Everything I'm Excited About In This Very Moment

1. My new nike vomero 7's. They'll be the shoe I run my half-marathon in!  I took them out for a (fartlek) spin and they were absolutely perfect.

2. Surfing trip in Pismo in September.
3. My new nike running capris-best my tush has ever looked! Everything looks so firm and sculpted. Tempted to invest in a second pair.
4. My long run Friday: I went 7.4 miles, tried some vanilla plus caffeine Gu (which kept me perked up) and listened to podcasts (Hypothetical Help is hilarious) which kept me running longer. I always do better when I'm distracted from running which is why I love running with friends. And it was awesome! I came back and had a total endorphin high. Now I finally understand why people go for such long runs. (My previous longest run was a little over 5 miles. Maybe I'll try 9 miles next weekend.)
5. All the books/CDs/movies/books I have from the library! This needs to stop lol.

6. Back-to-school shopping next week.

7. I'll be 18 in 2 weeks! Holy cow. I'm hoping to receive one of these-it would make my long runs a little easier.

8. Meeting my roommate in person at move-in! She seems really nice and like a good match for me.
9. Just everything about Cal Poly! PolyPaws, Distance Running Club, Neuroscience Undergraduate Society, Geek Week, Wind Ensemble, Rec Center (trying everything from swimming to Body Pump)-the list is neverending.

10. BBQ next weekend-a bunch of friends are coming over for a back to school/birthday/end of summer get-together. We're gonna have ribs and pasta salad and fruit salad and a dessert bar. It'll be great.
11. This will sound funny, but I'm already looking forward to winter break! I'll have had finals the week before so I won't have to study at all over break. It'll be the first year in a while that I'll truly be able to enjoy and celebrate the holidays-plus I'll be running my first half marathon the second weekend I'm home, earning myself some serious lazy cozy time the rest of the break.

Have a happy Sunday!

10 Things I Hate About You

This isn't directed at anyone in particular---I think it could be applied to many situations (boys and frenemies alike). But I watched the movie '10 Things I Hate About You' and started thinking of times in my life when there are things I wish I could have said but never did. This list is a summary of those things.

10 Things I Hate About You:
1. I hate the way you won't even look at me anymore, despite the fact that I know you better than do most of the people in your life.  I could tell you things about yourself that you don't even know, but I will never get the chance to do so.
2. I hate the way you used to fill me with the warmest, most wonderful feelings and in a matter of seconds, you took it all away.
3. I hate how even when we were close, you never remembered what's important to me and what goes on in my life (even when I told you multiple times).
4. I hate the way you lost yourself when you started drinking in college, and that's driven me away from you.
5. I hate how inconsistent you are. I never know where I stand with you, and you're never willing to communicate that with me.
6. I hate that I don't even know who you are anymore.
7. I hate how somedays I miss you quite a lot, but other days there's not a four-letter-word in the world that I wouldn't throw your direction ('jerk' being one of the more tame ones).
8. I hate that you never follow through on things you say you'll do (especially when it's anything that involves making an effort in our...friendship?).
9. I hate how you've fooled me for years with your deceit and lies.
10. I hate that we will probably never be close again, even if we do get back on speaking terms.

Not the most uplifting, but they were things I needed to get off my chest eventually and they came directly from the deepest, darkest, most hidden part of my heart.

Basically, all it comes down to are a few things (Pinterest always has some wisdom to learn from):

And of course

Speaking of which, my Zappos order should be here any minute. New shoes make me happier than a bird with a french fry.

Adios!

Weekend Updates

Well hi there!

My week calmed down after the little Sephora adventure, thank goodness. My electric kettle, popcorn maker and personal blender came in the mail! That was exciting. I'm gonna wear the heck out of the blender-I love it already. My first smoothie in it was fantastic: I threw some silken tofu, soy milk, frozen berries, banana and ice in aaand it make the perfect afternoon snack!

It was a good lookin' smoothie too :)

I also finalized my class schedule-had to add a class and drop another one, but I'm still happy with it. No friday classes, and plenty of time in the morning to train for my first half marathon!

Yesterday was amazing. My family and I went to the Academy of Sciences in SF-definitely my dream job to work there. They were featuring an earthquake exhibit but the animals were my favorite part :)

Baby ostrich! :D

Isn't it adorable how they make themselves into suction cups?

I AM A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY LOOK AT MY WINGS

Eel with *electric* colors!

