Random Friday Facts!
October 30th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
In the spirit of Friday, I thought I’d give you five fun, random facts about me.
Or maybe I am running late today and this is all I have time for??? Hmm..
Anyway! Let’s get to it!
1) I am a diehard fan of Sex and the City. Actually, diehard doesn’t do it justice. I think the show is brilliant, the writers are brilliant, and SJP is a talented, beautiful woman despite what anyone says. Many people already know of my obsession (told you I have an addictive personality) but if you have ever had more than a few conversations with me, chances are you’ve heard me say, “This is just like the episode of Sex and the City where….remember that?” as if everyone watches the show like I do. (Really, they should). Want to see how much I love it?
Yes, that is in my house. We made it for a SATC meets Breakfast at Tiffany’s housewarming party, and it just stuck.
2.) Despite my love of movies, I have not seen many American classics like “The Godfather,” “Rocky” (any of them), “Annie Hall,” “Casablanca,” “Gone with the Wind” and I have not watched many of the ’90s cult classics in entirety like “Dumb and Dumber,” “Black Sheep,” etc. I would love to make it a mission to start watching these, I just never seem to find the time. Maybe I should get NetFlix after all…
3.) From birth to 25 I have lived in four major cities (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia – some very briefly) and one small, small town. I am most certainly a country girl at heart, city girl by dream. Right now, I could not move to a small town, nor could I ever return permanately to my hometown, but I credit a lot of my solid qualities to growing up there. I would love to live in New York City some time in my life, even if just for six months. I went there for the first time last fall and I fell in love. I could not wipe the smile off my face the whole time, and despite terrible weather, I sat on the roof of my tour bus (the only one besides the tour guide!) in a drenched poncho,camera in hand, enjoying every minute of it.
4.) Growing up, I collected anything that had on it or was an actual cow. I had figurines, little tins, stuffed animals, a journal, stationary – you name it. I don’t know where all of it went to be honest, but for several years that was the way to my heart.
5.) My former boss told me one of the reasons she hired me is that I am very loyal and when I build close relationships, I keep them for a lifetime. She was right and I feel very blessed to have special friends from all over the country and different times of my life.
I wish I could put pictures of everyone special up. If you’re not here, there will be a time and place for you!
Happy Friday, I know mine will be now!
Help me, help myself
October 29th, 2009 § 5 Comments
So let’s just get something out on the table: I have somewhat of an addictive personality. I can get slightly obsessed overly quick. Over the past few years, it’s ranged from many things – most of them not exactly what you’d call the best habits. There was a time I smoked. Not like a chimney, mind you, but I still did. I turned to it when I drank. I turned to it when I was stressed. Bored. When I wanted to fit in. Stand out. Trust me, I always found a reason. I am proud to say that is a part of my past for once and all now. It’s a hard habit to kick, and it’s hard to admit publicly to some people who I know will be disappointed. But, it’s over and the moral of telling that is to prove the point of my addictive personality.
When I stopped smoking prior to “once and for all,” I picked up shopping. Having lived by the mecca of shopping malls in King of Prussia, this was bad. I got myself and my best friend Chase Visa in a lot of trouble there. When I moved back to Pittsburgh, the shopping eased up a little, but my old habit came back. Once I kicked it again (“once and for all”), I found the best new addiction: running. Now, when stress hits me, I want to run, not smoke.
I’ll admit, in the middle of my training for the 5K, I took a drag of a friend’s cigarette (I don’t know what I was thinking) and I coughed like a 15-year-old trying it for the first time. Do you know what that means? VICTORY!
So, what other addictions has The Twenty-Fifth Year faced? Well, in the years leading up to this pivotal one, a big one was coffee. Starbucks coffee to be exact.
Now, I know this java isn’t the mecca of all that is good in coffee land. It’s a bit bitter. Burnt, some say. But it’s EVERYWHERE. It’s convenient. And it’s expensive. I know what you’re thinking, “Duh! It’s like 4 bucks!” Yeah, I know. Because I spent that every day for months on end in Philly. It became a part of my morning routine. Get off the train, grab a latte from the super cute barista who always remembered me and was so, so happy at 8 a.m. (probably an evil ploy to get 20-something female return customers like myself) and get on with my day. THEN one day I figured out I was giving 100 big ones to Starbucks a month! And that’s when I decided the addiction had to end. I invested in some store-bought creamer and called it a day.
