4th recap

Okay, so as y'all are probably aware, I'm not a huge fan of weekend recaps. However, this weekend was especially eventful, and honestly I don't have much else to talk about. So here goes.

Like most people in the corporate world, I had Friday off. Even better, our office closed at 3 p.m. on Thursday. So I had a couple more hours of weekend to enjoy.

Of course, I spent it cleaning and working out*, but that's just what a girl's gotta do. 

Then I had a 9 p.m. appointment for an airbrush tan with Lisa from Optima Sun Labs. Which by the way, I have to say was fantastic. She was quick and super personable. And I even recruited her for skydiving! It was a little pricey, but definitely worth it for the occasional tan.

On Friday the SO and I headed to Cedar Point for our first trip of the year. It was rather nostalgic for us as this is where he first kissed me - in line for Top Thrill Dragster actually (awww).

We hit up all the big rides - Raptor, Millennium Force, Maverick, and of course Dragster. By that time we'd had it. Our feet were tired, our heads hurt, and we were sunburned. Being stuck in an office day in and day out has really made us soft, yeesh!

So we headed home for a nap, woke up absolutely ravenous, and headed to the Winking Lizard in Lakewood to feed my craving for nachos. Mmmm...

We followed this up with a trip to visit some friends who recently got a puppy - a 3 month old coonhound-ridgeback mix. Other than the constant digging and attempts to dominate the SO, he was adorable. Corona's and cornhole ensued.

The night closed with an at-home viewing of Gran Torino. If you haven't seen this movie, it's a MUST. Clint Eastwood is beyond phenomenal in this role.

Saturday was a sleep in day. And boy did that feel great. The day actually started out pretty slow - leisurely breakfast, got in another workout and then I had to bite the bullet and get some groceries (given that breakfast included my scraping the sides of the peanut butter jar with a butter knife in hopes of getting a little more sustenance). 

So off I headed to the cluster-f**k that was Giant Eagle. A minor panic attack rose to the surface as I tried to figure out the logistics of how to maneuver the last-minute picnic shoppers and their carts full of hot dogs, but then I realized I had no choice. I literally ran around the store to get the basics, found the shortest checkout line and peaced out as quickly as possible.

With fridge fully stocked, it was off to the East side with the SO for a cookout and cornhole - again. Now I have to stop and say this was a big step for the SO as he's one of those West-siders that doesn't cross the Cuyahoga. EVER. In fact, this may have been the first time we'd been to the East side together.

Anywhosits, it was a great time. I tend to get a little squirmy when I'm around a group of 10+ people I've never met before, but everyone was so nice and so laid back, it was easy to relax. I felt like I fit right in.

The food was great and the SO and I even beat the old guys in cornhole. The night was capped off with a walk down to Lakewood park for fireworks and then back home where we both passed out on the couch.

Grandma and Grandpa were tired!

Sunday was another early start to head to the drop zone for a couple jumps. It'd been two weeks so I was definitely nervous, but of course I fell right back in (no pun intended) like I'd never missed a day.

(All smiles in my new gear!)

I got to fly my new jumpsuit and altimeter and even got Lonnie to come up with me for jump #13 and get some new solo pics. You can find some here. Or on my Facebook or Flickr pages.

So tell me dear readers, how was your 4th of July weekend?

Cheers!

-A

*I'm keeping up with my EA Sports Active challenge. Entering a successful 3rd week on the program. What's up!?

Morning person

I've always prided myself on being a morning person. My brain seems to work so much better in the early mornings. And the fact that the office is dead until 8:30 really helps my concentration too.

But what I'm not that best at in the mornings is talking to people. At least not until I have my coffee.

I've found that on the days where I decided to get a little extra shut eye and get into the office after my cube neighbors that, until I've had time to caffeinate and settle in, I'm rather annoyed by the pure existence of others.

In fact, I find anyone who has already consumed caffeine to be highly irritating first thing in the morning.

I need a sign that says: BEWARE! Use caution when speaking to the Bitch before 9 a.m.

Even on those days when the SO sleeps over it's not usually a problem because he's just as mute as I in the mornings.

That is, until today. Given that we both have so much work to do before the holiday weekend, we decided to set the alarm earlier and get into the office for a productive morning.

Groggy, I pull myself from the warmth of my bed and stumble toward the bathroom, only to be met by the SOs foot swinging through the air - you know, as if he were attempting to kick me in the face.

He was chipper and had energy like I'd never seen before 10 a.m. What gives, SO?

Thing was, with only 6 hours of sleep under my belt I didn't have the energy to do more than grumble a "you're hyper this morning" in his general direction.

Hindsight, if he would have kicked me in the face maybe I could have called off today. Only kidding...unless he broke my nose.

Ha. J/K again! He couldn't get his foot up that high anyhow.

Just kidding, Just kidding. SO, you're the best.

Really, his chipperness was a refreshing change from our typical silent mornings. But when it comes to anyone else, if I have to see you before my coffee, I prefer a silent interaction.

Though I'd love to not see you at all!

So tell me dear readers, what does your routine look like prior to coffee consumption?

