Days 7-12: Still stuck in the snow…
PIN IT!
Although the plows have been working around the clock, we are still buried under over 30 inches of snow here in the DC area. Which means, yet another day working from home (that’s a total of 7 days stuck in or around my apartment). I’m losing my mind, my will to live and my waistline, this snow better go away FAST!
Day 7: Make a “back to school” game plan
I can not believe it has been almost a full year since I graduated Georgia Southern with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. It’s crazy and kind of scary when you think about how fast time flies, before you know it, it will be May and I’ll be watching my little twin graduate and I’ll have been out of school for over a year. It’s shocking and terrifying all the same. Although I’m doing what I had set out to do, take a year off school to work, study and take the GRE and find a great program, it’s already February and I haven’t signed up for the test, applied to any schools or really saved any money for school. I’ve been really busy, in my defense, but I’ve also been procrastinating. So what better day to start my “go back to school gameplan” than when I’m stuck inside admist a crazy blizzard.
The first piece of my game plan includes a realistic timeline for taking the GRE and applying to schools. The hardest part about the GRE will be finding adequate time to study for it. With a full time job, a live in boyfriend and 2 dogs, it’s hard to find time to do much of anything, better yet study in silence for a few hours a night. I’d prefer a full month to prepare, so I’m going to have to really concentrate and find enough time in my day to get my studying done. The GRE, fortunately, is offered quite often, so whatever your timeline [whether it be a few weeks, a month, or even 3 months] you can find a time and place where the test is being offered. I signed up for March 12, which is a Friday, which ends up giving me a little over a month, from today, to study my tail off and prepare. Visit www.gre.org to register for a test near you!
The next step is to narrow down the list of schools I’m going to apply to and when the application deadlines are for each school. So far, I am looking to apply to schools locally in DC and Virginia and have narrowed down my list to 4 schools; American University, Virginia Tech, George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth. Each of them have different deadlines, but they are rapidly approaching [To be considered for Fall enrollment, I need to have my application in by July 1st for VT!] I know that may seem a ways away, but I need enough time to write my letter of intent, fill out the application and write my personal essay, all pieces that need to be done, and done well. So my timeline for my college applications is to have them all completed by June 1st, which is a month before the deadline.
I definitely miss school so the sooner I’m back, the better!
I love…laughing until my stomach hurts with my best friend.
Day 8: Learn how to sew
I’m not very domestic. Actually, I’m not domestic at all. I just don’t think I got that gene. My mother, on the other hand, is a domestic goddess. She cooks, cleans, sews, totes everyone to where they need to be, shops for all the food, furniture, clothing, works…etc, etc. She does it all.[Maybe that’s why I’m no good at any of it, she always did it for me!] I don’t cook very well, I clean when I have to, I’ve sewn maybe twice in my life and avoid any sort of housework. [Just ask my boyfriend!] So to ease the burden of my over-worked boyfriend, and to become a bit more self sufficient, I decided to tap into my own inner domestic goddess and learn how to sew.
Sewing is really not that difficult, it’s really as easy as threading string into a needle. However, you need a set of materials, obviously, and some guidance, otherwise you are going to end up with band aids on all your fingers. Since I’m a very novice sewer, I decided to begin with the basics: Sewing a button back on a coat. Seems easy enough, right? Well, it was! I followed these step by step instructions (http://www.wikihow.com/Sew-a-Button), and in less than an hour, my adorable floral spring trench had it’s lovely top button back where it belonged. Granted it should not have taken the full hour, but, I’m a beginner, and I’m learning! [My beautiful jacket!]
Next in my sewing adventure, I am going to branch out and learn to crochet. Which is a lot more advanced, so until I can sew a button in less than an hour, I’ll stick to that! For all the other sewers out there who are more intermediate to advanced, check out this website for fun tips on sewing!
http://www.sewfastseweasy.com/online_learning
I love…being able to use my left arm again!
Day 9: Turn off the tube!