My garbage can at work in Philly? Maybe..
When I started my current job, I started to get sucked back into the Starbucks Black Hole. I mean there’s one in the building I work in AND outside. Cmon, two within a few hundred yards Starbucks people? Did I mention I work in the BOONIES? We were always making SB runs, and then I looked at my checkbook and saw too many java deductions. Back to the home-brewed I go.
Now, I save Starbucks as a special occasion and usually get it once a week. Maybe when I am running late, or need a little perk, or when I look at my checkbook and feel I deserve a reward 
And now, with the holiday season around the corner, I know I will tempted by SB’s Peppermint Mocha – aka the stuff I live for the other 10 months of the year.
But never fear bank account – I have refuge!
It’s like the people at Coffee Mate heard my desperate cries of a need for intervention! When I saw this at my grocery store, I freaked. Like I-just-won-$5,000-a-week-for-life-on-this-scratch-off-lottery-ticket-at-the-dirty 7-Eleven-after-the-worst-day-of-my-life-freak-out. I immediately bought seventeen two. This is literally liquid crack. I checked it out and these suckers expire in March 2010 (gross?) so I plan to stock up in December. If $3 a bottle can save me $300 then I am all in.
What are your addictions? How did you stage an intervention with yourself? Do you love Starbucks too??
The Stadium Loop and Green Monsters
October 28th, 2009 § 12 Comments
So, for those of you who don’t live in or have never been to Pittsburgh, I wanted to give you a little imagery to give you an idea of what the Stadium Loop really looks like (plus, the nice Fall days are dwindling!)
Before I took off on my run, I fueled up the best way I know how:
Then I set off for my loop. It’s close to 2.5 miles round trip. I’ll let the pictures do the talking..
Seriously, GORGEOUS!
(This is also known as the Promised Land..home to six Super Bowl Trophies)
FYI Hines Ward (#86) is my favorite player. When I watch games, he is known as “my boy” or “my baby” I just go NUTS for him. I love his smile and don’t care if I am a “typical girl” for loving him – when it’s game time, he’s it.
Random fact: geese, ducks, squirrels, chipmunks and any other outdoor animal that scurries or can flap their wings FREAKS ME OUT. I tried to get closer to these geese and once they started honking I sprinted back. I am always paranoid they are going to attack. (A product of too much YouTube?)
As much as I love my runs, it’s always nice to come HOME!
And when I do, many times I make one of these bad boys.
A Green Monster!! (And two vitamins – the chewy kind, yes I am five years old.) These have been pretty big in the food/fitness blog world and they pretty much rock! There are many variations on the recipe, but mine consists of blending together:
1 cup ice
1 1/4 cup vanilla soymilk (I eyeball it now, so it might be a little more or less)
1 cup spinach
1 banana
1 T. peanut butter
few shakes of cinnamon
I usually put 2 scoops of protein powder in, too, but I have been out for a few weeks. So, as you can see, this is packed full of really good stuff – lots of protein and nutrients. It’s perfect post-workout when your body needs lots of replenishment. But, I usually drink one every morning. It’s made a great difference in other ways too – better (clearer, glowing) skin, and nail and hair growth! Yes, it’s green, but you cannot taste the spinach! It’s kind of like a vanilla milkshake with a hint of banana and peanut butter. Don’t knock it til you try it! And if you do, I want to hear all about it!!
<3
It Ain’t Over..
October 26th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Just because Fat Talk Free Week ended a few days ago, doesn’t mean you still can’t make the promise to yourself and the women you love in your life.
Another video from Tri Delta. This one had much more of an affect on me.
It’s Official
October 23rd, 2009 § 2 Comments
Well, now I have gone and done it, there’s no turning back now!
