As 2010 is just days away from drawing to a close, I have been reflecting upon my last nearly 365 days. 2010 was a productive and fun year, full of experience and accomplishment, yet, instead of feeling over-the-top full, I find that I still want more. After a year of sweating the small stuff and appreciating every moment, I'm more than ready to sweat the big stuff too. You see, I'm only making 2 goals for 2011:
1. Find a new job that makes me genuinely excited to wake up in the morning
2. Find a new boyfriend who makes me genuinely excited to wake up in the morning
Not that I'm not already happy and full with life, but waking up to go to my current job provides me with zero motivation. And, after being single for soooooo loooooong, I've also been waking up and feeling quite lonely. I've already proved to myself that I can be very strong and independent and completely self-sufficient, but now I want to prove to myself that their is also room for a little vulnerability, and that it is not a bad thing.
I'm going to continue blogging in 2011, but I'm going to blog about dating instead. I know, I know - I swore I'd never write a dating blog since so many women before me have already tackled the subject over and over and over again. But, I realized that most of us are having a hell of a time in the dating jungle, and it genuinely interests people to read about the experiences of others who are also navigating their way through love, lust and everything in between.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Down, but Not Defeated
Yesterday I finally learned my fate of applying to the AUSL teaching program. Unfortunately, I did not get accepted.
Although I exhausted so much time and effort during my pursuit of this program, I do not regret a single second of it. In fact, I'd only harbor regrets if I never tried.
Because I believe that everything happens for a reason, I'm trying to focus on the positive aspects of my rejection. And I hope and pray that a better opportunity will cross my path instead. I'm very accepting of the fact that the AUSL program just wasn't meant to be, and I'm confident that I'll find happiness in different work in the future.
I still maintain that this has been one of the most rewarding and inspiring years of my life! And I'm beyond thankful to have become a mentor with Friends First. My mentee and I have grown quite close the past few months, and I'm so proud to cheer her on as she pursues her own goals. I became a mentor to gain more experience with children, and I'm not certain I would have applied to be a mentor had I not pursued the AUSL program. And that would have been a shame, because being a mentor is one of the best things I have ever done in my life.
Additionally, after all I was willing to sacrifice to get accepted into this program, perhaps now I won't have to consider sacrificing so much when pursuing future endeavors, including what is most important to me - time with family and friends.
I still believe in sweating the small stuff despite the cliche instructing me not to, and I'm learning that maybe it's the big stuff that we shouldn't sweat after all. If we refuse to dwell on the negative outcomes of our goals and choose to perceive them as positive experiences instead, then perhaps our potential to achieve is limitless.
Although I exhausted so much time and effort during my pursuit of this program, I do not regret a single second of it. In fact, I'd only harbor regrets if I never tried.
Because I believe that everything happens for a reason, I'm trying to focus on the positive aspects of my rejection. And I hope and pray that a better opportunity will cross my path instead. I'm very accepting of the fact that the AUSL program just wasn't meant to be, and I'm confident that I'll find happiness in different work in the future.
I still maintain that this has been one of the most rewarding and inspiring years of my life! And I'm beyond thankful to have become a mentor with Friends First. My mentee and I have grown quite close the past few months, and I'm so proud to cheer her on as she pursues her own goals. I became a mentor to gain more experience with children, and I'm not certain I would have applied to be a mentor had I not pursued the AUSL program. And that would have been a shame, because being a mentor is one of the best things I have ever done in my life.
Additionally, after all I was willing to sacrifice to get accepted into this program, perhaps now I won't have to consider sacrificing so much when pursuing future endeavors, including what is most important to me - time with family and friends.
I still believe in sweating the small stuff despite the cliche instructing me not to, and I'm learning that maybe it's the big stuff that we shouldn't sweat after all. If we refuse to dwell on the negative outcomes of our goals and choose to perceive them as positive experiences instead, then perhaps our potential to achieve is limitless.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Finish Line
I did it! I accomplished ALL of my Top Ten Goals for 2010! And with over a month to spare!
Queue the fanfare, confetti, trumpets, parade, etc.
Setting all of these goals really gave me a purpose this year and blogging about them undoubtedly kept me on track. Setting these goals also served as a springboard for giving me the guts to pursue some really drastic life changes this year. Additionally, I've been happier than I've been in years, and accomplishing my goals along with the unwavering support of friends and family has contributed significantly to my happiness. I have learned so much this year and have been so inspired, but I think I can best sum up what I've learned by saying that if you don't try to get out of your comfort zone as often as possible, then you will always fear change and you may never have the courage to face the unpredictable curve balls life has a tendency to throw at you (good and bad). I've learned that this is true for me, at least.
When I set out to write this blog, I decided to focus on "sweating the small stuff" and directing lots of attention to appreciating the little miracles in life. But, I've learned that a culmination of appreciating life's little gifts and overcoming everyday hurdles with a positive attitude prepares one to confidently venture onto bigger challenges. So, as I wait to hear my fate after applying to the AUSL teaching program, I can't help but think that setting my Top Ten Goals for 2010 positively led me to working toward one giant goal.
So, without further ado, here is a rundown of all my accomplished goals:
1. Goal - Run at least 5 races:
a.) Chicago Police Run to Remember 5k (29:26/9:28 pace)
b.) PAWS Run for Their Lives 8k (47:39/9:35 pace)
c.) Bucktown 5k (29:21/9:27 pace)b.) PAWS Run for Their Lives 8k (47:39/9:35 pace)
d.) Pumpkins in the Park 5k (28:00/9.01 pace)
e.) Hot Chocolate 5k (I forgot my race bib on day of race, so it wasn't timed. Boo.)
2. Goal - Learn to cook at least 3 new dishes:
I actually cooked a ton of new dishes this year, but these were the first three things I made
a.) Chicken Mole Nachos with Avocado Cream
b.) Pasta & Potato Bake
b.) Pasta & Potato Bake
c.) Moroccan Soup
3. Goal - Read 10 books and write about each:
You can find my favorite quotes/passages from these books in my previous entry at:http://bigcitysmallpotatoes.blogspot.com/2010/11/book-report.html
a.) City of Thieves by David Benioff
b.) Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
c.) Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
d.) Push by Saphire
e.) The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
f.) The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
g.) Virgil and Beatrice by Yann Martel
h.) My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
i.) Lit by Mary Karr
j.) Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman
4. Goal - Write in my journal at least once a week:
I wrote over 52 times. That counts as once a week, right?? 5. Goal - Go on at least one big trip:
You can read about my Costa Rican adventures by clicking on this entry: http://bigcitysmallpotatoes.blogspot.com/2010/04/costa-rica.html
and this one too:
6. Goal - Volunteer at least one time:
a.) Kids Day America with One Brick
a.) Kids Day America with One Brick
b.) Became a mentor with Friends First through Mercy Home
7. Goal - Take a class:
a.) Canning tomatoes with The Glass Rooster
8. Goal - Pay off 2 credit cards:
I fully expected some sort of fanfare once I paid off the balances of my two old credit cards, but the statements just stopped coming instead. Very anti-climatic. Oh well, I'm still proud!
9. Goal - Save money:
I took some fairly drastic measures in order to save money this year. The following are just some examples of the steps I took and how I modified some spending habits.
a.) Paid off credit cards
b.) Moved to an apartment with a much lower rental rate
c.) Lowered my student loan paymentb.) Moved to an apartment with a much lower rental rate
d.) I have only ordered take-out/delivery a handful of times since I moved
e.) Used coupons and swapped name brand items for generic equivalents
10. Goal - Frugally re-decorate bedroom
I've since moved, but I was able to re-decorate my bedroom by employing my mad Martha Stewart skillz and only spending around $200. Plus, I was easily able to transport the decor to my new bedroom! Very efficient and frugal indeed!
Book Report
My #4 goal for 2010 was to read 10 books and write about each of them. It just so happens that I've read more than 10 books this year, but the following are my favorite quotes and/or passages from 10 of the books I read:
1. City of Thieves by David Benioff: "I am aware that I am aware"
2. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan: "I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current."
3. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby: "She had to defend him in order to defend herself. That was why people were so prickly about their partners, even their ex-partners. To admit that Duncan wasn't up to much was to own up publicly to the terrible waste of time, and terrible lapses in judgement and taste."
4. Push by Sapphire: "Abdul get tested. He is not HIV positive. Something like that make me feel what Rhonda, what Farrakhan, say - there is a god. But me when I think of it I'm more inclined to go wid Shug in The Color Purple. God ain' white, he ain' no Jew or Muslim, maybe he ain' even black, maybe he ain' even a "he." Even now I go downtown and see the rich shit they got, I see what we got too. I see those men in vacant lot share one hot dog and they homeless, that's good as Jesus with his fish. I remember when I had my daughter, she nurse nice to me - all that is god. Shug in Color Purple say it's the "wonder" of purple flowers. I feel that, even though I never seen or had no flowers like what she talk about."
4. Push by Sapphire: "Abdul get tested. He is not HIV positive. Something like that make me feel what Rhonda, what Farrakhan, say - there is a god. But me when I think of it I'm more inclined to go wid Shug in The Color Purple. God ain' white, he ain' no Jew or Muslim, maybe he ain' even black, maybe he ain' even a "he." Even now I go downtown and see the rich shit they got, I see what we got too. I see those men in vacant lot share one hot dog and they homeless, that's good as Jesus with his fish. I remember when I had my daughter, she nurse nice to me - all that is god. Shug in Color Purple say it's the "wonder" of purple flowers. I feel that, even though I never seen or had no flowers like what she talk about."
5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini "Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons."
"...I brought Hassan's son from Afghanistan to America, lifting him from the certainty of turmoil and dropping him in a turmoil of uncertainty."
"I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night."
"...I brought Hassan's son from Afghanistan to America, lifting him from the certainty of turmoil and dropping him in a turmoil of uncertainty."
"I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night."
6. The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore: "There's a term in the hood for a face like Tony's, that cold, frozen stare. The ice grille. It's a great phrase. A look of blank hostility that masks two intense feelings - the fire evoked by grille (which is also slang for face), and the cold of the ice. But the tough facade is just a way to hide a deeper pain or depression that kids don't know how to deal with. A bottomless chasm of insecurity and self-doubt that gnaws at them. Young boys are more likely to believe in themselves if they know that there's someone, somewhere, who shares that belief. To carry the burden of belief alone is too much for most young shoulders."
"It made me think deeply about the way privilege and preference work in the world, and how many kids who didn't have "luck" like mine in this instance would find themselves forever outside the ring of power and prestige. So many opportunities in this country are apportioned in this arbitrary and miserly way, distributed to those who already have the benefit of a privileged legacy."
"One of the key differences between the two was the way their communities saw them. Here [South Africa], burgeoning manhood was guided and celebrated through a rite of passage. At home [America], burgeoning manhood was a trigger for apprehension. In the United States, we see these same faces, and our reflex is to pick up our pace and cross the street. And in this reflexive gesture, the dimensions of our tragedy are laid bare. Our young men - along with our young women - are our strength and our future. Yet we fear them."
"It made me think deeply about the way privilege and preference work in the world, and how many kids who didn't have "luck" like mine in this instance would find themselves forever outside the ring of power and prestige. So many opportunities in this country are apportioned in this arbitrary and miserly way, distributed to those who already have the benefit of a privileged legacy."
"One of the key differences between the two was the way their communities saw them. Here [South Africa], burgeoning manhood was guided and celebrated through a rite of passage. At home [America], burgeoning manhood was a trigger for apprehension. In the United States, we see these same faces, and our reflex is to pick up our pace and cross the street. And in this reflexive gesture, the dimensions of our tragedy are laid bare. Our young men - along with our young women - are our strength and our future. Yet we fear them."
7. Virgil and Beatrice by Yann Martel: "There's nothing like the the unimaginable to make people believe."
"Creative block is no laughing matter, or only to those sodden spirits who've never even tried to make their own personal mark. It's not just a particular endeavor, a job, that is negated, it's your whole being. It's the dying of a small god within you, a part you thought might have immortality."
8. My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler: "I used to think I was a black person in a past life because I looooove black people. It's the way they express themselves that draws me to them. White people, for the most part, are too conservative with their emotions and not nearly as effusive as black people when they get excited. If you've ever watched a game show where a white person wins and then, later, a black person wins, you've seen the difference. Black people don't stop and think before they jump up and down in celebration. They are so much more spontaneous and festive, and I've always felt that without that kind of energy, what would be the point of anything."
"It was Valentines Day and I had spent the day in bed with my life partner, Kettle One. The two of us watched a romantic movie marathon on TBS Superstation that made me wonder how people who write romantic comedies sleep at night.
At some point during every romantic comedy, the female lead suddenly trips and falls, stumbling helplessly over something ridiculous like a leaf, and then some Matthew McConaughey type either whips around the corner just in the nick of time to save her or is clumsily pulled down along with her. That moment predictably leads to the magical moment of their first kiss. Please. I fall all the time. You know who comes and gets me? The bouncer."
