Wrapping it up, a pass/fail look back at 2013

O, young, naive, and stupid Allison, 365 days ago young one you were so ambitious. You had this long list of things that you wanted to do and accomplish.  Here you are, a year older and wiser (???). Lets see how you did with your resolutions.

2013 Goals and Resolutions

Running and Exercise:
1. Run a 5K in under 24 minutes.  Fail. With my foot drama this year, it did not happen. But, my foot is healed--so its time to rebuild. 

2. Lift heavy things. Pass..ish. I wanted to lift 3x a week, and that didn't happen. But I have really tried to lift 2x a week and its going well.

3. Take a walk every day. Fail. Just didn't do this. 

Money:
1.Earn extra income online. Fail. Didn't earn a single cent. 

2. Systematically invest in our retirement accounts. Pass! P and I have started sending money to retirement every month on the 15th! 

3. Save at least 2,000 in coupon savings this year. Fail. This year I saved 1,603.97 in coupons. Not to shabby me thinks! 

Eating:
1.P and I are doing an eating cleans starting January 2nd. I will give myself a pass on this one. I ate well probably 80% of the time. 

Personal:
1.Do an in depth study of 2 books of the bible. Fail. I didn't do 2 in-depth studies like I wanted, but I did make time to get in the word. 
2. Write 1 hand written letter once a week. Fail. I have been doing this every other week. 
3. Don't watch t.v. at least once per week. Major fail. So many days I just plopped down on the couch after work and watched t.v. 
4. Read at least 35 books this year. Fail. I read 27 books. 
5. Take fewer baths and more showers. I want to only allow myself to take baths on the weekends. Pass! 
6. Learn to take better pictures. I have a fancy camera, but I need to learn how to use it. Fail. Still don't know much about my camera. 

Yea, lots of fails on the resolution side this year. But, I was close on a lot of them. 2013 was a year of major changes at work. I got a big time promotion and I am currently up for an award for all the work I have done this year. Its also been a year of fun, growth, a little travel, and lots of self reflection.
This year, I have felt myself grow and change, and I like the person I am becoming.

Hats off to you 2013, you were a good year, and brought some huge projects, some major challenges, some changes, and some tears. But you also gave me lots of laughs, smiles, and another wonderful year with my husband. You brought me closer to family, you drew close friends away, and you taught me a lot about opening up and being vulnerable. This year, I learned that I am a lot tougher than I think, and that just because something is hard, does not mean it will break me.
I learned a big lesson about Divine intervention and provision. I learned that just when I think I got it, life will throw me a curve ball, and send me spinning.
I learned that quality is better than quantity in any and all things.
This year, I have learned to step out of my comfort zone, and even though its intimidating and scary, the rewards on the other side and sweet and fulfilling.

Tonight, I bid you goodbye with one of my favorite traditions, my mimosa. I have some champs chilling in the fridge, along with a bottle of OJ calling my name. While many of you are out raging and partying till the wee hours, I will be happily snuggled up on my couch with my drink, my man, my dogs, and some college football.

See ya in 2014....lots of good things coming this year, I can feel it!

Friday confessions

Here are my weekly confessions.

1. P has called me double fister all week. I have been eating M&MS out of both hands all week. Every time I walk by the jar of candy, I grab a big handful and shove as many in my trough as I can.

2. I literally wanted to beat my dog. I went running with him and let him off the leash in a park. A car drove by and he darted to the back tires of the car and nearly got himself killed. I was so scared and mad.

3. I was at the gym working out early in the morning. I let out a huge burp. The guy who walked up to grab a towel at the dispenser that was next to my machine gave me a look of disgust.

4. I have eaten so much at so many meals that I have gone to bed sick nearly every night.

 

Fess up folks!

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Friday Confessions

Good morning Friends!
It is time for our Friday Confessions!

1.I wore the exact same outfit to work 3 days in a row. Same pants, shoes, socks, sweater, and bra. The only thing that changed was my shirt. Its been a heck of a week, and I have put in early morning and late nights, and just didn't care.

2. My house is in a state of disaster. There is currently a very old apple core just laying on my coffee table, where I left it, 3 days ago.

3. I am obsessed with a new t.v. show. House of Cards on Netflix is AMAZING. I come home each night and change into my p.j.'s and watch this show. Its a series made my Netflix. P and I are so into it. We agreed to only watch with each other, but its currently 4:05 AM and I am considering turning it on.

4. Because of above referenced t.v. show and work schedule, we have eaten out every single meal this week. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner have been purchased this week. I have a very lovely and very expensive pound of organic bison sitting in my fridge to cook, yet I have not touched it.

Fess up y'all!

Friday Confessions

Hello hello. How are we doing today? Good? Happy Friday friends. Without further delay---lets do this.

Here are my weekly confessions.

1.I drove down a one way street in downtown Dallas.  I got lots of middle fingers thrown at me, lots of dirty looks, and many people throwing their hands in the air yelling. I am sure they were complimenting me on my great driving skills and for being such a good person, and were really passionate about it.

This photo was snapped the 2nd time around. Also, I should confess I was lost while driving downtown. 

2.We were invited to a party and when I was in the restroom, I totally looked through their cabinets. Please know that if you ever invite me to your home, I will probably do this at your house, and I fully expect you will do this when you come to mine. 

3. I went to the store during lunch one day and slipped on ice getting out of my car, and I let out 16 swear words in about 8 seconds. The guys who were leaving the store saw me and laughed, I turned around, stared them down with the evil eye after I gained my composure. 

4.I went to the gym to cross train. I managed to do the rowing machine for 3 minutes before I got bored. 

Fess up friends!

Desperate Times Call for Acts of Stupidity

We have had some wicked and wild weather down here in Texas these past few days. Its been so cold. There has been lots of ice and sleet on the road, something that none of us are used to down here. This storm has literally shut down Dallas. Everyone left work early on Thursday, no one worked on Friday, and about 1/2 of the city went back to work on Monday. You Northerners may call this "a light dusting" but to us Southerners, its been ARCTIC BLAST 2013.

Now that you know the scene, lets talk about the crime, and what my dumb butt self did.
I normally park my car in the driveway rather than the garage because the garage is detached and behind the house. It is a tight fit to get the car through the gate, and so I rarely park back there. Thursday, because of the weather, I backed my car up the driveway and into the garage. It took me nearly 15 minutes. (I am not the worlds best driver, and I fear hitting the house or the garage with the car).

Because I am the cheapest person alive, my goal was to keep the heater off as long as I could. I took a hot shower, was dressed in about 6 layers and shivering. I looked at the thermostat and the house was down to 54 degrees inside.

I started craving hot chocolate in a bad way. We didn't have any, but the gas station about 1/2 a mile down the road has really good hot chocolate. In my mind, I had 2 options--go to the gas station or don't. The problem was, it was already dark, P was at his work Christmas party, and I was not going to take my car out of the garage as it was already sleeting, ice was forming quickly on the streets, and it was pitch black. Frustrated, I piddled around the house but literally could not stop thinking about hot chocolate. Suddenly, the insane portion of my brain formulated a plan--I said to myself "self, you can ride your bike to the gas station, and that way you don't have to take the car out of the garage." I really tried to tap into my uncrazy side, but the need for ho cho won.

