2013 goals: midyear update

i have so many unfinished posts floating around in here. one of these days, i will finish one. the one i started saturday night is definitely an important one for me. it's also going to be a really hard post to create. but on to something less difficult: my goals

i finally sat down yesterday (no choice when you're trapped in a car for 12 hours) and reassessed. i deleted, updated and condensed. my goal areas, of course, haven't changed (professional development, physical & mental health and financial management), but now i have 15 goals - some specific, some general. all focused on improving and growing. one step towards accomplishing or at least moving in the direction of my goals is to let my planning go *shudder* which is so tough

the last few weeks have highlighted a lot of things for me. one of which is my strong "need" to plan and my complete lack of follow through. so i am stepping back from my hyper regimented life. having a plan is helpful, but i waste WAY too much time plotting out details. i'm too mentally exhausted to actually do anything. i truly can't continue living like this so i am going to try doing things differently. we'll see how it all goes...

2013 goals

and then i figured it out at 1am

i have five overarching goals i plan to focus on this year

financial: stick to a budget to work on paying down debt
physical: focus on food and fitness to drop weight
physical: take care of the little things to prevent health issues
mental: make time for myself and people in my life
professional: grow as a counselor in and out of session

my crazy list of 30 specific goals fit snuggly under these umbrellas, which, organizationally, makes my life much saner :)

yes, i said 30... one of which i'm already failing at. boo. i'll spare you the details because i'm trying not to look completely type a for a change. i'm deleting my goal tracker since it's not really helping. instead, i'm putting everything in my planner. crossing things off seems more fun than checking off boxes. plus i can interject little rewards on the list to keep myself motivated

a bit of my usual initial motivation is creeping in. i'm excited to work on things now that a plan is starting to gel. i just need to do better at not slipping into sustained slumps. i have a lot of great support (thanks, all of you!!!). i'm just terrible at using that support to help me through rough patches. maybe i should make that #31 ;) for now, i'm off to attack my planner. woohoo!

goal setting

so i sat down and copied all the goals i've had over the last few years. not that i needed to since they never really change. health, finances, academics and work. no matter what i do, i always have the same focuses, the same amount of success and the same setbacks

so at what point do i concede that there are goals that i simply cannot meet?

well, if you know anything about me at this point, the answer is never. mentally, i want to push that much harder to accomplish everything. the problem is when my motivation begins to fade. i only do well when i'm competing with someone else. oddly, i have very little inner motivation (at least not consistently), but i am fiercely competitive. i know i've stagnated in my growth as a person in some aspects because of this. there is no competition in counseling or at my job. there is only me halfheartedly striving to improve. or just prove in some cases. having just read nicole's post on why we shouldn't be comparing ourselves to everyone else, i'm feeling a bit lost. comparing myself has been my biggest motivator over the last few years. what am i going to do if i let that go?

*sigh* what the fuck is wrong with me?

...i'm going to set these goals. not just for the next month, but for the next year. i'm just not sure how i'm going to break down attacking the goals and staying motivated. that'll be part of the next phase i guess. woohoo planning. the only thing i'm truly good at doing :p

fall goals

i need to get back into my routine, get back into the habit of taking care of myself. cause i've been off my game. clearly. i know what's wrong, and i'm stressed out... i didn't change my overall goals, but i haven't posted them or truly kept on top of them. plus a few got some alterations

1. food: four veggies/fruits, two dairy and two healthy oils daily. choose whole grains and lean protein. one grain or pasta per week. at least one all veggie dinner per week

2. walking (forget workouts): weekly step goal of 35,000 (5000 daily). for any day that i don't get at least 3750 steps, get on the treadmill before bed

3. stretch: back exercises daily and stretching through out the day while at work [signed up for fitbolt, which links to my fitbit, for desk/office stretches and activities]

4. weight: drop those annoying eight pounds by january 1st

5. teeth: floss daily

6. me time: journal & read for fun daily

7. routine: create daily to do list, don't procrastinate homework/assignments and pay attention to time

i need to get my good habits back before i spiral out of control. i did well for a month and a half, and then i got overwhelmed. only a few weeks remain in this semester (in the year!). so it's time to stop talking and start doing

aug goals

july was a truly crazy month. so much happened that i won't even get into, but some major blows came to the goals. so i'm moving forward with most of the same ones for this month (which is practically half over)

1. water: six glasses per day; at least four of actual water

2. food: four veggies/fruits, two dairy, two healthy oils and lean protein. also trying to decrease my sugar and grains since nearly half my diet is carbs. delicious delicious carbs

3. routine: still trying to get my shit together. it'll probably be easier now that the olympics have ended *le sigh

4. workout: i dropped full workouts because i have zero motivation. instead i'm focusing on strengthening my back. i'm supposed to be doing various exercises daily from my chiro. guess how many times that's happened :p so it's up on the to do list

5. me time: also dropped off on my journaling and reading. it's on the agenda again though since i generally feel better when i can do both regularly. keep saying that. then i get distracted by things like diving and gymnastics ;)

in addition to my goals, i need to start gearing up for another semester. my last as a master's level student. eep! still wrapping my brain around graduating in december... but first, bedtime before another short week of work :)

july goals

so i didn't do terribly with june's goals, but i didn't really excel either. not changing much for july since i really want to get things under control before taking next steps, with the exception of water intake and productivity. i kinda crushed both of those :) i also managed to do well with getting on top of my diet. salmon with couscous and brussel sprouts > cheetos