"It was Valentines Day and I had spent the day in bed with my life partner, Kettle One. The two of us watched a romantic movie marathon on TBS Superstation that made me wonder how people who write romantic comedies sleep at night.
At some point during every romantic comedy, the female lead suddenly trips and falls, stumbling helplessly over something ridiculous like a leaf, and then some Matthew McConaughey type either whips around the corner just in the nick of time to save her or is clumsily pulled down along with her. That moment predictably leads to the magical moment of their first kiss. Please. I fall all the time. You know who comes and gets me? The bouncer."
9. Lit by Mary Karr: "What hurts so bad about youth isn't the actual butt whippings the world delivers. It's the stupid hopes playacting like certainties."
"Their bottomless cool - their cynical postures grown from privilege they were ungrateful for - could make me hate them. Born on third base, my daddy always said of the well off, and think they hit a home run."
"The righteous cry of married men everywhere, for it's a cliche that every woman signs up thinking her husband will change, while every husband signs up believing his wife won't: both dead wrong."
"When you've been hurt enough as a kid (maybe at any age), it's like you have a trick knee. Most of your life, you can function like an adult, but add in the right portions of sleeplessness and stress and grief, and the hurt, defeated self can bloom into place."
"Their bottomless cool - their cynical postures grown from privilege they were ungrateful for - could make me hate them. Born on third base, my daddy always said of the well off, and think they hit a home run."
"The righteous cry of married men everywhere, for it's a cliche that every woman signs up thinking her husband will change, while every husband signs up believing his wife won't: both dead wrong."
"When you've been hurt enough as a kid (maybe at any age), it's like you have a trick knee. Most of your life, you can function like an adult, but add in the right portions of sleeplessness and stress and grief, and the hurt, defeated self can bloom into place."
10. Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman: "Sometimes writing is like talking to a stranger who's exactly like yourself in every possible way, only to realize this stranger is boring as shit. In better moments, writing is the opposite of difficult - it's as if your fingers meander arbitrarily in crosswise patterns and (suddenly) you find yourself reading something you didn't realize you already knew. Most of the time, the process falls somewhere in between."
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The Final Sprint
There is a moment during ever race I run when the finish line is nearing, and I need to start sprinting to shave off any extra seconds from my previous race times. A supernatural force of energy comes over me and carries me across the finish line. All the fatigue I was feeling prior to the final sprint is irrelevant at that point. And when I check my official time to see that I did, in fact, beat my last race time, reflecting upon the effort to reach that goal makes the accomplishment all the more satisfying.
So, you may have noticed that I completely skipped an October entry. Whoops! BUT, I have an excuse! I've been busy! Since the last time I blogged, I ran 4 races, celebrated 32 years on this earth, flew to Ohio to celebrate my nephew's 9 years on this earth and continued my mentoring obligations with Friends First. October may have been busy, but it was also a very rewarding & fulfilling month.
Anyway, all the sprinting talk is relevant because I'm currently in the proverbial final sprint of accomplishing ALL of my Top Ten for 2010 goals. I still have to create a blog entry about my favorite quotes and passages from 10 books I read this year. And after that, I will recap all of my accomplishments for the year.
Additionally, I was invited for a first interview with the AUSL teaching program!!!!!!!!!! I submitted my application in September, and then, just when I was feeling over-the-top frustrated from not hearing anything, I received an email last week with a request to schedule an interview. I nearly fainted I was so happy! Because nobody at work knows about my quest to become a teacher, I immediately went to the restroom just to do a "happy dance." It was one of those rare moments in life that is so sweet you wish you could bottle it and open it any time you're feeling down. I can't imagine how I'll react WHEN I am notified of a second interview. Or even WHEN I get accepted into the program. Fingers crossed.
Finally, 2010 is turning out to be an incredibly inspiring and life-changing year for me. And I hope to continue this momentum into 2011 and beyond. Oh, and don't think that just because this year is coming to a close that my blogging days are too, because I already have big ideas for my next blog. Stay tuned.
So, you may have noticed that I completely skipped an October entry. Whoops! BUT, I have an excuse! I've been busy! Since the last time I blogged, I ran 4 races, celebrated 32 years on this earth, flew to Ohio to celebrate my nephew's 9 years on this earth and continued my mentoring obligations with Friends First. October may have been busy, but it was also a very rewarding & fulfilling month.
Anyway, all the sprinting talk is relevant because I'm currently in the proverbial final sprint of accomplishing ALL of my Top Ten for 2010 goals. I still have to create a blog entry about my favorite quotes and passages from 10 books I read this year. And after that, I will recap all of my accomplishments for the year.
Additionally, I was invited for a first interview with the AUSL teaching program!!!!!!!!!! I submitted my application in September, and then, just when I was feeling over-the-top frustrated from not hearing anything, I received an email last week with a request to schedule an interview. I nearly fainted I was so happy! Because nobody at work knows about my quest to become a teacher, I immediately went to the restroom just to do a "happy dance." It was one of those rare moments in life that is so sweet you wish you could bottle it and open it any time you're feeling down. I can't imagine how I'll react WHEN I am notified of a second interview. Or even WHEN I get accepted into the program. Fingers crossed.
Finally, 2010 is turning out to be an incredibly inspiring and life-changing year for me. And I hope to continue this momentum into 2011 and beyond. Oh, and don't think that just because this year is coming to a close that my blogging days are too, because I already have big ideas for my next blog. Stay tuned.
Friday, September 24, 2010
'Uptown Girl' Update
I couldn't resist labeling myself 'Uptown Girl,' since my friend Megan used it as the subject line in a recent email to me. It's fitting not only because I just moved to the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, but also because Uptown Girl was my absolute favorite song as a kid. I mean, what adolescent girlie girl didn't want to be Christie Brinkley in that video?!?!
Anyway, after exactly a month, I am finally settled into my new home. The increase in square footage makes such a huge difference compared to my former matchbox-sized apartment in Lincoln Park. Another sharp contrast? My past and present neighborhood! Uptown is definitely more "gritty" than Lincoln Park, but I actually love the very urban setting. I use the term "gritty" because Uptown isn't as meticulously manicured as Lincoln Park, nor is it all that safe to go trolling around late at night. But, my Uptown neighbors are friendly and say Hello (or, in many cases, "Hola"), whereas the snotty affluence of Lincoln Park meant that neighbors didn't so much as make eye contact. Don't get me wrong, I loved Lincoln Park during the 8 years I resided there, but the sense of community was severely lacking. I'm guessing that was due to the population mostly consisting of a disagreeable contrast between conservative yuppies and party-centric twenty-somethings. Uptown, however, is incredibly diverse. Broad ranges of racial & economic diversity, a variance of ages and sexual orientations all play roles in coloring in my vibrant neighborhood. Uptown also seems to embrace all varieties of crazy, an aspect which causes me to entertain the thought of putting off cable installation indefinitely. Also, even though I'm further north from downtown now, Uptown feels more "city-ish" to me. In fact, my friend Sara perfectly described it as "Sesame Street, 227 and The Wire" all in one!
In addition to recently moving, I've also been spending time with my "mentee," which has been such an incredible experience so far, and we've only had two outings. (Side note - In order to maintain confidentiality, I won't use her name when I write about her in this public setting.) She is 11 years old and very bright and sweet. I'm already taken with her desire to learn so much about the world around her, and I aim to exceed her expectations as a mentor through encouraging her to never lose that eager and positive mentality. At such a young age, she has overcome so much hardship in her life, yet she still remains a very enthusiastic girl - an attribute I find infinitely inspiring. I don't always have the best luck, but I sincerely feel as though I hit the jackpot in getting matched with my particular "mentee." I cannot wait to
see what future adventures are in store for us!
Another update to report: After many months of anticipation, the AUSL teaching applications are FINALLY available! They came out on Thursday, but because I don't want to be hasty, I'm going to find some quiet time tonight to fill it out. I've been preparing for this opportunity for many months, and because I only get one shot, I want to be extremely careful with what I choose to fill into those blanks. All of my supporting docs are ready to go though, so I will be officially "applied" by Monday of next week. Wish me luck!!
And finally, with regards to my New Year's goals, I'm down to having just one more book to read, and running 4 races, all for which I'm registered. The class I ended up taking that I can cross off my list was a canning class from The Glass Rooster. My friend, Jennie, who perpetually keeps an eye out for all activities unique and entertaining, stumbled upon an article about canning classes from The Glass Rooster, and so we immediately signed up. Oh - canning qualifies as an entertaining activity, you ask? Well, to be honest, my friends and I could watch paint dry and somehow find ourselves in a fit of giggles, so yes, canning was, in fact, entertaining. And now I have tomatoes coming out the wazoo! During the class, the canning instructor shared some really interesting stories about her life on a farm growing up, along with her transition to city life, including exhausting every effort to preserve the importance of obtaining real food. Additionally, the whole canning process reminded me so much of my Grandma Elsie, who was a canner extraordinaire. It continues to shock me that the art of canning has completely skipped a generation or two. How on earth did that happen? Oh yeah, money-hungry corporate America got involved, blindsiding us by sneaking cheaply produced, overly processed foods that have unidentifiable origins into our grocery stores. Ok, I won't get off on a tangent, but I guarantee that watching Food Inc. will make you just as bitter about our food industry...
So that is all for now! Phew! A lot sure has happened in the past month or so. It has been such a busy year overall though, and I can hardly believe that we are almost at the end of the 9th month of 2010!
Anyway, after exactly a month, I am finally settled into my new home. The increase in square footage makes such a huge difference compared to my former matchbox-sized apartment in Lincoln Park. Another sharp contrast? My past and present neighborhood! Uptown is definitely more "gritty" than Lincoln Park, but I actually love the very urban setting. I use the term "gritty" because Uptown isn't as meticulously manicured as Lincoln Park, nor is it all that safe to go trolling around late at night. But, my Uptown neighbors are friendly and say Hello (or, in many cases, "Hola"), whereas the snotty affluence of Lincoln Park meant that neighbors didn't so much as make eye contact. Don't get me wrong, I loved Lincoln Park during the 8 years I resided there, but the sense of community was severely lacking. I'm guessing that was due to the population mostly consisting of a disagreeable contrast between conservative yuppies and party-centric twenty-somethings. Uptown, however, is incredibly diverse. Broad ranges of racial & economic diversity, a variance of ages and sexual orientations all play roles in coloring in my vibrant neighborhood. Uptown also seems to embrace all varieties of crazy, an aspect which causes me to entertain the thought of putting off cable installation indefinitely. Also, even though I'm further north from downtown now, Uptown feels more "city-ish" to me. In fact, my friend Sara perfectly described it as "Sesame Street, 227 and The Wire" all in one!
In addition to recently moving, I've also been spending time with my "mentee," which has been such an incredible experience so far, and we've only had two outings. (Side note - In order to maintain confidentiality, I won't use her name when I write about her in this public setting.) She is 11 years old and very bright and sweet. I'm already taken with her desire to learn so much about the world around her, and I aim to exceed her expectations as a mentor through encouraging her to never lose that eager and positive mentality. At such a young age, she has overcome so much hardship in her life, yet she still remains a very enthusiastic girl - an attribute I find infinitely inspiring. I don't always have the best luck, but I sincerely feel as though I hit the jackpot in getting matched with my particular "mentee." I cannot wait to
Another update to report: After many months of anticipation, the AUSL teaching applications are FINALLY available! They came out on Thursday, but because I don't want to be hasty, I'm going to find some quiet time tonight to fill it out. I've been preparing for this opportunity for many months, and because I only get one shot, I want to be extremely careful with what I choose to fill into those blanks. All of my supporting docs are ready to go though, so I will be officially "applied" by Monday of next week. Wish me luck!!
And finally, with regards to my New Year's goals, I'm down to having just one more book to read, and running 4 races, all for which I'm registered. The class I ended up taking that I can cross off my list was a canning class from The Glass Rooster. My friend, Jennie, who perpetually keeps an eye out for all activities unique and entertaining, stumbled upon an article about canning classes from The Glass Rooster, and so we immediately signed up. Oh - canning qualifies as an entertaining activity, you ask? Well, to be honest, my friends and I could watch paint dry and somehow find ourselves in a fit of giggles, so yes, canning was, in fact, entertaining. And now I have tomatoes coming out the wazoo! During the class, the canning instructor shared some really interesting stories about her life on a farm growing up, along with her transition to city life, including exhausting every effort to preserve the importance of obtaining real food. Additionally, the whole canning process reminded me so much of my Grandma Elsie, who was a canner extraordinaire. It continues to shock me that the art of canning has completely skipped a generation or two. How on earth did that happen? Oh yeah, money-hungry corporate America got involved, blindsiding us by sneaking cheaply produced, overly processed foods that have unidentifiable origins into our grocery stores. Ok, I won't get off on a tangent, but I guarantee that watching Food Inc. will make you just as bitter about our food industry...
So that is all for now! Phew! A lot sure has happened in the past month or so. It has been such a busy year overall though, and I can hardly believe that we are almost at the end of the 9th month of 2010!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Math + Steph = ......Genius???