So I tucked my pajama bottoms into my socks, slipped on my sperrys, grabbed by bike and hit the very slick, and newly iced roads. Don't be jealous of my sexyness.

Sleet was coming down, and hail was hitting me in the eye, but I was determined to get my ho cho. I rode as fast as I could through the Buddhist Temple parking lot, past the Indywood Grocery and CD Store, across from Pashmina Imports, and in front of Karishan's Sari Shoppe (Have I mentioned that we live in an ethnically diverse area?) and arrived at the gas station. I didn't want to leave my very expensive bike outside in the dark, so I just wheeled her into the station and grabbed the 1st cup I could find and filled it to the brim with that dark, hot, and delicious liquid gold.

I should probably mention at this point that in a rush to leave I neglected to wear gloves and nothing on my body was dry fit, so I was pretty much soaked to the bone.

I also kind of forgot about riding home.
In the sleet.
Holding hot chocolate.
With one hand.

By the time I got home, my ho cho was only luke warm. But, I didn't care. I rushed inside turned on hot water and held my hands under the faucet to un-numb them. I drank my 1/2 drink in about 2 gulps, turned toward the bike and actually thought about going back.

Fortunately, my uncrazy side kicked in and I didn't, but I sure thought about it.

Would you have ridden to the store? Please tell me yes.
Whats the weather like where you are? Are you experiencing this arctic blast?

A World That Is Unrecognizable

As you may or may not have heard, we are having some pretty severe weather down here in Texas. We have gone from 70's and sunny to 20's with ice and sleet falling for 3 days. 

Its been a bit treacherous around here. 

Yesterday, I was driving home, the had pretty much cleared and things have been returning back to normal. I was stuck behind an old Lincoln town car that was  had its blinker on for 3 blocks, and was straddling two lanes, on a busy street, and I was getting more and more annoyed. For some reason, driving brings out the worst in me, and I was about to lay on the horn and throw my hands up. But, the car finally turned and as I drove by, I saw that it was an elderly woman and she looked terrified. 

Insert feelings of guilt and shame here. 

As I continued to drive home, I thought about her and what life must be like for her now. Is she a widow? Has she moved into a retirement home? Does she still live in her house but does not have the strength to do any projects anymore?

Honestly, I don't know. Chances are she could also have been a real jerk too. But, I started to wonder---does she live in a world that she even recognizes anymore?

Judging by the 3 seconds it took me to pass her, she had to be slightly younger than my grandmother, so I would put her in her 70's or 80's. 

80 years ago, there were no home computers or cell phones. No one listened to rap while grinding on the dance floor. There were no t.v.'s in the homes, and life was certainly slower than it is today.

The mass consumption and culture of excess did not exist, and she probably rarely if ever traveled more than 20-30 miles from home. 

Today, we can literally buy a ticket in the morning, and be in the air flying half way around the world by this afternoon. We can "friend" thousands of people, and a rumor can spread through Twitter and Facebook in a matter for moments. 

Maybe she looked scared because everyone is flying by at 90 mph, while she is only comfortable going 30. Maybe she looked around this morning and wondered what happened to the world she knew. The world that was slower, quieter, and smaller. 

I was fortunate to be born just around the time of the digital revolution, so I am what they call a digital native. I grew up always having a computer in my home and a phone in my car. I can pick up most any new device and figure out how to use it. Juxtapose that with my mother who "still has not found time to  sit down and figure out her iPhone" that she got last Christmas. I am not slamming her, just recognizing  that she and others from her generation are digital immigrants. 

Sometimes, it scares me a little to think about the future. Where will life be in 50 years? Things are changing so rapidly that I don't think any of us know what to expect in the next year or 5 years.

So, lady in the car with the blinker on going really slowly--I am sorry for being a massive tool yesterday.  I am sorry for my anger and that I was tailgating you, you don't deserve that kind of treatment from a stranger. 

What changes have you seen over your life?

Friday Confessions

Hello to all of you across the fancy land of the internet. How are we doing this fine Friday morning? Another week has come to a close and now its time to get our confession on.

Lets do this. 

Here are my weekly confessions:

1.I talked about one of my bloggy friends like I know her in real life. Blogging has been so beneficial, and through it I have made some good friends. One of my oldest and dearest bloggy friends Denise and I go wayyyyyy back. Anywho…the other day someone was talking about how they like to sew, and I responded with "Well my friend Denise is an excellent seamstress and she can sew anything. She is really good." All that is true, Denise is super creative and great at sewing. The only problem, Denise and I have never met in person. We have emailed, blogged, Instagramed, and sent cards to one another, but we have never physically met. One day we will though. 

2. I just typed the word any who rather than anyways. I am now officially my mother. Next thing you know I will be walking on the treadmill while reading a book and listening to AM radio. 

3. I stared at the cashier at the grocery store for about 30 seconds without blinking with a look of disgust on my face. I was checking out and this cashier clearly had a combination of the ebola virus mixed in with a little bubonic plague because right before she handed me my changed, she sneezed the nastiest, most moist sneeze into her hand that held my money. When tried to hand it back to me I just started at her in disbelief. When I finally came to I said "O my Lord" and took the change. I proceeded to rush home and shower then rubbed myself down with antibacterial.

4. I was really nervous about eating Thanksgiving dinner that I only ate store bought salad, turkey, and bread. We had Thanksgiving dinner with P's family and there are a lot of food allergies. There is dairy free, grain free, gluten free, food die free, and a few other "free" allergies mixed in. In the past few years, I have put some heinous tasting food in my mouth, and those experiences have stayed with. So this year, I played it safe and stuck to what I knew would not taste like grass with the texture of sand. 

5. I lied to my sister in laws face about her food, then P sold me out.  See number #4 for background info. She made some muffins that she was really excited about and forced me to eat one. I like bananas, I eat them all the time, but I hate cooked bananas. I don't eat banana bread, bananas foster, or banana candy, it makes me sick. I took a few bites of these muffins with a very strong banana taste. I looked at her and said "Wow, those are so good, I would eat them all the time. Give me the recipe." Not 30 seconds later, P walks into the kitchen grabs on and likes them. Then looks at his sister and said "Sorry, Alli won't eat these, she hates baked good with bananas in them."

Thats it. Fess up.

The reason we can't have a Christmas tree or any other live plants

So many of you are posting photos of your beautifully decorated tree's. You have purchased them, set them up, bought decorations, and have posted photos all over the internet of your beautifully decorated homes.
I have seen your trees all lit up at night in the window, twinkling with lights and a star a top.
That must be nice.

Unfortunately, we don't have that luxury. It has nothing to do with money, time, or principal.

It has to do with him.

We have 2 border collies, and these are some of the smartest dogs in the world. They are the perfect dogs for us. They are active, and fit our lifestyle. I take them running, we take them hiking, or to the lake.  In addition to intelligence, they are incredibly well behaved. It took less than a week to house train them, and I can count on one hand how many times they have torn something up or messed in the house. 