I watch a lot of the ol’ tube. When I get home from work, it’s on, on weekends, it’s on, before I go to bed, it’s on. I probably watch upwards of 3 hours a day, which is not only bad for my physical health, but my mental health as well. According to a study in the International Journal of Obesity, adults who watched <4 hours of tv a day showed higher adjusted prevalence odds ratio of obesity than those who watched less than 1 hour. The same study also found that the ratio of obesity was 30% higher for each hour of increased TV viewing and 24% lower for each additional hour of sleeping time. Another study by Kids Health.org found that two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a computer or tv screen an average of 2 hours a day, kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of, primarily TV and videos or DVDs a day, kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 extra hours on the computer and playing video games. The sad thing, though, is that I know this, yet continue to watch, all the time. I’m a glorified couch potato, and if I don’t watch myself, I’ll soon become as large as a couch.
So, I took a stand against the television and turned it off, for an entire day. Although I mourned for a few minutes over the loss of my tube, I quickly recovered and found myself invigorated and excited with all of the extra time I had to do things I kept pushing off because “my show was on.” It wasn’t all easy, especially since I was snowed in (you know, since I have been for the past 7 days), so I had to work extra hard to keep myself occupied. But I managed to survive. I finished the book I was reading, The Time Traveler’s Wife [which is a fantastic novel], I wrote another 5 pages in my novel, cleaned the house, gave Oscar a bath (did he need it!), played in the snow with Elliot, got all of my work done, did crunches and squats, cooked dinner…Shall I go on? I felt so incredibly productive by the time I went to bed I wanted to toss out the tube and never look back! [I didn’t, of course]. But it’s amazing how you feel when you’re not glued to the tv watching reruns or sitcoms.
I’m not the only one who realizes how detrimental obsessive tv watching can be for my mental and physical health. Every year in April, the US hosts National TV Turn off Week, where millions of Americans voluntarily turn off their tv’s for an entire week. According to a National Institute of Health press release, schools, libraries, and community groups support this event by providing a variety of activities for students and their families. Studies have also shown that participants tend to watch much less television after the week has finished. So on the week of April 22-28, join myself and millions of Americans and turn off your tube for better health!
I love…that I have such great coworkers who make my 9-5 more fun.
Day 10: Outlaw soda for a month
I’m not a huge soda junkie [like I used to be] but I still consume far more cans of the liquid sugar and aspartame than I’d like to. I blame it all on the 3pm slump that steals all of my motivation, energy and attention span. Although I avoid the extra calories by drinking only diet, I still find myself feeling bloaty and bubbly after I drink one. Even though recent studies have found that there may be a link between the use of artificial sweeteners and obesity, there is still no solid link between the two. Artificial sweeteners, in reality, are safe and fine to drink…IN MODERATION. Ah, there’s that word again, moderation. 🙂 Although I know a can of diet soda a day will not kill me, or really add to my waistline, I know that I can completely live without my dairy can, or two, of soda a day. So, I’m outlawing the sugary concoction for a month, a total 30 days! I know, outlawing anything goes against my previous posts that you should never tell yourself no to any food substance (leads to bingeing) soda is not something I can’t live without. It’s something that I just have found myself attached to after working 9-5. I also don’t think I will ‘binge’ on soda, who can take that much liquid? So instead of my normal can of soda to save me from the 3pm slump, I will have a nice glass of green or black tea, which is naturally caffeinated! (and so much better for you!)
There are so many benefits to drinking tea. For example, tea is a natural cancer fighter, and people who drink tea have a lesser chance or getting cancer. Tea also can reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff), and a study conducted found that people who drank tea lowered their LDL by 10 more points than those who didn’t drink it. If that’s not enough motivation to get anyone to switch to tea, green tea has been proven to help aid weight loss! According to www.teamuseum.com, compared to the placebo and caffeine, green tea extract consumption produced a significant 4% increase in 24-hour energy expenditure! So join me in my outlawing of soda and grab a tea bag instead, your body and mind will thank you!
I love…how amazingly romantic my fiancé is 🙂
Day 11-12: Try being a vegan for 2 days (no dairy, meat or fish)
I’m no complete carnivore, but I love meat. Chicken, beef, pork, fish, turkey, you name it, I love it. As a nutrition lover, I know the right kind of red meat to eat (95-5), how to cut the fat off a roast, skin the rotisserrie chicken before I eat it, however, I can’t help but feel sluggish and heavy after I eat a meal full of meat. So after one particularly heavy meat/dairy meal [chicken fettuccine and wings] I decided to try not eating meat or dairy for a couple days, just to see if I felt better. Now, I know giving up meat affects my amino acids and protein absorption, and no dairy will leave my calcium level ultra low, so I had my peanut butter sandwiches, almonds and gummy calcium vitamins stocked and ready to go.