It's no secret that I have always shared a love/hate relationship with math - minus the love. Subsequently after being introduced to long division in 5th grade, my mother toted me to a math tutor on a weekly basis. But, at that point, I still had no idea my future in math would be a dark tunnel of decimal points, digits and even more dreaded division.
I struggled with math in 6th grade, too, but it wasn't until 7th grade that I officially declared war with math. Just when I thought nothing could be worse than long division, I was introduced to algebra. Worse than that, I was introduced to the algebra teacher, Mr. Smith. This guy eagerly sniffed out the fear of math in 7th graders, so (not surprisingly) I was assigned to sit front and center in his classroom. His classroom, by the way, was so clean and organized you could perform surgery on the desks. He drew X's on the floor to ensure that, when all desks were placed on said X's, they'd always be lined up properly. And, if he ever noticed papers or notebooks on his desk a bit askew, he'd pause to line them up so everything was parallel. But, besides his obsession with cleanliness and organization, math seemed to be this guy's whole freakin' world. In fact, on the first day of class, he shattered any sort of youthful idealism I had by declaring, "math - not love - makes the world go around." Great.
As you may have gathered, I was not a star student in his class. In fact, I had so much trouble with algebra that I can recall more than a few times, in response to his frustration with me, he threw chalk and erasers. Creating a plume of chalk dust in his otherwise pristine classroom cemented my suspicion that he was, in fact, really angry at me.
But, I was angry at him, too. For instance, every day we'd go through the drill of him asking me to put my glasses on, and I'd have to dig the hideous specs out of my book bag. (I already had braces, so even though I was blind as a bat, I hated wearing my glasses due to the whole 'nerd alert' double whammy factor). Also, he once made me miss our school's ice cream social by keeping me after class to help with something giving me extra trouble. Oh, and by 'help,' I mean, 'scream at me.' That was the last straw. He finally broke me. I cried right in front of him. He won. Math won. Math: 9,632,000 Steph: 0
In 8th grade, I somehow managed to skate through math by the skin of my teeth, and I'm pretty sure that was only because the teacher was sympathetic to the fact I'd been in Mr. Smith's class the previous year. Then, in 9th grade, I failed Algebra. FAILED. The teacher sent interim reports home to my parents praising me about how hard I tried and that my attitude was good, but the actual math part just wouldn't click. So, to salvage my GPA, I decided to stick to non-college prep math the next two years.
Even though I always did well in my other subjects in high school, it still bothered me that I never passed college prep algebra. As a result, I did the unthinkable my senior year: I signed up to re-take that algebra class that had defeated me as a freshman. On the first day of school, I walked into Mr. Hackim's class and declared myself doomed. You see, Mr. Hackim was the varsity baseball coach and had a reputation for being incredibly intimidating. I could instantly tell that this burly man wasn't going to take crap from any punk kid who dared try to provoke him. But, as my insides were curdling during roll call, he walked over to me, looked me up and down, and proclaimed to the freshman students, "Stephanie is in charge." For the first time in a math class since 5th grade, I exhaled. I ended up doing really well in that class, too. Mr. Hackim even sent a letter to my parents explaining how he "would stay in teaching forever if he could be guaranteed to always have students like me." Apparently, Mr. Hackim wasn't so intimidating after all. And, I happily learned, neither was algebra.
After passing my one required math course in college, I figured math would finally be shelved for good, and was satisfied to come away with only a few battle scars. But, during my senior year, I randomly signed up for a computer class I heard would be an 'easy A.' I learned a bit about Microsoft Excel in that class, and for the first time ever, math made sense. The elusive math 'a ha' moment was, at last, actualized. It wasn't just the formulas that made more sense to me in spreadsheet form, it was applying math problems to real life situations, i.e. financing a car. I learned to like math so much that I began creating personal budgets on Excel, and have been doing so ever since. Additionally, I do math for a living now. Even though I had zero finance experience, my company promoted me to my current position based on my Excel knowledge and organizational skills (no doubt an attribute I inadvertently inherited from Mr. Smith). As I've mentioned many times before, I'm not passionate about my job, but discovering I was actually good at something involving a lot of math was empowering.
So, after reading about my rocky and, at times, taumatizing history with math, you might be as shocked as I was to learn that, after receiving my official scores in the mail last week, I scored highest in MATH on the Illinois Basic Skills & Content Area tests. WHAT?! Yes! I called my parents and brother right away, who, recalling my 7th grade horrors, were quick to reference Mr. Smith's name.
The lesson to learn here, kids, is that even though you may struggle with something at one point in your life, it doesn't mean that you can't or won't conquer it at another point. I predicted that thoughts of Mr. Smith's class would haunt me for the rest of my life, and they have, just not in the way I thought. For example, it was his voice I kept hearing while studying for the tests, and not in a bad way. I finally 'get' that it wasn't that he didn't like me, it was that he knew I had the potential to understand the material, and he was frustrated that I had failed to see my own potential.
Finally, Mr. Smith is an example of the type of teacher I want to be (minus the chalk/eraser pitching, of course). I'm talking about not letting any child fly under the radar, no matter how much they'd rather disappear into the background.
I struggled with math in 6th grade, too, but it wasn't until 7th grade that I officially declared war with math. Just when I thought nothing could be worse than long division, I was introduced to algebra. Worse than that, I was introduced to the algebra teacher, Mr. Smith. This guy eagerly sniffed out the fear of math in 7th graders, so (not surprisingly) I was assigned to sit front and center in his classroom. His classroom, by the way, was so clean and organized you could perform surgery on the desks. He drew X's on the floor to ensure that, when all desks were placed on said X's, they'd always be lined up properly. And, if he ever noticed papers or notebooks on his desk a bit askew, he'd pause to line them up so everything was parallel. But, besides his obsession with cleanliness and organization, math seemed to be this guy's whole freakin' world. In fact, on the first day of class, he shattered any sort of youthful idealism I had by declaring, "math - not love - makes the world go around." Great.
As you may have gathered, I was not a star student in his class. In fact, I had so much trouble with algebra that I can recall more than a few times, in response to his frustration with me, he threw chalk and erasers. Creating a plume of chalk dust in his otherwise pristine classroom cemented my suspicion that he was, in fact, really angry at me.
But, I was angry at him, too. For instance, every day we'd go through the drill of him asking me to put my glasses on, and I'd have to dig the hideous specs out of my book bag. (I already had braces, so even though I was blind as a bat, I hated wearing my glasses due to the whole 'nerd alert' double whammy factor). Also, he once made me miss our school's ice cream social by keeping me after class to help with something giving me extra trouble. Oh, and by 'help,' I mean, 'scream at me.' That was the last straw. He finally broke me. I cried right in front of him. He won. Math won. Math: 9,632,000 Steph: 0
In 8th grade, I somehow managed to skate through math by the skin of my teeth, and I'm pretty sure that was only because the teacher was sympathetic to the fact I'd been in Mr. Smith's class the previous year. Then, in 9th grade, I failed Algebra. FAILED. The teacher sent interim reports home to my parents praising me about how hard I tried and that my attitude was good, but the actual math part just wouldn't click. So, to salvage my GPA, I decided to stick to non-college prep math the next two years.
Even though I always did well in my other subjects in high school, it still bothered me that I never passed college prep algebra. As a result, I did the unthinkable my senior year: I signed up to re-take that algebra class that had defeated me as a freshman. On the first day of school, I walked into Mr. Hackim's class and declared myself doomed. You see, Mr. Hackim was the varsity baseball coach and had a reputation for being incredibly intimidating. I could instantly tell that this burly man wasn't going to take crap from any punk kid who dared try to provoke him. But, as my insides were curdling during roll call, he walked over to me, looked me up and down, and proclaimed to the freshman students, "Stephanie is in charge." For the first time in a math class since 5th grade, I exhaled. I ended up doing really well in that class, too. Mr. Hackim even sent a letter to my parents explaining how he "would stay in teaching forever if he could be guaranteed to always have students like me." Apparently, Mr. Hackim wasn't so intimidating after all. And, I happily learned, neither was algebra.
After passing my one required math course in college, I figured math would finally be shelved for good, and was satisfied to come away with only a few battle scars. But, during my senior year, I randomly signed up for a computer class I heard would be an 'easy A.' I learned a bit about Microsoft Excel in that class, and for the first time ever, math made sense. The elusive math 'a ha' moment was, at last, actualized. It wasn't just the formulas that made more sense to me in spreadsheet form, it was applying math problems to real life situations, i.e. financing a car. I learned to like math so much that I began creating personal budgets on Excel, and have been doing so ever since. Additionally, I do math for a living now. Even though I had zero finance experience, my company promoted me to my current position based on my Excel knowledge and organizational skills (no doubt an attribute I inadvertently inherited from Mr. Smith). As I've mentioned many times before, I'm not passionate about my job, but discovering I was actually good at something involving a lot of math was empowering.
So, after reading about my rocky and, at times, taumatizing history with math, you might be as shocked as I was to learn that, after receiving my official scores in the mail last week, I scored highest in MATH on the Illinois Basic Skills & Content Area tests. WHAT?! Yes! I called my parents and brother right away, who, recalling my 7th grade horrors, were quick to reference Mr. Smith's name.
The lesson to learn here, kids, is that even though you may struggle with something at one point in your life, it doesn't mean that you can't or won't conquer it at another point. I predicted that thoughts of Mr. Smith's class would haunt me for the rest of my life, and they have, just not in the way I thought. For example, it was his voice I kept hearing while studying for the tests, and not in a bad way. I finally 'get' that it wasn't that he didn't like me, it was that he knew I had the potential to understand the material, and he was frustrated that I had failed to see my own potential.
Finally, Mr. Smith is an example of the type of teacher I want to be (minus the chalk/eraser pitching, of course). I'm talking about not letting any child fly under the radar, no matter how much they'd rather disappear into the background.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Disarray
Do you know the feeling you get when you take everything out of your closet to reorganize it, and then you face the daunting task of putting it all back together? Sure, you fully understand that your efforts will equal more efficient closet space, but I'm talking about that sudden, discouraging moment when all of your stuff is in disarray, and you realize that a lot of work is required in order to make that closet work better for you. Well, that's how I feel about my life right now. But, as the saying goes (Warning: cliche ahead), "you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs."
Anyway, I passed BOTH the Illinois Basic Skills & Content Area tests (Woo hoo!!!), so now I'm just patiently (and by patiently, I mean nervously/anxiously/restlessly) waiting until the new AUSL applications are available so I can finally apply to the program that has been occupying 90% of my mind since April.
Also, I'm moving into a new apartment on Monday, and my current apartment is filled to the brim with boxes. I never realized until just this week how sad an apartment can be when there is nothing on the walls except the dust outlines where pictures once hung, and a mountain of unmarked boxes dominating the living room, just waiting to be hauled off to my new little corner in the world. Perhaps the reason my apartment is so sad is because my place at 420 W Surf is the first Chicago apartment that ever truly felt like a 'home' to me, and now it seems so strange that I'm suddenly abandoning ship. But, life moves on. Literally, and, well, literally.
Additionally, after several months, I've finally completed the process of jumping through all of the necessary hoops (and there were A LOT of dang hoops) to become a mentor with the Friends First program. So, now I'm just patiently (and by patiently, I mean nervously/anxiously/restlessly) waiting to get matched with my mentee.
So, all of the above, plus trying to complete all of my Top 10 Goals for 2010, has really kept me on my toes this summer. And despite sacrificing some summer fun, and accepting all the uncertainty that comes along with making big life changes, I maintain that every ounce of effort spent on reaching my goals has been worth every minute!
And as I look around at everything in my life that has been moved, removed, shifted, changed & rearranged, I take a deep breath and remember that a better, more efficient and organized closet is in my future.
Anyway, I passed BOTH the Illinois Basic Skills & Content Area tests (Woo hoo!!!), so now I'm just patiently (and by patiently, I mean nervously/anxiously/restlessly) waiting until the new AUSL applications are available so I can finally apply to the program that has been occupying 90% of my mind since April.
Also, I'm moving into a new apartment on Monday, and my current apartment is filled to the brim with boxes. I never realized until just this week how sad an apartment can be when there is nothing on the walls except the dust outlines where pictures once hung, and a mountain of unmarked boxes dominating the living room, just waiting to be hauled off to my new little corner in the world. Perhaps the reason my apartment is so sad is because my place at 420 W Surf is the first Chicago apartment that ever truly felt like a 'home' to me, and now it seems so strange that I'm suddenly abandoning ship. But, life moves on. Literally, and, well, literally.
Additionally, after several months, I've finally completed the process of jumping through all of the necessary hoops (and there were A LOT of dang hoops) to become a mentor with the Friends First program. So, now I'm just patiently (and by patiently, I mean nervously/anxiously/restlessly) waiting to get matched with my mentee.
So, all of the above, plus trying to complete all of my Top 10 Goals for 2010, has really kept me on my toes this summer. And despite sacrificing some summer fun, and accepting all the uncertainty that comes along with making big life changes, I maintain that every ounce of effort spent on reaching my goals has been worth every minute!