But this one, our youngest dog, Bear has one major flaw. He will urinate on any living plant. He has killed many a bush outside, and all of our pots that we plant flowers in are discolored because he will urinate on them so often. It is the one habit we cannot break him of. P calls it his acid piss, because this stuff is deadly.

We are scared to bring a tree into our home because he know that while we are gone, he will destroy that tree, and spend all day urinating on. 

What about you? Do you have a tree up, or are your pets keeping you from bringing a tree home too?

My Most Embarrassing Moment

Its Tuesday, after a holiday. We are all depressed that we have to go back to work. We are all feeling fat from too much food. We are all looking at our calendars towards Christmas when we get yet another short week. We are all pretty much using the work day as a recovery time from our feasting and partying.

So, I thought I would share with all you fine folks one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

Picture it, the early 2000's. I am in my senior year of college, and I have finally settled on a major. In 4 years of college, I had 5 declared majors, one of which I left, and then came back to. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at that point, so I did what any "smart" college kid does, I decided to major in the liberal arts. There don't seem to be many ads in the paper for history majors or philosophy majors yet, I still decided to major in history. I didn't want to major in something so pedestrian like accounting. A major that taught you skills so that you could one day..you know…get paid.

It is the spring semester of my senior year, and I am in the 2nd semester of my senior year thesis class. After months of research and hard work, I am so close to finishing my undergraduate thesis. At this time, I was also taking a feminist history course, and in a wave of feminist fervor, I decided to declare my disgust with modern and historical men, and study the suffrage movement in America. Unfortunately for me, no one in the hiring process cares how much one may know about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her Declaration of Sentiments. They care more about your ability to cut costs, do an in-depth cost analysis, and make decisions without having to think or write about your feelings.

In a wave of triumph, I turned in my obsessively researched and overtly pompous paper to my professor and breathed a sigh of relief. She would read it, review it, and allow us to make revisions before handing it out to the class for debate and discussion. {On a side note, if I know that one of my papers is going to be read by my peers and the merits of my argument are going to be dissected in front of me, I will have more research and back up than a lawyer arguing before the supreme court. When arguing about historical insignificant events that have little to do with today, I play to win.}

I remember it clearly….it was a Friday afternoon, and I was scheduled to pick up my paper at 3:00. It was a cold and rainy day, and like any good college student, I skipped class because the weather was bad, and stayed in bed playing on my computer and watching Dawson's Creek reruns. I left my apartment at 2:50 still in my pajamas, with my unwashed hair, unbrushed teeth, in a long sleeve t-shirt that had microwaved lasagna stains, slippers, soffe shorts, and no bra. I thought campus would be empty and that I would pick up my paper quickly and return to the comfort of my bed.

I parked illegally, ran into the building, and low and behold, a faculty meeting had just let out, and there stood all my professors chatting, while I, bra-less, smelly, and unkempt stood in the door way of the department office frozen in place. My jaw dropped and my face flooded with color. I felt nothing but embarrassed for how I looked. My professor, the department chair mind you, saw me, and ushered me into her office, where she insisted that I put on her trench coat while we reviewed my paper. 2 hours later, I walked out of her office, in deep deep shame.

Moral of the story, if you are a women, every time you leave the house, have a bra on.

By the way…the braless wonder got an A on that paper and in the class. Boom.

Happy post Thanksgiving friends.

You are up. Please tell me your most embarrassing moment.

Intentional Living

This year has flown by. I cannot believe that it is December, and that Thanksgiving has already come and gone.

 

This year has been one of the busiest of my life. I was promoted, and given quite a bit more to do at work. We have been making more and more social commitments, and have had a lot of family obligations. Everything has been fun, but its made my days long, and I found that I am often booked from the moment I wake up at 4:20 to when I crash into bed at 9:30....lately, its actually been around 8:30.

 

It seems that these days, every moment is planned down the the minute. Often, when I am at work, I am doing one task, while mentally working on something else. Or, I am in the kitchen cooking 3 things, folding the laundry, and cleaning all at the same time. I also find that when P and I are talking, I rarely just sit and talk. I am always talking and doing something else. When I get ready in the morning, I am drying my hair, brushing my teeth, stretching, and attempting to read all at the same time.

 

Yesterday flew by, and I honestly can hardly remember it. I do know that I worked out, cleaned, and watched football, but other than that, the details are a bit fuzzy.

 

From now, until the end of the year, I really need to make a concerted effort to be more present, to be in the moment right now, not the next moment. I need to stop trying to pencil in down time to watch t.v., or just hang out. Because, I know I can't keep going at this speed, I will eventually burn out. I also know that I need to let go of things. Our house does not need to be spotless all the time. The laundry does not all have to be folded and put away right away. If the bed doesn't get made, who is going to get hurt? If I miss a work out, its not the end of the world. If I don't get to shop and miss out on redeeming some coupons, its not worth stressing out.

This is also a time of year that we all start spending a lot of money. I know how easily it is to swipe the debit card multiple times, all of which are unplanned, and those can be major budget busters. 

 

Every day, I have multiple to do lists, and they are never all completed. I need to relax more, focus on people rather than lists, and enjoy the season. I don't need to give THE PERFECT GIFT to everyone in my life. And I sure as heck don't need to GET THE PERFECT GIFT from family and friends, because I know their feelings towards do not correlate directly to how much money they spent on me. 

 

I will be more present, I will take time to look at the sky, I will take time out to relax, have fun, and live intentionally.

Friday Confessions

Hello my amigas. We close out another week, and you know what that means. Confession time.

So lets get this started.

Here are my weekly confessions:

1.I threw a banana peel out my window. I said to no one in particular, here you go animals. I didn't throw it in the grass, or out in a field. I just threw it in the center of the street.

2.I have not plucked/waxed my eyebrows since January. I know this because I got my eyebrows waxed this week, and the lady told me the last time I had be in was January. She may or my not have gasped when I laid down on the table and she inspected my brows.

3. I went to the restroom at work, and before I got in the stall, I had unbuttoned and unzipped my pants. Totally spaced out that I was in a public environment.

4. It takes me at least 2 minutes every morning to choose my pen and highlighter combo at work. Everyday I start my morning with my to do list. And every morning, it takes forever for me to pick my pen for the day, and even longer to decide what highlighter color to use. I get such a thrill highlighting things off my list each day. Yea, I am a big dork.

You know the drill. Fess up friends!

Giving Up the Mill

Can you spot me? I am in the crowd, somewhere. Its like where's Waldo, except you don't know who I am and what I look like. I'll give you a hint, I am one of the runners, not one of the onlookers. 

I have given up the treadmill. My very first race a few years ago was a 10 mile trail run. I trained for it everyday on the treadmill. At the time, I didn't know much about running. I had no plan and no gear. I just put on my tennis shoes, got on the old mill, hit start and ran. Everyday, I ran on the treadmill. I told myself that if I could run 8 miles on the mill, then I could handle 10 miles outside. Looking back on it, I don't think I even realized it was a trail run until the day of the race.