I am officially registered! This is the largest 5-mile race in Texas! Guess everything really is bigger there. I know now, I will kick myself into high gear and getting my mind into ‘training mode.’ Running is truly almost all in your head, so let the mind games begin! Here I come Austin – T minus one month! (And a few days..)
If anyone out there knows anything out this course, I would love the insight! Happy Friday!
Good teeth, bad hair
October 22nd, 2009 § 4 Comments
So remember when I told y’all about Operation Beautiful? Well I finally posted my note today!
The initiative behind Operation Beautiful was spurred by Ending Fat Talk and I think it’s just amazing. I posted this at the dentist’s office this morning. Don’t worry I was only there for a cleaning (thank goodness!) but having battled what I did, I know that many days I left that place not feeling too great. This office has over 1,000 patients and it’s a unisex bathroom so I hope it makes at least one person’s day!
After my speedy appointment I came home to enjoy the beautiful weather we’re having. Look what came in the mail today!
I received a subscription to this magazine for my birthday from my dear cousin Michael and I was pumped to see not one but two of them came today!! Oh, and that’s my amazing table my Mum and I made with a bunch of my old newspaper clips decoupaged onto it. Love it.
Naturally I enjoyed the first one right away..
I literally had to keep leaves from falling into my coffee – but I wouldn’t change this weather for anything! (And yes, I am never without that phone – they don’t call them ‘Crackberrys’ for nothing!)
Among all the awesome articles in here – I think it’s my new favorite magazine – one titled, “Mane Street USA” caught my attention. It talked about how bad hair days can actually be chalked up to the city you live in and its environment, weather conditions, etc. Guess what the number three city for worst hair is? Pittsburgh, PA. Here I thought living in D.C. and Baltimore gave me the worst hair days! Naturally curly hair with an owner who straightens it will not survive that summer humidity. And, hey, aren’t we supposed to be the U.S.’s ‘Most Livable City?’ It can’t be that great if we are all obsessing over our hair!!
Also on the worst on the list ranked by totalbeauty.com: Corpus Christi, TX, Olympia, WA, Las Vegas, NV, and Phoenix, AZ. The best? Honolulu, San Diego, Anchorage and San Francisco. Go figure.
The West Coast may have its perks, but I don’t think anyone wakes up to this..
End Fat Talk
October 20th, 2009 § 1 Comment
I know I told you of a few causes I have a passion for, this is one. Tri Delta’s Fat Talk Free Week is a public awareness issue to stop the hurtful actions we are all guilty of at one time or another. Join me in taking the pledge.
Today I promise to eliminate Fat Talk from conversations with my friends, my family and myself.
Starting now, I will strive for a healthy ideal, which I know looks different for every woman, and focuses on health, not weight or size.
I will celebrate the things about myself and the women in my life that have nothing to do with how we look.
I decide to end Fat Talk NOW!
Special thanks to Operation Beautiful and Healthy Tipping Point for raising awareness around this issue.
Just Like Mum’s
October 19th, 2009 § 4 Comments
Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Sorry for the lack of posting. I worked for 12 hours Saturday and spent most of yesterday recovering (read: napping). I did, however catch all the good parts of my hometown team do what they do best.
It’s no Yuengling, but for Steelers games, it will do.
Anyhow, after my marathon nap, I decided it was grocery store time. I was in the mood to cook. This is rare, so when the urge strikes me, I have to act quickly.
I decided to make a familar meal from growing up – oven beef stew. I can remember so many cold fall and winter days when my Mum (yes I call her Mum) would make this meal. Luckily for me, it was in the recipe book she made for my brother and me last year. (I think she got sick of me calling and asking for recipes all the time.)
Here it is:
Combine 1 T flour, 3/4 tsp salt, dash of pepper
Dredge 1 pound stew beef, 1″ size in flour mixture
Brown in 1T shortening
Add to dutch oven with 1 can condensed tomato soup, 1 soup can water, 3/4 chopped onion, 1/4 tsp basil, pared and cubed potatoes, 1″ carrot pieces (as many as needed for these two veggies)
Cover and bake at 375 for one hour, stirring two times. Stew thickens as it cooks.