On another note, it's a long weekend! YAY!!  I'm excited to report that I'll be spending tomorrow at Cedar Point riding roller coasters and Sunday falling through the air at 120 mph (skydiving, naturally). I'll get to put my new jumpsuit and altimeter to good use. And I'm hoping to have some solo skydiver pics to share with y'all next week!

Any big plans for the 4th?

Cheers!

-A

I'm a quitter

I've been thinking a lot lately about my running behavior, or lack there of, and have realized just how unsuccessful I've been in reaching my goals these last, ahem, five years.

During this time I've signed up for or verbally committed to run three half marathons and countless 5 and 10Ks that were never completed.

Training FAIL.

It was almost five years ago now that I endured my first running injury that put me in a back brace for almost six months.

Hyperextension WIN...?

Anywhosits, after much deliberation, I think I've come to a decision with my distance running. 

You ready for this?

I'm officially giving up competitive running. (!!!!!!)

Here's how I see it. Right now I only feel inclined to run so that I don't embarrass myself at the next race. And when my training doesn't go as planned I back out of the race. This then causes me to feel bad about myself and stay at home to eat Cool Ranch Doritos on the couch instead of going for a leisurely run. 

It's all a downward spiral from there.

When I first started running I used to truly enjoy the sport - running for me, for the enjoyment, for the high. Once I started racing, it became a whole different ball game, and my competitive spirit got the best of me. I ran for the race, to win. It was no longer about the intrinsic value.

Recently I've found that when there isn't a looming race to prepare for I enjoy the act of running much more. I can mix things up, do sprints when I'm inclined, walk for a little to enjoy the scenery without feeling guilty about it.

Not to mention that the pressure to hit the treadmill the minute I enter the gym significantly declines.

Let's not forget about the other factor of races - the money. Sure, it's only $25 to enter a race, but that's also the cost of a skydive. And we're all acutely aware of what I'd rather be doing.

Long story short, I need to run for me, not just to compete with the other runners around me.

I'm much happier when I participate in a variety of activities to keep me healthy, and honestly, when I'm training and running 6 days a week I'm not at my peak health. I have X-rays of two fractured feet to prove that.

So for now, I'm going to focus on enjoying my workouts, running or otherwise, and gain some endurance back the fun way. And who knows, maybe one day you'll see me at the starting line again, complete with Asics and racing number.

But until then, I'll see you in spinning class.

What's your workout of choice these days?

Cheers!

-A

Obsession

For all y'all who may not know me very well, let me tell you something about me. I'm a highly passionate person.

This is a trait I've come to love about myself. However, if not handled properly, it can backfire like that '56 Chevy truck parked on your grandpa's front lawn. Loud. Explosive. And everyone notices.

Personally, I have a tendency to get wrapped up those things I'm passionate about - to an almost obsessive extent.

Like when I started cooking a few months back and have found a new love for food. Sure, I wrote about the Food Network a lot but, to squash any beliefs you may have, no, I did not stalk Bobby Flay.

Though I still believe that one day Bobby will find my blog and decide to head to the Cleve for a guacamole Throwdown.

It's more like healthy obsession, if there is such a thing.

Take right now, for instance. I'm beyond obsessed with skydiving. 

*GASP* Shocker, right?

When I'm not working I'm thinking about, planning for, or participating in the sport. It's all I want to talk about, as you probably noticed. Sorry if it's annoying.

I'm constantly reading about it, watching videos, meeting new jumpers on the Skydiver Network. I want to soak up every aspect of the sport and learn everything I possibly can.

I even dream about it.

The last few nights my dreams have been consumed with visions of me and my skydiving friends throwing ourselves from perfectly good airplanes.

But, what usually happens when I get like this is that I run out of steam. The obsession subsides and I slowly start to lose interest. 

Though, I definitely don't see that happening here. Sure, the dreams may stop and I may read a little less, but my passion for skydiving isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

So tell me dear readers, what is your current obsession? What are you most passionate about this summer?

Cheers!

-A

Sucking a little

Hi. Guess what? I suck.

Oh, you already knew that? Well then I'm late in the game figuring that one out.

Things have been so crazy lately, between work, wedding stuff (my big brother, not me, for those who haven't been paying attention), skydiving, practicing skydiving, spending time with friends and the SO, and just the general upkeep of life. Sometimes being an adult is exhausting.

Can't I just go back to being a kid again? With no responsibilities, getting to play outside and be all innocent and stuff. CAN'T I???

Then, maybe it wouldn't matter so much that I'm stinking it up so much. Just look at all the areas where I suck:

*Family: This weekend I went home for some wedding stuff, stayed for less than 24 hours for my bridesmaid duties and barely got to see my dad or brother at all. I haven't seen my grandma since Christmas and this trip was no different. I even had to postpone dinner plans with friends so I could make it back for skydiving. Which brings me to my next point...

*Friends: I haven't seen my Cleveland friends in weeks - nor have I returned phone calls from some of my friends around the country. When I know a long conversation is due it's hard to find the time, making the next conversation just that much longer. Vicious cycle.

*Exercise: This is a biggie. I've committed to a 5 miler on July 4th and the Chicago 1/2 marathon. Right now I might be able to comfortably run 2 miles without stopping. Maybe.