And as I look around at everything in my life that has been moved, removed, shifted, changed & rearranged, I take a deep breath and remember that a better, more efficient and organized closet is in my future.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Adventures of Ethan & Aunt Stephanie
So this entry has nothing to do with my Top Ten Goals for 2010, but it has everything to do with the "small stuff," which is essentially the core theme of this blog. (I've tried like mad to keep a central theme, but as life would have it, it has obviously expanded to so much more!)
Anyway, I was in Ohio visiting my fabulous, fantastic, funny & fun family for an entire week a couple weeks ago, and along with squeezing in quality study time for the Illinois Basic Skills Test (which I took this past weekend!), there was a whole lot of quality aunt/nephew time with Ethan. I am dedicating this entry solely to him because, quite simply, I'm obsessed with the little guy. Everyone close to me knows this, and even my co-workers, with whom I choose to share few details regarding my personal life, know ALL about Ethan. I'm assuming the shrine of Ethan pics that adorn my cube don't do much to hide this obsession, and instead prompt inquiry as to the identity of the little man.
So, without further ado, here is a recap of only some of many of the small, yet special, moments that occurred during our time together in Ohio:
Trip to CVS = An Unexpected Lesson in Responsibility
Because I try to take as few toiletries as possible with me when I fly to Ohio, I needed to make a trip to CVS soon after I arrived. I asked Ethan if he wanted to walk with me, and he was all about it. As we were walking out the door, my brother tried to hand him $5.00 so he could buy soap for their bathroom. Ethan told him that he didn't want to buy the soap and that they could just get it at another time. My brother, who would've loved if Ethan had taken him up on the responsibility, retracted the $5.00 but didn't make a fuss. When we started walking, I could tell Ethan was a little pensive, but after a few minutes, a conversation began between us and went like this:
Ethan: "Do you think Daddy was mad that I didn't take the $5.00 to buy soap?"
Me: "Oh, honey, no, I don't think he was mad. ...... But, if you want, we could always still pick out a soap and just have Daddy pay me back later."
Ethan: "Yeah, that's a good idea. Can we do that?"
So with that, we paced the soap aisle in CVS with a mission. Overwhelmed by the plethora of choices, we first had to figure out bar or liquid. After a quick call and consultation with Daddy, it was established that we needed to choose a liquid cleanser. Then, I advised him to choose one of the three brands on sale. Of those three, we did a 'smell' test. Nivea for Men won, which made me giggle because Ethan is eight, yet he chose a very sophisticated cleansing product (Nivea for MEN!), which, I'm sure, is EXACTLY why he chose it.
I can't explain to you the magnitude of how proud Ethan was that he followed through on the responsibility originally bestowed upon him by his Dad. And I can't explain to you the magnitude of how proud I am of my brother for raising such a good kid.
Actin' A Fool
We were at my brother's place when I asked Ethan if he wanted to go outside to play soccer. He was looking for the soccer ball when he spontaneously stopped and busted out incredibly obnoxious dance moves. "WHAT was THAT?!," I asked, laughing. He pointed out that Lady Gaga's Just Dance was on the radio. Duh!
When we got outside and I was about to kick the ball, he told me to wait until he tied his shoe. I replied, "That's OK - while you're doing that, I'll (queue mimicking of his aforementioned dance moves) JUST DANCE!" With the most serious expression on his face, he looked at me and said, "No. Don't do that." I rebutted with, "Why!? YOU just did it!," to which Ethan shot back, "Yes, but that was inside, and this is in public." Touche...
But I Gotta Go to the Baaaathroooom: Adult/Child Roles Briefly Reversed
One of the days during my visit to Ohio was extra special because I got to take Ethan to Water Works Family Aquatic Center in Cuyahoga Falls. My brother and I spent so many summers there, so it seemed really cool as an adult to be taking my nephew there. I fully expected a day of aunt/nephew bonding, but what I didn't expect was the lines of adult/child roles to be blurred.
For instance, after we ate the lunch I packed for us, Ethan was ready to hit the water slides. I was ready too, but only after I went to the lady's room. Ethan seemed annoyed that I needed to make this detour, but he sighed and left it at that until:
Ethan: "Aunt Stephanie! What are you doing?! Leave your flip flops at the blanket so we can go straight to the water slides from the restroom!"
Me: "Eeeewwwww! No way! I'm NOT going barefoot in the bathroom! Gross!," I whined.
Ethan: (Scoffs) "Fine. After you are finished, hand me your flip flops and I'll run them back to the blanket real fast."
Um, how on earth did I become the whiny child?
Another example of adult/child role reversal occurred in our relentless battle regarding sunscreen application. For example, I never thought he was putting enough on, and he thought I was being evil for making him go through the drill of reapplying it so often. The sunscreen tug-of-war went on all day and I even had to pull out the "I'm the adult, you are the child" line several times, although I think I was repeating it mostly to convince myself. Luckily, and I told him one day he'd thank me, I won. Below is an excerpt from our verbal tug-of-war:
Ethan: "What are those 'dots' on your shoulders?" (referring to the freckles on my shoulders)
Me: "AH HA!," I exclaimed, excited because he had unintentionally introduced Exhibit A to further my argument FOR sunscreen. "Yeah! See!? THIS is what happens when you don't wear enough sunscreen as a kid! You don't want to end up with 'dots' like these, do you?!"
Ethan: "Yes, I think they are cool."
Me: (Slapping hand on forehead in frustration)"D'oh!"
Water Slides = Recipe for High Level Embarrassment
In addition to several large water slides at Waterworks, there are also 2 short "racing" tube slides. Semi-unsure as to whether adults were allowed to enjoy these slides, I stood on the sidelines and watched Ethan for a while. He is so small that he was literally shot out of the slide like a cannon ball. This was so entertaining to me that I told him to go again and again and that I didn't mind waiting and watching. I was endlessly giggling when he came up to me and said, "OK, your turn. We can race!" My smile quickly transitioned into a look of horror, especially because I had yet to see an adult on these tube slides, and I was paying attention. I tried to use the excuse that I had my sunglasses with me, but Ethan asked for them and carefully tucked them under a fence so they wouldn't get broken or stolen. I swallowed the lump in my throat along with a big chunk of my pride, and complied with his request to "race" him on the dueling tube slides. I followed him up the stairs, half embarrassed and, let's be honest, half totally excited. When we reached the top of the platform, I relaxed a bit and realized that it wasn't necessary for me to feel so embarrassed to be acting like a kid again. That is, until this 31-year-old yelped (a yelp that was acoustically enhanced by the hollow tube, by the way) going down the slide. Oh, and who won the race, you ask? Well, I couldn't tell you because I was too busy getting reprimanded by the lifeguard who blew his whistle at me for almost exiting the pool at the wrong ladder.
Luckily, Ethan thought I was cool that day even if the lifeguards thought I was a total hot mess.
Lazy River Revelations
After our 9 millionth time around the lazy river in separate tubes, I begged Ethan to allow me to share his giant 2 person tube with him. "Fine!," he finally relented, much to my glee and his chagrin. I coerced quite a bit of info out of Ethan during our circles of laziness. I found out that he has a girlfriend, for example, and I demanded and was in turn supplied with all the details! Her name is Gretchen, she wears glasses, SHE asked HIM out, etc. But after a while, the conversation turned more serious:
Ethan: (In a completely serious tone of voice) "So, what else do you want to talk about? How about work? How is your work going?"
Me: "Ugggghhh, oh Ethan, I do not like my job. .... In fact, I'm working really hard to go back to school to become a teacher! .... Ethan? Do you think I would be a good teacher?"
Ethan: "Eeeeehhhhh, maybe about 50 to 60%."
Me: "WHAT?!," I exclaimed, hoping for an uptick in the number the second time around.
Ethan: "Yes. About 50 to 60% good."
Me: "Really?! Is that your final answer??"
It wasn't just the fact he thought I'd only make a halfway decent teacher that bothered me. It was also the fact that he seemed to have better grasp on percentages than I did, and I had been studying percentages along with many other math concepts for many weeks.
So, I suppose I now not only have to prove to myself that I can become a GREAT teacher, but I'm also faced with the task of impressing Simon Cowell in my quest for teacher hood.
And Finally...
Who wouldn't love an eight year old who is funny, honest (albeit a little too honest), gives hugs freely and loves telling stories just as much as he loves hearing them? Although I could go on and on about our special times together and why he is so important to me, hopefully this entry helps convey a bit of my gratefulness for having this unconditionally-loving eight year old in my life. And sure I hope that in his little mind he considers me far better than "50 to 60% good" as an aunt!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
1/2 Way Mark
Ok, 6 months down, 6 months to go. And I think I've made some pretty decent progress at the half way mark regarding my 2010 goals! Most recently, I've read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. Again, I'll save writing about my favorite quotes from these books until I've read all 10, but I will say that The Other Wes Moore is the most inspiring book I've ever read. Ever. Period.
Also, I have officially paid off both credit cards!!!!! What a great feeling to have accomplished something that was once such a daunting goal. So, I'm officially debt free aside from student loan payments, which is actually considered 'good debt' according to the financial gods. And besides, President Obama and First Lady Michelle only recently paid off their school debt, so I'm not too stressed about mine. BUT, if I do get accepted into the AUSL teaching program, I can get all of my student loans forgiven since I'll be teaching in a high-need school. Just another of the 8 million reasons taking the steps to change my career is so very, very right for me.
Since I have already accomplished so many of my goals, it is actually easier to do a run-down of what I have left:
1.) I still have to run 4 more races
2.) I have to read 4 more books
3.) I still need to take a class of some sort
4.) Write in my journal (which will be a work in progress until the end of the year and beyond)
5.) Save money - This, too, will be a work in progress until the end of the year.
I must say that I have made great strides regarding saving money thus far though. For instance, I take coupons with me where ever I shop and I NEVER shop without a list. I've been buying mostly generic equivalents of name brands (I've discovered there is ZERO difference in the quality). I've been reigning in my entertainment spending by going out only once per week. I don't order in as much (down to 0 - 1 times a week!). And -probably the most major of all- I'm moving into a MUCH less expensive apartment at the end of August. Through all of this, I've learned that being frugal is a challenge, but the accomplishment is so rewarding! Restraining myself from impulse purchases doesn't feel like I'm depriving myself, it makes me feel in control.
Additionally, my goal-accomplishing is going to be on hiatus for the next 17 days while I spend nearly every second of my spare time studying for the Illinois Basic Skills Test and Content Area Test. Passing these two tests will determine if I can even so much as apply to the AUSL program in September. No pressure there, eh? It is totally nerve-wracking, as I have to cram as much as 17 years of schooling back into my noggin, er, at least search for a good portion of it in the archives of my brain. If anything, I'll be primed for a good game of Trivial Pursuit when this is all said and done. Wish. Me. Luck. PLEASE.
Also, I have officially paid off both credit cards!!!!! What a great feeling to have accomplished something that was once such a daunting goal. So, I'm officially debt free aside from student loan payments, which is actually considered 'good debt' according to the financial gods. And besides, President Obama and First Lady Michelle only recently paid off their school debt, so I'm not too stressed about mine. BUT, if I do get accepted into the AUSL teaching program, I can get all of my student loans forgiven since I'll be teaching in a high-need school. Just another of the 8 million reasons taking the steps to change my career is so very, very right for me.
Since I have already accomplished so many of my goals, it is actually easier to do a run-down of what I have left:
1.) I still have to run 4 more races
2.) I have to read 4 more books
3.) I still need to take a class of some sort
4.) Write in my journal (which will be a work in progress until the end of the year and beyond)
5.) Save money - This, too, will be a work in progress until the end of the year.
I must say that I have made great strides regarding saving money thus far though. For instance, I take coupons with me where ever I shop and I NEVER shop without a list. I've been buying mostly generic equivalents of name brands (I've discovered there is ZERO difference in the quality). I've been reigning in my entertainment spending by going out only once per week. I don't order in as much (down to 0 - 1 times a week!). And -probably the most major of all- I'm moving into a MUCH less expensive apartment at the end of August. Through all of this, I've learned that being frugal is a challenge, but the accomplishment is so rewarding! Restraining myself from impulse purchases doesn't feel like I'm depriving myself, it makes me feel in control.
Additionally, my goal-accomplishing is going to be on hiatus for the next 17 days while I spend nearly every second of my spare time studying for the Illinois Basic Skills Test and Content Area Test. Passing these two tests will determine if I can even so much as apply to the AUSL program in September. No pressure there, eh? It is totally nerve-wracking, as I have to cram as much as 17 years of schooling back into my noggin, er, at least search for a good portion of it in the archives of my brain. If anything, I'll be primed for a good game of Trivial Pursuit when this is all said and done. Wish. Me. Luck. PLEASE.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Focus. Prioritize. Repeat.
When I set out to accomplish my Top Ten Goals for 2010, I had no idea that I'd set out to change my whole life too. I could have stayed perfectly content with my ten attainable goals, but noooooooooo! I just had to shake things up!
So what else have I piled on my plate? Well, I'll be becoming a volunteer mentor in July, moving to a new place in August and applying to the AUSL teacher training program in September. Each of these require a lot of work and preparation, and just thinking about everything I need to do is quite overwhelming.
