It's been a pretty long time since I've updated this. It's hard to keep up a blog when you don't have a good, focused topic! Two days ago, I had a great idea (thanks to the DFMC message board)- why not use this blog to write about training for the Boston Marathon? I will continue to track my "progress" on accomplishing items on my Day Zero list (I've really been slacking on that thing!) but the main focus will be everything and anything RUNNING. The next 5ish months are going to be really challenging but I can't wait! Boston Marathon 2011 here I come!
Stay tuned for more- week one of pre-training officially starts tomorrow!
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Sunday, November 14, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Baby steps lead to progress!
This list will be the death of me. I'm DETERMINED to complete it; I just also have to remember that baby steps are better than nothing!
8. Send a letter or card via snail mail to 5 friends I don't talk to nearly as often as I should (1/5)
Today I was sitting at work and decided to write out a card and send to a friend that I don't get to talk to/see a whole lot. Everyone loves getting mail, especially when it isn't a stack of bills. I didn't realize it at the time but I was also starting another one of the items on my list.
10. Get through 50 movies on my Netflix queue (2/50)
OK, I'm not good at watching movies. There, I said it. It takes me forever - I usually fall asleep and end up watching the same movie multiple times until I actually see it from start to finish. I continually add items to my Netflix queue but have made NO progress on it. Slowly but surely, I'm starting to knock some movies off. First, I watched "Confessions of a Shopaholic" which was pretty cute and entertaining. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did. The next movie I received was "Up." OMG! It was the cutest and saddest movie ever. Pixar movies always kill me - I end up teary eyed at some point. I highly recommend it - "Up" was awesome!
62. Take the GREs if necessary
Last night, I realized that time is flying by and application time is rapidly approaching. About 2/3 of the schools I am applying to require the GREs so I said "Crap, I better register to take that test ASAP." So, on September 10, I will officially take the GREs! That gives me a month to prepare - I really don't want to have to take it more than once (it's $160, eek!) so I'm super motivated to get moving and start getting ready. This is also one of the first steps I've taken toward actually applying to schools. It's feeling real now and now just a dream! I hope I get in somewhere!
8. Send a letter or card via snail mail to 5 friends I don't talk to nearly as often as I should (1/5)
Today I was sitting at work and decided to write out a card and send to a friend that I don't get to talk to/see a whole lot. Everyone loves getting mail, especially when it isn't a stack of bills. I didn't realize it at the time but I was also starting another one of the items on my list.
10. Get through 50 movies on my Netflix queue (2/50)
OK, I'm not good at watching movies. There, I said it. It takes me forever - I usually fall asleep and end up watching the same movie multiple times until I actually see it from start to finish. I continually add items to my Netflix queue but have made NO progress on it. Slowly but surely, I'm starting to knock some movies off. First, I watched "Confessions of a Shopaholic" which was pretty cute and entertaining. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did. The next movie I received was "Up." OMG! It was the cutest and saddest movie ever. Pixar movies always kill me - I end up teary eyed at some point. I highly recommend it - "Up" was awesome!
62. Take the GREs if necessary
Last night, I realized that time is flying by and application time is rapidly approaching. About 2/3 of the schools I am applying to require the GREs so I said "Crap, I better register to take that test ASAP." So, on September 10, I will officially take the GREs! That gives me a month to prepare - I really don't want to have to take it more than once (it's $160, eek!) so I'm super motivated to get moving and start getting ready. This is also one of the first steps I've taken toward actually applying to schools. It's feeling real now and now just a dream! I hope I get in somewhere!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I love eating... Trying new restaurants is really easy!
A couple of weeks ago, I got home from work (after a ridiculously scary storm) and there was no power at my house. A new Asian restaurant, Typhoon, opened downtown at the Shipyard. Since we couldn't do anything at home, we used the opportunity to try a new place and help me get closer to completing item 7 on my list, "Try 10 new restaurants in 2010!"
It was delicious! I heard good things about the Back Bay location- I was not disappointed. I ordered the Thai chicken curry.
I could only eat half of my food- the servings are huge! I loved the curry- the spicy flavor kicked in after you took a bite and surprised you. That's the way spicy food should be done! It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back!
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It was delicious! I heard good things about the Back Bay location- I was not disappointed. I ordered the Thai chicken curry.
I could only eat half of my food- the servings are huge! I loved the curry- the spicy flavor kicked in after you took a bite and surprised you. That's the way spicy food should be done! It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back!