*The SO: Another biggie. I'm trying my best to be a good girlfriend, but there are still times, like this weekend, where things are so whirlwind that I'm not around much. And when I am in town Cleveland Parachute gets a lot of my free time. At least I managed to attend his rec league basketball game last night. Brownie points there, right?

*Adult life stuff: Bills, cleaning, car maintenance. If it wasn't for online bill pay the bill collectors would be knocking down my door. Sometimes my apartment looks like a tornado went through and my car has needed an oil change for way too long now.

*Skydiving: Although it may seem like all my time is devoted here, it's not. This license isn't going to earn itself and unless I can stick it out and get in multiple jumps on the weekends I may not meet my goal of 'A' by the fall.

*Sleep: I'm a girl who not only likes her sleep, but I need it to function. This 5-6 hour a night pattern that I've got going on right now just isn't cutting it.

*Blogging: Between work and SkydiveChick I've been neglecting y'all. Sorry my posts haven't been the most engaging lately. I promise to try and step it up a little.

It appears, that I suck at life. Seems like there was a time in my life where I was on top, and I don't know how to turn it back around. 

HELP!

-A

Photography Friday: AFF Skydiving

Welcome to the first skydiving edition of Photography Friday.

About freaking time, right? 

I know, I've been terrible. With the beautiful weather comes skydiving, not photography. Which is precisely why I'm going to share a couple of my favorites from my adventures last weekend!

(Check me out in my jump suit and rig. w00t!)

Currently I'm in the Advanced Free Fall (AFF) training phase of student skydiving. I get to free fall between two instructors and ride down under the canopy solo. It's an exhilarating experiences to say the least.

These photos were taken by 'Danger' at Cleveland Parachute - mainly for training purposes, but they sure are pretty, too! Thanks, Dan.

(The climb out)

(Just out of the aircraft, falling between my instructors)

(Altitude check!)

(Deploying the 'chute.)

(Coming in for a smooth landing.)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you've ever considered, even for a moment, that you might want to go skydiving, you have to do it.

If you ever want to come out with me, let me know. Cleveland Parachute is the best!

Cheers!

-A

Can't get enough skydiving? Head on over to SkydiveChick.com to follow my adventures and learn more about the skydiving community.

It's WHAT day?

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE long weekends. But seriously - how on Earth is it Thursday already?

There's so much that still needs to get done. Yikes!

And I found out recently that I'll be headed back up to Michigan on Friday to help with wedding stuff. My big brother is getting married and it's a bridesmaid's duties to try on pretty dresses in the planning phase.

Okay, so there's more to it than that, but on Saturday, that's essentially what I'll be doing.

But with the short notice and my pre-planned skydiving adventures this weekend it's going to be a busy couple days. Looks like the weather is going to cooperate so if all goes as planned I should be able to head up to Michigan, do some wedding stuff, have sushi with some friends and see their new puppy - we all know that's a priority - and head back down for Sunday morning jumping at Cleveland Parachute.

It'll likely be exhausting, but totally worth it!

What do y'all have planned for this weekend?

Cheers!

-A

p.s. If you're interested in keeping up with my skydiving adventures or just want to know more about the sport and what's going on in that community, come on over to SkydiveChick.com - or follow theskydivechick on Twitter (that's me!) and check it out.

But...it won't fit in that bucket.

In reflecting on my amazing weekend with the lovely Christina, a conversation about our bucket lists comes to mind.

This was a branch off from a previous discussion about passions - and living for what you're passionate about, and most importantly, finding someone to share your life with that's equally passionate about something....anything.

Most definitely an important quality - but that's a topic for another day.

Given that we've been skydiving, multiple times now, that's a scratch off the ole bucket list for both of us. But a question that came to mind is this: can you alter your list? Because now, my ambition has changed - instead of "go skydiving" can I change my list to reflect my desire to earn my USPA license?

It also got me to thinking more about the other things that I hope to experience in this life.

Up until now, I really haven't developed such a list.

Shocker right? The queen of obsessive list making doesn't have a list of things she wants to accomplish in this lifetime? WHAT?!?

I guess the closest I've come to doing so is through my New Year's Resolution making each year.

Well it's about damn time that changed. So I'm starting one. Right here. In public.

Because who better to share this with than y'all?

While my list doesn't nearly compare - what can I say, I just don't have the guts to try out for a show like Survivor -here’s a snippet of what I’ve got so far:

1) Skydive Earn my B skydiving license from the USPA.

2) Teach a creative writing course.

3) Eat sushi in Japan.

4) Attend SXSW and Austin City Limits.

5) Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.


6) Ride in a hot air balloon.

7) Visit the Taj Mahal.

8) Ski the Rockies.

9) Own a dog.

10) Volunteer at a soup kitchen.

11) Learn the last dance from Dirty Dancing.

12) Visit Rio de Jenero.



13) Hold a koala bear in Australia.

14) Run a marathon.

15) Swim with dolphins.

16) Complete a HALO skydive.

17) Throw fish in Seattle.

18) Recycle and become more Green.

19) Visit the zen and lotus gardens in Kyoto, Japan.

20) Win the lottery.

