Monday, January 31, 2011

To-Do: Spend more time with family and friends

I have the best family and greatest friends anyone could ask for. I love "me" time, but sometimes it gets in the way of reaching out and doing things with friends and fam. I feel like I go go go all day long and then when the weekend hits I really just want to relax and do things that are fun and for me.

Another factor the effects me not seeing friends often is that most of them live in other cities. This is going to be remedied shortly by the "Summer of 8 Weddings" (Possibly 9 or 10 Weddings... some still TBA - but that is another blog post.) I will be seeing my friends so much during the summer which is going to be a really nice change because the last 8 months have been quite lonely. I have tried to make trips to see people as much as possible, but gas is expensive! And my HS buds have been back in town off and on through the holidays. (Luckily, I have princess to keep me company.)

So I have a few ideas of how I am going to start doing a better job of keeping in contact with the buds! (yet, another blog post to come.) We will see how it goes! I just have to remind myself that every time I have to get in the car to drive for the weddings, showers, parties and other things that are coming up in the next few months it will be worth it because I will have so much fun once I arrive! (And my "me" time can be in the car as I drive there... more than likely jamming out to T. Swift or the new Britney song!)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Little Thing #2: They. Are. Back.

I must interrupt my list of things to-do in 2011 with this breaking news!

Just when I thought facebook couldn't possibly get any better... they do this! Bringing back "The Oregon Trail" and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" Holler! I am so excited about this. It is like bringing back my childhood but better. I used to play TOT and WITWICS in computer class everyday. I really was looking forward to playing the old versions of the games, but in most cases updates make everything better. February can't get here soon enough.

My only hope is that we don't have to ask everyone to be our "Oregon Trail Friend." For anyone that played Farmville (Guilty as charged) you should know what I mean. It is really fun when everyone is playing, as I anticipate will be the case when these games first launch, but once people stop then it is hard for you to advance.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way, shape, or form a computer nerd or a gamer. I just LOVED these games in elementary and middle school and I'm looking forward to channeling my inner 12 year old.

Did you ever play "The Oregon Trail" or "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" in school as a kid?

Thursday, January 27, 2011

To-Do: Lose 10 lbs. and keep them off

I am not going to write much about this because no one wants to read about the insecurities I have with my body. No, I don't think I am fat. I just want to get in shape. If that means I only need to lose 5 lbs. to look more toned so be it. I'm not a professional worker outer so I have no idea how to judge these things. If I can get to the place where I feel like I look like a hot mama I will have succeeded. (No. I am not really a mama to any children. Just a furbaby.)

Update on yoga: It was great. I can't say that I found that much inner peace, but probably because I was trying to keep up with the instructor. And we did alternating nostril breathing and I must say... that gets snotty. Hamstrings are sore so I can definitely tell I got a good workout in too!  

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

To-Do: Workout 2-3 times per week

I do not like to workout. You know how people say they feel so good after they workout and it makes them so happy and ready to take on the world... I feel the opposite. When I finish working out I just want food and lots of it and I don't feel a great sense of accomplishment rushing over me. So in the past I have just not chosen to do it.

But now that I am so much older and wiser... (yeah right) I know that it is important for my health that I work out. I have always had a pretty active lifestyle. I was on the pom squad in high school, and in college I had to walk a million miles to class everyday and that kept me in shape. But now that I am in the real world where I sit in a chair all day and the most action my body gets is the movement of my fingers typing... yikes!

I am also giving myself a cushion of 2 or 3 workouts per week... not because I am lazy (well kinda that) but because my lunch time workouts often get interrupted with actual work that needs to be done.

P.S. Tomorrow, I am going to yoga class for the first time over lunch. Yippee!

Monday, January 24, 2011

To-Do: Keep Bedroom Tidy

Disclaimer: I am not a dirty person... but sometimes my bedroom gets messy.

I blame this on not having enough space to put everything. Which probably means I have too much junk and need to clean it out. (Especially now that I have discovered my closet space is probably going to be cut in half next time I move) GARAGE SALE! No, not really. I will just be donating some things to Good Will or the Church. And I will be buying a lot more tubs and baskets and organizational things.. like I beautiful armoire! Like this one


When I first started buying things for my new apartment I felt very overwhelmed and like I didn't have enough money to buy all the organizational type things I needed... but next time I move I will have been working for almost a year... so I probably can afford it now. We shall see. This is the next step to learning how to organize my clothes. I have never really had to worry about that type of stuff because I have always had huge closets that hold everything. Now its going to be whatever is in season hangs in the closet and out of season might just have to be in plastic bins under the bed! This post is giving me anxiety... but that it is why it is a To-Do for 2011, so I can get organized and check.it.off.the.list. Woohoo!