Once I decided to do my first marathon, I did all of my runs on the treadmill except for my long runs on Saturday. Again, every evening after work, I went to the gym, grabbed a mill, and ran mile after mile on that thing.

How the heck did I do that?

Today, I hate the treadmill with the passion of 1,000 suns. Seriously, I hate the treadmill. Last week, I had an easy 3 miler on deck, and I wanted to get some cross training in afterwards. Those 3 miles were the longest, most painful miles I have had in years. I was bored out of my mind, even though there were 10 t.v.'s hanging in front of me. I seriously could not handle how bored I was on the machine.

Running outside, and being outside is more enjoyable than ever now. I find that I am inside so much these days, that any chance I have to get outdoors, I leap at. Even if I am not somewhere particularly beautiful, I still crave the fresh(ish?) air filling my lunges. There is something so much more serene and peaceful about running outside for me than hitting the treadmill now. I am sure I will chicken out one morning when its 30 degrees outside and head for the gym rather than tough out the cold. For now, I'm going to keep hitting the pavement.

Are you a treadmill runner/walker? What do you do to make the time pass quickly?

Friday Confessions

Happy Friday Friends. I hope you have had a wonderful week and that you have something fun planned for this weekend.

Time to fess up to what we did this week.

1.I walked into a public restroom and it smelled like poo and mothballs. I said out loud "Wow, someone must crap mothballs." I heard someone clear their throat from the stall. Whoops.

2. I got into an argument with my dog.  P and I took the dogs for a walk, and I stepped on his foot and he let out a yelp. I looked at him and said "Its not my fault, its yours, you got in my way." My poor dog just looked at me and P cocked his head to the side and said "You do realize you are trying to argue with our dog, right. Just say sorry, pet him, and move on."

3. I used the phrase "Decorated yard of the month this month, are you f'ing kidding me, this whole thing is so political." A little back story, if you join the neighborhood association, you are eligible to win yard of the month or decorated yard of the month. One neighbor has won yard of the month and now just won decorated yard of the month, and I am bitter about it. But, we have not joined the neighborhood association, so I am not sure why it bothers me so much.

Thats it. I've been a bad girl this week. Fess up y'all.

A Thank You to my Dad, on Veterans Day

This is a picture of that young man, he is just not so young in this picture.

Many years ago, there was a young boy fresh out of high school, just a year into his college career who was drafted. A young man that had only traveled between two places, Louisiana and Texas. A young man who didn't have much in the way of opportunities or money. A young man who would not flee when he was summoned to duty. A young man who was scared about what was to come in a far away place that was nearly 9,000 miles from anything he had ever known. A young man plucked from oblivion and flown to a scary and war torn country.

That young man was my dad.

Today dad, I salute you, and I thank you for your service in the military. I can't imagine the emotions, adrenaline, or fear that you experienced when your number was called. I can't imagine what it was like to be taken from your home, from everything you had even known, and shipped across the world to fight.

You never talked much about your time in the war, and I understand why. Much like the men and women today, you came home with scars, and I am sure the mental scars ran deeper than any of the physical. By the grace of God, you survived, came home, went to work, met mom, had a couple of kids, and built a life for yourself. You gave so much, and asked so little in return.

Thank you for being brave and for fighting for our freedom. Thank you for serving your country.
And, if there are any veterans out there who read this little blog, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I am in awe of you and I am grateful for your courage and strength.

Happy Veterans day.

Friday Confessions

Happy Friday my virtual friends. I hope you have had an amazing week, and that today is the best Friday ever!

Lets get our confession on.

1.I proved a point to P, and then gloated, a lot. I walked around saying "I'm right, I'm right, I'm right." I kept saying "this makes me so happy, it is the greatest day ever." I then proceeded to dance around and do my I'm right, you are wrong dance and cheer. I am thankful he loves me despite my jerky behavior.

2. I saw a woman do something disgusting in the locker room at the gym, and I gasped, loudly. I won't tell you what she did, but I was unable to hide my shock. She looked at me, and I turned, and walked straight out of the locker room. It was tres awkward.

3. I was eating, talking on the phone, and driving at the same time. I noticed dog hair on my apple. I ate it anyway. So now, the puppies are really a part of me forever.

Fess up my friends!

The Run I Needed

There are those runs that are hard, and you just have to plow your way through them.  When every step feels heavy, and the seconds tick by slowly, and you just want to quit. 

Via Pinterest

WELL I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT RUN TODAY! Last night, it happened. That magical run when everything happens perfectly, that run that gives you the push you need to get through all the bad runs. The running experience that makes you grin ear to ear while you are out on the road like an idiot. A run that is so hard, but feels so good.  That run that reminds you of why you run.

This year, running has been painful in so many ways. From my foot problems, to IT band issues, to running in 100+ degree weather, its been my least favorite year for running. As a result, I have not signed up for any races, I haven't push myself, and my entire year as felt uninspired. P has even noticed it. He said "I feel like you are running just to mark it off your check list." Its true, that exactly what I have been doing. 

But, last night, was amazing. I set out for the run, and I had some pretty low expectations. I had a tempo run on schedule, and I my expectations were low. Right before I set out for my run, I realized I left my Garmin at the office. So I would have to run by feel, and not by the numbers. I felt comfortable, and the first 20 minute warm up flew by really quickly. Once I got to the middle stage of my run, the tempo phase, I started to push a bit harder. I have no idea what my pace was, but it felt fast. I needed to cover 20 minutes as that speed, so I made up my mind to embrace the pain, and went with it. I checked my watch a few times, and it seems as if the minutes were flying by. I felt like I was flying. The last two minutes of the tempo phase came up, and I decided that I felt so good that I was going to keep pushing, and really open up my stride. I was running hard, I was running fast, and I feel like the last 2 minutes I was probably hitting low 7:00's. 

Once my run was finished, I was actually bummed. I wanted to keep running, to keep pushing, to savor every step, because for me, runs like that are few and far between. As soon as I finished, I stood outside, and the endorphins came a flooding into my brain. I bounced in the house, and was a chatter box, and I kept walking around the house like an idiot. I think when I finally went to bed, I had a huge smile on my face because of this one magical run. 

How's your running? Any races on the calendar? How do you power through the slumps? What keeps you motivated?

Is Civic Duty a thing of the past?

Today was election day. When I woke up this morning, in my ear, I swear I heard my mother asking "Did you vote? I hope you voted, its important to vote."

Yes mother, I voted today. Normally, voting is a really emotional experience for me. I walk to the poll with tears in my eyes. I have tears of gratitude that I get to cast my vote, and make my voice heard, no matter how small, I still get to have my say.

Today, there were no tears, but there was sadness. I was so saddened that I pulled up to my polling place, and found a spot in the front row. As I walked to the entrance, I saw the signs posted to keep solicitors away. I stopped, glanced around and chucked bitterly to myself. Those signs were not needed. There was no one there to yell at me, or trying to influence my vote. No one was attempting to keep me from the polls. In fact, there was no one there at all.