This is just a small glimpse at my list. What can I say, as I started putting it together my ambitions started rolling in.

And of course, some of these I've completed, like skiing in the Rockies, and many of them require world travel - some are even dreams that may never come true (ahem, the lottery. But I'm trying, and you gotta play to win, and someones gotta win so you never know...).

This is a list that will definitely continue to grow and maybe even change over time.

So tell me dear readers, what's on your bucket list, and what have you already been able to cross off?

Cheers!

-A

Feisty morning

That's the most accurate way to describe me this morning.

Feisty.

And NOT in the good way.

I blame the weekend. It was one of the best I've had in quite some time. So of course, waking up this morning knowing it was over and I had to return to the daily grind put me in an immediate funk.

Now, I'm not much for blogging about my weekend adventures, but this is one worth telling...

Or at least, I think so.

........................................

Last week on a whim - which is pretty standard for her - my dear friend Christina decided to make the two hour drive up to spend the weekend.

In our oh-so spontaneous fashion we decided to go sky diving on Saturday. Unfortunately, the winds did not cooperate at 20+ mph so we got pushed back to Sunday. Don't worry though, we did get to kiss the sky, after all.

But back to Saturday...

Once she got into town and we had an exciting reunion - two months is too long, we need more regular contact, lady - and then our stomachs got the best of us. Seeing as it was a beautiful day outside we headed to a local patio to post up and stuff our faces.

Oh, and we proceeded to burn our shoulders in the mid-day sun as well, but if that's the worst of it, I can deal.

After lunch we discussed the plans for dinner - being the food-obsessed runners that we are - and came up with a great plan to cook out at my place. Since I don't have a grill it was more like cooking in than out but it was tasty, regardless.

Our idea required fresh produce - tacos and Corona anyone? - so we popped over to the West Side Market for a bit.



Now, I have a confession. I've lived here for two years and this was my first trip to the market.

I know - I should be shunned for that.

But now, I'm addicted. This is definitely one of Cleveland's gems. I'll never buy my produce from anywhere else. It makes Giant Eagle look like the Bloomingdale's of the grocery world. Way too expensive for my taste.

And the vendors there are great. Since we were stocking up on veggies for my famous guacamole - okay, so not quite yet, but one day it will be...maybe this is where Bobby shows up for a Throw Down eh?

Sorry, off track.

So we were perusing the market and needed two fresh jalapenos, which the vendor gave us for free, and one lime, which we also got for free.

How nice are these vendors?

Or was it because we were two 20-something chicks in tank tops on a hot day that worked in our favor? We may never know for sure.

Getting a group around wasn't too difficult - free food and beer on a beautiful day pretty much sells itself. Needless to say, the guacamole and the taco party went over well.

(Pictures of the lovely spread to come.)

Then my friends and I headed to the rooftop deck to soak up a little more of the beautiful weather - once the wind died down that is. Though conversation was cut short again as us girls decided, once again, that our stomachs were more important and we headed to East Coast Custard to finish off the night.

Yep, you heard me right. We finished the night with ice cream. Where most other 20-somethings were doing shots of Patron and grinding on each other in the club basements on West 6th street, we were yawning, finishing our custard and preparing to put on our comfy pants and head to bed.

LAME.

But I have to admit, it was pretty awesome. After all, we did have to get up a 7:30 the next morning to jump out of an airplane.



I'll spare you the details, you get the idea of what happened. We did an hour or so worth of training, watched our instructor pack the 'chute and off we went.

Though it's worth noting that we both pulled our own 'chutes, learned a series of hand signals, and passed the progression course. We're cleared to solo jump within the next 30 days! With our log books growing, we're now officially sports parachutists.

Highly recommend Cleveland Parachute if you're from NE Ohio and in the market for a great jumping experience.

And now....well, I'm sad that my lady friend has left me, and a little feisty now that I have to go back to real life.

I learned this weekend that happiness [for me at least] lies in spending time with good friends and jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

How was your weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Pasta Paradise

For some reason I really wanted to use alliteration in the title today.

Though this doesn't have anything to do with paradise, and honestly, the pasta I'm talking about isn't really all that special, I still felt compelled.

Shut up.



Lately I've been on this pasta kick. Lunch typically consists of some form of pasta - mainly because companies like Lean Cuisine and Kashi only know how to make vegetarian meals with spaghetti, linguine or penne.

There are other options here, folks.

But I'm not here to bitch.

*gasp* I know, right?!

Actually, I'm here to brag a little. I've been feeling rather good about my cooking skills that seem to be improving. By modifying recipes I find to fit my diet - like my stuffed peppers that are a version of Giada's - and coming up with little concoctions of my own I've become quite the little chef in the last six months.

Food Network here I come!

Okay, so maybe not quite yet.

Sure, I'm not creating sauces from scratch or anything, but I'm pretty proud of my recent pasta creations.

A few weeks back I was working from home and got hung up on what to make for lunch. When I'm not at the office I refuse to microwave my meals - fresh is always better.

So I grabbed a box of whole wheat penne from the pantry and thought it a good idea to create my own recipe on the spot. After all, I had 12 minutes of boiling time to come up with something great.

How hard can it be, right?