And last night I had some friends over for what was SUPPOSED to be a Joseph Gordon Levitt movie marathon but we watched maybe 20 minutes of 50/50 and then turned it off and played Apples to Apples. It was so fun-all these girls are like sisters to me and I won't get to see them for a solid couple of months after I leave. Plus I got to make apple nachos for the first time! You take 3-4 large Granny Smith apples, slice em and lay em out all pretty and cover them with marshmallow sauce (made by melting a bag of large marshmallows + 1/4 cup butter in a pan), chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, mini chocolate chips, and sliced almonds. 

It was a hit! I think I'll use a sweeter apple next time though. It was super easy to make-perfect dessert/snack.

This morning was the best-I got up and made pancakes for everyone! I used the Krusteaz plain buttermilk mix and made three variations of it: pumpkin, peanut butter chocolate chip, and lemon blueberry (naturally I had one of each). All three were absolutely delicious and sooo fluffy! And we had bacon. Can't forget the bacon.

So today I have a shift at the library bookstore but after that I'm just chilling because I definitely did not sleep much last night.

All in all, the last 24 hours were one big party and now I'm happy but incredibly tired. Adios!

Favorite party snacks?

Mixin' it up Monday

Some things I tried today on my quest to be more adventurous:

1. First Ever Fartlek Run.
I set my alarm for 5:30 and got out of the house around 6:30-started on my standard 3 mile loop. I am so tired of doing the same thing over and over and not getting particularly good at it, so today I tried to make it a little different than normal. I jogged the first mile to warm up, but for the rest of the run I alternated running fast (not quite a sprint) and jogging slow between each lamp post. It didn't feel too hard but it definitely had me huffing and puffing! It was a very satisfying workout---and I came home, showered, and ate breakfast all before 8am!

2. Sephora Makeup Consultation
I went in for some help with a simple, everyday look to wear in college. The actual consultation was a wonderful experience-it was very personal, lots of collaboration on what works best for my needs, she walked me through application techniques and now I look all pretty for the rest of the day! I should go be social or something before I have to take it all off. But oh my lordie-I didn't even purchase all the items she used on me (who really needs eyebrow color anyway) and just chose what I really wanted and she rang me up and all of a sudden I had just spent $185! So basically I left for a good 20 minutes, met up with my mom, told her the damage, and then marched right back in to return $95 worth of what I had just purchased. Lesson learned. I'm fine with splurging at Sephora for things like BB cream (which is a miracle in a tube) and eye shadow primer but I'll stick to Target for things like mascara and concealer. I feel a little dirty on the inside (some quality buyer's remorse right there) but the products I that I did end up with are worth it. So here's a couple pics of what I look like all done up, and what products I purchased!

I can't seem to smile straight or open both my eyes the same amount. And one cheek is pinker than the other. But man, do I feel good!

Samples on the left, purchases on the right. 

3. Vitality Bowls.

There's a place at the mall that sells Acai bowls, paninis, and smoothies. Here's their website: http://www.vitalitybowls.com. I had a 'Nutty Bowl' and it was delicious! It contained "Açaí, Banana, Strawberries, Peanut Butter, Soy Milk, & Apple Juice topped with Granola, Bananas, Almonds, & Honey". Little pricey-$10 for a small bowl (which actually filled me up for lunch) but then again, "healthy" food tends to sell for more. I would totally recommend this place-totally refreshing on a hot day!

My Nutty Bowl. Now we know why they're not called 'Pretty Bowls'.

Tonight I'm making paella! I'm really excited about that-last time I made some it was fantastic. And gone rather quickly. 

What are your favorite makeup routines/looks/products? Ever tried a Vitality Bowl? Ideas for other ways to make running more exciting? Does anyone even read my blog? 

It's About Time

I've gotten really unmotivated about my running lately. My main reason for running is simply to feel good and stay happy. Well, since school got out I've had nothing to stress about and have been rather content doing really wimpy runs. So what do I naturally plan to do to get back into running?

Yep, I think I'm going to train for a half marathon.  There's a really lovely one down in Palo Alto during my month-long winter break and it's small (250 people). No hills. Great views of the Bay Area. Lots of open space. I figured it might be a nice first half marathon. In 2010 it was an absolute mess due to torrential downpour but last year it was crisp and clear. So we'll see how the weather is this year. But I'm really excited about it!

Training: the make/break-it factor of this whole thing. I've never had a gym membership before, so I've never made an effort to check my pacing or do speedwork or any technical running stuff. But having access to a treadmill at college opens up a world of possibilities! Like maybe actually doing real mile repeats at a 8:25 pace. There's a 10-week plan in one of my old Runners World magazines so I know EXACTLY what I should be doing each day! And it still leaves me time for spinning and yoga classes and swimming (which I don't do now but might try).