1. water: six glasses per day. water isn't just water though. it's any non-alchoholic, non-carbonated drink (tea, milk, coffee, juice...). however, i only count two of those per day so that's four glasses of actual water

2. food: taking a cue from the weight watchers "good health guidelines" - three veggies/fruits, two healthy oils, two dairy and one lean protein. seems like a lot, but it really isn't. still working my way back up to five veggies/fruits per day; the rest i've kinda been doing unofficially

3. workouts: spinning impedes my budget goal so i'm dropping it for the month. instead, i'm going to start using our community gym. i have no good excuse for not using it before. it's time to change that. three workouts per week starting with 20 minutes per workout

4. mornings: slightly shifting the schedule. up by 7a to hit the gym, shower and eat; out the door by 815a to get to the office early. cause if i get to the office earlier, i can duck out earlier on fridays

6. boundaries: i've been doing WAY better about staying focused and being productive now that i'm making daily to do lists. however, i need to start establishing more work boundaries for myself. school starts up next month so i'm going to need blocks of time dedicated to it alone. this means having a clearly defined schedule for the day job and side business

7. bedtime: still giving myself at least an hour to journal and read a little each night. lights out by midnight is an absolute must. i know i'm not getting nearly enough sleep, but i'm also an old lady who can't sleep in on weekends anymore. it's total bunk

now let's see how well i've done this past week despite setting goals today ;)

june goals

this is no great epiphany, but i've come to re-realize that i need to set concrete goals for myself in everything that i do. my life is easier when i'm crossing things off a list. bringing back some old "favorites"

1. water: i need to drink so much more of it consistently. i can get in four or five glasses on a good day, but i want to get in six. this is a must. i'm gonna be peeing like a pregnant lady, but at least i won't be parched

2. food: eat more veggies and fruits. we've been getting local/organic produce delivered to the apartment, which is super awesome. so i'm hoping that translates into more healthy lunches, dinners and snacks. breakfast is not as bad as the rest. current goal is two servings per day - lunch and dinner. as the season picks up and i adjust, i want to increase that back up to five

3. workouts: this is one of my biggest problem areas. i. must. get. my. ass. moving. spin class is a huge help, and i'm really loving it. however, that's only once a week since i have to ford the river into nova (nothern virginia for those who don't know ;)). i need to get at least two more workouts a week i think. i'm hoping that will get the fat down and the muscle up

4. sleeping: my bedtime routine is a mess. so is my morning routine. i never get enough sleep, and i have no real excuse for it. my goal is to be in bed by 11pm and asleep by midnight. that gives me seven hours for sandman action before i need to get up. eventually, i want that to be a 10 to 11 window for eight solid hours of snoozing

5. mornings: so the natural next step is getting my morning routine back underwraps, too. i need to stop laying around in bed for eternity, which really means "i need to stop checking twitter first thing when i wake up". i already changed around my phone home screens. so when i wake up, the first thing i'll see is my daily agenda. the goal is to be awake up 7am and in the shower by 730. that leaves plenty of time for a morning workout and some lounging. if i can get really motivated, i might shift my work schedule earlier, too. that'll be in july's goals ;)

6. money: stop wasting it. stop grossly exceeding the budget. stop playing the credit card transfer game. the rest of the year is going to be tight moneywise. not as tight as i first anticipated thanks to some surprise extra cash. however, i still need to be on my game. i'm going to be ramping up some more smartypig savings for trips, but i need to start partaking in more free fun this summer

7. journaling: i started writing in my journal again to keep my crazy in check. i always forget how much i enjoy a conversation with myself. it's easier to resolve or understand things when i get them out of my head, but not everything is blogable. though, there are some blog posts hiding in there. my goal is to journal every day before going to sleep; so far i'm up to every other night. getting there

8. reading: another piece of the bedtime ritual is reading for fun. i'm making the time for something i love, and i want to do it every day. just like journaling, it's been inconsistent. however, this should be one of the easier goals for me to meet since i love a good story

9. connecting: during the semester, i threw together a highlights email for my closest girls. it was essentially the top three/five things going on in my week. i miss them constantly, and the email was a nice simple way of staying in touch. i want to keep that up despite it having been a self care semester goal. self care never ends (file under: things i need to remember more often). i also want to further connect with my blog/twitter friends. first step in that is keeping up with what's actually happening in my internet circles. setting aside some time for reading blogs and checking twitter is necessary

10. productivity: i need to reprioritize my day. i mention connecting and interacting with my online peeps, but i spend most of my time playing catch up. yes, i have a bit of fomo, but i'm also too disorganized to manage my day. this has been the week of "i don't actually know what i did for the last five hours", but i know i did something. so i'm bringing back my trusty post it note to do list. that'll give me a way to structure my days in and out of the office so that shit gets done without sacrificing time somewhere else or just going through the motions

it's not much, but each piece is important. i fell off a wagon somewhere, and this is my attempt to climb back on

beat the heat week10

summer goals:

1. drink six glasses of water per day
2. workout at least three times per week
3. leave for work by 830
4. stop dicking around with staying on budget
5. write in my journal weekly

results:
(1) i've done pretty well with this goal. i only faltered one week out of the whole challenge. two years ago, i barely drank any water at all. it still surprises me how much that's changed :)

(2) ha! this was, by far, my absolute worst goal. i didn't realize how bad until i was looking back over the whole challenge. i only accomplished this twice the entire time. twice. ugh! i'm still trying to build it into my schedule cause i need to move my ass as much as possible

(3) another happy surprise :) not only did i successfully change my morning routine, but i found extra time in my day for whatever i need. i'm going to try to take a small chunk of that extra time to do quick workouts (seriously, goal #2 is still a must!). joyce and reuters tell me i only need 15 minutes a day so that's my goal

(4) i only slipped up a little on the budget. i counted one week as a half win because i went over one piece without balance among the others. last week, i totally screwed the budget because of groceries. this week's groceries will be very light. good thing i have extras of stuff :p

(5) bu bu bust! just like the workouts *double sigh* not that i really needed journaling, but it can be helpful at times. i'm definitely not as disappointed about this goal as i am with my fitness failings though. maybe one day i'll start journaling regularly. maybe one day i'll also be a more consistent blogger ;) *shrug*

via we heart it

via we heart it

via we heart it

i couldn't pick just one so enjoy some adorable, carefree lovey feelings. isn't that pup just too precious?! i needed a wee bit of cheering in recovery from week one of grad school exhaustion. so. much. reading. i'm already behind ugh. but i'm hoping to catch up this week. until then, i'll be dreaming of floating away in a sea of balloons

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beat the heat week9

this week's questions:

1. What have you achieved towards your goals this week?
2. What have you done to make yourself feel fabulous?
3. This is week 9 and the final week of the challenge! Is there anything you want to really push to achieve now?
4. How have you felt through the challenge? Has anything been more difficult than you thought? Anything easier?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Where do you fit in your family? Are you a middle child for example? How does that affect your “place” in the family?

question 1: (1) shaky at best. i count it as a win, but i only drank my daily allotment four of seven days. must stay on top of this better cause i'm starting to slip (2) jack shit. didn't get up and workout. didn't workout after work. didn't even pretend like i was going to. what a bust (3 & 4) these two i was actually on top of. i'm still doing pretty well with my new schedule, and i was right on target with weekly expenses. i'm on my fall schedule as of this morning since class starts tomorrow. no more working from home, but late wednesdays have returned :) (5) another bust, but i'm less concerned with this one. i'll be doing plenty of writing in the coming weeks for class purposes (eek)

question 2: nothing to feel fabulous, but i can tell you what i did to feel completely unfabulous. i drank a shit ton at a "survive the hurricane" party. well, the hurricane that wasn't. irene was down to tropical storm levels by the time she reached us *shrug* i paid for my over indulgence yesterday, spending most of the day in my jammies on the couch. though, leslie and i had a most delicious hangover breakfast once the power returned. cheese scrambled eggs, toast, homemade home fries and beer brats :)

question 3: no one thing over the others; they're all still equally important. i need to work harder on the fitness and water goals though

question 4: that's a tough one to answer. each goal has had it's hard and easy moments over the last couple months. various things have gotten in the way, including myself, but i knew there would be struggling. that's why i chose these goals in the first place. i know these are my problem areas, and i just have to keep working on them

question 5: i'm the oldest of three. not sure how much that really affects me. i got to do things first, but my parents had the same standards and expectations of all of us. we're all spoiled, even though my sister takes the most advantage of it. i consider myself the most responsible and reliable, but we each have our moments *shrug*

this is the text for my child & adolescent psych course. i am so fucking excited about classes this semester. child psychology is my ultimate focus so this class means more than anything else. i'm not a huge fan of group therapy, but i'm interested to learn proper technique and such. it's going to be an insanely intense semester, but i'm looking forward to the challenge :)

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beat the heat week8

this week's questions:

1. What did you do this week to work towards your goals?
2. What did you do this week to make yourself feel fabulous?
3. What has been your biggest challenge this week?
4. Do you need neatness and order to feel good or does a bit of untidiness not bother you?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Would you rather be attacked by 20 duck sized horses or 20 horse sized ducks?

question 1: (1) water water everywhere, and all of it got drank. i was away for a couple days, but still managed to get in my six glasses. it's easier when you purposely limit your options ;) (2) one workout at home and one mini hike got me through this week. i still need consistency, which i'm hoping to tackle this week (3) no problems here, even with my week away. i'm feeling increasingly confident in my new routine as each day passes. it's not always perfect, but it's WAY better than last year's "schedule" (4) trips out of town are crushing my gas budget while saving my groceries budget. i'm so glad this month is almost over so i can start fresh at getting back on top of things (5) nothing written since atlanta. i just don't feel like writing

question 2: not feeling fabulous, but not feeling crappy either. i got home yesterday and almost immediately got in the tub. it was perfect temp, too. i read for over an hour and never got chilly. i was going to take a nap afterwards, but got distracted. it was still a nice lazy afternoon