Surprisingly, not all that difficult at all!

A can of white mushrooms and some fresh, halved Kalamata olives and my pasta was in good shape. And lucky for me I always have sun-dried tomatoes lying around for just such an occasion. Toss with a little extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground black pepper and viola!


Then this week, I had to head home from the office early for the installation of AT&T U-verse in my apartment (which, by the way, if you don't have you NEED. It's amazing, and I'm not even that much of a TV watcher...but I digress).

So for lunch, it was time to create!

I pulled out the second half of that trusty box of whole wheat penne and went to work. Only this time, instead of adding veggies straight from the jar, I sauteed some white mushrooms and Kalamata olives (again), and switched it up with some cheery tomatoes.

The pasta was cooked al dente and added to the sautee pan along with some pesto sauce from the fridge. I prefer Buitoni brand - it tastes fresher.

Once the meal was cooked evenly I plated it and garnished with some shredded pecorino romano for a nice little flavor burst.


Essentially, these were the same dish with minor alterations. But I have to admit I definitely favored the latter version with pesto and cherry tomatoes. Though next time, I'm going to let the tomatoes burst for a little more flavor.

All in all, I'm pleased, and I think my pasta skills have improved exponentially since I started.

So what do you say Bobby - are you ready for a Throw Down?

Cheers!

-A

(p.s. - yes, I truly believe that if I link to the Food Network site enough times that they'll notice me and want to hire me because I'm just that cool...)

Flying lyrics

Photo: Las Vegas Sky Diving

Lately I've been into songs about flying, falling, soaring...you get my drift. Music like this tends to be freeing, with lyrics that migrate toward liberating.

You know the songs I mean: Free Falling, Learning to Fly, Jump, even Major Tom (yes, I know it's about space travel, but it feels the same to me).

It definitely ties back to my new love for skydiving.

Though one might think it's because I've been such a world-traveler lately.

Okay, so not really the world, more like Midwest to Northeast, with the occasional trip to sunnier places.

As you might have guessed, I'm back in New York City this week. I know, right? I barely manage to get unpacked from the vacation and I have to pack up again for another week in the big city.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good trip on the company dime, but five days away from home, five days sleeping in a strange bed, without the SO, eating out constantly, and having little to no routine - it's exhausting.

I'm going to need another vacation after this!

Especially given the amount of hours that I tend to put in while I'm out here. Whew!

So, given those circumstances, you can imagine my need for this Monday cop-out. Though your trip here wasn't for nothing...I leave you with a few more pictures from the Caribbean.

There are still more stories coming - promise.

(One of the other cruise ships anchored in Grand Cayman.)

(On our balcony, still in the Port of Miami.)

(These shoes got to see it all. And they saved our tootsies in the process.)

(A glimpse at the blue waters of Jamaica...more to come on this later.)

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday: The Movies

I know, I know. It's about damn time I got around to actually posting on Photography Friday.

I've been slacking hardcore this winter. What can I say, so what if I'd rather cuddle up in my Snuggie on the couch and veg out with the SO instead of braving the bitter cold Cleveland winters for a few good snow-covered shots. What's wrong with that?

However, a recent trip to Tower City Cinemas for a client filming event provided the perfect opportunity to get a good behind-the-scenes picture of the inner workings of the theater.

There were a number of artistic documentary-type images I was able to capture so I had a lot to choose from. But believe it or not, this was my favorite.

(Diet Dr. Pepper in the fountain machine...brings me back to Texas!)

Without the proper lighting (and because I'm not a big fan of indoor flash) the shutter speed was slowed way down which helped to capture the bright colors of the scene. And personally, I really enjoy the depth of field, here.

Next week I'm off to NYC for work, but hopefully I'll have some time to venture out with the camera so I have more photos to share next week, too.

Cheers!

-A

It's good stuff

So I recently came across this blog - yes, I know, I'm way behind the times, given that it's already well into the 800s at this point - and in thinking about it, it's really a fabulous idea.

And of course, since I'm genuinely unoriginal, I'm going to write a little list of my own. Though since I'm so far behind, there may be repeats for the above list. My bad. I'm just too lazy to make sure there's no overlap.

And no, it won't be 1,000 things long because, let's be honest here, I just don't have the time to capture all that in one post. And I know y'all don't have the time to read that crap.

So, here's my rendition of 1,000 Awesome Things, that I like to call, The Good Stuff.

• Finding a $20 bill in the pocket of last year's winter coat. You haven't worn it in a year, so that money was long gone in your mind. So really, it's like finding $20 bucks on the street and knowing you don't have to find it's rightful owner. Score!
  
• Getting packages at the office. I always ship my online orders to the office, mainly because I'm never at the apartment when the leasing office is open to pick them up. Sometimes I forget that I'm expecting a package, so when it's delivered I get a nice little surprise - from myself - to brighten my day.
• Out-of-the-blue @ replies on Twitter. An unexpected Tweet that links to your profile, or better yet, gives props on a blog post is most satisfying. Gotta love a little ego boost.
• Random compliments. Speaking of ego boosts, isn't it great when you get compliments from strangers? I once had an older gentleman stop me in my building just to tell me that I looked beautiful in my outfit. Beautiful?! Compliments have a way of making the whole day a little brighter.
  