Day 1 as a vegan wasn’t hard, it was actually really easy. I drank my coffee plain with a dash of sugar and had a bowl of fiber rich oatmeal. Instead of tuna or a chicken salad for lunch, I opted for a bowl of tomato soup and french bread, and felt just as satisfied. I munched on crackers and fruit for my snacks throughout the day which also kept me full. When dinner rolled around, it was hard to turn away from the delicious chicken stir fry my boyfriend was eating but I filled up on asian veggies and almonds. Day 2 was still easy, but I felt pretty sluggish in the morning and really missed my cream, but I perservered through. I had whole wheat pancakes for breakfast, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with veggie chips for lunch and nuts and fruit for my snack. Dinner was my hardest meal, instead of the beef and cheese tacos my love was eating, I stuck with a salad and pasta marinara. And truthfully, I did feel better. I didn’t feel as heavy or tired as I usually did after dinner. I felt lighter and happier not being stuffed to my full point.
Although I noticed a change, it’s not the lifestyle for me. I like milk in my coffee and chicken in my salad, but I’m really glad I did it.
If you are considering becoming a vegetarian or vegan, make sure to do plenty of research before hand so that you have all of the information at hand to make sure you are making the best choice for your lifestyle and your body. Before you make any decisions, make sure to consult with your doctor before you do! [Visit these sites for great advice]
http://www.happycow.net/becoming_vegetarian.html
http://www.nutrispeak.com/becomingvegan.htm
I love…my cooky mother who has no idea how appreciated she is.
Claire
Tags:benefits of green tea, blizzard of 2010, National Turn off the TV Week, no tv, Outlaw soda, vegan, vegetarian
Healthy Junk Food!
http://www.delish.com/food/healthy-food/junk-food-makeovers
Who said junk food couldn’t be delicious and good for you? [These taste just as good as their fatty originals!]
Dear Uncle Sam, Thanks for the shopping money!
Thanks to my mini-lution to do my own taxes, I now know exactly how much of my money Uncle Sam is returning to me in the form of my tax refund, and it’s a HEFTY wad of cash. Like, more than a paycheck hefty. I’m so happy I could break out into a rendition of “I’m proud to be an American” at any one second. After a brief minute of contemplating what to do with it, I found my answer. Serious Shopping. [It actually only took me about .3 seconds of debating whether to be an adult and save it all, or be half an adult and half a reckless youth and spend half and save the other]. I obviously chose the latter. At least I’m not spending it all, right?
When I know I’m going to come into a big sum of money [that I surely do not have now], I do something I like to call pre-shopping, which is browsing online at my favorite stores picking out exactly what I want to buy then putting into a virtual shopping bag to save for later. I’m so excited by some of these soon to be purchases, I want to share them with all of you, WordPress World!
Claire
Tags:burberry packable trench, louis vuitton speedy 30, shopping, shopping spree, tax return, uncle sam refund
Month 2: Days 3-6: We're buried in snow!
Greetings from the North Pole! Pictured here is the aftermath of the great blizzard of 2010, or the Snowpocalypse [to all those tweeters]. This beast of a storm has left us covered, and I mean covered, in the fluffy white stuff [30 inches!] Although the snow plows are working their butts off, half of the city and its surrounding ‘burbs are still buried under snow, including myself! I’ve been trapped for 4 days and I’m beginning to go seriously mad.Here’s hoping I don’t turn insane circa Jack Nicholson! All work, no play makes….you get the picture. Onwards to my mini-lutions!