As I walked into the polling office, I signed the voter roll, picked up my ballot, and filled in the blanks.  I went to the machine and as I scanned my ballot, the counter ticked up to number 44. Only 43 others took the time to vote today in my district. This evening, 6 hours later, P went to vote, and his vote was number 89. How very sad. In someways, it felt so very unAmerican, and in others, it felt very American. I fear that we have turned into a country of ungovernables. No matter who is in office, we gripe. Our guy, their guy, it does not seem to matter any more because most of us are not concerned enough to do anything about the situation. I fear that we have become too complacent to care.

I fear that we have forgotten the value of the vote, and the sacrifice it took to earn it. As a woman, it is an honor to vote, because so many of my sisters before me were kept from the polls because of their sex. They were kept from the polls because they were perceived to be to weak and too uneducated. Besides, why would they need to vote when their husband could do it for them. I think of Elizabeth Cady Stanton or Sarah Grimke. Women who fought and dreamed, and hoped that their daughters would have the chance to vote.

I wish that my experience at the polls today was different. I wish that I needed to circle the parking lot to find a spot. I wish that there were people with posters and signs, chanting, yelling, and beckoning me to come and listen for a moment. I wish the line of voters was out the door. I wish I had to wait to vote. I wish the poll workers were swamped with work to do. I wish there were more people out there who cared.

All over the world, right now, there are men and women fighting for freedom.  They are waking up this morning, and gearing up for another day of political activism. They are sacrificing their time, their money, their resources to fight another day. They fight to have a chance to have their voice heard. They put their children to bed each night and as they look at them, their strength is renewed, because they see who they are fighting for. To make tomorrow better than it is today.

I think about men and women the world over who live under dictators or monarchs who make their rules and decide the course of action for their people. I think of countries where elections are rigged, and the outcome is predetermined.

Right now, I am grateful. I am grateful that I used my voice, that I cast my ballot, and that I exercised my fundamental right as an American. This week, I aim to do an act of service for my fellow Americans every day. I vow to honor someone, to serve someone, and to give to someone. 

Happy Election day my dear friends.

Friday Confessions

Hello, Howdy, Hola to you my amigas and amigos. Are there any amigos that read this?

Here are my weekly confessions:

1.I ate more candy than I gave away on Halloween. Ugh. No wonder I feel like crap today? I need some veggies and nutrients in a bad way. 

2.I had road rage in a parking lot, and yelled at someone. My windows were down, and they heard me. It was Sunday afternoon and I went to fill up with gas, and this guy sat in the middle of the driveway, and no one could get around him. I watched him talk and pet his dogs. I waited for a while, then honked, and he would not move. Finally, I started getting my crazy on and yelled and threw my hands in the air. I managed to edge by him, but he heard everything I said. 

3. I have been LAZY this week. So many days I have come home and laid on the couch and done nothing.

4. I picked a fight with P about cleaning up the kitchen. Rather than politely ask about cleaning the kitchen, I cocked an attitude with him and made it into a bigger situation than it should have been. 

Thats it. Fess up my friends!

Hitting the Brakes

These past few months, I have been researching real estate. I have been looking at home/condos/apartments for sale in our area. I have been researching the cost to build an apartment over the garage to rent out. I have been watching a ton of HGTV (Scientific, I know).

I have been so ready to hit the gas and move forward. I want to move forward, dive into the real estate market, and make some money. I know that real estate has a great return on investment. I know that you can make money on real estate. I know that there are opportunities out there for people with money to invest. 

But, I have also known that if we were to invest in real estate, it would mean taking out a loan. And, I would be lying if I said, I had not at least considered it. 

Did you notice what is missing from above? How about the We.

See, these were plans I was drawing up in my head. I was ready to take my knowledge, my research, and move forward in my direction.

It was not until one day as we were driving around looking at houses, that P said "Babe, I feel like we are going 40 mph, and thats a good speed for us, but it seems like we are suddenly trying to go 70, and I am not sure we are ready for that speed."

That kind of took the wind out of my sails, but it was something I needed to hear. We have been walking along the Dave Ramsey baby steps, and things are going really well. We are on Step 6, paying off the house early.  The great thing about the Dave Ramsey baby steps is that they are small, attainable goals. The negative side to the Dave Ramsey baby steps is that they are small, and often slow moving. 

It really comes down to being content where we are. We ARE doing the right things financially. We ARE moving at a great speed. We ARE making progress on our goals. We ARE living frugally. There are so many things I want for us, but we believe that you have to walk before you can run, and we believe in a set of principals that teach us that "the borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

We worked really hard to get out of debt, to build our emergency fund, and to pay cash for everything we own. The only debt we have is the mortgage, and we are working really hard to knock it out in a few years. 

For me, I really need to look at where we are and where we came from. I need to realize that its a process, and we are working hard to build a strong foundation for tomorrow, and the many tomorrows after that. In finance, some people gamble, and win big, and many others gamble and lose their pants. They play a high risk game, and for every winner there are a dozen losers who wish they would have done it differently. The way we handle our money is not right for everyone, and I am ok with that. I also need to be accepting of where we are, its the tortoise that wins the race. 

That man of mine is wise, and a great partner for me. He listens, lets me dream, lets me fantasize, but then will bring me back to reality.

Have you ever made a risky financial move? How did you fare?

Friday Confessions

Here are my weekly confessions:

1.I gave the thumbs up sign 7 times in a 2 minute conversation. When did I start giving the thumbs up sign? And how much excitement or confirmation does someone need from me that I would do such a thing.

2.Sometimes when I have to sneeze, I just sneeze on P. He thinks it funny to shout or make a sudden movement when I am about to sneeze. To get back at him for steeling my sneeze, I sneeze at him.

3. I wore socks with flip flops. The kind of flip flops with strap that goes between your toes. It was wildly uncomfortable, and I looked like an idiot, but I didn't care.

4. We got Subway sandwiches. I finished my footlong before P even finished his 1st 1/2.

Fess up friends, tell me what you did wrong this week.

Meet me at the Barre

I have an addiction, and its to Pure Barre. For these past few months, I have been taking classes 3 times and week, and its AMAZING!

Pure Barre is based on ballet and Pilates principals. The idea is to use the ballet bar to do small movements to tighten and strengthen your muscles. Each class is 55 minutes long, and you do a warm up, do some light weight work, then move to thigh work, seat work, abdominal work, then stretching.

I have run and lifted weights my entire life, but I have never had my legs shake within 2 minutes of doing a work out. I kept reading and hearing about what a great workout is was, and how hard the classes were. Honestly, I was a bit cocky going into my first class. Within 5 minutes of class, I realized I had highly overestimated myself, and underestimated the class. I was sweating and shaking during the warm up.

For me, the hardest series is thigh work. You do three exercises in thigh work, and I have not been able to do a full thigh exercise with stopping. Trying to work while your legs are shaking uncontrollably is really freaking hard. There are times that I am so sore the next day that it amazes me that I didn't actually lift weights.

In class, you are constantly tucking, flexing, pointing, and moving.Some of the exercises are embarrassing to do, but when you are in a class of 20 other girls doing the same moves, its not so bad. Plus, each exercises is set to a different song, so they are blaring great music, and every class is totally different. You never know what variations of work you are going to do each day, which is exciting, and keeps you on your toes.