question 3: staying energized and focused. my period is around the corner so i was constantly exhausted/hungry all week. i wasn't working out because i chose to sleep later. no post work workouts either because i had plans almost every night. and i haven't been eating the best. excessive snacking and cookouts have been my undoing. i'm up another four pounds today :( i was trying to stay in check, but only partly succeeded. this week should be better since i'll be less tired and not constantly famished. ironically, i need another snack each day this week or i'll be way (unhealthily) under my targets. might pick up some granola bars on the way home

question 4: i can handle a small amount of untidiness, but i get overwhelmed by too much clutter. i start to feel claustrophobic when there are piles of stuff everywhere. i can focus on nothing else until they're cleaned up. it's the worst when class is in session. i'm most likely to let things go because of too much stuff to do, but i need everything to be clean before i can get anything else done. it's so frustrating

question 5: i think i'd opt for the horses. a tiny stampede seems less life threatening than being pecked by gigantic ducks :)

via things organized neatly

i love this tumblr! organizing/organized things make/s me happy. i would put everything in a nice labeled box if i could :) i'm planning to pick up a new bookcase and bins so i can reorganize my bedroom

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beat the heat week7

this week's questions:

1. What have you done to help you achieve your goals?
2. What have you done to make you feel fabulous?
3. If your house was on fire, and you could grab ONE thing (outside of people and your computer/laptop, they are all out) what would it be?
4. Tell us about your blog. Treat it like a book, what’s happened so far?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Tell an embarrassing story about yourself. No dodging.

question 1: (1) bust (2) bust (3) off work (4) half counts (5) bust. being away for a week really threw me off

question 2: finally took a shower yesterday. i was feeling mega lazy so i didn't bother unstinkifying for two days. of course, then i felt mega gross. i didn't just shower though. i exfoliated, shaved and washed/styled my hair. kinda made me feel like a brand new person, and i decided to do my nails

question 3: if it happened today, i have no clue. my cell i guess. if i were better prepared, my "in case of fire/zombies" kit. it would include a flashlight, cell, emergency credit card, change of clothes, book, running shoes, snacks and weaponry

question 4: i started this blog because i wanted a place to talk about non-weight stuff. i've ranted, laughed and schmooped all over it. i fell in love with my boy, fought my way through my grad program and decided to stick with my current employer. i raised money for the komen foundation and lost almost 70 pounds. i said goodbye to my last grandparent. my blog is more a collection of short stories with the same protagonist

question 5: this is one of my favorite stories to tell because it involves my ridiculous mom. i went to catholic school from kindergarten (st. john's) through high school (spalding). st. john's didn't have a cafeteria so lunch was in our homerooms, and parents volunteered to watch us during lunch and recess. i convinced my mom to do it one time when i was in 8th grade. i was walking from the back of the room to my desk at the front. my foot got caught in someone's backpack strap, and i tripped. i fell right onto the floor, in the middle of the room so everyone saw. my mom, being the wonderful, caring person she is, burst out laughing. she asked, from the front of the room, if i was ok. i was more embarrassed that she'd laughed than i was by the fall. what a jerk :p

via

my nails aren't that intricate, but manicures are fun. we got manis and pedis before the funeral. i just went with a clear coat then. now they're blue with white tips

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beat the heat week5

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this week to work towards your goals?
2. What have you done to make yourself feel fabulous?
3. How are you finding your goals this challenge? Do you still think you can achieve them?
4. Freebie! If you want to change one goal change it. Explain your decision even if you don’t change any.
5. Fun Question of the Week: If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Your funds are unlimited!

question 1: (1) missed a couple days, but had more good than bad (2) skip it (3) i am kicking this goals ass... except that one day i way overslept ;) (4) came in over budget on groceries, but way under budget on gas. too bad my miscellaneous spending is still out of control. i've been tweaking the budget, which should help in the next couple months (5) i never write when things are really good. i had intended to on friday. i was having a really good day, and i wanted to have the reminder that those days exist. didn't get to it. then i got some bad news yesterday, which i did end up journaling about. i don't want to go into detail, but my family could use some extra positive energy

question 2: i registered for classes. if you've been following the snippets of info here and on twitter, you know this is a big freaking deal. i need to take care of some paperwork next week to finalize everything. i have a post coming with a bit more detail :)

question 3: sometimes awesome, sometimes aggravating. more annoyed with myself than my goals. this whole workout thing is just not going well. i have a plan that goes into effect next week. fingers crossed i can get my ass in gear. all my goals are attainable as long as i stick with them

question 4: i've done this in previous challenges, but i don't want to change any of my current ones. even with the frustration, these are things i really want to do consistently. forming new habits is a necessary pain in the ass; this challenge is a step towards changing my habits for good

question 5: i would stay in maryland, but i would buy a vacation home in the mountains. maybe in pennsylvania, maybe in arizona. somewhere semi-secluded where we could hideout for a couple weeks. or i might take my mom around the world and "live" everywhere. mom is the biggest reason i'd stay in maryland. if she wanted to move out of state, i'd move. if she wanted to travel on a boat, i'd order a monogrammed lifevest (i'm still a fancy bitch, even at sea ;)). i couldn't imagine being anywhere permanently without her nearby

via better moments

happiness isn't at the bottom of a shot glass, but there was a whole lot of delicious on the way there. i have awesome friends who know when i need a hug, a laugh and a drink <3