Isn't it beautiful? And completely doable too!

So that means thaaaaat I gotta get better at fueling my body. I've finally found my ideal pre-run snack (spoon of peanut butter and half a banana) and post-run breakfast (overnight oats are my new best friend) but my energy levels crash around 4pm on days I run. So my challenge will be finding food that will keep me going later in the day. I'm going to experiment with smoothies because they're ideal for eating in the middle of my afternoon classes without being completely obnoxious and I can make them super duper yummy. Plus, they'll help me incorporate fruits (and some veggies) into my diet continuously. 

I can't wait for mine to arrive sometime next week:

Favorite smoothie? Ever ran a half marathon? 

Sunrise Run

I did it-I successfully woke up at 5:30 this morning, got my butt out of bed around 5:45, and was out the door at 6:30!

It was so worth it. The sun was just coming up over the hill and everything was so peaceful. I even ran without music for a while because I wanted to enjoy the serenity of the morning. I gotta say that despite my concerns, I felt completely safe; the people who were out (the very few of them) just seemed to be getting their morning walk in before heading off to work. It was surprisingly one of my better runs! I had a half of a banana and a spoonful of peanut butter (and of course a cup of water) before heading out and that combo gave me exactly the kind of energy I needed to power through a medium-long run.

I am by no means a morning person-communicating effectively and smiling seem to escape me before, say, 9am. But I love the benefits of getting up and working out early: my metabolism has been kickstarted for the day, I'm refreshed and ready to get down to work, and it always leaves me in a good mood.

And that's exactly what I'm thinking about trying to do for college. In an ideal world, I'd love to be at the gym at 6:30 in the morning during the week to get my workout in before heading to class. My time studying would be more productive, and I wouldn't feel like I had to stay up late. I read somewhere that the hours of sleep you get before midnight are significantly better quality than the ones you get after midnight.  So I wonder- how many college students would see an improved GPA and test scores if they went to bed an hour or two earlier but woke up earlier and used that time to get a head start on the day? And I'm not someone who can function on little sleep very well-so I guess it's a matter of 'strategic sleeping', if there were ever a thing. It's not very realistic, but we'll see if I can stick to my routine!

One thing I am concerned about is fueling my body. What's been happening lately is that I run in the morning and then am falling asleep around 4pm. I think I'm not eating quite enough and that I need to be eating foods that will give me more sustainable energy. I'll be pondering how to improve upon this over the next few days. Any advice?

Ermergerd Bernerner Bread!

One of the holy trinities of flavors: chocolate, peanut butter and banana-now combined in bread form!

The official recipe will going up on my recipe page (whenever I figure out how to set it up :P) but here's just the basics:

Started with a standard banana bread recipe and its respective ingredients (plus reeses minis and chocolate chips)

Discovered that mashed 'nana looks an awful like scrambled eggs

And added the reeses minis and chocolate chips until there were borderline too many (but really. "there's too much chocolate in this banana bread" said no one ever).

And tah-dah! The finished product. It's absolutely delicious and quickly disappearing in this household!

So that was Monday's culinary adventure. Yesterday's technological adventure was downloading Mountain Lion for my MacBook. What a pain in the butt. I'm sure it was a good thing for the computer but my goodness the only change I've noticed is that there are more wallpapers. Cool, but not entirely worth the 11 hours trying to download and install. 

Today's erm....retail adventure was a crazy dorm room shopping trip at Bed Bath and Beyond. I got SO MUCH STUFF- highlights include Mickey Mouse bandaids, a cute over-door-hook thing (each hook comes off a mini wire dress!), a clip-on fan, and literally 40 hangers. My 'college pile' has now taken over the living room. But I love it. And I have yet to purchase a printer, popcorn popper (cinnamon popcorn is my kryptonite), personal blender (smoothies so I can refuel in class without being obnoxious!) and electric kettle (tea er'ry night)-looking forward to those. 

Tomorrow's adventure will be attempting to get up for a sunrise run. The sun rises around 6:15am (means I gotta get up at 5:30am if I want to be conscious enough not to trip over my own feet) and it's such a serene time to run so I figured I'd give it a shot. I have a few concerns about the run-is it safe? I always run with my RoadID and my keys in hand but it's still way earlier and I don't want to encounter any shenanigans. Or hooligans. But really, the hardest thing for me to get over will be getting my butt out of bed! No worries, I have some incentive this time-a lovely jar of chocolate banana overnight oats for when I get back from my run. 

What's the earliest y'all have gone for a run?