• Waking up and remembering your SO slept over. This is one of my favorite things about midweek sleepovers. You roll over in the middle of the night and see the one person that makes everything better and it puts a smile on your face...even when you know you've gotta get up in two hours and start the day. But at least you get to share a cup of coffee with him on the way out the door!
  
• When drunk texts fail to send. We've all had those nights. Things got a little crazier than expected and you remember thinking about that asshole that dumped you two weeks ago, so you texted him. Looking in your outbox you see that the network was on your side and the text never made it. Whew!
  
• Seeing your reflection and actually looking thinner. You know when you're working out a lot, or eating better and the pounds are dropping but you still don't see a difference? Yeah, that seems to happen a lot. But on the day when you wake up and look in the mirror and you can see that you've made progress - good stuff! Especially when that motivates you to try on your skinny jeans and they FIT! W00T, success!
• Receiving work-day text messages. This is something I'm notorious for. But you can't tell me that it's not nice to come back from a long meeting to find an awaiting text message from a good friend.
  
• Running into an ex who is far worse off than you. Ah, the satisfaction. Maybe he's still living at home, or his girlfriend just dumped him, or he got fat or bald, or he's in debt up to his eyeballs with no job. Whatever the case may be, clearly you are way better off and much happier. Puts a little smile on your face just thinking about it, doesn't it?
• Left over coffee from an office meeting. You know those days when clients or bigwigs visit the office and coffee is ordered by the gallon from Starbucks, there always seems to be some left over for everyone else. Who doesn't love free coffee?
• Milestones. No matter how small, milestones give you a reason to celebrate. Ten days on a diet, alright! Completing your first 5K, way to go! Six months in a solid relationship, awesome! It's the little victories that count.
• Meeting up with old friends and picking up right where you left off. Isn't it great when you finally get back together with the people who used to be your closest friends and it's as if you've never been apart? I love those friendships. It's like you didn't miss a beat.
• When the forecast was wrong and you wake up to the sunshine. Anyone who lives in the North gets what I'm saying here. It was supposed to rain, snow, sleet, fog, whatever, and instead you wake up because the sun is peeking through your vertical blinds just so. The irritation factor quickly disappears as you realize it's beautiful out!
• Learning that it did happen for a reason. Being a believer in the "everything happens for a reason" theory, it's highly rewarding when you get that 'aha' moment and realize that even the things that seemed terrible at the time, happened to make room for something better.
  
• Having something special to look forward to. It's the dead of winter, you're in a rut, but in 25 days you'll be heading out for a tropic vacation, lounging poolside, drink in hand, not a care in the world. Ah, how lovely that will be, right? It's a good motivator to keep moving, and I'm definitely one for countdowns. Lucky for me, I'm a planner, so I've always got something good on the horizon.
  

There you have it. Good stuff, right?

Now you tell me, what's missing from this list? What's happened to you recently that's made you stop and say, damn, that was great!?

Cheers!

-A

Celebrity Spouse

While in NYC this past week, a few colleagues and I ventured out to the bar to celebrate our arrival to the city.

As drinks were flowing, conversation turned to a rather interesting topic: celebrities.

More specifically, the question of the evening was, if you could choose, who would be your celebrity spouse?

We heard everything from Eva Mendez to Common to Lucy Liu. None of which should be a total shock to any of you.

I felt put on the spot for this question - I guess there's never really been a celebrity that just makes me all warm and fuzzy.

So I said this guy:


For those who are not familiar, Derek Luke played Antwone in the movie Antwone Fisher. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it.

This also was the moment where I revealed, in my oh-so-tactful fashion, that I'm into black guys.

Yes, that's exactly how I said it too. "I'm into black guys." As if it was this fact that's as ordinary as my having green eyes. Yipe! Smooth, Ashley. Just what your co-workers wanted to know.

Oh well, cat's out of the bag now.

So I proceeded to mention that my favorite part of the Superbowl was the post-game interview with Santonio Holmes.

(Ugh, he makes me melt.)

And yes, I'm aware that he's a former Buckeye, but his smile totally makes up for that.

I was so engrossed that I completely missed the conversation that the SO was trying to have with me at the time. Zoning out during football - talk about role reversal.

Anyhow, after thinking more about this question, I'm pretty sure I'd change my answer. If I could hand-pick my celebrity spouse, it'd definitely have to be Rob Lowe.

YUMMMMMM.....

Absolutely beautiful.

So tell me dear readers, who is your celebrity spouse?

Cheers!

-A

Braving the kitchen

As I've mentioned before, I would give anything to be a part of the foodie world. And I have a master plan for getting there, rubbing elbows with the best Food Network stars - okay not really, I'm just hoping something falls in my lap, but let's just pretend, okay?

One of the big flaws in this plan is that, well, I don't cook.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm incapable of cooking, it's more about lack of time and energy. And honestly, cooking for one sucks donkey balls - especially when you're like me and really don't care for leftovers.

Granted, since the SO has been around my kitchen has gotten some use, but not nearly enough to bump me up into the foodie category.

So, I've decided to start cooking more.