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Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Why does vacation only last a week?
I'm lazy. There, I said it. I have too much going on in my life and not enough time to get things accomplished. However, after spending 9 days in the motherland aka Italy, I'm ready to knock some stuff off this list (for real this time).
My new motivation came to me approximately 10 minutes ago. I was happily researching desserts for John's Endless Summer BBQ when I was directed to a wonderful food blog. While I was browsing, I thought "hey, you need to update your blog and you need to actually start checking things off your day zero list." Here I am!
And now, for a brief update...
6. Sign up for 6 races in 2010 (3/6)
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Marathon Sports. I believe it was their monthly update. The author of the update was promoting their 5 miler in August - the End of Summer Classic that takes place on August 26 in Hingham. I ran this race last year - it was a moderately difficult course but was very relaxing. I thought "I should run this again" and continued reading. It turns out that if I registered by a certain date, I could use an online code that would knock $7 off the registration price. WOOT! I signed up that night. It will be a good training run for the marathon I am attempting in October. I'm now half way to my goal of 6 races for 2010!
7. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (6/10) and 40. Try Indian food for the first time
I decided to do summer hours at work one Friday. I had a few errands to do for vacation and thought that a Friday afternoon would be the perfect day to get them done. Jill asked me if I wanted to go try Indian food for lunch (she's been a bunch of times and I had never had it)- great idea! We both did summer hours that week and at 1 pm that Friday we ran out of Talbots and headed to Punjab Cafe in Quincy. It was delicious! I can't believe it took me 26 years to try Indian food - I love food that has a kick to it. We ordered the garlic naan to share and then I ordered the nauratan korma (I think - my memory is bad) with a medium kick to it. It was delicious and I can't wait to go back again!
Not too bad - at least there's some progress! Here's to hoping I can get myself motivation to start knocking things off this list. I can't believe how lazy I've been!
My new motivation came to me approximately 10 minutes ago. I was happily researching desserts for John's Endless Summer BBQ when I was directed to a wonderful food blog. While I was browsing, I thought "hey, you need to update your blog and you need to actually start checking things off your day zero list." Here I am!
And now, for a brief update...
6. Sign up for 6 races in 2010 (3/6)
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Marathon Sports. I believe it was their monthly update. The author of the update was promoting their 5 miler in August - the End of Summer Classic that takes place on August 26 in Hingham. I ran this race last year - it was a moderately difficult course but was very relaxing. I thought "I should run this again" and continued reading. It turns out that if I registered by a certain date, I could use an online code that would knock $7 off the registration price. WOOT! I signed up that night. It will be a good training run for the marathon I am attempting in October. I'm now half way to my goal of 6 races for 2010!
7. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (6/10) and 40. Try Indian food for the first time
I decided to do summer hours at work one Friday. I had a few errands to do for vacation and thought that a Friday afternoon would be the perfect day to get them done. Jill asked me if I wanted to go try Indian food for lunch (she's been a bunch of times and I had never had it)- great idea! We both did summer hours that week and at 1 pm that Friday we ran out of Talbots and headed to Punjab Cafe in Quincy. It was delicious! I can't believe it took me 26 years to try Indian food - I love food that has a kick to it. We ordered the garlic naan to share and then I ordered the nauratan korma (I think - my memory is bad) with a medium kick to it. It was delicious and I can't wait to go back again!
Not too bad - at least there's some progress! Here's to hoping I can get myself motivation to start knocking things off this list. I can't believe how lazy I've been!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Hooray for supporting the Jimmy Fund!
Yesterday Pat came over because I needed to switch my license plates... I love being a clueless girl sometimes! Anyway, now I have the Red Sox plates on my car and I can check off 88. Get the Red Sox/Jimmy Fund license plates for my car :)
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I don't like that whenever I edit something on my Day Zero list, it changes the numbers of listed items!
I am not good at keeping this blog updated... oh well, I've been lost in a sea of text books since January, no big deal! Now that school's out for the summer and since one of my classes is online in the fall (aka I don't have to step foot in a classroom until late October), I should have plenty of time to knock some things off my list. Hopefully I can have 25% of my list complete by Labor Day. That would be really awesome but we'll see!