Ingredients, minus a few – what can I say, I’m a scattered cook! Told ya I like fresh flowers..
So this recipe seems simple upon reading, and maybe I’m just a slow cook, but it took me an hour to prep! Although, it wasn’t all bad. It actually brought back a lot of memories of standing over the sink at my parent’s house, peeling vegetables, helping out Mum – aww.
Plus, I enjoyed a tradition started by my Dad – hot apple cider with a splash of peach Schnapps:
Love this mug he bought me too – it says “Some things in life are better rich: coffee, chocolate, men.” Haha my Dad rocks.
So then I dredged and browned:
Definitely messy! Then I combined everything and let it work its magic. While that was going on, I implemented one of my Mum’s kitchen rules: clean as you go. It makes the whole process much less exhausting when you don’t have to finish eating and return to a messy kitchen!
Them, I attempted to carve my pumpkin. But I didn’t get too far when I discovered..
MOLD!!!! Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!
Which is exactly what I said when I took the lid off and made that discovery. A word to the wise: don’t leave pumpkins in the house, they are like any other vegetable and need to be kept cold. Good thing it was garbage night. Ugh.
But joy of joy, by that time the stew was done!
Mmmm…just like Mum’s!
Why I Love Fall
October 16th, 2009 § 1 Comment
Hey all! Thanks so much for checkin’ in and comin’ back. And if you’re a first time visitor – welcome! Today’s post will be a bit short – sorry! I’ve got to get my little self together and get to work! How many of you are Grey’s Anatomy fans? Did you watch last night? What’d you think about Izzie? Personally, I saw it coming. I will always love Grey’s but it is definitely different this season. And where was Mark Sloan last night? That’s half the reason I watch the show. By the way, I am a person who could easily live without cable/TV. If the President put a mandate into affect immediately to ban it forever, I’d be OK with that. Grey’s is one of three shows I record and watch, but even then I feel like there are so many other great things to do than watch TV. Like carve pumpkins!!!
I can’t remember the last time I carved pumpkins!! Truth be told, I never got past cleaning this one out. I know what I want to carve but it’s just a blank canvas. Any ideas??
Ahh, fall. Changing leaves, beautiful colors, sweater weather and an overall sense of peace…
Brought to you by my favorite candle, which I’ve been burning very frequently
Want to follow me on Twitter? Sure you do! TGIF!
Pittsburgh conditions and loving your body
October 15th, 2009 § 3 Comments
Rain Shower
Feels Like
35°F
So yes, we turn the Point State Park fountain pink for awareness. Pretty cool, huh?
Have a little faith in me
October 14th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Hello again! I want to stray from the fitness/training/running theme of my last few posts and talk about another facet of my life that I am spending a lot of time focusing on in my 25th year – my faith. I actually started exploring it about a year ago when I went to services at a few non-denominational churches. Now, you should probably know that I was raised Catholic. Not strict Catholic to the point where I went to a private school, but I came from a generation of that and a very devout grandmother. She worked hard to raise her six children up in a home filled with faith and continued to share her devotion with her many grandchildren. There have been many times throughout this last year when I have wondered, maybe even worried, what she’d think of me straying away from her beloved faith.
I wasn’t questioning my faith, or even looking to try something different. I kind of stumbled upon it, and being someone who’s very open to new things, I started attending.
Here is how I see it. The rituals of Catholic mass are deeply rooted and the service itself is beautiful. But I can’t help but feel that week after week, it’s the same thing. Sure, the scripture readings are different, the songs change, but the mass is more or less the same week in and week out.
What I like about the services at these non-denominational churches is that they are not predictable. They have order, sure, but I couldn’t sit down in the pew and recite the entire mass word for word with the preacher. (And I know every Catholic knows exactly what I’m talking about) When it’s time for the “lesson” or to read scriptures and reflect, I feel like I am getting so much more out of it. Priests and pastors alike do their best to tie the Bible’s meaning to today’s life, but for some reason I find my mind drifting away in Catholic church. I feel no energy, no inspiration.