BUT, I need to remember there is light at the end of the tunnel. I need to draw on past experiences and remember that feeling overwhelmed and even feeling a little bit of self doubt is part of the process. The important thing is that I push through despite these feelings.
I CAN do this. Repeat.
So what else have I piled on my plate? Well, I'll be becoming a volunteer mentor in July, moving to a new place in August and applying to the AUSL teacher training program in September. Each of these require a lot of work and preparation, and just thinking about everything I need to do is quite overwhelming.
BUT, I need to remember there is light at the end of the tunnel. I need to draw on past experiences and remember that feeling overwhelmed and even feeling a little bit of self doubt is part of the process. The important thing is that I push through despite these feelings.
I CAN do this. Repeat.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Confession
So, I have a confession to make. BUT, before I disclose my little secret, I just want to quickly report that I can cross yet another goal off my list! I fulfilled my goal of volunteering at least one time during 2010. Last month, I signed up with One Brick Chicago, a non-profit volunteer organization that assists other non-profit organizations whenever called upon. I chose (from their calendar of endless opportunities) to help out at the Kids Day America event at MayFest. And, a funny thing happened during that singular volunteer experience. I discovered just how awesome public service can be. So, I'm already signed up for another event through One Brick for tomorrow. I will be helping out with kids activities again at a sidewalk chalk festival hosted by a group called Art Therapy Connection. And just last night, I attended an information session regarding the Friends First mentoring program through Mercy Home in Chicago. The Friends First program will match me with an at-risk youth to spend some time with during a few hours for 2-3 weekends per month. It's a pretty big time commitment, which is intimidating, but all I've been able to think about since the orientation is, "How can I not do this?"
***
Ok ok, so here is my confession: I hate my current job. HATE. IT. Most people I'm close with already know this, but it's not something I like to advertise. Until now. *Gulp* While I am very thankful to hold a job in this less than stellar economy, I'm completely miserable. I chose the wrong path in college, and for years I couldn't foresee a comprehensible way to change lanes. Until now.
So, after years of suffering at an unsatisfying job in Cubeville, USA, I have finally found the guts and motivation to change my career. But, it is not going to be easy. In fact, "Nothing of great value comes without great sacrifice." I'm not sure who originated that quote, but I heard it once in a movie, and now I live by it.
Allow me to explain: For years I have known that I have wanted to become an elementary school teacher. I have such an enormous compassion for kids, especially kids who come from unfortunate circumstances and don't have it so easy in life. I'm not sure where this undeniable compassion stems from, but the constant nagging feeling within me urging me to find a way to help them will not disappear. It just so happens that last spring, while perusing the Chicago Public Schools website, I came across a link to another site for the AUSL program though National Louis University. AUSL stands for Academy for Urban School Leadership, and they train teachers to teach in under-performing or failing Chicago public schools that have been newly turned-around. This program, should I get accepted after the rigorous application process, would allow me to obtain a Masters degree in Education.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not naive enough to think that this experience won't be extremely challenging, but I'm also not jaded enough to think that there is no hope for children coming from less than ideal community & home environments to succeed in life.
Last night, before the orientation began, I was speaking with another prospective Friends First volunteer, and we were discussing our backgrounds. After telling her about how I got to Chicago in the first place and how I wanted to become a teacher via the AUSL program, she told me that she thought it was awesome that after 10 years in the work force, I had finally found my calling. I paused for a second because I had never thought of my desire to become a teacher as a "calling," per se, but now I can't think of a better word for it.
***
Ok ok, so here is my confession: I hate my current job. HATE. IT. Most people I'm close with already know this, but it's not something I like to advertise. Until now. *Gulp* While I am very thankful to hold a job in this less than stellar economy, I'm completely miserable. I chose the wrong path in college, and for years I couldn't foresee a comprehensible way to change lanes. Until now.
So, after years of suffering at an unsatisfying job in Cubeville, USA, I have finally found the guts and motivation to change my career. But, it is not going to be easy. In fact, "Nothing of great value comes without great sacrifice." I'm not sure who originated that quote, but I heard it once in a movie, and now I live by it.
Allow me to explain: For years I have known that I have wanted to become an elementary school teacher. I have such an enormous compassion for kids, especially kids who come from unfortunate circumstances and don't have it so easy in life. I'm not sure where this undeniable compassion stems from, but the constant nagging feeling within me urging me to find a way to help them will not disappear. It just so happens that last spring, while perusing the Chicago Public Schools website, I came across a link to another site for the AUSL program though National Louis University. AUSL stands for Academy for Urban School Leadership, and they train teachers to teach in under-performing or failing Chicago public schools that have been newly turned-around. This program, should I get accepted after the rigorous application process, would allow me to obtain a Masters degree in Education.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not naive enough to think that this experience won't be extremely challenging, but I'm also not jaded enough to think that there is no hope for children coming from less than ideal community & home environments to succeed in life.
Last night, before the orientation began, I was speaking with another prospective Friends First volunteer, and we were discussing our backgrounds. After telling her about how I got to Chicago in the first place and how I wanted to become a teacher via the AUSL program, she told me that she thought it was awesome that after 10 years in the work force, I had finally found my calling. I paused for a second because I had never thought of my desire to become a teacher as a "calling," per se, but now I can't think of a better word for it.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Quote of the Day
"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." - Winnie the Pooh
My sweet cousin Elizabeth posted this as her Facebook status, and I thought it was totally appropriate for this blog. It couldn't be more true!
My sweet cousin Elizabeth posted this as her Facebook status, and I thought it was totally appropriate for this blog. It couldn't be more true!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Pura Vida
One of my most cherished souvenirs from Costa Rica has to be the new knowledge I gained of another country's culture. I feel that the ideas regarding the Costa Rican way of living really fit nicely with the theme of this blog too, because they really take the time to enjoy the little, yet important, things in life. And they do this whenever it feels naturally to them, not because it's part of a schedule.
For example, the motto in Costa Rica is, "Pura Vida," which means, "pure life." Every Tico (local resident) I encountered seemed to embrace this idea to the fullest. "Pura Vida" is EVERYWHERE in Costa Rica. On t-shirts, on wood carvings, on restaurant menus, inserted into verbal greetings, etc., but it is probably most evident in the lifestyle of the Ticos.
One example I witnessed of "pura vida" in all of its glory occurred on one of the last days of our trip. We were sipping smoothies at Joe's when I observed one of the surf instructor's at Witch Rock Surf Camp waxing his board. Suddenly, a mango fell from the nearby mango tree and first landed on the board, then rolled & fell onto the ground. Without hesitation, the surf instructor stopped waxing and bent to scoop up the rogue mango. I watched him grab a hose to first rinse it off, then walk in the direction of the beach, sit down on a swing that was tied to a tree, and then fully enjoy his afternoon snack. I mean, this is a human who was pausing to truly enjoy the 'fruits' of life! What a concept! I couldn't help but be curious as to what he was thinking while he was eating that mango on that swing near the beach. I wondered if he was reflecting upon how fortunate he is to live in a tropical paradise. I wondered if he was thanking the heavens for his livelihood as a surf instructor. I wondered if he was gauging the waves for surf-ability. I wondered if he was simply and solely focused on the mango. I wondered if he was thinking about his family and friends, or a girlfriend. But the thing is, I'm STILL wondering these things. How can such a natural human action seem so awe-inspiring to me? Because this is an act not usually observed among city natives, sadly & unfortunately. *sigh*
But, as someone who has never had trouble taking time to smell the roses (I'm often accused of being spacey, in fact, but I swear it is usually just me pausing to reflect upon the moment), I adapted to the "pura vida" concept quite easily and naturally. I was happiest not knowing what time it was or what we were going to do next. We didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time (which probably did wonders for my blood pressure because I'm constantly rushing in my real life). I actually liked not having my cell phone with me at all times and not having instant access to the Internet. Because the distractions were kept to a minimum, I could really be fully present in each moment. I wish everyday life in America catered to this idea more. I think Americans would be a lot happier if so. Well, I bet we'd be a whole lot more relaxed and less stressed, at the very least.
Also, my friends and I discussed more than once during our trip how the people of Costa Rica, though mostly poor, are some of the happiest in the world. There is no "keeping up with the Jones's" concept in their culture. I remember studying Latin America culture in high school and learning that they are deeply committed to their families, and family is what makes them happiest. I also noticed that they really care about the health of their environment. There were recycling bins everywhere and it was easy to tell the ticos took great pride in the landscape. The landscape is indeed their playground, but one they treat with great love and respect.
Another observation I made in relation to the "pura vida" lifestyle in Costa Rica is the pride and appreciation they have for their livelihood, whatever it may be. An example that comes to mind is the conversation we had with our zip line guide, Rudolfo. One of us asked how long he had been working at the Sky Track, and he proudly rattled off, "6 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, and 5 days." Well, I can't remember exactly how long it was, but he included that much detail. And I have a feeling he makes a great living doing that job. He gets to meet new people from all over the world every day, work outdoors, zip line until his heart is content AND make money all while doing so. No hunching over a 13 inch screen for 8 hours a day in a gray cubicle for him!
I'm not trying to say that Costa Rica is perfectly impeccable and the ultimate utopia, as I'm not naive to think the people of Costa Rica don't have their fair share of pain, suffering and social problems. But, it is a breathtakingly beautiful country where the people and their "pura vida" culture simply enhance that beauty.
For example, the motto in Costa Rica is, "Pura Vida," which means, "pure life." Every Tico (local resident) I encountered seemed to embrace this idea to the fullest. "Pura Vida" is EVERYWHERE in Costa Rica. On t-shirts, on wood carvings, on restaurant menus, inserted into verbal greetings, etc., but it is probably most evident in the lifestyle of the Ticos.
One example I witnessed of "pura vida" in all of its glory occurred on one of the last days of our trip. We were sipping smoothies at Joe's when I observed one of the surf instructor's at Witch Rock Surf Camp waxing his board. Suddenly, a mango fell from the nearby mango tree and first landed on the board, then rolled & fell onto the ground. Without hesitation, the surf instructor stopped waxing and bent to scoop up the rogue mango. I watched him grab a hose to first rinse it off, then walk in the direction of the beach, sit down on a swing that was tied to a tree, and then fully enjoy his afternoon snack. I mean, this is a human who was pausing to truly enjoy the 'fruits' of life! What a concept! I couldn't help but be curious as to what he was thinking while he was eating that mango on that swing near the beach. I wondered if he was reflecting upon how fortunate he is to live in a tropical paradise. I wondered if he was thanking the heavens for his livelihood as a surf instructor. I wondered if he was gauging the waves for surf-ability. I wondered if he was simply and solely focused on the mango. I wondered if he was thinking about his family and friends, or a girlfriend. But the thing is, I'm STILL wondering these things. How can such a natural human action seem so awe-inspiring to me? Because this is an act not usually observed among city natives, sadly & unfortunately. *sigh*
But, as someone who has never had trouble taking time to smell the roses (I'm often accused of being spacey, in fact, but I swear it is usually just me pausing to reflect upon the moment), I adapted to the "pura vida" concept quite easily and naturally. I was happiest not knowing what time it was or what we were going to do next. We didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time (which probably did wonders for my blood pressure because I'm constantly rushing in my real life). I actually liked not having my cell phone with me at all times and not having instant access to the Internet. Because the distractions were kept to a minimum, I could really be fully present in each moment. I wish everyday life in America catered to this idea more. I think Americans would be a lot happier if so. Well, I bet we'd be a whole lot more relaxed and less stressed, at the very least.
Also, my friends and I discussed more than once during our trip how the people of Costa Rica, though mostly poor, are some of the happiest in the world. There is no "keeping up with the Jones's" concept in their culture. I remember studying Latin America culture in high school and learning that they are deeply committed to their families, and family is what makes them happiest. I also noticed that they really care about the health of their environment. There were recycling bins everywhere and it was easy to tell the ticos took great pride in the landscape. The landscape is indeed their playground, but one they treat with great love and respect.
Another observation I made in relation to the "pura vida" lifestyle in Costa Rica is the pride and appreciation they have for their livelihood, whatever it may be. An example that comes to mind is the conversation we had with our zip line guide, Rudolfo. One of us asked how long he had been working at the Sky Track, and he proudly rattled off, "6 years, 3 months, 2 weeks, and 5 days." Well, I can't remember exactly how long it was, but he included that much detail. And I have a feeling he makes a great living doing that job. He gets to meet new people from all over the world every day, work outdoors, zip line until his heart is content AND make money all while doing so. No hunching over a 13 inch screen for 8 hours a day in a gray cubicle for him!