Now really, the main purpose behind this is to start saving a little more money - given that budgeting is part of this whole new years resolution garbage, and I've got plenty of expenses coming up in the near future (read: puppy spoiling) - but being classified as a 'foodie' is a huge bonus.

Problem being - I have no idea what to cook!

I wish I could just dive in like Ang - she's totally my inspiration. These dishes look so amazing. And yet, so complex - I'm just not sure I could pull them off in the minimal amount of free time I have left these days.


Given that I'm a vegetarian whose normal sustenance resembles rabbit food, I don't really know where to begin.

And, if I could make something that looks as appealing as it tastes - yes, I know this is a huge feat for a novice like myself, but I'm up to the challenge - better yet!

Mmmm, just look at that!

To all my foodie, and wanna-be foodie friends out there, help! Know of any good recipes I can get my feet wet with?

In the meantime, I'll be sticking to my fab. chili recipe and foolproof Italian dishes until I get the cojones to branch out to something more elaborate. Though after looking at those peppers, I may be inclined to stuff some in the near future (now would be the time to remove head from gutter, thanks). Wish me luck!

Cheers!

-A

I wish(ed) your wish

Last weekend on the trip to Pittsburgh, we stopped by Carnegie Mellon for a quick lunch and a visit to the Natural History Museum.

The SO was looking forward to the dinosaur exhibit - which I admit was pretty cool given that they had two T-rex skeletons - and my attention tended to gravitate toward the geology portion of the exhibit.

Yes, I'm that big of a geek. But give me a break, I didn't take "rocks for jocks" in college; astronomy was my science of choice.

But I digress.

There also was an exhibit called Life on Mars that we didn't explore much due to lack of time - oh, who am I kidding, and lack of interest too...I can only take so much learning in one vacation.

Part of this exhibit was the I Wish Your Wish wall.

The premise of this interactive exhibit is that visitors take a ribbon from the wall with an imprinted wish on it. Some of these wishes are in English, some are not - giving it an international flare.

These are wishes of visitors past. You take one that most applies to your life - or at least that you find meaningful. The SO and I found a blue ribbon wishing that our actions were not controlled by our fears. Deep. He ended up taking this one in the end. The wish I picked out for myself (on green ribbon, naturally) stated, "I wish I knew if it would all be worth it." Brilliant!

As legend has it, you tie the ribbon around your wrist - or any other part of your body, I suppose - and tie it in three knots, making a wish after each knot. Once the ribbon falls off (on it's own) your wishes will come true.

Then, and this is what I find pretty damn cool, you write down a new wish on a piece of paper and slide it in the hole where you took your ribbon from. These wishes are then printed and placed in the empty holes on the wall for others to read and take for themselves.

Here's the wish I put on the wall: "I wish that I could do it all over again."

What would your wish be?

Cheers!

-A

When I grow up

...I want to be a chef.

Okay, so maybe not a chef, but definitely a foodie. Yeah, that's more like it.

Recent experiences with the foodie world have drawn me to this lifestyle. Being in NYC at Chelsea Market - surrounded by some of the best chefs and bakers all day, experiencing the best tasting food, touring the Food Network test kitchens, meeting celebrity chefs - I love everything about it.

Being in Cleveland, I'm always hoping for a chance to rub elbows with Michael Symon during a casual stroll down East 4th or swinging by Lolita in Tremont. One of these days, I will get that chance.

And no, that doesn't make me a stalker, thankyouverymuch. I'm just a paying customer who's in awe. I mean, anyone who has their servers wear Converse All Stars during their shifts has got to be pretty fantastic - and c'mon y'all, he can cook a mean meal.

There's just something about being integrated in the foodie world that's so attractive. The excitement of being in a kitchen watching edible masterpieces take shape, meeting world renowned chefs, learning techniques from the pros, promoting one of the best networks on television - The Food Network for those who didn't catch on - and of course the love and appreciation for food.

I've always wanted to be a pastry chef like Duff.

The problem is, I'm not the most creative girl, nor am I the most kitchen savvy but I can be taught, especially if I can get my hands dirty with the the players at Charm City Cakes or go on the road with Bobby for a throw down or head out with Michael on his next Dinner Impossible challenge. And words cannot begin to describe how much I'd love to be a fly on the wall for Iron Chef America or take part in one of the Food Network Challenges.

Or maybe I should just become a food photographer - that would get a foot in the door, right? Hell, I'd even be a personal assistant if it meant spending time with some of the best chefs in the world. Know of anyone in need? *wink wink*

Anyone else obsessed with The Food Network and life as a foodie? What do you want to be when you grow up?

Cheers!

-A

Reading and writing

This weekend brought me back to 90s style reading and writing. You know, the kind of reading where you have actual pages to turn and the kind of writing where a pen actually touches paper.

It was amazing.

Don't get me wrong, I love writing to y'all, but the feeling of picking up a pen and going to town, writing down all my thoughts without a filter, it was highly cathartic.

Yes, I know it's hard to believe, but there actually are things that I think and don't say. You can only imagine the types of things I keep to myself.

Anyhow, I also started reading a new book. It's been a while since I picked up a novel for pleasure - most of my reading has been industry related as of late.