2. Sign up for 6 races in 2010 (2/6)
I signed up for the Bay State Marathon about a month ago. 26.2 miles in October here I come! I'm supposed to start training this week. Unfortunately, I have been SWAMPED with school and work for the past 6 months so I am insanely out of shape. Class ended Wednesday and now I have all the time in the world to devote to training. I'm nervous but so excited to run a long race again - oh yeah, and to get in shape! I'm pairing the running up with some P90X. I know I'm crazy for doing all of that at the same time but seriously, the P90X workouts offer so many beneficial exercises I can't help it. It's definitely going to help my running for the better! I also downloaded the Runner's World Training Coach app for my (new) iPhone - all I had to do was plug in my race date, weekly mileage goal and race distance and BAM! It planned out all of my workouts for the next 16 weeks. Amazing! Definitely worth the $0.99 price tag (and I never pay for apps!). 2 races down, 6 to go!
7. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (5/10)
Pat took me and my parents to the Red Sox - Phillies game on June 12. It was his "thank you for taking me to Italy" gift and it was AMAZING! The seats were unbelievable and it was a really fun day, despite the rainy weather. After the game (which was an afternoon game), we went to the North End to grab dinner at Limoncello's, my parents' favorite restaurant there. It was delicious! Oddly enough, I had never been there. The pasta arrabbiata was very tasty (although I could have used a little more spice) and then buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad was very refreshing. Good wine, good food and good family! Thanks for a great night, Pat!
49. Go through all of my books and either pack some up or donate some of the ones I don't want to a local library
I finally was able to get rid of a decent amount of books - I filled up one bag and off to donation-ville they went!
Not a very good update but life has been crazy. I'm really hoping to get a lot crossed off this list in the next 2 months. Hooray for no school!
2. Sign up for 6 races in 2010 (2/6)
I signed up for the Bay State Marathon about a month ago. 26.2 miles in October here I come! I'm supposed to start training this week. Unfortunately, I have been SWAMPED with school and work for the past 6 months so I am insanely out of shape. Class ended Wednesday and now I have all the time in the world to devote to training. I'm nervous but so excited to run a long race again - oh yeah, and to get in shape! I'm pairing the running up with some P90X. I know I'm crazy for doing all of that at the same time but seriously, the P90X workouts offer so many beneficial exercises I can't help it. It's definitely going to help my running for the better! I also downloaded the Runner's World Training Coach app for my (new) iPhone - all I had to do was plug in my race date, weekly mileage goal and race distance and BAM! It planned out all of my workouts for the next 16 weeks. Amazing! Definitely worth the $0.99 price tag (and I never pay for apps!). 2 races down, 6 to go!
7. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (5/10)
Pat took me and my parents to the Red Sox - Phillies game on June 12. It was his "thank you for taking me to Italy" gift and it was AMAZING! The seats were unbelievable and it was a really fun day, despite the rainy weather. After the game (which was an afternoon game), we went to the North End to grab dinner at Limoncello's, my parents' favorite restaurant there. It was delicious! Oddly enough, I had never been there. The pasta arrabbiata was very tasty (although I could have used a little more spice) and then buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad was very refreshing. Good wine, good food and good family! Thanks for a great night, Pat!
49. Go through all of my books and either pack some up or donate some of the ones I don't want to a local library
I finally was able to get rid of a decent amount of books - I filled up one bag and off to donation-ville they went!
Not a very good update but life has been crazy. I'm really hoping to get a lot crossed off this list in the next 2 months. Hooray for no school!
Monday, May 17, 2010
May is turning out to be quite productive
This past weekend was really great. Erin and Shawn's wedding was amazing! The only bad part of the weekend was when the Bruins decided to blow both their 3 game series lead AND their 3 goal lead in game 7 to lose to Philly. You win some, you lose some...
Anyway, I sat down at my desk this morning and decided to go through all of the emails I didn't look at this weekend. I had an email from my psych professor - she sent us a spreadsheet with our grades for the semester. I got... an A! My third A for the semester, woohoo! This also means I can check off 26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)! I also officially have 10% of my list completed. WOOHOO! I love productivity.
I have also officially caught up on all of the available "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episodes. The only ones I have left are from Season 7, which is the current season/season that just ended. I believe the DVDs come out soon and when they do, I will make sure Netflix sends them to me. Since I'm all set here, that means I've completed 62. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and I get another green check!
Finally, we went to a yummy Japanese restaurant for the rehearsal dinner on Friday night. I think it was called Yokohana (or something similar). It was delicious and I can get another restaurant closer to completing 103. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (4/10).
So far, so good. After all is said and done, my list is now 11% complete. I'm really hoping that by the end of the summer I will be around 20% of the way through everything. Let's hope I will stay on a roll!
