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.
Friday, March 26, 2010
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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