What's even better is that I'm reading a trendy book...that's right, I jumped on the Twilight series bandwagon. It took me a while to see what all the fuss was about, but now that I've reached a certain point in the book I'm hooked. I even skipped one of my all time favorite shows last night in lieu of more tales of Edward Cullen.

Jenn's guide was right, this book has the potential to suck the life out of you. But I don't regret it. In fact, I can't wait to finish so I can see the movie on the big screen. At the rate I'm going, I'll be heading to the theatre later this week.

So what about y'all, read any good books lately?

Cheers!

-A

Shout outs

Hey all, I'm CC from Fork in the Road and I'll be your hostess for the day. The lovely Ashley was lucky enough to score a business trip and is living it up working hard in NYC as we speak. In lieu of a week with no postings, she asked a few bloggers to fill in for her in her absence so here I am. :)

As much as I really want to discuss my usual favorite topics, (my obsession with fall and how Texas sucks for not having one, and my annoyance with my job), I'm not going to. And I'm not going to discuss politics, or quarter-life crises. Or how much I miss college, my (non-existent) dating life and lack of funds. All of course, are favorite topics of us 20-something bloggers – trust me, I'm completely guilty of them all. Nothing wrong with that because that's what we know right now. Those are our life stories to be told. And those stories can be so heart-breakingly familiar, relatable and oh-so-hilarious. I love to tell them, and I love to read them.

But honestly right now, I'm bored of all of my typical 20-something experiences that I usually roll out with pleasure. Oh don't get me wrong, I'm still tired from working two jobs, and bored with my "career" if you could call it that, and I'm still poor. And single. And I really (really!) do miss college. And I just might be going through a quarter-life crises. Which is why I'm going to start off this week with a little list. I'm sick of being all moan-y and complain-y, so this morning, I'm going to give a shout out to all of the things that are AWESOME in my life. I got this fun idea from Rachel over at Viva and I thought it was such a great way to start my day and get me thinking about all of the fabulous things in my life that make me smile.

Shout outs to life:

1. Having air in my lungs, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food in my stomach and a job to pay the bills.
2. My AMAZINGLY supportive and loving friends that make me laugh
3. My loving family
4. Have a ridiculously comfy and cozy bed to snuggle in
5. Being 100% healthy.
6. Having a faithful and spiritual life. It keeps me grounded.
7. Having a family that allowed me to think for myself as I developed a spiritual mind and for not forcing me into any sort of religious mold.
8. Living in a city that has almost everything. Good culture, good food, good shopping.
9. Having the desire to learn. Having had the privilege to go to college.
10. Living a life full of hope.
11. Having dear friends all over the country that allow me to visit whenever I need a change of pace. Extra shout out to my pals in Denver and Providence. Thanks for living in awesome and gorgeous places!
12. My wanderlust soul. It makes life interesting. One can only imagine where I'll end up next. And in 20 years.
13. Having a loving heart. I LOVE to love!
14. Living in a country where I'm free. And where I'm allowed to express myself as a woman.
15. Books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and all outlets of the written word. I love to read and I love to (attempt) to write.
16. Fall and Spring, the two BEST seasons that make me so happy
17. Diet Coke.
18. The ability to hike and bike and experience/enjoy nature at its finest
19. Having a dreamer's mind. I dream and I dream big. Pair that up with all of my hope and I've always got something to look forward to.
20. The will and ability to live, laugh, and love. These are the true joys of life and I'm blessed to share these abilities with my amazing friends and family.

What are the shout outs in your life? What makes you smile? Just something to think about when things seem rough or not as they should be.

A running story

For those of you who have known me for years, you've probably heard this story.

It's something that people inquire about - especially those who do not partake in this activity themselves.

This is the story of how I became a runner.

I get asked a lot if I ran cross country in high school. Negative. I hated running in high school. Freshman year track was torture but growing up with a father who was a high school all star in basketball, football, and track I didn't want to let him down by quitting (even though as the greatest father in the world he still would have been proud).

So I attempted to be a sprinter - because distance was oh-so out of the question - and sucked at it - terribly. Someone should have told me that the short legs that prevented me from being a decent basketball player also hindered my speed on the track.

Hindsight is 20/20.

Thankfully, good genes meant I didn't have to work too hard to stay slim. (Thanks, mom and dad). That is, until college.

My first week in the dorms included chips, soda, candy, beer, and pizza from every place in EL that would deliver. I gained 7 pounds in one week.

SEVEN pounds.

I'm just over 5 feet tall - that's a LOT of weight for one week.

An article like this really would have helped a girl out...

So I decided to take action and start working out, at the gym, for the first time in my life.

it. was. painful.

And for some reason, the treadmill seemed like my only option. But I kept at it, through the long winter, and when the weather turned nice in the spring I hit the running trails. Just like that, addiction.

I joined the running club, started racing, endured foot and back injuries along the way, and am still at it. I'll admit, I've taken time off out of pure laziness - but as I've said before, I run so I can eat, so I always come crawling back.

Watch out, because one day that fat kid inside of me may just get out and steal your cookie.

So tell me dear readers, how did you get into your most cherished hobbies?

Cheers!

-A