Pure Barre is not cardio, so you don't lose weight, but you really tone, strengthen, and shape your muscles, and lose inches of your seat and thighs.

This class is amazing, and I am so addicted.

Any Pure Barrer's out there? What do you think?

Friday Confessions

1. I actually used the phrase, "bless her heart." I am now the stereotypical southern woman.

2. I ate so many cookies I lost count. I know we got to double digits. I have shame.

3. P criticized my hair. I responded, " if you don't like it, go to beauty school you big queen."

Fess up peeps!

Posted with Blogsy

Keeping my mouth shut

Sometimes its really hard to sit by and listen and watch others make mistakes. Especially when its in  an area that you know a lot about. Can I get an AMEN from the crowd?

Last week, one of the guys that works for me needed help with some paperwork. He needed to take a loan against his 401K. I helped him with the paperwork, and explained what some things meant. In my head, I was thinking "NO NO NO NO NO NO" don't do this. But, I kept my mouth shut, and didn't say a word.

Today, he came into my office super happy and excited. He explained that the reason for his good mood was that the money he took out from his 401K had already come in, and he was so happy because he didn't think he would get it for a few weeks.  He told me he was planning to give some money to his mom, some to his son, but he was really excited because now that he had the money, he would take his wife to the fair this weekend. My hands were in my lap, and I smiled and said "Well, I am happy for you, and I hope you have fun!" All the while, my fingers were digging into my thighs, as I cringed inside. Yes, the State Fair of Texas is going on right now, but I don't think it is a big deal, but apparently others do.

Not everyone wants to hear about Dave Ramsey this, and his plan says that. Sometimes I can be a know it all (or a lot of the time depending on who you ask) but he is making a huge mistake in my eyes. I wanted to badly to tell him, to lecture him, and to set him straight according to the path that I think is correct.

Damn.

Judgmental witch, table for 1.

My path, my way, my thoughts, my views, my my my.

Sometimes, the best thing we can do is love others and show joy and excitement to them when they need it. To realize we don't have all the facts, and to understand sometimes we are not invited into the conversation. Sometimes we don't get to the be the teacher, advisor, or all knowing wizard. Sometimes, people choose their own paths. And, sometimes, its best to keep your mouth shut.

What would you have done?

Friday Confessions

Top of the mornin' to ya friends.
Its time to get our weekly confession on, so here goes.

1.I wore the same shirt to work 2 days in a row. No excuses, I just did it. I hoped no one would notice, or at the very least say anything.

2. I bought a large package of Oreos last night. The package is already in the trash.  P and I went to town and dominated a full package of cookies in less than 12 hours. I feel sick and ashamed.

3.We have a king sized bed, but sleep on less than 1/2 of it.  Apparently during the night, I move so far over that P has to basically hang off the bed b/c I have rolled so far over there is hardly any room for him.

4. I took my dog on a walk, picked up the poo in a plastic bag. I then left the bag on the ground, in someones yard.

Happy Friday. Fess up friends.

A New Venture

I am starting up a new venture! 

These past few weeks, I have really taken some time to be quite, and figure out a way to create an avenue for my "side hustle." There are so many bloggers out there who inspire me, and show daily that you don't have to be a slave to the desk. You can venture out on your own, work hard, and create your own path. Plus, Dave talks to people every day who are looking to generate extra income, and he is constantly telling them to start their own business on the side. Why work for someone making 10.00 an hour, when you can make $15.00 providing a good or service yourself. 

I put some thought into it, and I kept thinking about the tools in my wheel house, and realized that I have all the tools I need to create a tutoring business on the side. I am good with kids, I taught for years, I am certified, I have my masters, and I am a good teacher. There are, at least 5 schools within a 5 miles radius from my home. 

I have the idea, now I just need to find my students. I was not really sure how to go about finding the students, until one day I realized that I could print my own material. I wanted to create something cute and fun, but still looked great. 

I ended up using a company called Signazon.com. Y'all, I am so glad I did. They made the experience so easy. Rather than making business cards, I decided I wanted to make something bigger, something harder for kids to lose when they grabbed it on the way out of school. I was not sure what I wanted to do, so I looked on the site for a while, and then it struck me---postcards. 

I logged onto the site, selected the post card feature, and they had a ton of templates, and I spent hours looking at them all. I ended up creating my own, and was so pleased with how it turned out. Its bright, has big font, and reminds me of a chalk board. 

What do you think?

They turned out AWESOME!! I already have an appointment to give a stack to a principal this week!! 

Like I said earlier, I used Signazon.com, and I could not have been more pleased with the post cards themselves, or the service I received. As someone who works in the customer service industry, this is perhaps the most important component for me. If I receive bad service, I can't let it go, and I remember that experience, for ever. But, on the flip side, when I receive good service, I want to tell EVERYONE I know.

Here's what happened:

I placed my order, and the postcards had my phone number on them. When I checked out, I put my phone number on the order form, but, I entered the number in incorrectly. Someone from Signazon.com called me, to confirm that the phone number on the post card was actually the correct number. They were worried that I entered the wrong number on the card, and they were going to reprint the cards for me, for FREE, if I had! WHAT? Who does that anymore? I was floored, to say the least. I thanked the gentleman on the phone, and as I hung up, I shook my head in disbelief. That kind of service is so rare these days. That is the kind of service that you remember. That is the kind of service that keeps you coming back. I can tell you without a doubt, I will be using Signazon.com again. 

While this is a sponsored post, all experiences are true, and all opinions are 100% my own.

What would happen to the US economy if we all got our financial house in order? , th

Last week, I harnessed the power of twitter, and tweeted Dave Ramsey. I know not everyone follows his plan, but P and I do. For us, it makes sense to save money, dump debt, and give to others. His plan is simple, easy to follow, and there is a clear ordered progression.

While 95% of what he does is focused on personal finance, he is knowledgeable in all areas of economics and has a finance degree, and understands complex economic and financial issues.

Given that we are in a fragile economic climate and given that our government and those charged with running it are acting like children, it seems as if we are on the edge of a cliff.

The question I posed was this: How would it affect the US economy if every family was debt-free?

The answer came in 2 parts:

Answer 1: If everyone were to dump all of their debt by the end of the year, the economy would collapse. So much of our economy right now is based on debt, that if we rid ourselves of it immediately, we would be in trouble.

BUT, its a big BUT, Answer 2 was very different.

Answer 2: If everyone began dumping debt now, and took a slow systematic approach, and in a 10 year period we weaned ourselves off of borrowing, the financial picture would look drastically different that it does today.

First, if over the next few years, we stopped using the credit card, and began to rid ourselves of the consumer debt, something drastic would happen---the middle class would begin to explode with wealth. When we are no longer sending payments + interest to credit card companies and are instead putting that money into investments and savings vehicles, our wealth and net worths would increase, drastically.

Additionally, he pointed out, that as people dump debt and amass wealth, they actually spend more once they are out of debt, rather than less, because they have more money to spend.