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beat the heat week4

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this week towards your goals?
2. What did you do to make yourself feel fabulous?
3. Do you exercise? What is your favourite kind and why?
4. There are loads of fantastic bloggers here in the Beat the Heat competition, which blog or blogs have you discovered through the challenge that you particularly enjoy? Show that person some love!
5. Fun Question of the Week: What song makes you want to dance at the moment?

question 1: (1 - water) (3 - schedule) (5 - journaling) easy peasy :) (2 - workouts) (4 - budget) crossed off, but just barely. i cleaned and cooked friday; spent a good amount of time at jesse's horizontal. i counted those as my short and fun workouts. might change my approach next week as my morning routine adjusts... budget is ok, but i'm getting into dangerous territory. changing my accounts keeps throwing me off

question 2: other than cleaning out the DVR and netflix queue? nada. oh, i did also cross off another item on my mega to do list. i finally got all my photos into albums :) now i can show off post college shenanigans to company

question 3: heh i loosely define exercise most days. i honestly don't hate working out; i just have a really hard time motivating myself to do it. favorite exercise that i'd never want to miss? sex. i think that's pretty self explanatory ;)

question 4: ok, i feel super horrible about this one... i haven't read any new blogs from this challenge. i'm sooo behind in my reader :( there are a bunch of blogs i picked up from amy's previous challenges though: a small loss, breathing through chaos, kissed a frog, shannon under construction... i know i'm missing a bunch; the organization of my reader is a bit behind, too

question 5: that could be just about anything if i'm in the right mood :) i grab my ipod for every trip up to jesse's (or anywhere outside my regular station's reach), and it is almost guaranteed that jesse mccartney will come on at least once in the 900+ song shuffle. he requires a car dance party of one, especially when it's makeup

for all my lazing about these last few months, i've managed to stay within my weight range. this was my weight at the end of yesterday, after a fantastic lunch at appalachian brewing co with jesse. there were no leftovers, and we were still full eight hours later. considering i typically gain a pound and a half over the course of a day, i'm probably in better shape (numberswise) than indicated here :)

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beat the heat week3

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this week to work towards your goals?
2. What have you done this week to make you feel fabulous?
3. Do you have any gadgets that help you to your goals or are you a low tech kinda person?
4. We are half way through the year, what have you achieved so far (in all aspects of life)?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Tell me one of your secrets to achieving goals and living a happy life?

question 1: this week was SO much better than last week. (1) it's been beyond ridiculously hot so drinking plenty of water isn't as much of an issue. i'm still having issues pacing myself though. even though i'm thirsty at work, i don't start drinking my water until nearly noon. my water bottle is full and sitting next to my computer; i just don't reach for it (2) why is three times a week so hard? i get about one and a half if i'm really trying. i don't hate working out, but i have zero desire to do it. juli and i are thinking about walking the trail after she moves. and i hope having a buddy is the kick in the ass i need (3) success! i think i finally found the key: showering first. i'm out of bed by 720, hop in the shower and have breakfast while getting dressed. i even have time to watch an episode of the talk while i'm getting ready. it's glorious :) (4) not superb, but not horrible either. i bought half my ornaments this weekend, which i forgot to factor in this month. next round in oct so i'll be ready. groceries will be the hard area for the next two weeks. why you gotta be so expensive, produce? *sigh* (5) i almost missed this week again. i had the time, but, like everything else, i forgot about it until yesterday. so instead of skipping it, i actually wrote. i love writing in my journal when i do it so i can't really understand why i make it so hard to do. scheduling time to write is definitely a hindrance; i should know better. i've dropped the blocked out time to put less pressure on it, but i still want to write at least once a week. maybe i'll even relocate my blogging voice...

question 2: journaling :) i love a good brain dump, and i've been bottling too much these days. i don't like sharing publicly until i've sorted through all the details, thoughts and emotions. problem is, i haven't been sorting at all. i've been letting things build up instead of addressing them. i know i shouldn't, and i'm not a fan of it. however, i'm constantly going in a thousand directions so sometimes it feels like i have to. i simply don't have the time and mental capacity to devote to every single thing... also? i bought hot new shoes. i luffs them :)

question 3: for this set of goals, low tech. i have my budget on a flashdrive and specific categories written in my planner. i update both on a daily basis. i have pageonce on my phone, but don't use it quite as often. it's great for checking balances and travel on the go. though it's not as helpful for my daily tracking because of how data is sent by my providers

question 4: i hit my goal weight and helped start a business. i'm proud of both feats. the next thing i want to do is buy a new car. i know exactly what i want, and i've picked a new dealer. i'm just crossing my fingers it's in the 2012 production lineup. it wasn't in the 2011 lineup with no explanation. i'm gonna be devastated if they canceled the model; there is literally no other vehicle with the features i want that i have any interest in

question 5: don't let anyone or anything get in the way of what you truly want. if you have emotional saboteurs, cut them out of your life. recognize the difference between people who may be confused about how to support you and those who truly want you to remain as you are at whatever cost. blood relative, best friend or random jerk on the street, doesn't matter. if that person is not being supportive in words and actions, they aren't a good person to keep around. change is difficult for everyone, but the people who matter most will be there to help you grow

via we heart it

because sometimes you need to write it out offline...