Last night, I attended yet another service outside my Catholic upbringing when I accompanied a friend to a revival at a Baptist church. I originally went to attend a Bible study, and when she told me the schedule had changed, I said, “What’s a revival?” She laughed and explained to me that it was just like a regular Sunday service. Friends, I am not going to lie, when I heard the word ‘revival’ I imagined people jumping around, going crazy screaming praises and healing the sick – like something off an evangelistic TV show.
The service was certainly not the quiet, calm ritual of a Catholic mass. There was singing like I have never heard, beautiful voices of a choir 50 strong. People were clapping and dancing and singing and praising and crying, talking right to Jesus and God while the songs were sung and the Bible was read. There was a pastor there who read scripture and preached with more fire and passion than I have ever seen. He brought those words right into 2009 and made the lesson to be learned a real thing. I honestly felt like he was speaking to me. It was amazing.
I am a very passionate person. Having stepped away from the writing world – my passion and what I feel in my heart I was born to do – I felt like some of that passion has died. Like what was once a big burning fire, was slowly being burned down into embers – maybe even out completely. Last night that fire might as well have had kerosene poured on it and a match thrown its way. The time I spent there rejuvenated me. For anyone who feels that way at this very minute or ever, I truly hope they find that way to ignite – and believe me, it doesn’t have to be church or God or even faith – and they welcome the fire. I’m pretty sure Gram would have wanted nothing more.
Old City, New Run
October 11th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Hello All! I’ve had a pair of really great weekends that have totally jump started my mood. As I mentioned in my last post, I was back in Philly last weekend. As many of you know, I lived in the City of Brotherly Love for about a year and a half after I graduated from college. I moved there to take my first job as a writer.
I learned so much doing that job and I grew and gained so many great experiences and insight and just an overall sense of self. I also sacrificed a lot and wore my body to the core working as much as I did. Why I am here and not there anymore is irrelevant – what matters is the place this City has in my heart.
I’ve returned twice since I moved away almost exactly a year ago. Each time was spent predominantly outside the City in the King of Prussia area where I lived. My most recent return was spent entirely in Philly and just as I predicted, I was flooded with nostalgia and I was so happy to be back.
Despite a late arrival and bed time Friday, I was up around 8:00 a.m. Saturday practically bouncing out of bed with excitement. The trip was pretty much a spur of the moment decision for me but once I knew I was going, I told myself no matter what, I would go running through the City one, if not both, mornings. I geared up and ran about 20 blocks from our hotel on Front Street to City Hall. The streets were packed with tourists – but of course I didn’t mind. I was so pumped to be running a new “course” just taking in all the sights and sounds I once took for granted.
I was pretty happy to start my day off right. The rest of the afternoon we wandered around South Street before returning to the hotel to go to the Pink concert, which was the whole point of the trip!
There is much debate about where to get the “best” Philly cheesesteak – in my opinion it’s Jim’s on Fourth and South. No matter what, if it’s your first time, you have to get the cheese wiz! It’s just not authentic otherwise.
I wish I could say I ran Sunday morning as well, but I had a little too much fun at the concert
This week I’ll continue training for the Thanksgiving Race! I am going to run outside for as long as my lungs and my body can tolerate it – another stadium loop tomorrow!
Back at it
October 7th, 2009 § 5 Comments
Well I neglected my run yesterday due to a poor night’s sleep. I am a firm believer in not exerting your body if you’re not properly fueled and rested.
I am also a firm believer in keeping fresh flowers, luxury hand soap and baked goods in the house, but that’s for another post.
This morning we went for a run I will probably refer to as the stadium loop. The course we ran today is just short of a 5K and features the skyline and, of course, the stadiums (Go Steelers!). The weather has been windy lately and that definitely affected my stamina.
I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma when I was 10. While it’s never been severely hindering to me, it does pose a struggle when running. While training for the 5K, I trained well enough to overcome it. Now that the temperatures have dropped, though, I can definitely feel my lungs and bronchial tubes straining. That probably sounds funny, but once you understand how the lungs work and all the jargon, it’s easy to relate your symptoms back to the science. Lesson learned: fall = inhaler season!
Time to go hit up som
e shot blocks and get this day going!