A Very Ryan Gosling Monday

Here's a little Gosling to brighten up the first day of the work week! His 'hey girl' sayings never cease to make me giggle :)

And tomorrow: the recipe for banana bread with mini reeses peanut butter cups and chocolate chips!

Excitement! Life Updates.

Number One: Contacts!

I've had glasses for three years and my correction is so small that sometimes I don't even bother wearing them, but I knew I wanted to make the transition to contacts before I went off to college. You know, so I can flirt with them college boys without having my frames get in the way ;)

So I've had my contacts now for a couple weeks and well, I suck at putting them in (anyone got any tips?). I don't know why it frustrates me so much but trying to put them in has a string of profanities running through my head. But once they're in, everything is wonderful and lovely again and hey, maybe people will actually be able to see my eyes again! Shoot, now I actually gotta get good at eye makeup hahaha. All in all, worth it. I really do love them when they're in.

Number Two: Class Schedule!

I actually don't get my official class schedule until the 8th but my tentative one is almost complete. What I love about Cal Poly is that for my first quarter, I didn't have to register! They just put me in classes for my major. So I'll be in Stats, Bio, Public Speaking (that'll be an adventure), and an Honors Orientation class. I'm unbelievably happy with my class times, too.  My earliest one starts at 8:40AM and my latest one ends at 7:10PM. I don't have any Friday classes, which is awesome but at the same time I really wouldn't have minded because I'm not a hardcore party-er. And right now I don't have any classes on Thursday either but I still have a bio lab to add in (and a seminar or two).  What am I most excited about?  Plenty of time for morning workouts!

Number Three: I'm in a Double!

Cal Poly has increased their number of triple rooms lately (aka three bodies in a space designed for two)  so I thought FOR SURE I was going to be in one. But I checked my housing dues and was able to tell from the higher cost that I'm in a double. YAAAAAAY!!!! Here's why I'm excited:
-Two people's food in the provided fridge instead of three.
-No bunk beds. It seems dangerous to be climbing up/down from the top bunk when one is half asleep/sick/inebriated/over-emotional.
-What if one of my friends from another school wants to sleep over? Almost impossible in a triple.
-One fewer person to catch/spread any diseases/illnesses/colds to/from.
-3 is just an awkward number of people. Fact.
-One fewer person to see my naked body when I'm changing.
-More room for shoes and clothes. I was definitely worried about that one.
-One fewer person who can snore or sleep talk.
-Can you imagine if all 3 of us were on our periods at the same time??? That's a frightening thought.

(I still don't know which dorm I'm living in. My first two choices were the dorms for the College of Science and Mathematics-my college- or College of Engineering. I love being around mutual nerd-dom. Nothing better.)

I'm really looking forward to starting school. Of course I have all the cliche worries about no one liking me or failing my classes... but then I think about all the things that I know will be wonderful and remember that I just need to trust and stay true to myself, do what I love, get enough sleep and exercise, smile lots, study lots---and I'll be AT LEAST ok if not better. I know college will be an amazing experience for me, but let's be honest. I still have so much more shopping to do before I get there!!!!

Happy Sunday! :)

Fitness Survey

1.  Run/workout in the heat and humidity or freezing temps and snow?

Definitely freezing temps and snow. I don't do so well with warm weather runs-no matter how early I get up, the heat seems to get to me. I get dizzy really easily, and warm weather runs tend to start out fine and then get miserable-but cold weather runs start miserable and get better as I warm up. Gotta love that!

2. Have washboard abs or flat abs?

Flat. Not a huge fan of really bulky muscle. I've always strived for the lean muscle look.

3. Dr. Oz or The Doctors?

The Doctors-only because one of the male doctors is quite attractive. But I don't watch it enough to even know his name.

4. Cardio or strength?

Cardio! I'd rather get out and run or bike or hike-just DO something than focus on counting reps.

5. Cravings: Protein or carbs?

Carbs all the way. 

6. Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper?

Never heard of him, and I love her kickboxing videos. So Jillian!

7. Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream?

I never feel as guilty eating froyo as I do eating ice cream. I also love adding cookie dough bits and cheesecake cubes and crumbled Heath bars to my froyo. Oh and those boba balls? Those are so weird-like fruit caviar!

8. To train: Upper body or Lower body?

Both! I run a lot, so I already get a lower body workout there, and it's been a challenge to balance upper and lower body training beyond that. My running benefits if I train lower body but I wear spaghetti straps and tank tops a lot so I can't develop flabby granny arms or anything.