I'm not trying to say that Costa Rica is perfectly impeccable and the ultimate utopia, as I'm not naive to think the people of Costa Rica don't have their fair share of pain, suffering and social problems. But, it is a breathtakingly beautiful country where the people and their "pura vida" culture simply enhance that beauty.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Costa Rica
I can officially cross off another goal from my list! I returned from my big trip to Costa Rica last Sunday. I had zero expectations prior to my trip, and the one word that comes to mind after my vacation is, 'enchanted.' Jennie, Megan, Sara, Katie and I embarked on a week-long adventure, and adventure is certainly what we got! Even more so than prior to the trip, I appreciate my friends for allowing me to be myself, even at my most weird. And traveling with 4 other girls for 8 days is enough to make anyone a little extra nutty. Next to adventure, laughing was the most consistent aspect of our trip. If memories could truly be bottled, I'd need several six packs to contain the week's worth from Costa Rica.
Highlights include but are not limited to:
Day 1 - Sunday:
This day started with our first of many breakfasts at Copacabana. Our tipico Costa Rican breakfast consisted of beef, beans & rice in a tortilla, avocado, papas fritas, frutas, jugo de frutas y cafe con leche.
'Toby' the lizard did his holy business into the condo pool that day. Apparently, he did not like us drinking cocktails and having fun on his territory! This was also the moment we realized we were going to have many, many funny moments on this trip. Katie arrived in the afternoon & quickly realized the slap-happy madness in store for her.
Our first dinner was at a beach side restaurant called, Nibbana. This was also when we discovered that random cats & dogs populate almost all restaurants in Costa Rica (at least almost all the ones we visited!). The first dog and cat we met were, "Champoo" and "Manchas," respectively. We were told by one waiter that visitors bring their pets to the beach and then the unleashed pets wander off from their owners and eventually become residents of the restaurants.
Day 2 - Monday:
First beach day and first encounter with the "Pipas Pipas" man selling coconuts on the beach. This day was also our first of 9 million encounters with the locals selling ceramicas and other goods on the beach to which we constantly were forced to reply, "no gracias." Dinner was sushi at Koi followed by Lady's Night at Aqua Discoteque. Free drinks, dancing and hot surfer dudes?! Si, por favor!
Day 3 - Tuesday:
Today was our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants drive to see the Arenal Volcano right after a "quick" breakfast at Olga's. I put the word quick in quotation marks because it was right about this time when we realized no service would ever be quick in Costa Rica (Pura Vida, after all!). We rented an SUV, and with nothing but our backpacks and cameras in tow, we embarked on a 4.5 hour road trip.
Several signs along the drive made us giggle. One example was a sign that advertised, "Camping. Cabins. Bratwurst." Another read, "German Bakery - For the Fun!" And after seeing many signs for it, we made a stop at Cafe Macadamia where we enjoyed amazing views, fresh, organic lunch and the most amazing iced tea I've ever had, in addition to macadamias, of course. The roads were super curvy, steep and narrow and when the pavement ended, roads of seemingly endless gravel and dust began. Katie did an amazing job driving and navigating in a foreign country. We stopped for zip line info and made reservations for 7:30am the following morning. Our first hotel attempt failed, so we ended up at Linda Vista Mountain Lodge, which turned out to be incredibly breathtaking - and cheap! While in most ways staying at this lodge seemed like we were "roughing it" (i.e. no TV, no air conditioning), this place had the most amazing infinity edge pool I've ever seen (swim up bar, volcano view, sunset view!). Some of the best memories of the trip occurred in that infinity edge pool. In fact, that was the moment we realized our vacation was 'enchanted.'
At dinner, we watched lava run down the volcano from the lodge restaurant. The restaurant had floor-to-ceiling windows that slid open to a balcony, providing an even better view of the lava. All was dark (very dark, in fact, so as not to impede the lava view), quiet and serene during dinner until Ms. Photographer Katie tried to come back into the restaurant after taking lava photos. We were all about to enjoy our tipico dinner when we "heard" her run into the glass doors. "Is she ok? She seems dazed!" exclaimed patrons at another table while her bff's are laughing so hard they're crying and can't ask if she is ok! Poor Katie! She sure is a trooper though!
Later that evening we had a run in with a little lizard (that Sara frightened into crawling underneath someones door!) a "big-ass moth" and a "big-ass beetle" and continued laughing the rest of the night.
Day 4 - Wednesday:
Up and at em' for EXTREME zip lining with our guides, Rudolfo and Wiemar. We rode a gondola to the top and had to zip down 6 runs. The longest run was 600ft high, 1/2 mile long and we were going up to speeds of approximately 52mph. When it was all over, I paused to reflect on how ironic it was that something so terrifying could also be so liberating.
During the drive home, we stopped at Mamma Pacha's Art Shop to purchase some local art and then stopped at a church in Canaste decorated with in infinite amount of mosaic tiles. I fell a little bit more in love with Costa Rica during every small town stop...
Random outbursts of giggling about Katie's incident continued the whole day, as well as random patches of gravel roads during the drive back. We capped off the 2 day adventure with lunch at Lola's on the beach where a pig (Lola, perhaps?) ran amongst the diners.
Day 5 - Thursday:
Joe's for breakfast and then another beach day! Joe's is located right next to Witch's Rock Surf Camp, so not only was breakfast delicious, but the eye candy was too!
After the beach we decided to head back to Joe's for smoothies. Since Happy Hour and the sunset were quickly approaching, we decided to stay at Joe's -sweat, salt, sunscreen, suits, etc.- for the remainder of the evening for micheladas & nachos. Pura vida, indeed!
Day 6 - Friday:
Breakfast at Walter's then to the beach! Megan & Jennie took surfing lessons from Andres from Witch's Rock Surf Camp. It was so fun to watch them and they did such an amazing job! In the afternoon, a shuttle picked us up and took us to the Lazy Lizard catamaran boat for the evening. We drank Imperial beers & rum punch, snorkeled (well, some of us just enjoyed lazing on the boat), ate lunch and then watched the breathtaking sunset. Later that night, we headed back to Joe's for dinner, then off to Monkey Bar for amazing local salsa music and dancing.
Day 7 - Saturday:
Last day at the beach. Last day for pipas pipas. Last day for smoothies at Joe's. Jennie, Megan & I went souvenir shopping after the beach on what seemed like the hottest day of the week. Megan and I purchased cafe at Olga's (Well, it is Olga's from 6am to noon, then an entirely different establishment from noon until late night. Efficient, eh?). This pit stop is worth noting because it was so unimaginably hot in this place that we were just dripping with sweat. Megan said while we were waiting for the nice gentleman to retrieve our goods, "Well, Stephie, we'll always remember purchasing our Costa Rica coffee."
Dinner at Dragonfly that night. This was a very fancy restaurant in Tamarindo. Located in the middle of a wooded area, Dragonfly's ambiance consists of a concrete floor, wooden beams, a burlap roof, no walls and zero air conditioning. Hard to imagine, but this really was the fanciest and most expensive restaurant we went to in Tamarindo! And just as we were toasting to the end of a week of adventure, little did we know that another adventure was awaiting us. Right when we received our bill, the power went out! How are we supposed to pay if the credit card machine isn't working? More importantly, how are we supposed to see our way back to the condo?? .......So, what did we do? Well, we threw our collective colones onto the table and hiked up our long skirts to prepare for a muddy walk in the dark back to the condo. We used camera flashes to guide our way, and incidentally, got some pretty cool photos out of it! We made it back safely, but not before one of the security guards from a nearby condo complex decided to scare us half to death by making monkey noises. He saw (well, most likely 'heard') us, but we didn't see him! Packing by candlelight was no easy task, but it created even more laughs and made for yet another memorable experience to cap off our 'enchanted' vacation.
Highlights include but are not limited to:
Day 1 - Sunday:
This day started with our first of many breakfasts at Copacabana. Our tipico Costa Rican breakfast consisted of beef, beans & rice in a tortilla, avocado, papas fritas, frutas, jugo de frutas y cafe con leche.
'Toby' the lizard did his holy business into the condo pool that day. Apparently, he did not like us drinking cocktails and having fun on his territory! This was also the moment we realized we were going to have many, many funny moments on this trip. Katie arrived in the afternoon & quickly realized the slap-happy madness in store for her.
Our first dinner was at a beach side restaurant called, Nibbana. This was also when we discovered that random cats & dogs populate almost all restaurants in Costa Rica (at least almost all the ones we visited!). The first dog and cat we met were, "Champoo" and "Manchas," respectively. We were told by one waiter that visitors bring their pets to the beach and then the unleashed pets wander off from their owners and eventually become residents of the restaurants.
Day 2 - Monday:
First beach day and first encounter with the "Pipas Pipas" man selling coconuts on the beach. This day was also our first of 9 million encounters with the locals selling ceramicas and other goods on the beach to which we constantly were forced to reply, "no gracias." Dinner was sushi at Koi followed by Lady's Night at Aqua Discoteque. Free drinks, dancing and hot surfer dudes?! Si, por favor!
Day 3 - Tuesday:
Today was our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants drive to see the Arenal Volcano right after a "quick" breakfast at Olga's. I put the word quick in quotation marks because it was right about this time when we realized no service would ever be quick in Costa Rica (Pura Vida, after all!). We rented an SUV, and with nothing but our backpacks and cameras in tow, we embarked on a 4.5 hour road trip.
Several signs along the drive made us giggle. One example was a sign that advertised, "Camping. Cabins. Bratwurst." Another read, "German Bakery - For the Fun!" And after seeing many signs for it, we made a stop at Cafe Macadamia where we enjoyed amazing views, fresh, organic lunch and the most amazing iced tea I've ever had, in addition to macadamias, of course. The roads were super curvy, steep and narrow and when the pavement ended, roads of seemingly endless gravel and dust began. Katie did an amazing job driving and navigating in a foreign country. We stopped for zip line info and made reservations for 7:30am the following morning. Our first hotel attempt failed, so we ended up at Linda Vista Mountain Lodge, which turned out to be incredibly breathtaking - and cheap! While in most ways staying at this lodge seemed like we were "roughing it" (i.e. no TV, no air conditioning), this place had the most amazing infinity edge pool I've ever seen (swim up bar, volcano view, sunset view!). Some of the best memories of the trip occurred in that infinity edge pool. In fact, that was the moment we realized our vacation was 'enchanted.'
At dinner, we watched lava run down the volcano from the lodge restaurant. The restaurant had floor-to-ceiling windows that slid open to a balcony, providing an even better view of the lava. All was dark (very dark, in fact, so as not to impede the lava view), quiet and serene during dinner until Ms. Photographer Katie tried to come back into the restaurant after taking lava photos. We were all about to enjoy our tipico dinner when we "heard" her run into the glass doors. "Is she ok? She seems dazed!" exclaimed patrons at another table while her bff's are laughing so hard they're crying and can't ask if she is ok! Poor Katie! She sure is a trooper though!
Later that evening we had a run in with a little lizard (that Sara frightened into crawling underneath someones door!) a "big-ass moth" and a "big-ass beetle" and continued laughing the rest of the night.
Day 4 - Wednesday:
Up and at em' for EXTREME zip lining with our guides, Rudolfo and Wiemar. We rode a gondola to the top and had to zip down 6 runs. The longest run was 600ft high, 1/2 mile long and we were going up to speeds of approximately 52mph. When it was all over, I paused to reflect on how ironic it was that something so terrifying could also be so liberating.
During the drive home, we stopped at Mamma Pacha's Art Shop to purchase some local art and then stopped at a church in Canaste decorated with in infinite amount of mosaic tiles. I fell a little bit more in love with Costa Rica during every small town stop...
Random outbursts of giggling about Katie's incident continued the whole day, as well as random patches of gravel roads during the drive back. We capped off the 2 day adventure with lunch at Lola's on the beach where a pig (Lola, perhaps?) ran amongst the diners.
Day 5 - Thursday:
Joe's for breakfast and then another beach day! Joe's is located right next to Witch's Rock Surf Camp, so not only was breakfast delicious, but the eye candy was too!
After the beach we decided to head back to Joe's for smoothies. Since Happy Hour and the sunset were quickly approaching, we decided to stay at Joe's -sweat, salt, sunscreen, suits, etc.- for the remainder of the evening for micheladas & nachos. Pura vida, indeed!
Day 6 - Friday:
Breakfast at Walter's then to the beach! Megan & Jennie took surfing lessons from Andres from Witch's Rock Surf Camp. It was so fun to watch them and they did such an amazing job! In the afternoon, a shuttle picked us up and took us to the Lazy Lizard catamaran boat for the evening. We drank Imperial beers & rum punch, snorkeled (well, some of us just enjoyed lazing on the boat), ate lunch and then watched the breathtaking sunset. Later that night, we headed back to Joe's for dinner, then off to Monkey Bar for amazing local salsa music and dancing.
Day 7 - Saturday:
Last day at the beach. Last day for pipas pipas. Last day for smoothies at Joe's. Jennie, Megan & I went souvenir shopping after the beach on what seemed like the hottest day of the week. Megan and I purchased cafe at Olga's (Well, it is Olga's from 6am to noon, then an entirely different establishment from noon until late night. Efficient, eh?). This pit stop is worth noting because it was so unimaginably hot in this place that we were just dripping with sweat. Megan said while we were waiting for the nice gentleman to retrieve our goods, "Well, Stephie, we'll always remember purchasing our Costa Rica coffee."