Anyway, I sat down at my desk this morning and decided to go through all of the emails I didn't look at this weekend. I had an email from my psych professor - she sent us a spreadsheet with our grades for the semester. I got... an A! My third A for the semester, woohoo! This also means I can check off 26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)! I also officially have 10% of my list completed. WOOHOO! I love productivity.
I have also officially caught up on all of the available "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episodes. The only ones I have left are from Season 7, which is the current season/season that just ended. I believe the DVDs come out soon and when they do, I will make sure Netflix sends them to me. Since I'm all set here, that means I've completed 62. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and I get another green check!
Finally, we went to a yummy Japanese restaurant for the rehearsal dinner on Friday night. I think it was called Yokohana (or something similar). It was delicious and I can get another restaurant closer to completing 103. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (4/10).
So far, so good. After all is said and done, my list is now 11% complete. I'm really hoping that by the end of the summer I will be around 20% of the way through everything. Let's hope I will stay on a roll!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A very quick update!
On Monday night I took my mother and father out for my mom's Mother's Day gift - a night out at Fenway Park! It was FREEZING - fleece jacket, multiple layers, Uggs and gloves had to be broken out for the event. The game was lots of fun though. The Sox won (even though the second inning was so painfully slow that I thought we'd be there all night) and we were entertained by a VERY drunk man wearing a Bruins bear hat... All in all a success and it helped me get another green check for item 74. Take my parents to a Red Sox game!
Last week after my last developmental psych class I met up with a few friends to watch the Bruins and eat some dinner at the Yard House in Dedham. In the process, I was able to try my third new restaurant, helping me get item 99. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (3/10) one step closer to a green check! 3 down, 7 to go!
everything else I wanted to start in May is NOT going so well... I think the list of things I wanted to accomplish in May will have to trickle into June. Oh well! I'm 8% complete with my list... hopefully I can get that percentage into the double digits soon!
Last week after my last developmental psych class I met up with a few friends to watch the Bruins and eat some dinner at the Yard House in Dedham. In the process, I was able to try my third new restaurant, helping me get item 99. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (3/10) one step closer to a green check! 3 down, 7 to go!
everything else I wanted to start in May is NOT going so well... I think the list of things I wanted to accomplish in May will have to trickle into June. Oh well! I'm 8% complete with my list... hopefully I can get that percentage into the double digits soon!
Monday, May 3, 2010
You know it's going to be a long day when you get a large iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts...
May is officially here. So far, 2010 has been a horrible year. I'm determined to make May the month where my luck turns around. Come on, positivity! A few items are well underway. I wanted to start doing push-ups every day this month as well as get to work on time every day and write down 5 positive things every night. Unfortunately, I forgot about these three things over the weekend. I did not do any push-ups Saturday or Sunday. I also was late for work today, thanks to the 82 degree bedroom I got ready in (FYI sweating while you get ready for work is NOT the best way to start your day). I was exhausted the past two nights and passed out before I could jot down 5 things (I barely had the energy to change into pajamas!). I'll just tack these extra days on at the end aka the very beginning of June. That way I can still get a few more items checked off the list. YES!
OK... now for a couple of quick updates:
16. Take at least 5 photos a day for a month
May started on Saturday and this item is now officially in progress! The past two days I completely forgot about taking pictures during the day so I've frantically taken pics late at night at Pat's house. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of inspiration there (no offense) so my pictures are boring. I'll have to upload them and start to share a few of the more interesting ones. Tonight I am going to Fenway (which should be interesting with the current water ban) so I'm sure I'll get a few more interesting photos!
22. Sign up to be a bone marrow donor
DONE! Another green check on my list for me! Yesterday, in search of Bruins gear for Patrick, we stopped at the Plaza. There was a stand with people looking for bone marrow donor volunteers. I figured, "hey, it's on my list and I might as well just get this done" so I wandered over to the table and signed up. 4 cheek swabs later and I was done! I'll receive my donor card in 6-8 weeks, unless when my cheek swab samples come back with diseases!
This also means I need to deposit $25 into my savings account. Unfortunately, I am poor for a couple more weeks (being in a wedding is way too expensive) so I'll have to make a big deposit in a couple of weeks!
OK... now for a couple of quick updates:
16. Take at least 5 photos a day for a month
May started on Saturday and this item is now officially in progress! The past two days I completely forgot about taking pictures during the day so I've frantically taken pics late at night at Pat's house. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of inspiration there (no offense) so my pictures are boring. I'll have to upload them and start to share a few of the more interesting ones. Tonight I am going to Fenway (which should be interesting with the current water ban) so I'm sure I'll get a few more interesting photos!