The consequence of this happening would be that certain sectors of the economy would either have to change or disappear. Credit card companies would either go out of business, or they would need to change their business and offer debit, rather than credit cards. Then, and one of the most beneficial consequences is that predatory lending companies would shut down. No more pay day loan companies that charge 36% interest on a 200.00 loan.

Second, once we rid ourselves of the consumer debt, and began to break our dependence on things like student loans, car loans, and mortgages, and pay cash for these things, the rate at which we amass wealth would rise exponentially. Studies have shown, that many of the wealthiest Americans, are now, and have always been overly generous givers. Imagine if the middle class was able to give 10% of their money to churches, missions, and charities. We, the people could help make poverty disappear, because as we begin to accumulate more wealth, we also begin to give more, because we have fewer payments. The private sector is much more capable and efficient at running operations and systems, because they have to be accountable. Think about this, if you found out that a charity you donated to had been misusing funds and not working towards its mission statement, you would STOP giving to them, and find another avenue to give to. That means that we really could and would see a decline in poverty.

This in turn, would begin to lift up the lower class, and would in effect begin to end the cyclical nature of the welfare system. The welfare system in our country is set up in such a way that it makes people dependent upon the government, and almost prohibits them from seeking out other wealth building avenues. If the private sector began to give in a big way, in the way that we should, we could eliminate the need for welfare, and begin to help raise each other up on our own, without having to depend on the government. This would allow us to shrink the size of government, and reduce the scope of their work. THEN, as we need them less, we would begin to take back control of our government and they would no longer wield power over us; we could then transition power back to where it belongs, the people.

Also, so much of the financial market is based on consumer confidence, that we have these major peaks and valleys. By creating a more stable and sustainable economy, we could begin to rid ourselves of the extremes and create a more stable financial market, which again, would lead to the building of wealth.

In the end, even Dave admitted that he does not think this is likely to happen, because we are going to continue to make poor choices, and behave in ways that make us vulnerable. It may be a pipe dream, but its a pipe dream worth shooting for.

It breaks my heart to see so many of us struggling. We live in the richest country this world has ever seen. We have the ability to make money, grow our wealth, and create opportunity for ourselves and for others.

I am passionate about personal finance, and financial coaching, If you need help understanding some of  Dave's thoughts or principals, please feel free to leave me a comment or email me. I am not paid by Dave Ramsey to say these things, I have seen what his plan can do, and how it can change lives and family trees because it did for us.

Friday Confession

Good Friday my peeps. Its time to confess our sins and let the world know all the bad stuff we have done this week.

Without further delay, here we go.

1.I cannot remember the last time I washed my hair. This is nothing new, but still, I need to wash it more. I am glad to note I am not the only one. (Looking at you Leslie!)

2. I refuse to have a t.v. in our bedroom. But I have no problem watching The Office on our ipad in bed. P asks me the different, and I just tell him its different, and to drop it.

3. P came home, and thought someone was in the house with me. I was alone, but I talk to the dogs, and ask them questions, and apparently, pause and wait, as if they are really going to respond with an answer.

4. I went to Target 5 times on Wednesday. I took the day off as a mental health day, and spent my entire day cleaning and organizing the house. I kept purchasing home organizing and decor items, and returning what I didn't like.  By the last trip, the girl at the service desk pretty much had my debit card number memorized.

Fess up my friends.

I'm so sick of these jackholes

Frustration. Annoyance. Disappointment. Anger.  Rage. Fed up.

All of these words describe how I feel about 99.9% of the American government right now. I am sick and tired of the petty bickering, political posturing, and flat out lying that I see every single day from our elected officials.

If I have to hear one more left leaning liberal politician dodge responsibility for themselves, I may scream. If I hear one more right wing conservative whining, I may punch the t.v.

I have been consuming too much news the past few weeks, and I realized, I need a time out from the 24 hour news cycle that I am constantly listening, watching, and reading.  I have had my limit for right now.

Obamacare, sequester, filibuster, Syria, Recession, government spying, drones, or Debt Ceiling. Take your pick, its all bad. Democrat, Republican, Senator, President, Congress woman, as far as I am concerned,  they are ALL doing a terrible job, and they ALL need to be removed from office. If I functioned at work the way our government functions on a daily basis, I would be out of job and on the streets.

Something happens to our elected officials when they enter DC airspace. Its as if, they suddenly lose their minds, and forget who put them in office, and what we expect them to do. They become more concerned with keeping their jobs, saving face, and boosting their ego, that they are willing to take our country to the brink of disaster.

I am too much of a libertarian to trust the government.  I want fewer laws and more freedom. I don't want to be forced into things, I want to voluntarily do them. I don't do anything illegal other than speeding occassionally, and I don't want big brother aka the federal government listening to my phone calls.

I am sick and tired of paying taxes, just to see the money wasted. I am sick of sending money to countries who burn our flags, curse our country, and hang effigies of our presidents. I am sick and tired of sending money to anywhere else in the world, while we continue to rack up debt at a frightening pace here at home. I am sick and tired of a government forcing us to play by the rules they set, yet exempting themselves from those same rules. 

Normally, I can stomach quite a bit when it comes to our government, but right now, I am so frustrated by what I see and hear from these people.  What is so frustrating to me, is that, they fail to recognize, their actions, or inactions have real consequences. They really do affect people. Its getting to the point where, I feel as if I have to safe guard myself from my government. This body, this entity was created by the people, for the people, and that seems to be a forgotten notion.

I am stepping off my soapbox now. Someone, please tell something good thats happening for you!!

Running on Angry.....or pure frustration

You may have noticed the running talk has been pretty slim these past few weeks. Thats because, the running has been, pretty slim in these parts.

Basically, my stupid whore foot was giving me some major problems. I went back to the podiatrist, a different one this time, and she looked, we talked, she did some things to me that hurt so badly that I wanted to call her some names that rhymed with itch, stitch, and witch. But, whore foot is still around, and still hurting, but in a different way. The course of action we are taking this time is a bit...different, I will spare you the deets. It hurts, its painful, but I'm willing to try anything to get rid of this thing.

It still hurts all the time, but its a different kind of hurt right now, and I am really not sure how to describe it. Its just so frustrating that this is on the ball of my foot, so EVERY TIME I TAKE A STEP, it hurts. No matter if I am running or walking, it hurts.

Lately, I have been running less, and cross training more. Doing the elliptical hurts, so I have been riding my bike more, and walking more, and doing more pure barre b/c it seems that I can tolerate that better than the pounding that comes from running.

This afternoon, I was annoyed with my foot, frustrated with work, and wanted to get my sweat on, so I laced up, not expecting much, and hit the road. I worked out this morning, so I told myself just get through 3 miles. It hurts, I am going to be in pain, but just press on and finish, no matter the time.

I feel out of shape right now. Because I have not been running much, I know my fitness is not where I want it to be.

Mile 1: Start out fast, but thats normal, and kept running, and zig zagging around the area, and when I looked down at my watch, I was hovering in the 7:00's. I have not hit 7:00's in quite some time.

Rather than tell you, I'm just going to show you.