Dinner at Dragonfly that night. This was a very fancy restaurant in Tamarindo. Located in the middle of a wooded area, Dragonfly's ambiance consists of a concrete floor, wooden beams, a burlap roof, no walls and zero air conditioning. Hard to imagine, but this really was the fanciest and most expensive restaurant we went to in Tamarindo! And just as we were toasting to the end of a week of adventure, little did we know that another adventure was awaiting us. Right when we received our bill, the power went out! How are we supposed to pay if the credit card machine isn't working? More importantly, how are we supposed to see our way back to the condo?? .......So, what did we do? Well, we threw our collective colones onto the table and hiked up our long skirts to prepare for a muddy walk in the dark back to the condo. We used camera flashes to guide our way, and incidentally, got some pretty cool photos out of it! We made it back safely, but not before one of the security guards from a nearby condo complex decided to scare us half to death by making monkey noises. He saw (well, most likely 'heard') us, but we didn't see him! Packing by candlelight was no easy task, but it created even more laughs and made for yet another memorable experience to cap off our 'enchanted' vacation.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Progress Report
Just because you haven't heard from me does not mean I've neglected my Ten for 2010! Oh no sireee! I'm not about to quit now! In fact, I don't like to quit anything once I've started it. To talk about doing something and never do it is one thing, but to start something and not finish it is quite another. The latter causes me unimaginable anxiety.
For example, I've only quit one thing in my whole life and I continue to have recurring dreams -NIGHTMARES- about it. I'm talking about quitting dance class in high school. I had been taking dance lessons for years when I made the cheerleading squad in 9th grade. I continued taking dance classes simultaneously with cheering, but at some point it just got to be too much. So I quit going to dance classes just a few months prior to the big end-of-year recital. I mean, I QUIT! Just like that! Quit! Bailed! Forfeited! Withdrew!
And I have never forgiven myself for quitting ever since. The recurring dreams I have involve me showing up to the recital to perform, but I'm obviously ill-prepared from having not gone to the classes in months. I quickly try to learn the routines just minutes before showtime, but I always end up freaking out because I can't memorize the steps. I've often woken up in a cold sweat as a result of these dreams. And my heart is beating faster just thinking about it!
Phew. Ok. I've calmed down now. But, needless to say, I'm still diligently working on my Top 10 for 2010. Many of my goals are works in progress, so here is and update on the progress of some of my goals:
Goal #1: Run At Least 5 Races
Progress - Signed up for the Chicago Police Memorial 5k on May 1st. (I predict most of my races will take place during the summer)
Goal #4: Read 10 Books & Record Favorite Quotes from Each
Progress - I have read 3 books so far which include, City of Thieves, Loving Frank and Juliet, Naked. (I will save the favorite quotes for when I reach 10 books)
Goal #5: Write in My Journal at Least Once a Week
Progress - D'oh! You know how in reality shows when the producers use the sound of screeching records for dramatic effect when someone does/says something ridiculous? Well, that happened in my head when I got to this goal. I admit I've been slacking on this goal a bit. But to my defense, I realized I can't just write for the sake of writing! I have to be inspired. Or I have to have a problem. Usually, I need to have a problem to really feel the journal vibe. I should have listed my goal to write more often instead of once a week. On a side note, I highly recommend keeping a journal to anyone who has ever felt so 'in their head' they couldn't get out. Journal writing has helped me solve problems big and small since 1994. Writing is also pretty similar to going to a therapist, except I ask myself the routine therapy session questions such as "And how does that make you feel?," etc.
Goal #6: Go on At Least One Big Trip
Progress - This girl is heading to Costa Rica on April 17th!!!!! What distinguishes a 'big' trip from a 'little' trip, you ask? Ummmm, how about the fact that I actually get to use my PASSPORT for the first time ever!?! Wooo!!!
Goal #9: Pay off my 2 Credit Cards
Progress - I am more than happy, proud, excited, relieved to announce that I have paid off 1 of the 2 cards! And the other one is very close too! Please understand, I was never one of those people who got a credit card and went on crazy spending sprees. I have never really been too reckless with my money, and I'm proud of that. But when an old college bill cropped up years ago and I couldn't pay for it out of my own pocket, plastic came to my rescue. Desperate times called for desperate measures, but I'm just so proud I worked so hard to accomplish this very important goal of mine.
For example, I've only quit one thing in my whole life and I continue to have recurring dreams -NIGHTMARES- about it. I'm talking about quitting dance class in high school. I had been taking dance lessons for years when I made the cheerleading squad in 9th grade. I continued taking dance classes simultaneously with cheering, but at some point it just got to be too much. So I quit going to dance classes just a few months prior to the big end-of-year recital. I mean, I QUIT! Just like that! Quit! Bailed! Forfeited! Withdrew!
And I have never forgiven myself for quitting ever since. The recurring dreams I have involve me showing up to the recital to perform, but I'm obviously ill-prepared from having not gone to the classes in months. I quickly try to learn the routines just minutes before showtime, but I always end up freaking out because I can't memorize the steps. I've often woken up in a cold sweat as a result of these dreams. And my heart is beating faster just thinking about it!
Phew. Ok. I've calmed down now. But, needless to say, I'm still diligently working on my Top 10 for 2010. Many of my goals are works in progress, so here is and update on the progress of some of my goals:
Goal #1: Run At Least 5 Races
Progress - Signed up for the Chicago Police Memorial 5k on May 1st. (I predict most of my races will take place during the summer)
Goal #4: Read 10 Books & Record Favorite Quotes from Each
Progress - I have read 3 books so far which include, City of Thieves, Loving Frank and Juliet, Naked. (I will save the favorite quotes for when I reach 10 books)
Goal #5: Write in My Journal at Least Once a Week
Progress - D'oh! You know how in reality shows when the producers use the sound of screeching records for dramatic effect when someone does/says something ridiculous? Well, that happened in my head when I got to this goal. I admit I've been slacking on this goal a bit. But to my defense, I realized I can't just write for the sake of writing! I have to be inspired. Or I have to have a problem. Usually, I need to have a problem to really feel the journal vibe. I should have listed my goal to write more often instead of once a week. On a side note, I highly recommend keeping a journal to anyone who has ever felt so 'in their head' they couldn't get out. Journal writing has helped me solve problems big and small since 1994. Writing is also pretty similar to going to a therapist, except I ask myself the routine therapy session questions such as "And how does that make you feel?," etc.
Goal #6: Go on At Least One Big Trip
Progress - This girl is heading to Costa Rica on April 17th!!!!! What distinguishes a 'big' trip from a 'little' trip, you ask? Ummmm, how about the fact that I actually get to use my PASSPORT for the first time ever!?! Wooo!!!
Goal #9: Pay off my 2 Credit Cards
Progress - I am more than happy, proud, excited, relieved to announce that I have paid off 1 of the 2 cards! And the other one is very close too! Please understand, I was never one of those people who got a credit card and went on crazy spending sprees. I have never really been too reckless with my money, and I'm proud of that. But when an old college bill cropped up years ago and I couldn't pay for it out of my own pocket, plastic came to my rescue. Desperate times called for desperate measures, but I'm just so proud I worked so hard to accomplish this very important goal of mine.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Let's Get Physical
I confess: I do not spend every minute of my life working on accomplishing my 2010 New Year's Goals. Sue me. But in the interim, I thought I'd interject some additional thoughts.
For instance, I wonder if anyone finds it strange that my "Top 10 For 2010" (Why didn't I think of that title before just now?!) doesn't include any fitness goals. I mean, isn't that usually the #1 priority of any one's New Year's Resolutions? True, according to my list I do have 5 races to run, but I don't necessarily run races for fitness. I run races because is the only time I ever feel competitive, even if I'm only competing against time.
I'd say the main reason I didn't include any fitness goals is because I have already made working out an integral part of my life for the last several years. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I wouldn't really be 'me' if I wasn't utterly faithful to my fitness regime. I've always been a very thin girl (my eternal gratitude goes to Grandpa Vel for passing along such good genes), so I think I've confused friends, family and coworkers by becoming such a gym junkie. After all, I can eat whatever I want and not gain a pound (don't worry, even I cringed when I typed that). I think working out goes so far beyond losing weight though! In fact, even though I have worked out six days a week for about 2 years, I haven't lost a pound and I may have actually gained a few pounds of muscle.
I think my obsession with working out began after I graduated high school. Let me be clear, though, it did not begin as an obsession. In high school I had always relied on cheerleading to keep me fit. But after graduation I needed some way to stay active, so I decided to try running on for size. For a while, it did not fit. Running had always been the bane of my existence growing up. I dreaded the required annual mile run in gym class. I remember sweating and wheezing for the rest of the school day after the dreaded run, and I never even ran the whole dang thing without walking the curves and running the straights - well, most of the straights. Just as Dr. Leo Marvin consulted Bob in the movie, "What About Bob?", I knew it was going to take 'baby steps' to achieve my goal, which was to sorta, possibly, kinda, maybe enjoy running. I started out slow - verrrrrry slooooow- but I eventually worked up to running a mile without stopping, and then 2, and then 3, etc. I came to the conclusion that running wasn't so bad and in fact, I liked it. And I wanted to get better at it.
In college I discovered that running was a great way to relieve the stress and pressure of school work. Running became a crucial part of my life even if I could only make time for it once a week. Some of my best college memories include running with Janet, either on the track behind our dorm or through the quaint little neighborhood just off campus. When we weren't exchanging world-altering epiphanies, which are naturally exchanged by students during the college years, we were dedicating laps and miles to our favorite people at Walsh University. Thankfully, having so many favorite people at Walsh only pushed us to run farther.
When I graduated college, I used running as a time to really hunker down and figure out my future without the distractions of every day life interrupting me. During the year post graduation and pre-moving to Chicago, many people tried to discourage me from moving to the Big City, but running always helped me to regroup and stay focused on my goals. Through running and with the support of my family, I found the encouragement to follow my dreams.
By the time I moved to Chicago in 2002 I was running no less than 3 times a week. Since then, I've had many self revelations along the Lake Michigan running path. Oh if running paths could talk...
In February 2006 my company offered a Wellness Plan which would deeply discount a membership to any gym of choice. I chose Equinox. I chose it partly for the convenience (it was located in my office building at the time, along with an additional location in my neighborhood) and I partly chose it because it was unlike any gym I'd ever seen: very modern, very clean, very spa-like. In addition to my running, I started taking muscle conditioning classes twice a week, and my body quickly learned a soreness it had not previously experienced. I'd agree that soreness turns many people off from working out, but being the masochist I am, I embraced it. Soreness is a good thing! Soreness does not mean you are out of shape, per se. In fact, if you aren't sore after almost every session, then you probably aren't working hard enough. It doesn't even matter if you've been weight training for years and years. (True, I should disclaim that it is also entirely possible to work too hard. And it is really dangerous to do too much too soon.) Soreness indicates that your muscle fibers have virtually been ripped to shreds, but the recovery time is when they mend themselves, therefore, becoming stronger. Sounds awful, right? But I know my bones and my muscles love me for it. I know they want to work! By building good bone density and muscle strength, I'm warding off osteoporosis, in addition to other diseases. I haven't been sick for over a year and I credit the immunity-boosting effects of my workouts. Oh yeah, did I mention the muscle definition?? I'm certainly no shoe-in to win any World's Strongest Woman competitions, but just seeing the definition of my muscles reminds me that I'm a STRONG woman, and that I'm capable of handling any obstacle life throws at me.
Also, I'd say I began increasing the frequency of my workouts (5 to 6 days a week, up from 3 to 4) when my job became very stressful (circa 2007). I didn't view working out as a form of escapism from the stress necessarily, but rather a time when I could be totally disconnected from the outside world and instead very connected to the present tense of my body and mind. I learned that working out is a way to fuse body with mind, and I can't think of any other activity that allows for utilizing both simultaneously, besides exercising. Just think how fused all those Olympic athletes must be! Bottom line, muscle conditioning taught me how to shut out the world and focus -I mean really focus- on something that was beginning to reveal itself as a great importance to my life.
My job is no longer as stressful as it once was, but the reduction of stress was in no way indicative of any desire to cease my love affair with the gym, or to reduce the frequency with which I retreated into the arms of my lover, Equinox.
If someone were to ask me the one item I couldn't live without, I'd probably say my gym pass. I've embraced the perpetual challenge of exercising as a lifetime commitment, and I'm thankful for the countless reasons it has made me such an advocate for being active.
For instance, I wonder if anyone finds it strange that my "Top 10 For 2010" (Why didn't I think of that title before just now?!) doesn't include any fitness goals. I mean, isn't that usually the #1 priority of any one's New Year's Resolutions? True, according to my list I do have 5 races to run, but I don't necessarily run races for fitness. I run races because is the only time I ever feel competitive, even if I'm only competing against time.
I'd say the main reason I didn't include any fitness goals is because I have already made working out an integral part of my life for the last several years. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I wouldn't really be 'me' if I wasn't utterly faithful to my fitness regime. I've always been a very thin girl (my eternal gratitude goes to Grandpa Vel for passing along such good genes), so I think I've confused friends, family and coworkers by becoming such a gym junkie. After all, I can eat whatever I want and not gain a pound (don't worry, even I cringed when I typed that). I think working out goes so far beyond losing weight though! In fact, even though I have worked out six days a week for about 2 years, I haven't lost a pound and I may have actually gained a few pounds of muscle.