Friday, January 21, 2011

To-Do: Start taking yoga classes


About 2 years ago a therapist I was seeing told me that I should take up yoga to help calm my mind and relieve anxiety. I'm sure there were yoga classes available at the Colvin (my university's gym) but at that point in my life I hated working out so I ignored the advice. But lately I have been feeling my anxiety has been creeping in and I thought maybe it was time to start doing yoga and becoming more zen. I work out at lunch time in the gym at my workplace. They have yoga from 11:00-12:00 (15 minute warm-up and 45 minute class) Monday-Thursday. I am going to try to go at least once a week. I am actually really excited about this new activity I'm adding to my life. Plus, a lot of the celebs with rockin' bods do yoga... so I'm hoping to reap those yoga benefits as well. Holler.

P.S. My sweet pup, Elphie, is getting spayed today. Prayers for her surgery to go smooth and safe are welcome. Thanks.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

My 2011 To-Do List

There are a combination of factors that led me to create my 2011 to-do list. For years I have been making daily and weekly to-do lists, but I never really thought about making a whole year to-do list. Sure, I always made a New Years resolution that I was bound not to follow through with and fall into a massive depression of guilt and stress. (Not really. I usually just tried to cut out french fries or biting my nails. Those are things I really can't quit.) So this year I thought "Why not make a goal?" Something I could and would acheive. There is always disappointment when you try to cut something out of your life, so why not bring something more into it. I must give credit for the goal idea to my company. After my end-of-year review and setting goals for the next year of work I thought I would set a personal one. But wait... "Why just one? Uno?" (Spanish is the only other language I know... and not very well.) I would set ELEVEN goals for myself! No. No. Eleven TO-DOs for myself. You can back out on a goal and not acheive it. You can't not do a to-do. It is a to-do as in, must be accomplished. So over the next 11 weekdays (sorry, I have to take a blog break on the weekends) I will be talking about each of my 11 to-dos for 2011.

Sorry again for another lackluster blog post... I would include a picture of my list but I'll have to save it for the end because if you saw it you would know all my goals and the daily reveal would not be as exciting... for my 3 readers (If I even have 3 readers...)

Did you set any goals for yourself in 2011?

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Unsuccessful attempt at being healthy...

So today I was going to blog all about how I am making great strides towards leading a healthier lifestyle by eating oatmeal for breakfast. I chose the apples and cinnamon flavor and it smelled great while it was cooking and when I took it out, well I don't know what I was expecting to see because it isn't like I have never seen oatmeal before... but I never realized how much it looks like barf. puke. vomit.

But I had a confidence today. I was walking back to my desk so proudly. "Look at me... I'm eating oatmeal... I am healthy... I am elite..." Then I sat down, took a bite and the disappointment and failure set in. This shiz is awful. The apple/cinnamon flavor barely came through and it was a terrible consistency of slime with chunks in it... yuck!

I had aspirations of taking pictures of my full bowl of oatmeal... then the empty bowl and posting them with this blog... but I got so wrapped up in how nasty it was that I threw it away without even thinking of documenting it (I am still new to this whole blog thing.) So accept my apologies for a lack-luster blog post. I am just too disappointed with my epic fail of leading a healthier life...

I'm going to go buy a piece of coffee cake downstairs to help cure my sorrows!

Oatmeal fans... Unite. Help a girl out. Any way to make it better or any better alternative?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

What I'm Reading


I loved the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" because I LOVE Anne Hathaway. I never did read the book that the movie was based on, which is a huge thing for me. If a movie is made based off of a book and I don't read the book version (It is ALWAYS better) first I feel it is a personal sin and it causes me great anxiety. And I just can't go back and a read a book if I have already seen the movie because then it isn't my imagination going to work... it's Hollywood's. I even had to read "Marley & Me" before seeing the movie. But I'll stop ranting now.

Since I enjoyed the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" so much, I thought I might enjoy some of Lauren Weisbgerger's other books. Enter "Chasing Harry Winston." I am only a few chapters in and already very much enjoying myself. The three main characters are very easy to relate with even through their story lines are so different from my life. A NYC Publisher, Front-of-the-house Restaurant Manager, and a non-working rich girl all looking for love in the Big Apple. It's a silly and girly book that is perfect for relaxing with at night to relieve the stresses of the day.

Ever read this book or another of Lauren Weisberger's books?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Me, Myself & I

I realized that I never really gave any information about myself when I started to blog. So how about some fun facts to help get to know me: (5 serious, 5 silly... cause that is how I roll)

Serious:
1. I am a recent grad of Oklahoma State University (Go Pokes!!!)
2. I work for a Fortune 500 Energy Company (but not the one everyone and their dog works for...)
3. My favorite hobbies are reading, cooking, organizing, talking, eating and watching tv
4. I am the oldest child of 3 - One Bro and One Sis
5. I am super pale and I cannot get tan (Though I do spray tan for special events!)