Ahh yes, beautiful cheap laminate floors that are covered in dog hair. Ignore that and look at the watch.

Boom. 

I have no clue where that came from. I ran the same 3 miles last week, and I ran it in 27:00 minutes. I got home, nearly heaved my brains out, and stood outside in shock. I highly doubt I could do it again, at this moment, but I will take it.

I feel like running is a lot like life. When we enter into situations with expectations, and they are not met, we beat ourselves up, blame our circumstances, and walk away bitter. But, when we are open, relaxed, and free ourselves from some preconceived notion, we may just be surprised what is in store for us. 

So many times when I start my run, and I don't hit my time on the first mile, I get discouraged, and stop pushing. I stop trying to do better, and I automatically accept defeat, accept failure, and allow myself to swim in the sea of mediocracy. I allow myself to be slightly better than average, rather than sucking it up, pushing through the pain to make myself better. The line between good and great hurts, and to get past that line takes dedication, motivation, and desire. 

In the end, it felt good to push myself. To breath heavily, to sweat buckets, to push through the pain, and realize, I am made to do things that are hard. I am made to conquer. I am made to be strong. 

Show me your strength. How how you pushed yourself physically/mentally/spiritually/emotionally lately?  

Loner

Sometimes I wonder if P sauce and I are antisocial, or if we are just loners.

Can you be a loner without being lonely? Can you enjoy people but need time away, time for quite, time for peace, time for just being?

Often, when we have a social obligation with friends, I find that I dread it. I don't look forward to it, and I start fixating on all the things I would rather be doing. Once I get to the party, lunch, or event, I usually have a great time, but its the dreading that I question. Its the longing to be alone, at my home that often makes me wonder if there is something wrong with me.

I have a friend who says she has social anxiety, but in reverse. She becomes anxious if she knows people are doing something fun without her, and cannot stand to be away from the group.

I find that exhausting.

I always want to be around P, thats a given. But, I get such joy by being at home. Piddling around the house, doing laundry, watching football, listening to music, cleaning, organizing my stockpile, blogging, or reading; these are things that I like to do, and want to do more of.

We have never been ones to eat an fancy restaurants, or go to bars and clubs. We live a very simple life, a life that others may view as boring, but to me, I consider quaint.

Thomas Jefferson once said" I would rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family, and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post which any human power can give."

I completely agree with him. I rarely have the urge to go out, I almost always have the urge to stay in.

But then again, he is a man who became president, and the man who said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

So, I don't know how reliable a source ol' Tommy boy is.

I have always been the type to have a few really close relationships with a small group, and several acquaintance, rather than have a large group of friends. I find comfort in the small intimate groups, where relationships grow deep, and have long histories. I find humor in the old inside jokes, and telling of stories.

Is one better or worse, I don't know. I do know that I find strength, joy, and energy from stillness, simpleness, and silence. I find comfort in being in my home surrounded by my things. I am energized by a good book, or a brilliant blog post.

It seems to me that I need to be at peace with who I am and how I was made.

Peace seeker, or party goer? Which are you?

Friday Confessions

1. Someone gave me a business card. My hands were full, so I put it in my bra.

2. I microwaved cookie dough from work for lunch.

3. I had a meeting off site at work. Rather than head straight back, I did a little shopping I stead.

Fess up peeps

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It's all relative

Hello out there in bloggy land! I have been a terrible blogger I know. Perhaps its the late summer blues, perhaps its that I have been super busy with life and work, which is the lamest excuse ever, I know. But, I'm pretty lame like that. Or perhaps its that I am just plain lazy. (It's probably the latter)

For some of you, fall is here, and you are eating your pumpkin pancakes, drinking pumpkin lattes, and pulling out your tall boots and scarves. Yea, I don't really like you that much any more. Even though its cool where y'all are, its still HOT as heck down here in Texas. I have pretty much abandon the idea of wearing pants until we are no longer in the triple digits. For the record, this was the temperature when I was driving the other day. Yes, I was at a stop light when I took the photo, and yes, I just changed my oil--look at that 100% oil life. Yep, you read that right 107.

Surprisingly enough, there is a big difference when its 107 outside and only 100. Today we topped off near 100 degrees, and I actually told my assistant, "Wow, its kind of cool outside." Thats when I realized that these hot summer days have officially fried my brain.

Below is a picture of a candle. It sat in the house all day, and when I got home, it had actually started to melt because its so hot. Thats all I have to say about that.

Summer is over for some of you, while for the rest of us, we are still tanning and walking on the surface of the sun. NBD, because when y'all are under 100 feet of snow, we will be be wearing shorts on Christmas day. While some dream of a white Christmas, I dream of Christmas in tank tops and flip flops, but its mostly because I have never experienced a white Christmas.

So take your photos of you bundled up, sipping hot chocolate, walking through the colored leaves of fall. I will just stick my tongue out at you and show you photos of heat waves that I see every afternoon. 

Hows the weather where you are? Global warming changing the climate up there? 

Friday Confessions

Happy Friday friends. Here are my weekly confessions.

 

1. I have worn the same socks every day this week to work out.

2. We're doing a strict healthy eating challenge. p cheated, and I got mad at him for not bringing me a cheat food.

3. I walked my dog at night and lingered for way to long in front of the homes that had their windows open.

4. I've not made plans with friends....because football is on.

Fess up peeps!

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Bison

This past year, P and I have been eating according to Paleo guidelines probably 80% of the time. Its been just this past year that we have discovered how good Bison meat is. 

While not the cheapest protein we buy, we often justify the cost based upon nutritional value.  We have found this to be a delicious protein. 

Lately, we have been browning the meat, adding onion, garlic, and a bit of cayenne  pepper, served over mashed sweet potatoes with a side salad. We have eaten this meal twice this week already. Its quick, easy, and good for us. 

A few months ago, we really began to make an effort at meal planning, and increasing our vegetable, nut, and fruit intake, while decreasing the volume of protein in order to stretch our grocery dollars a bit more. For 3 weeks out of the month, we try to keep our grocery spending as minimal as possible, so that on the last weekend of the month, we get to shop at Central Market, the fancy grocery store. They have a HUGE butcher case, with nothing but high quality meats. Everything is organic or free range, and the butchers are helpful, knowledgable, patient, and giving. One week, we were given 4 links of chicken sausage for free because we were asking questions, and the female butcher wanted us to try the sausage without having to pay for it. 

Have you found an new proteins worth trying? What is your grocery shopping strategy?

While searching online I found this chart at buffalohillsbisonmeat.com

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON Per 100 GRAM SERVING – COOKED MEAT
SPECIES	FATGRAMS	CALORIESKCAL	CHOLESTEROLMG	IRONMG	VITAMIN B-12MCG
Bison:	2.42	143	82	3.42	2.86
Beef (choice):	10.15	219	86	2.99	2.65
Beef (Select):	8.09	201	86	2.99	2.64
Pork:	9.66	212	86	1.1	0.75
Chicken (Skinless):	7.41	190	89	1.21	0.33
Sockeye Salmon:	10.97	216	87	0.55	5.80