I think my obsession with working out began after I graduated high school. Let me be clear, though, it did not begin as an obsession. In high school I had always relied on cheerleading to keep me fit. But after graduation I needed some way to stay active, so I decided to try running on for size. For a while, it did not fit. Running had always been the bane of my existence growing up. I dreaded the required annual mile run in gym class. I remember sweating and wheezing for the rest of the school day after the dreaded run, and I never even ran the whole dang thing without walking the curves and running the straights - well, most of the straights. Just as Dr. Leo Marvin consulted Bob in the movie, "What About Bob?", I knew it was going to take 'baby steps' to achieve my goal, which was to sorta, possibly, kinda, maybe enjoy running. I started out slow - verrrrrry slooooow- but I eventually worked up to running a mile without stopping, and then 2, and then 3, etc. I came to the conclusion that running wasn't so bad and in fact, I liked it. And I wanted to get better at it.
In college I discovered that running was a great way to relieve the stress and pressure of school work. Running became a crucial part of my life even if I could only make time for it once a week. Some of my best college memories include running with Janet, either on the track behind our dorm or through the quaint little neighborhood just off campus. When we weren't exchanging world-altering epiphanies, which are naturally exchanged by students during the college years, we were dedicating laps and miles to our favorite people at Walsh University. Thankfully, having so many favorite people at Walsh only pushed us to run farther.
When I graduated college, I used running as a time to really hunker down and figure out my future without the distractions of every day life interrupting me. During the year post graduation and pre-moving to Chicago, many people tried to discourage me from moving to the Big City, but running always helped me to regroup and stay focused on my goals. Through running and with the support of my family, I found the encouragement to follow my dreams.
By the time I moved to Chicago in 2002 I was running no less than 3 times a week. Since then, I've had many self revelations along the Lake Michigan running path. Oh if running paths could talk...
In February 2006 my company offered a Wellness Plan which would deeply discount a membership to any gym of choice. I chose Equinox. I chose it partly for the convenience (it was located in my office building at the time, along with an additional location in my neighborhood) and I partly chose it because it was unlike any gym I'd ever seen: very modern, very clean, very spa-like. In addition to my running, I started taking muscle conditioning classes twice a week, and my body quickly learned a soreness it had not previously experienced. I'd agree that soreness turns many people off from working out, but being the masochist I am, I embraced it. Soreness is a good thing! Soreness does not mean you are out of shape, per se. In fact, if you aren't sore after almost every session, then you probably aren't working hard enough. It doesn't even matter if you've been weight training for years and years. (True, I should disclaim that it is also entirely possible to work too hard. And it is really dangerous to do too much too soon.) Soreness indicates that your muscle fibers have virtually been ripped to shreds, but the recovery time is when they mend themselves, therefore, becoming stronger. Sounds awful, right? But I know my bones and my muscles love me for it. I know they want to work! By building good bone density and muscle strength, I'm warding off osteoporosis, in addition to other diseases. I haven't been sick for over a year and I credit the immunity-boosting effects of my workouts. Oh yeah, did I mention the muscle definition?? I'm certainly no shoe-in to win any World's Strongest Woman competitions, but just seeing the definition of my muscles reminds me that I'm a STRONG woman, and that I'm capable of handling any obstacle life throws at me.
Also, I'd say I began increasing the frequency of my workouts (5 to 6 days a week, up from 3 to 4) when my job became very stressful (circa 2007). I didn't view working out as a form of escapism from the stress necessarily, but rather a time when I could be totally disconnected from the outside world and instead very connected to the present tense of my body and mind. I learned that working out is a way to fuse body with mind, and I can't think of any other activity that allows for utilizing both simultaneously, besides exercising. Just think how fused all those Olympic athletes must be! Bottom line, muscle conditioning taught me how to shut out the world and focus -I mean really focus- on something that was beginning to reveal itself as a great importance to my life.
My job is no longer as stressful as it once was, but the reduction of stress was in no way indicative of any desire to cease my love affair with the gym, or to reduce the frequency with which I retreated into the arms of my lover, Equinox.
If someone were to ask me the one item I couldn't live without, I'd probably say my gym pass. I've embraced the perpetual challenge of exercising as a lifetime commitment, and I'm thankful for the countless reasons it has made me such an advocate for being active.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Off to a Great Start!
So it's not even March yet, but I've already succeeded in accomplishing several of my goals for 2010! I do believe I'm well on my way...
One of the first goals I tackled was #3 on my list: re-decorating my bedroom. I've lived in my current apartment for over 3 years, yet I've never been happy with my bedroom decor (mostly because I never really put any effort into it). Since saving money is also a 2010 goal of mine, I knew this project would have to be cheap. Would you believe I completed an entire room redo for only $170.00? I credit HGTV for all the frugal inspiration, along with my own creative instincts. All of the photography on the walls (pictured below) was done by yours truly and the photos were taken mostly at the Lincoln Park Conservatory (one of my favorite spots in the whole city). I already own a color photo printer and photo paper, so I didn't have to pay for printing, albeit a new color ink cartridge, which I included in the total cost of the makeover. Randomly, pretty perfume bottles (seen on the dresser in the first 'after' photo) inspired the use of bold colors in the bedding and rug, the black & white photos of statues, and the color photos of flowers. Very French, very feminine. Ooh la la!
Before
After
My #2 goal on the list: learn to cook 3 new dishes. Well, I'm happy to announce that I've more than surpassed this goal. Cooking is a fairly new activity for me. Prior to the past couple years or so, I only really knew how to boil water and use the microwave. But I've come a long way baby, and have even collected some fun kitchen gadgets along the way (i.e. cheese grater, meat masher, pizza cutter and tongs, just to name a few). I've definitely developed a strong interest in cooking and I'm excited to continue taking on new culinary challenges. I derive most of my recipes from the show Everyday Food on PBS. The show features quick, just-challenging-enough recipes for novices like me. Recently, a recipe was featured that I was anxious to try, but it wasn't posted on the website as promised. Determined to try out this particular recipe, I emailed PBS regarding the error. Would you believe that someone from Martha Stewart's company actually responded!? Soon after, the recipe was posted and I was able to create my newly legendary (by my standards, anyway) pasta & potato bake, which was deeeee-licious. Granted, I was forced to max out my dork card very early in 2010 just to obtain said recipe, but it was totally worth it. Other dishes I've made so far in 2010 include: tuna noodle casserole, chicken mole nachos with avocado cream, spicy deviled eggs, nacho casserole and Morrocan soup. The nachos & eggs were served at a party I threw in January. My friends kept referring to me as "Martha" during the evening, and I couldn't have been more flattered. On tap for tonight is spicy pecan-crusted chicken and salad with homemade sherry-shallot vinaigrette. Yum!
Chicken Mole Nachos with Avocado Cream
Spicy Deviled Eggs
One of the first goals I tackled was #3 on my list: re-decorating my bedroom. I've lived in my current apartment for over 3 years, yet I've never been happy with my bedroom decor (mostly because I never really put any effort into it). Since saving money is also a 2010 goal of mine, I knew this project would have to be cheap. Would you believe I completed an entire room redo for only $170.00? I credit HGTV for all the frugal inspiration, along with my own creative instincts. All of the photography on the walls (pictured below) was done by yours truly and the photos were taken mostly at the Lincoln Park Conservatory (one of my favorite spots in the whole city). I already own a color photo printer and photo paper, so I didn't have to pay for printing, albeit a new color ink cartridge, which I included in the total cost of the makeover. Randomly, pretty perfume bottles (seen on the dresser in the first 'after' photo) inspired the use of bold colors in the bedding and rug, the black & white photos of statues, and the color photos of flowers. Very French, very feminine. Ooh la la!
Before
After
My #2 goal on the list: learn to cook 3 new dishes. Well, I'm happy to announce that I've more than surpassed this goal. Cooking is a fairly new activity for me. Prior to the past couple years or so, I only really knew how to boil water and use the microwave. But I've come a long way baby, and have even collected some fun kitchen gadgets along the way (i.e. cheese grater, meat masher, pizza cutter and tongs, just to name a few). I've definitely developed a strong interest in cooking and I'm excited to continue taking on new culinary challenges. I derive most of my recipes from the show Everyday Food on PBS. The show features quick, just-challenging-enough recipes for novices like me. Recently, a recipe was featured that I was anxious to try, but it wasn't posted on the website as promised. Determined to try out this particular recipe, I emailed PBS regarding the error. Would you believe that someone from Martha Stewart's company actually responded!? Soon after, the recipe was posted and I was able to create my newly legendary (by my standards, anyway) pasta & potato bake, which was deeeee-licious. Granted, I was forced to max out my dork card very early in 2010 just to obtain said recipe, but it was totally worth it. Other dishes I've made so far in 2010 include: tuna noodle casserole, chicken mole nachos with avocado cream, spicy deviled eggs, nacho casserole and Morrocan soup. The nachos & eggs were served at a party I threw in January. My friends kept referring to me as "Martha" during the evening, and I couldn't have been more flattered. On tap for tonight is spicy pecan-crusted chicken and salad with homemade sherry-shallot vinaigrette. Yum!
Chicken Mole Nachos with Avocado Cream
Spicy Deviled Eggs
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Happy New Year - a little late...
I feel it's finally time to join the 21st Century and take my thoughts to the Bloggosphere (or whatever the kids are calling it these days). Althouth this blogging idea has been setting up shop in the back of my mind for a while now, one of my reservations included not being able to come up with any important blogging material. I mean, my life can be pretty darn boring by most people's standards, so why the heck should I spill my unimportant guts and expect anyone to care?! Well, I finally came to the conclusion that it has always been the everyday observations & nuances that have made the biggest impact on my life, so the importance of life's little things is what I hope to convey through my blogging.
Also, in the ruminating thoughts leading up to my venture into Bloggo-land, I decided I would need a theme. I knew I couldn't worry about how important or unimportant my chosen theme would seem to others, but I was sure that in order to preserve authenticity, the theme would have to be important to me.
In an effort to avoid the horrors of being a cliche, I struggled with various ideas for a while. For example, as a single lady, my first instinct was to blog about dating, finding love, losing it, etc. Thankfully, though, Carrie Bradshaw already covered that territory extensively, and she did a mighty fine job of it. Instead, I will blog about the 10 New Year's Resolutions I made for 2010. Yes, I made a whopping TEN. Granted, my 'resolutions' are more along the lines of 'goals,' but they still count in my book, or in this case, blog. I've already accomplished some of them, so I'm off to a good start considering it's only February! I'm extremely motivated to accomplish the rest of them by 2011, but I'm hoping that blogging about my experiences will perpetuate my motivation throughout the year. You will notice that that most of my listed goals aren't very earth shattering, life-altering or even all that interesting, but they are a big deal to me. And they are attainable! This is very important considering one of my goals for 2009 included, "winning the lottery." Good grief...
So without further ado and in no particular order, my 10 goals for 2010 are as follows:
1. Run at least 5 races
2. Learn to cook at least 3 new dishes
3. Decorate bedroom on the cheap
4. Read 10 books and record favorite quotes from each
5. Write in my journal at least once a week
6. Go on at least one big trip
7. Volunteer at least 1 time
8. Take a class (class TBD)
9. Pay off my 2 credit cards
10. Save some dang money
Also, in the ruminating thoughts leading up to my venture into Bloggo-land, I decided I would need a theme. I knew I couldn't worry about how important or unimportant my chosen theme would seem to others, but I was sure that in order to preserve authenticity, the theme would have to be important to me.
In an effort to avoid the horrors of being a cliche, I struggled with various ideas for a while. For example, as a single lady, my first instinct was to blog about dating, finding love, losing it, etc. Thankfully, though, Carrie Bradshaw already covered that territory extensively, and she did a mighty fine job of it. Instead, I will blog about the 10 New Year's Resolutions I made for 2010. Yes, I made a whopping TEN. Granted, my 'resolutions' are more along the lines of 'goals,' but they still count in my book, or in this case, blog. I've already accomplished some of them, so I'm off to a good start considering it's only February! I'm extremely motivated to accomplish the rest of them by 2011, but I'm hoping that blogging about my experiences will perpetuate my motivation throughout the year. You will notice that that most of my listed goals aren't very earth shattering, life-altering or even all that interesting, but they are a big deal to me. And they are attainable! This is very important considering one of my goals for 2009 included, "winning the lottery." Good grief...
So without further ado and in no particular order, my 10 goals for 2010 are as follows:
1. Run at least 5 races
2. Learn to cook at least 3 new dishes
3. Decorate bedroom on the cheap
4. Read 10 books and record favorite quotes from each
5. Write in my journal at least once a week
6. Go on at least one big trip
7. Volunteer at least 1 time
8. Take a class (class TBD)
9. Pay off my 2 credit cards
10. Save some dang money
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