout). I am three workouts behind but am planning on doubling up today, tomorrow, and maybe Sunday to stay on track.

The best money I spent was $34.30 on materials to hand-sew a pillow! This included a beginner’s sewing kit, a pillow form, thread, and two yards of fabric.

My plans this weekend include a lunch date with a friend this afternoon, getting in a ton of workouts, a possible sewing date with friends, and maybe spending an afternoon or two lounging by the pool. It should be a low-key, relaxing weekend!

What was the highlight of your week? Any fun weekend plans?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday: Childhood Confessions

Happy Friday! Oh, boy, am I excited for the upcoming weekend. I am taking myself on a date Saturday night to eat ice cream on the beach and watch the sunset, and I also want to take Dutch to a dog park to stretch his legs and run around in a new environment. I’m also planning on writing, baking, and napping. Sounds like a quality weekend, yeah? I’m excited!

Today, I thought I’d switch up my “Five For Friday” series and instead of writing about five facts about my week, I’m listing five confessions about my childhood. Here we go!

1) In fifth grade, I once completed a spelling test using the handwriting of each babysitter from The Baby-Sitter’s Club. So, each word of the test was written in a different babysitter’s handwriting. My teacher was really confused by this, and it’s kinda embarrassing to admit! But yeah… I was a strange kid.

2) I was bitten by a dog when I was 11. I was walking home from the bus with a friend and she pressured me to pet this dog with her. I knew the dog was a little vicious (all he ever did was bark ferociously whenever he was chained up outside), but I still went to pet him. The next thing I knew, he had his paws on my chest and had bitten me in the stomach. I ran home crying and my mom took me to the ER to get a tetanus shot. (The bite wasn’t anything major. It just needed to get cleaned up and bandaged.) That experience was so traumatizing, though! I still have a scar from that bite (and it still stings from time to time, which is strange).

3) Growing up, my least favorite class was art class. God, I hated art class. I think I have some perfectionist tendencies and it really reared its head in art class. I just knew anything I was given, I would be bad at. And I’m not trying to be cute here – I was really awful at art. I can’t draw, I’m not really creative in the artsy sense, and it just frustrates me to no end. After elementary school, I made sure not to do any kind of art class again.

4) When I was younger (middle school), I would always check out 12 books from the library every Saturday morning. Then, I would spend my Saturday afternoons reading the first chapter of each book. (I don’t know my logic in why I did this. I just did? Like I said, I was a weird kid.) After that, I would stack the books in alphabetical order (by author’s last name) and read through the entire stack by the following Saturday. I miss those days!

5) When I was in third grade, I was cast in the school play. There were only 10 roles available, and I snagged the role of the goldfish. I even remember my first line: “We almost had a sale last week until he found out Bill here was afraid of the deep end.” I had to sing a solo which, surprisingly, was something I was really excited about. (I think I would be terrified nowadays!)

Tell me one of your childhood confessions!

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently…

feeling very content, relaxed, and at peace about life right now

anticipating tackling an adventure or two off my Tampa list this weekend, a girl’s trip in October, and the upcoming NFL season

reading Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

thinking about how to maximize my time on the weekend. (I never seem to have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I want to get done!)

pricing out prescription sunglasses. I want to start wearing glasses more regularly, but I need to have prescription sunglasses if so. (My eyes are very sensitive to sunlight.) Right now, Zenni Optical or GlassesUSA look to be the most decently priced. Anyone have experience using them?

happy with my purchase of new running shoes. They are cute, feel good and supportive, and were under $100. Woo!

obsessed with the film scores Pandora station. It makes writing about windows and patio products a lot more dramatic!

resisting writing the next scene in my novel. It’s an action scene and I’m not feeling very confident about writing it, so I keep finding other things to do, rather than writing the scene. Blast it!

planning to do a big closet purge next month and create a list of closet staples. I am so tired of my wardrobe, of not wearing clothes that make me feel good. I need a revamp of my closet and style.

wanting to open my heart up to something new, but scared of taking the leap. How do you take the leap when failing could mean embarrassing yourself beyond belief? Sigh.

using MyFitnessPal regularly now. I set my calorie goal at 1,600 and I’m trying to use it more as a diary than a “well, I used up all my calories so I’ll have soup for dinner.” I think calorie counting can breed very unhealthy behaviors and I don’t want to do that. I just want to see how I’m eating and adjust as needed. So far, so good!

hoping to take a solo vacation next year. Solo travel terrifies me, but I want to break out of my comfort zone and try it. I have my eye on Asheville or Savannah!

watching Big Brother because duh, it’s the summer! Big Brother is easily my favorite show to watch because I get so wrapped up in the game play and drama. I love it!

inspired by a friend who is moving to Spain for the next two years to teach. I wish I had that adventuresome spirit!

preparing to hand sew my first pillow. I’m frightened (I’m not great at that kinda stuff), but going to at least give it a try.

wondering if I should try a subscription reading service (like Oyster or Amazon Unlimited). I like the idea behind it (unlimited books at one set price!), but it all depends on the selection. If I still have to supplement with the library, it’s not worth it for me. But both options give a one-month trial, so it can’t hurt to try them out and see how I like them!

What are you currently reading, obsessed with, and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday (v. 34)

1) On a whim, I checked my credit score on Credit Karma the other day. I didn’t think it had changed much because I haven’t paid off any loans since the last time I checked, but surprisingly it did! It’s still a crappy number, but in the past seven months, it’s gone up 32 points and I’m really happy about that! My goal is to have it improve by 50 points this year, so as long as I keep my credit card balances low (or at zero!) and pay off a school loan, I should be able to do that.

2) We are 18 days into the month and I have currently worked out 14 times. So I am a bit behind on my goal to work out 31 times in 31 days, but not by too much. I’m planning on two workouts today, tomorrow, and Sunday, so then I’ll be caught up by Monday! I am actually proud of myself for continuing to stick with this goal and getting in my workouts, even when I fall behind. I knew it would be difficult for me to work out every single day (and I think 1-2 rest days a week is good for my body), so as long as I can tack on a few two-a-days a few times a week, this is a very doable goal for me. I am already planning on extending it into August, and perhaps further than that!

3) I really need to invest in a new pair of running shoes. My current shoes are not cutting it anymore. I’ve had them for over a year and they’re just worn out. I have high arches and I under pronate, so I need shoes that offer cushioning and support. Just yesterday, I went for a simple 45-minute walk and I received blisters on two of my toes. I could feel my feet rubbing against my shoes in an uncomfortable way. I’ve been putting off buying new shoes because UGH EXPENSE, but it’s a really important expense!

4) So, due to unforeseen circumstances, my brother and I won’t be able to take a road trip to Miami in the fall to see a Dolphins game. I was really bummed about it, but then my mom suggested we go instead. So, we’re planning on taking a long weekend in mid-October. We’ll drive down on a Friday, spend Saturday at the beach, spend Sunday at the game, and drive back on Monday. I think it’ll be a fun weekend! Any recs for where to eat or what else to do? I’ve never been to Miami!

5) Weekend plans – tonight, I have a writing date at Starbucks with my girl Mikaela. Tomorrow is up in the air, but I’ve been pondering a day at the dog beach. Maybe! And on Sunday, my book club gals are coming over to have “Book Club Brunch at the Pool!” My friends have requested I bring my “parfait bar,” which I am only so happy to oblige. The rest of Sunday will involve nap-taking, grocery shopping, and chore-doing. Happy, happy weekend!

Happy Friday! What are your weekend plans?