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beat the heat week2

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help achieve your goals?
2. What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?
3. Did you have a moment in your life where everything changed for you, an epiphany moment, or has it happened gradually?
4. What made you get involved with the Beat The Heat challenge?
5. Fun Question of the Week: What is your favourite TV Show at the moment?

question 1: i'm off to a great start; i completely botched three of my five goals. only worked out once, was late getting out of the house every day and didn't write in my journal. i did get all my water in, with a few extra glasses over the weekend. and i managed to stay on target with my budget

question 2: i spent the weekend with my best friends from college; seeing the girls was way overdue. i missed them so effing much. it's funny how much things can change but also remain the same. also hilarious that our boys are so goddamn the same, which is good cause we're four peas in a pod ;) and we finally got to meet zoe, who is the sweetest little thing :) she's so precious! there were a couple fussy moments because she's working on some new teeth, but none of us wanted to put her down ever. my favorite thing was seeing sean with her; he's such a good daddy. seeing her face light up every time he entered the room melted my cold bitchy heart

question 3: i kinda did in regards to my career. i'd become interested in english in my junior year of college. more in the evolution of speech and language than literature. unfortunately, i was thinking about how children learn speech and decided to enroll in a speech pathology grad program. my goal was dual masters and working with autistic kids. one bored semester later, i left the speech program. i felt a bit lost because i'd wasted a semester on a dream i no longer wanted. that following new year's eve was spent with my girls. there was an incident, and i tried to talk erin through the whole thing. it was in that moment that i realized psychology, my first love, was 100% where i needed to be. it's that memory that keeps me pushing forward for my master's and license

question 4: habit? lol. i've done both of the previous challenges, and i'm so glad amy started this. i've had better success sticking with my goals and changing my habits with her challenges. even though this past week was terrible, i've exceeded my own expectations in the last six months :)

question 5: that's kind of hard to decide. current shows? the talk, so you think you can dance, extreme makeover: weightloss edition. ended shows? buffy, sex and the city, foster's home for imaginary friends. older shows? the odd couple, the dick van dyke show, the golden girls... i like a lot of tv :)

via the magical world of harry potter

seeing harry potter is the highlight of my week. neal and i are doing the double feature on thursday :D how adorable are these little kidlets? correct answer: super

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beat the heat week1

yes we're doing this all over again :) this time rebecca is hosting on amy's behalf. who's ready to unlazify this summer?!

this week's questions:

1. What are your goals for the 10 week challenge?
2. Why did you pick those goals? What makes them important right now?
3. What’s your biggest excuse reason for not doing something and how are you going to stop it getting in the way?
4. Are you a planner or do you go with the flow?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Tell us something that will help us get to know you. Like things you like or a silly story or about your family.

questions 1-2:
1. drink at least six glasses of water per day. i'm still working increase my daily water intake. i'm finally getting consistent with five per day, and i'm hoping this will hammer in the new habit for good

2. workout at least three times per week. a returning goal from the winter challenge since i've gotten so lazy. i need to start getting specific about what and when; i think that might be my biggest obstacle

3. get up and out of the house by 830 for work. must stop sacrificing shower time instead of twitter time. must. stop. i've gotten better about the time i spend on my phone before getting out of bed. however, i'm still wasting time, which means rushing around to make/eat breakfast, make lunch and get in the shower

4. stick as closely to the budget as possible. the last few months have been... questionable. i need to lock it down cause i'm juggling money between accounts again. not good, especially when i'm trying to close another one of my credit cards by the end of the year

5. write in my journal at least once a week. one of the things i loved about my basic counseling course were the weekly journals. we had to reflect on the readings, discussion and lab from that week. interesting topics, application to our professional goals, confusing points, etc. it was a great way to organize and reflect each week, and i could review throughout the semester for themes and changes. *sigh* i miss that

question 3: "i have too many things to do" i'm always going in a thousand directions at once. i can't let myself focus long enough to finish any one thing so nothing gets done. sooo i schedule everything. i have my general, weekly and daily to dos all written down. depending on what's on the list, i organize it based on how long each will take, overlapping tasks as i can. this is especially handy over weekends when i'm cooking and cleaning... which reminds me, i need to update my planner

question 4: i may have just given myself away ;) total planner. i even have to plan ahead when i'm going to "go with the flow" lol. gotta compensate for all the stuff i was originally going to do in that carefree time

question 5: i am 100% a dog person. i don't quite understand or trust cats. they're deceptive creatures, cute ninja assassins. i would never date someone whose only pet is a cat. or a bird. i don't like birds either. i'm sure your little ball of fur is the sweetest and cutest, but no. i'm not rushing out to adopt one. also neal is deathly allergic to cats so no keeping the little overlords at our place. here are some other little things about me in case you wondered :)

via we heart it

today, we celebrate our independence day. yay america! thanks, britain for stealing/buying the land. thanks, founding fathers for telling the monarchy to shove it. thanks, lincoln for emancipating my peeps so i can join in the fun as an "equal" citizen. i plan to be full of grilled meats, pasta and beer today. maybe we'll pop downtown to watch some pretty explosions, too :) hope y'all are having a great monday (working or not)

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spring fever week12

oh. it's over... the last few months have just flown by. it's the first official day of summer! when the crap did that happen? since it's the end, it's time for a review :)

the goals:

1. drink more water
2. new workouts/weigh self
3. change morning routine
   
4. tackle to do list
   
5. stop overspending
6. *bonus* perfect a baked mac n cheese
   

(1) last week, four of seven days with five glasses of water meant lots of potty trips. i need to adjust when i'm drinking the water to give my system time to catch up. it's totally worthless to drink all that water, then lose it the next hour. overall though, i've succeeded in increasing my water intake greatly. hooray for tea and keeping my water bottle close

(2) i skipped bikram, but i did weigh in. not happy with this week's numbers... it's hard to really review this goal since i changed it midway. the fitness component has pretty much fallen off, while the tracking his done well. i'm weighing myself three to four times a week; only sundays weight officially counts. considering all the missteps, this is the first week i've been over my maintenance goal. i'm starting to retain water so i'm really not surprised. unhappy yes, surprised nope

(3) horrible horrible horrible bust. we lost power for 10sec the other day. when i reset my alarm, i forgot to also reset my radio presets. so my 2nd alarm, usually set to my fave station, played a dead station. no morning talking means no woken michelles. add that to the previous month and a half. another disappointment. i need to find a better balance for getting out of the house, but not falling asleep at my desk in the afternoon. i spend less time checking twitter before my shower, but that's just translated into spending more time with my eyes closed under the covers

(4) i spent sunday morning vacuuming and scrubbing. amazing how irritation can become motivation. i'm still not done with spring cleaning, but at least i'm nearing the end. overall, the to do list is looking pretty good. only three items left from the original list, and i'm in the middle of two. i did add another two last week, and i'm in the middle of one of those as well. it's taken awhile, but i finally am knocking things off

(5) summer shows killed me. it's going to be a close month, but the extra expenses are SO worth it. the last few months definitely could have been better. but given the various circumstances, not that much better. i'm still meeting my savings goals so it's not a total bust

(6) no mac making this week, but i'm thinking about what to make next week. i think i'm going to build something completely from scratch again based on what we've liked so far. should be interesting :) there have been some very good and some kinda bad recipes, but i'm having fun. bonus that now neal prefers homemade to take out mac muahahahahahahaha ;)

i need to work on doing more to feel good about myself. not that i don't feel good, but i definitely could treat myself more in small ways. the closest i came was taking a breather when i needed it. instead of going out saturday, i spent the whole day being lazy. the rest of the weekend was spent out and about with neal. saw marina and the diamonds friday; saw company and went out to dinner sunday. all around good weekend on many counts, excluding the annoying families at the restaurant. people can be such assholes for no reason

as a whole, i think i did ok on this challenge. there are a couple things i'll be carrying forward into the summer round though. it seems i'm more likely to do them if i write them down and announce them publicly :)

via *nishe on flickr

the time has come... i'm getting my hair chopped this weekend. i'm totally nervous because i've never had short hair. but i'm excited because i've never had short hair. think tabatha coffey short :)

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spring fever week11

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help achieve your goals?
2. What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?
3. With one week left, what is your plan?
4. What time of day are you most productive?
5. Fun Question: Are you reading a book right now? If so, share! If not, what was the last good book you read?

question 1: (1) stru-stru-strugglin. i almost didn't make it because of slow drinking. somehow i managed to get them all in though, and this week i'm at five glasses per day. today's going to be hard because everything's been off. i'm still gonna try though (2) weighed myself a few times last week. i've started gaining, but... my fat percentage is down and my muscle went up :) take that, scale! jesse visited this weekend so i changed up my workout routine ;) must get consistent weekly workouts (3) did much better than previous weeks; only late one day (4) finally got my blogroll updated [edit: during another update, blogger reverted the page. i couldn't get anything back so i've got back to blogroll on the sidebar]. it would be easier to use a side widget, but i hate cluttering my sidebar. i also got ride of my buttons page. same deal with the sidebar plus i realized no one was even checking it. half my "cleaning" to do list is now done, and another task has been crossed off the master list :) (5) doing ok; could be doing better. curse the allure of summer concerts! some stuff has been rescheduled so the bank account isn't getting squeezed too much extra (6) last week i used up the light cream and mascarpone. this week i used up the half n half in a cheesy beefy pasta bake. i liked the ground sirloin with pepper jack, amadeus and asiago cheeses. i did not like the thinness of the sauce: combination of the half n half separating and there not being enough to cover a pound of penne. i think it would've baked better with a thicker sauce. i think, in the future, i'll stick to light cream as the dairy base for all from scratch cheese sauces. it still tasted good and got the jesse stamp of approval though :)

question 2: i didn't do anything for myself last week... well, not to make myself feel good. some things happened that make me feel good and happy for other people though :)

question 3: ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK! i'm going to keep hammering away at my to do list, stay on track (as much as possible) to my health goals and not let little setbacks become huge obstacles. i'm already deciding my list of summer goals, carrying forward the important things from the winter and spring sets. this challenge series has helped keep me focused and on track so well. i don't want to lose any momentum :)

question 4: huh i'm not quite sure. i guess between 10am and 2pm most days. that's when i focus the most at work and, typically, when i pry myself out of bed on the weekends. i can keep going as long as i don't get distracted or run out of things to do

question 5: oh my. i'm in the middle of jonathan strange still. i'm also reading business books for MKN stuff. you can keep up with my (non)progress on goodreads (ps - are you on goodreads? be my friend? ;))

via i like this, and this, and this

semi positive photo this week. everything makes me think of jesse. i miss him and won't see him for a month :( skyping isn't the same... this cute little, mop topped nerd makes me think of the future nerds i'll be raising one day *sigh* some day