Day 3: Sign up for a fun class
Not that academia is not fun, it’s a woot, but this time I’m referring to a cooking, dancing, pottery or wine class. Now that I’m not in school, I need an activity to occupy my time when I’m not at the 9-5er. And I am dying to learn something new! Given my current arm situation [no longer in a cast, but it’s hardly recovered] dancing and pottery are out, for now. So I did a bit of research and found the coolest cooking class in DC! It’s called CulinAerie [see below website] and it allows you to choose from individual classes, group classes and classes for the office! You can also chose to drink and eat while a chef cooks for you! But my resolution is to learn to cook, since I do enough of eating and drinking! If you live in the DC area and are interested in learning to cook from the experts, make sure to sign up quick and save, the prices are a bit steep.
http://www.culinaerie.com/home.php
I love…being snowed in all weekend with my little family.
Day 4: Do my OWN taxes
It’s tax season! “Or as we like to call it in the biz, crunch time!” [From The Break Up]. Doing taxes can be a strain, frustrating and time-consuming, but is well worth it in the end. Even if you are only getting $50 dollars, it’s 50 more than you have now, right?
Well, I guess I don’t have much room to talk, I’ve been very spoiled and have never had to actually do my own taxes. [Thanks Dad!] Although he asked to do mine again this year and so did my wonderful boyfriend, I decided to take the solo route and do them myself. Yikes! IRS audit or lost sanity, here I come!!
Truthfully, it wasn’t that bad! It was actually really easy, intuitive and kind of fun. I especially liked seeing my refund increase with each deduction and addition! I used Turbo Tax and it was really, really easy and quick. They guide you through each step so you don’t miss a thing. They also allow you to deduct the cost of your state refund and their basic service from your refund, which is really helpful. If you are a tax novice and are doing them by yourself for the first time this year, I completely recommend using Turbo Tax. [Visit the site below].
I love…being able to wear my skinny jeans with a skinny top! Hello new body!
Day 5: Be a kid again
Oh to be young again! I’ll keep this post short because let’s get serious, it’s self-explanatory! As adults, we tend to forget what its like to have fun because we’re too busy paying bills, working, carpooling, cooking and doing housework. Which is all stuff that needs to be done, but can take a strong toll on our bodies and mental health. [We all know what all work and no play makes Jack!] So do what I did and take a break to play! Since we have tons of snow I took a lunch break and played in the fluff with my pup. If you are lucky to live in a warmer climate, go play frisbee with your furry friend or sing into your hairbrush with your best friend, kid, etc. Release some endorphins by laughing and you’ll be more productive in your day.
I love…drinking my coffee with a huge wad of whipped cream on top!
Day 6: Begin my bucket list
The key word on this resolution is “begin”. A bucket list, for those who haven’t seen the deeply moving movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, is a list of things you want to do before you die. It’s like my list of mini-lutions, but with bigger tasks, like travel to Australia, adopt a child from China, climb Mt. Everest, etc. I’m young, very young, in the grand scheme of life, but I’m not young enough to not think about death or fear it. I have no idea when I’m going to die (obviously) but I want to know I’ve done all that I could before that day comes. You only live once, and I want to make sure I live it to the fullest. So, I decided to begin my bucket list and really think about what I want to do with my life. So far I have 10 things:
1. Complete a marathon
2. Complete a triathlon
3. Get a book published
4. Travel to every continent
5. Complete a masters and doctorate program in nutrition education
6. Work in a vineyard
7. Become a really great cook
8. Maintain my goal weight for over 20 years [130]
9. Bungee jump
10. Snowboard down a mountain [without falling!]
I can’t wait to finish my list, but its a definite ongoing project. Everytime I update, I’ll share with all of you. I’m going to work my butt off accomplishing it as well.
Wish me luck!
I love…that I’ve known my best friend for 19 years.
Claire
Tags:be a kid, blizzard 2010, bucket list, cooking class, laugh, snow, snowpocalypse, taxes, turbo tax, uncle sam
Jan 31-Feb 2 [Days 31-2]: Bye Bye January!
And the snow has already begun! According to the weather gods, the snow is supposed to continue all weekend, leaving us buried under 30 inches and stuck inside our cozy homes. Let’s just hope the snow stops by tomorrow or we’ll all start resembling this guy [see below picture].
Now that I’m stuck inside all weekend, I will actually have time to finish copying my past days resolutions over to WordPress and I will finally be caught up.