9. Protein powder or food with protein?

Food with protein. I'm fine adding protein powder to yogurt after a workout or something but I forget sometimes so it's just better if I don't have to worry about adding protein to whatever I'm eating.

10. Lunges or squats?

Squats.

11. Sweet or salty?

Sweet! My sweet tooth is kinda ridiculous. I've always been a dessert person and it hasn't help that I've gotten really good at baking. 

12. Workout attire: cute or comfy?

If I know I'm going to do a hard workout, looking cute (as in, perky ponytail, favorite workout gear) energizes me. If I'm just doing a video at home, you can bet I'm gonna wear my ugliest, comfiest getup.

13. Body Pump or Heavy lifting?

Neither. I'm on the light weight, many reps end of the spectrum.

14. Yoga or Pilates?

Yoga-it's great for stressful days when I need exercise AND a little therapy.

15. Nike or Adidas?

Nike-my Vomero 6's are like running on clouds.

16. Running on the treadmill or outdoors?

Outdoors for really long runs and when its nice and cool out; treadmill when I want to do a specific workout or don't feel like running and can combat that by watching TV simultaneously.

17. Whole Foods or Trader Joes?

Trader Joes-I don't think I've ever tried anything from there that I didn't like. Especially their prices ;)

18. Summer or Winter Olympics?

Summer. Gymnastics and diving and beach volleyball are the greatest to watch.

19. Exercises classes or Exercise videos?

I feel like a noob for saying it, but videos. My favorite is the Pure Barre workouts-they're like a yoga/ballet/pilates fusion and they really make you look like you have a dancer's physique! They inspired me to want to try ballet in college, but the class is full so maybe another quarter. I will definitely be hitting the gym a lot though! I want to branch out and try some group classes. 

For anyone who's interested: http://purebarre.com/

20. Steamed veggies or roasted veggies?

Salad. Nothing beats salad.

Thanks for reading! 

People who make me LOL: Tim Minchin

He's highly inappropriate. He has a head of ridiculously red hair. He's an amazing musician.

Yes, he's the incredibly hilarious Tim Minchin!

I first discovered his genius during the first semester of my senior year-some friends had listened to his song 'F sharp' in the context of their AP Music Theory class.  To sum it up, he sings in the key of F sharp while playing the piano in the key of F (natural) major.  Anyone with the slightest musical inclination knows how bad this sounds-but he does it all with a goofy grin plastered on his face. Love it. His songs got me through many a night of tedious, boring homework (not the best study habit, but it got me to look forward to doing my work! ;) ).

My all time favorite song of his? "If I Didn't Have You". Take a listen:

"Prejudice" is a close second:

What I really appreciate about his style is that he IS a legitimately talented musician! He has a great voice and is obviously skilled at playing the piano. And yeah, his humor isn't always P.C....and four letter words frequent his songs...and he wears more eyeliner than I do....but I wouldn't have it any other way, because his videos make me laugh until I cry! Quality comedy.

New Foodstuffs: Edamame Hummus, Oatmeal Medleys, and Chia Seeds, Oh my!

Hi again!

I've gotten particularly bad about spontaneous food purchases lately, so here are my latest (delicious) spoils :)

Edamame Hummus!

I've always loved edamame-plain or otherwise, and this hummus did not disappoint! The taste was definitely different than normal hummus at first, but I nearly finished off the whole thing in one sitting because it was so addictive (the bag of pita chips didn't help either).

Quaker Oatmeal Medleys!

I know, I know.  Oatmeal isn't exactly the most exotic breakfast food, but I haven't had any in a REALLY long time.  My dad makes a batch every Saturday morning and it's more solid than liquid and he puts in.....raisins (not my favorite).  So when we were shopping at Target and they had some Quaker Real Medley cups on sale, peach and almond oatmeal sounded like it would hit the spot.  And it did! It made a fantastic post-run snack and the almond and peach bits made the perfect additions.  You can bet that I'm now looking for ways to incorporate oatmeal into my breakfast repertoire.  Anyone have any ideas? I won't have easy access to a stove in my dorm at Cal Poly, and we're not allowed to have a microwave in our room.

Chia Seeds!

These little beauties are wonderful for adding some extra omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein to whatever you're already eating! I didn't really know what to expect with them and they're funny things-if they sit in anything with moisture, they gel up on the outside.  Bizarre, but I've been enjoying them in greek yogurt and plan to try them in other foods like in peanut butter on toast or maybe in a smoothie. The seeds don't have any flavor so they can be added to almost anything-there are SO MANY recipes on the internet for inspiration.  They can even be made into pudding for dessert! Soon... ;)