A lil Hump Day smile brought to you by my recent trip to Philly! More on that to come…
A new challenge
October 5th, 2009 § 2 Comments
Well something else I have learned since turning 25? I am still a pretty big procrastinator. While I would love to write every day, I find myself not jumping into the habit right off the bat. That being said, please bear with my spontaneity as we go!
So I left off with the event that sparred all of this. Let me continue!
Over the last few years, I have drifted in and out of having an interest in fitness. When I was living outside Philadelphia working as a writer/server I didn’t exactly have ample time to hit the gym. But there was one golden month or so that I did, religiously, following a work out plan my cousin constructed for me. Paired with a diet change to clean food and mostly natural and organic, I shed 10 pounds. I was ecstatic. Then I went on a little vacation to Nashville and when I came back I lost most of that motivation. I can’t point my finger at a good reason why, I just stopped caring so much (and um, socializing more).
Fast forward about a year, and I got into it again. I wasn’t super serious, though. I switched jobs and my mind was everywhere with adjustments. I tried the old plan that was successful before and it just didn’t pan out the way I wanted to. At that point, I was doing 20 minutes of the Galloway method on the treadmill, barely able to run for more than a minute at a time.
I can’t exactly pinpoint when or why, but all of a sudden something changed. I decided to run and make it mean something. I got serious again. For the next 7 weeks I trained hard. I ran four or more days a week, I hit the outdoor trails, I pushed myself.
Then I made a profound statement.
“I really need to go to the dentist soon. Yeah, I need to get on that.”
Enter excruciating tooth pain. On Labor Day weekend. When my parents were packing up my childhood home and moving 1,000 miles south to Texas.
To make a long, long story short, I ended up spending my last day in my hometown in the Emergency Room for three hours. I was completely drugged up when I said my goodbyes (had a DD!) and ended up back in the ER two nights later with swelling up my whole face that belongs in some medical journal. What I was suffering from was an abscessed tooth that infected me up to my sinuses and took nearly everything out of me and shaved 10 days off my training.
When I got back to it, I was hesitant about running. While I was upset I had missed out on precious time, I was scared I was going to do something to hurt myself even more. It took a couple of easy paced work outs, but when I started running again, I did the unthinkable – I ran a whole mile without stopping. I had never, not once in my life, done that. I just kept setting a goal with time, then once I surpassed it, I thought, “well, why stop there? Now I’ll shoot for this..” By the time I knew it, 1.0 miles was behind me and I had done something I never could have imagined.
For about three days prior to the race while I rested my legs and body, my nerves kicked in. It rained. I worried. When Sunday rolled around, I rushed to get ready and we headed down to the start. The rain continued and we stretched and waited, stretched and waited.
Finally, we lined up and the gun went off. We weaved our way from the back of the pack and ran the first mile strong downhill through University of Pittsburgh and Carlow College’s campuses. We stopped once between each mile and pulled each other through when the other was struggling. As soon as we turned the corner to Point State Park, I hit my wall. I felt like throwing up. I didn’t care that there were people everywhere. I ripped off my headphones – the music was making me sick. Carrie looked back, grabbed my arm and said, “No!” Thank goodness for that pull. We neared the finish line, passing her family and as we crossed, she grabbed my hand and we finished with our arms up high. It was quite a moment.
I was pretty bummed when I saw the clock as we finished at 41 minutes. I totally forgot that our chip time would be different coming from the back of the pack. When we got the heads up the times were posted and that we came in under 40 minutes, I was back on cloud nine – a runner’s high second wind if you will. The rest of the day consisted of sleeping and eating.
Since then, I have given myself a bit of a break and only run twice – just this Saturday I ran through Center City Philadelphia – what a great morning – and found myself easily tired and winded.
The solution to my sluggishness lies in me signing up for another race, which I plan to do this week. The 5 mile Turkey Trot in Austin, TX is on Thanksgiving morning around the University of Texas campus. This is definitely a step up for me, and I am once again nervous, but the nerves are a good thing! I’m starting to get serious…..tomorrow morning! For real, there will be no procrastinating when it comes to this!