Day 31: Organize my apartment
Due to my minor setback [the arm that will never heal] my poor boyfriend has been trying to do everything, cook, clean, help me live, etc. Even though he tries his very best, he can’t do everything, so some things fall to the wayside. And what has seemed to fall lately is the state of serenity and order of our apartment. Although we have over 1,000 square feet, when the bookcases are cluttered and there’s debris all over my floor, the walls start to close in and I feel like I’m stuck in a shoebox. So instead of getting lost in a pile of clutter, I took a stand against our junk and got a head start on spring cleaning.
Step 1: Throw out the garbage/Donate useable goods: You know the old papers from college, the clothes that don’t fit [or never did and never will], broken knick knacks and doodads, the old cell phones that don’t work [thanks to a swim in the lake] dryer sheets, etc, etc. Unless you desperately need it, toss it. [And save time and space!] If it is a good that can still be used or clothes that are in good condition, donate them to those in need. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/15/haiti-clothing-donations_n_424610.html)
Set up an organization plan: We are all a little different, so no organization plan will be exactly the same. What you need to do to ensure you stay organized, find one that works for you and your stuff. Whether it be color-coding, alphabetizing, or stacking, find what works and stick to it. Or as i like to say, a method to your madness.Your life will de-clutter and you’ll be shocked with how much extra space you have!
If you’re still in the dark about ways to organize, consult this list put together by apartments.com. Who said spring cleaning was just for the spring anyway?
- Use under-the-bed storage boxes or bins.
- Buy furniture that doubles as storage, tables with drawers underneath and open-top ottomans.
- Buy plastic storage bins with drawers for easy access.
- Get or build racks for shoes.
- Install shelving in your closets.
- Adopt a filing systems for papers and documents.
- Hang racks near the door for keys and coats.
Above bullets courtesy of www.apartments.com
Day 1 [feb]: Celebrate the love
It’s February folks! The month of love, sex, and Hallmark. Even though we all aren’t believers in the month of love, it’s hard not to feel a tug on the ol’ heartstrings when the lovey dovey commercials,movies and songs start to dominate the airways. Well, I’m a firm believer in the month of love and take it very seriously. Whether it be planning for Valentine’s, celebrating my anniversary or matchmaking my single friends, I get really into February. So it didn’t take much deliberating when it came time to think of how to kick off my new month of resolutions. Instead of doing something, I’m going to say it, all 28 days of February. I’m going to express my love to my friends, family and self every day of February. As a woman, I often wake up hating my hair, my body, my clothes, etc. So when I’m feeling extra fat, ugly, depressed, stupid, I’m going to say one thing I love about my body, my hair and my life. Even though it won’t remove the extra pounds, it will avert my attention to another stellar part of my body. Or when Elliot and I fight and I’m so angry I feel steam pouring out of my ears, in those instances, telling him I love x or y about him allows us to take a step back from whatever is making us mad and remind each other what we love about one another. Sure it won’t always completely resolve the issue at hand, but it will make him and I see things more clearly. Every day I’ll post my love in pink or red, in hopes i can influence others to spread their love!
Feb. 1: I love… my green eyes that I always get compliments on
Day 2: Set up a savings account and use it!
It’s time to show some love to my finances, which are in serious need of some tlc. As you may know, I’m not exactly a great financial planner. Although, making a budget did put me way ahead of where I was, I still have many miles to travel. As apart of my new budget, there is a space for a savings, which is a 7 letter word not found in my everyday vocab. [I’m clearly a spender]. However, no matter how comfortable i am in my current job, we are in a recession, and I could lose my job in a second. As negative as that may be, I need to be realistic and need to have some sort of savings to fall back on.
Like most people in my position, it’s hard to decide how much to save from each paycheck. Although I make a comfortable amount, the cost of living is very high here, so after bills, food, clothing and shelter, I really do not have much left. So how much to save, realistically? After doing a lot of research, I’ve found a piece of advice that is not only solid, but realistic and still fits into my lifestyle. Do what works for you. Some people recommend saving 20% of your income, or $200 a month, but for me? That just isn’t possible! So I’ll save what I can each month. The most important thing to remember is not how much you save each month or what percentage you put away, but that you develop the habit and make saving a priority.
Feb. 2nd: I love…how Elliot does everything he can to make my life easier
Claire
Tags:blizzard of 2010, love, nest egg, savings account, snow, snowpocalypse, spread love