Silly:
1. I still sleep with two teddy bears every night (Margarita & Ted)
2. My dream job is to be a program host on QVC
3. In the last year outer space has really started to freak me out
4. I believe the greatest feeling in the world is laughing so hard that it hurts
5. If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be gummy bears

Hope that was helpful.

Friday, January 14, 2011

My Pride and Joy


This is my wonderful puppy Elphie. She is named after my favorite character, Elphaba, from my favorite Musical, Wicked. (I really am a true Wicked fan. My friend Christina bought me the soundtrack in highschool and I have been obsessed ever since... like 7 years... before it was the cool thing to do... Ok, you get it!) I have had my precious Elphie since October 30th. She is a half shih tzu, half weiner dog... a.k.a Shweenie. Since she came into my life around Halloween, my dad affectionately calls her the "Halloshween".  

The story of how Elphie came into my life: My roommate and I found her and her sister on Petfinder where they were up for adoption from a rescue. I had been thinking about getting a puppy for months but I kept going back and forth on the idea, and then I once I saw her picture I knew. (See picture below)


How can you resist that face? I couldn't. So I filled out an application for her (My roommate also filled out an application to adopt her sister) and we were told that later that night they would be making the decision on who they were going to chose to adopt the puppies. So we waited patiently in anticipation of a phone call... no such luck. The next day we received e-mails that they would be calling to ask us a few questions. They mean serious business... I felt like I was adopting a real child! After the exchange of a few e-mails and phone calls they decided we were going to be the best moms for these pups! We picked them up two days later from their foster mom and the rest is history.

I know that even though she likes to chew things up and has had a few accidents in the wrong place, getting Elphie has been a great decision. If the rescue had decided not to place her with me I was going to take that as a sign that this was not the right time in my life to get a puppy. But they did, and I couldn't imagine a better dog.
 

Here is a picture of Elphie with her sister, Punkin, enjoying one of their favorite toys! (They fight over it now... so it only comes out when one of them is home alone! They are already turning me into a Mom!)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Little Thing #1: HGTV Dream Home Contest

One of these years I will win this contest... or at least I'll die trying! Every January the contest to win the new "Dream Home" begins. This year the home is a ski in, ski out lodge in Stowe, Vermont and it looks a little something like this...


It is so beautiful... the apple of my eye... the bees knees... you get the point. In past years, (This is my 5th year to enter) I have not been as diligent about entering every single day. So far this year I have not missed a day. If you are not familiar with the HGTV Dream House Competition let me fill you in. Not only do you win this GORGEOUS home, but every piece of furniture and all the appliances inside, a 2011 GMC Acadia Denali, and $500,000. Not to shabby! Let me take you on a tour of my favorite rooms.



What an amazing kitchen. I can see myself making a big pot of delicious potato soup for all my buddies after a long day of skiing on the mountain...


And getting all cozy in bed reading a great book... A love story I think.



And here is where all my buddies can stay when we make trips up to my fabulous mountain home. There is room for 8 people to sleep in this room and an accompanying bathroom with three sinks and three showers. They have named this the ski dorm... Perfect!


But what you really need after a long day on the slopes... is a long stay in the hot tub (Can't see it that well in this picture, but its back there I promise.)

You can check out the rest of the pictures here. The entry form can also be found on the HGTV Dream Home website, and if by chance you win... I would gladly sleep in your ski dorm... just saying.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hello World, It's Me... Another blog hoping to find my place in cyberspace

There are 2 things in life that bring me more satisfaction then they probably should, and are now the inspiration for my blog:

  • To-Do Lists... complete me. Writing down the things I need to accomplish in a bullet list with a square box drawn at the end to be checked once I have accomplished the task equals pure heaven in my book. I have been making lists as long as I can remember. Every week I make a checklist of the things I need to accomplish (The list usually doubles in length before 25% is even complete...)  It is such an incredible feeling when I get to put and X in the box and move on to the next thing.
  • The Little Things... push me. I have always had super-duper to the moon and back expectations about life and the milestones that we go through. Senior Prom - Not that cool, Going off to college - No big thing, College Graduation - Anticlimactic... I just always imagined I would feel so different during and after these events. I have recently come to realize that it is not going to be the big things in my life that bring me those unbelievable feelings... its going to be the little things and it always has been the little things I just didn't always appreciate them.

Organization and Observation. The main themes of this blog and my life going forward. I have been contemplating starting a blog for about 8 months now, but never could settle on a topic to blog about. Inspiration struck me today when I made a check list of the 11 things I want to do in 2011. Then it hit me... I'll write about the my weekly goals and how I achieve them, my 11 major goals and how I work towards them throughout the year, and the other quirky ways I keep my life organized (I am crazy about my day planner too.) I also want to try and take time to reflect on the little things in life that make it so gosh darn cool. I have many other aspirations for this blog as well, but they will develop in time, as all good things do. (Because right now this blog is hideous. I need some customization ASAP!)

Can't wait to see what this blog will become!