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spring fever week10

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help achieve your goals?
2. What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?
3. With two full weeks left in the challenge, what goals are you making your priority?
4. Summer is just around the corner, which season do you find the easiest to accomplish goals?
5. Fun Question: What do you miss most about being a kid?

question 1: (1) totally on track all week :) although, i still feel parched ALL the time (2) weighed twice over the weekend, getting my new baseline numbers. more about that below (3) another bad week since i was recovering from the move. i hope getting out of bed will be easier this week (4) i'm behind on my to do list, but i started cleaning finally. i need to tackle two items each day to finish cleaning this week. i also need to get those recipes on cards. must. stop. letting. things. pile up. so they aren't so problematic in the future (5) well everything's updated. miscellaneous fun isn't looking pretty though. i went over last month, and i'm already over for this month. good thing i always have extra money floating around for these situations (6) i didn't pull anything for this week, but i have supplies leftover from the last round. i'm making up my own cheese sauces in order to use up stuff before it goes bad. the shells with mascarpone and parm weren't bad, but definitely missing something. i was surprised how thick the sauce was yet the consistency didn't change as it cooled. might try less mascarpone though so it's a bit thinner. i didn't bake the pasta so i'm not sure how it'd hold up in the oven

question 2: setup my new scale and used it for the first time. all my numbers (fat, water, muscle and bone mass) are within normal ranges (take that, wii!), and i've identified areas i want to improve. i also made a new tracking spreadsheet to monitor my progress :) feeding my spreadsheet addiction is always fun

question 3: definitely focusing on the schedule and the to do list. i was doing fairly well on both, but have gotten way off track in the last few weeks. i'm starting to think it's because i'm on break from class. i always find it easier to get things done when i have way too many things to do. i'm so backwards :p

question 4: it seems that any semester i'm taking classes would be best for me. so fall and winter. although, this is the first time i've set goals like this so who's to say which season is best. i think for the summer, i'll keep working on my winter and spring goals instead of making new ones. i need to put more effort into the things i've gotten lax about

question 5: the most? i couldn't say. i miss someone paying for me. i miss saturday morning cartoons. i miss summer reading lists. i miss trying to move in with all my friends because their families were inherently awesomer than mine. i miss my daily cloverfield chocolate milk box. i miss having homework that was easy for me and always feeling like a smartypants. i miss playing board games with my sister (i kick her ass in everything)... i just miss being a kid in general i guess :)

via lance ramoth/fotoblur

i also miss running around and through the sprinkler, making mud "bricks" and stretching out on the deck to read a book. once the deck is cleared, maybe i'll spend some time at the parents' this summer :) work on my tan; finish some books ;)

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spring fever week9

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help achieve your goals?
2. What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?
3. What is your ultimate fitness goal in life?
4. Do you have something you'd like to accomplish but think you can't?
5. Fun Question: Do you wear perfume/cologne? If so what kind?

question 1: (1) with all the moving, i got my waters in easily (except for yesterday). i didn't make the best food choices though. can't win them all :p LOTS of cleaning and lifting and carrying should balance it though *fingers crossed* (2) i weighed myself on wed. i gained a little over a pound, but i'm still within my goal range :) (3) shaky completion. i'm counting friday as a complete. i worked from home, but i had the work laptop booted before 9am (4) i'm getting lots of MKN (that's our firm) stuff done, but not much else. i didn't do a single bit of cleaning at my apartment, but spent quite a bit of time cleaning at both jesse's places. karma? (5) budgets are updated. full analysis isn't too bad; still not the balance i would like though. need to get my cards (re)paid off so i can boost my savings. i'm not off track; i'm just greedy ;)

question 2: after whining about the scale i wanted being sold out, i ended up getting it! they randomly popped back in stock on friday, and i snagged the very last one of the restock. so excited! it measures weight, fat, water and muscle. plus it's kinda sleek and sexy...in a scale telling your secrets kind of way... :)

question 3: to just stay active. no matter how many times i get off track, i need to never go back to complete nothingness on the active spectrum. and i don't just mean always taking the stairs instead of elevator :p

question 4: if you asked me this two weeks ago, i don't know if i could've come up with something. i'm pretty sure i can do anything i want to do. however, after getting my grades back for this semester... it's not that i don't think i can get my degree and license. i'm worried that i won't be able to finish in any reasonable amount of time. constant roadblocks keep making me second guess myself, which i hate. i'm going to keep trying; i just don't want to be 35 and still in this program

question 5: i used to but stopped at some point. i have a huge stockpile and recently decided i'm going to start wearing it again. wish i could remember what i've been wearing the last week, but today i'm wearing bath and body works pink grapefruit. one of my faves. i keep that and cucumber melon in my travel bag :)

via we heart it

summer grilling! or just burgers heh. i panini'd some little patties last night that were quite yummy. i'm off to make some more for tonight :D

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