22. Sign up to be a bone marrow donor
DONE! Another green check on my list for me! Yesterday, in search of Bruins gear for Patrick, we stopped at the Plaza. There was a stand with people looking for bone marrow donor volunteers. I figured, "hey, it's on my list and I might as well just get this done" so I wandered over to the table and signed up. 4 cheek swabs later and I was done! I'll receive my donor card in 6-8 weeks, unless when my cheek swab samples come back with diseases!
This also means I need to deposit $25 into my savings account. Unfortunately, I am poor for a couple more weeks (being in a wedding is way too expensive) so I'll have to make a big deposit in a couple of weeks!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Dear Microbiology, I OWN YOU.
Last night was the big microbiology final. It was a piece of cake and my professor said he would grade it if I wanted to wait an extra few minutes. Obviously, being the impatient girl that I am, I chose to stay and find out because waiting sucks. It turns out I got 100% on the exam! SCORE! He also gave me my grade for the semester... an A!!! This means I can check another thing off my list - 34. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I have one more class for Developmental Psych and then the final, which I'm pretty sure I will not be taking. Of our 4 exams, I got over 100% on 3 of them and a 95% on the fourth. Including the final, there are 5 exams and the professor drops the lowest grade. Therefore, I can afford to not take the final. That's awesome because it means I get done with all of my classes a week early! SCORE!
Luckily, I have about 3 weeks before summer 1 starts - A&P 1. YUCK. I'm really happy to have 3 weeks off to relax - I can definitely cross a lot of stuff off my list. Tomorrow is a new month and I'm very excited to end April. In celebration of a new month and new positive attitude, I'm going to start a few more of the items on my list: 16. Take at least 5 photos a day for a month , 61. Do push-ups every day for a month, 63. For a month, write down 5 positive things that happened during the day before going to sleep and 101. Get to work on time every day in May 2010.
A new month + a new attitude = 2010 WILL TURN AROUND FOR THE BETTER!
I have one more class for Developmental Psych and then the final, which I'm pretty sure I will not be taking. Of our 4 exams, I got over 100% on 3 of them and a 95% on the fourth. Including the final, there are 5 exams and the professor drops the lowest grade. Therefore, I can afford to not take the final. That's awesome because it means I get done with all of my classes a week early! SCORE!
Luckily, I have about 3 weeks before summer 1 starts - A&P 1. YUCK. I'm really happy to have 3 weeks off to relax - I can definitely cross a lot of stuff off my list. Tomorrow is a new month and I'm very excited to end April. In celebration of a new month and new positive attitude, I'm going to start a few more of the items on my list: 16. Take at least 5 photos a day for a month , 61. Do push-ups every day for a month, 63. For a month, write down 5 positive things that happened during the day before going to sleep and 101. Get to work on time every day in May 2010.
A new month + a new attitude = 2010 WILL TURN AROUND FOR THE BETTER!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Marathon Monday is the greatest day of the year!
I attempted to run a half-marathon this weekend and it didn't go very well. Apparently trying to run 13.1 miles without ANY training is a stupid idea. Unfortunately, I learned that the hard way.
Speaking of running, after missing yet another Marathon Monday (stupid Talbots doesn't understand that Patriot's Day is a better holiday than CHRISTMAS), I came to the conclusion that I miss running the Boston Marathon. I miss being a part of everything that makes Marathon Weekend so amazing. Between the terrible race attempt on Saturday and today's running events, I've decided I really need to make this happen. I need to get that green check and finally qualify for Boston.
It's time to start looking for marathons to run this fall! I'm oddly excited!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Welcome baaaaack
It's been quite some time since I looked at my list and blogged about my successes... er, failures. School is kicking my butt - who knew it took up so much time!
Anyway, let's see how I'm doing. March was a really tough month; there was a lot going on. I'm determined to make April the most productive month of 2010!
3. Develop a better skin care routine.
I've definitely been much better about taking care of my skin. The Proactiv has definitely helped - my skin isn't flawless but it's slowly but surely clearing up. I make sure I always wipe off makeup at the end of the day and then wash my face. I found a new foundation that is light and will not clog my pores. Hopefully I will look good by the summer!
17. Don't eat fast food for a month
I gave up fast food for Lent and was successful! I actually haven't had fast food in at least 49 days. That's another green check for me!
25. Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10
This isn't going so well... I haven't had the time to workout and I am terrible at choosing healthy food options! When I weighed in last Friday morning, I was 5 lbs lighter than when I started this list. I guess slow and steady wins the race, no? I'm hoping that I can lose another 5 lbs before her wedding. If not, that's ok, I'm at least losing something! Hopefully I will shed these 15 lbs by the summer. Bathing suit season is right around the corner!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
So far, so good. The lowest grade I have is a 94 on one exam. A few more weeks and hopefully this will become a green check!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
As of right now, I am definitely on track to get an A in this class. SCORE!
43. Get to work on time every day in May 2010
Ok... this first started off as "get to work on time every day in February" and then it was changed to "get to work on time every day in March." I failed at both. I've started April off on the wrong foot so I'm going to try again in May. I wish getting out of bed was easier!
61. Read every Stephen King novel
I have officially started this. I'm working on "Carrie" and hopefully I will have it done soon. Thank goodness for Spring Break last week!
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I was doing so well with this but started slacking off when school started. I'm finishing up season 5 now - hopefully I'll be caught up soon!
68. Give up candy for Lent in 2010
I did it! 46 days without candy, woohoo! On Easter morning, I woke up, opened my Easter basket (yes, I'm 26 and still get an Easter basket) and decided "I went 46ish days without candy - I'm going to eat chocolate-covered Peeps for breakfast!" This was not the best idea. My body pretty much rejected the sugar. Hey, maybe if I give up all of the foods I love, my body will reject them and I will lose weight!
77. Take my parents to a Red Sox game
There was a random Red Sox ticket sale on redsox.com one day. Pat sent me the link and told me to try to get tickets. I waited in that stupid virtual waiting room and BAM! I was able to buy tickets for the first time in forever. I was pumped; I ended up getting 4 tickets for 2 games (the sale was for a 2-game package). I figured this was the perfect opportunity to buy tickets for my parents and give them to my mom as a Mother's Day gift. This means that I will have another green check on May 10, score!
83. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (2/10)
One night, Pat and I wanted to grab dinner and movie. I wanted Chinese but didn't feel like going to the usual places. I went to yelp.com and decided to do some research. I ended up finding a new place in Quincy Center called Bistro Chi. It was good! That's 2 new restaurants so far in 2010 - 8 to go!
90. Replace one meal with a big salad every day for a week
I unintentionally started this yesterday. I had a nice healthy salad for lunch so I figured, hey, I want to check something off my list so let's do this. This is the week I will eat a salad every day for lunch/dinner. Maybe on Friday morning I will have lost another lb!
2 green checks = $50 into my savings account... I need to make sure I get to the bank Friday night or Saturday morning!
Hopefully on May 1 I will have checked off a few more items :)
Anyway, let's see how I'm doing. March was a really tough month; there was a lot going on. I'm determined to make April the most productive month of 2010!
3. Develop a better skin care routine.
I've definitely been much better about taking care of my skin. The Proactiv has definitely helped - my skin isn't flawless but it's slowly but surely clearing up. I make sure I always wipe off makeup at the end of the day and then wash my face. I found a new foundation that is light and will not clog my pores. Hopefully I will look good by the summer!
17. Don't eat fast food for a month
I gave up fast food for Lent and was successful! I actually haven't had fast food in at least 49 days. That's another green check for me!
25. Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10
This isn't going so well... I haven't had the time to workout and I am terrible at choosing healthy food options! When I weighed in last Friday morning, I was 5 lbs lighter than when I started this list. I guess slow and steady wins the race, no? I'm hoping that I can lose another 5 lbs before her wedding. If not, that's ok, I'm at least losing something! Hopefully I will shed these 15 lbs by the summer. Bathing suit season is right around the corner!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
So far, so good. The lowest grade I have is a 94 on one exam. A few more weeks and hopefully this will become a green check!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
As of right now, I am definitely on track to get an A in this class. SCORE!
43. Get to work on time every day in May 2010
Ok... this first started off as "get to work on time every day in February" and then it was changed to "get to work on time every day in March." I failed at both. I've started April off on the wrong foot so I'm going to try again in May. I wish getting out of bed was easier!
61. Read every Stephen King novel
I have officially started this. I'm working on "Carrie" and hopefully I will have it done soon. Thank goodness for Spring Break last week!
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I was doing so well with this but started slacking off when school started. I'm finishing up season 5 now - hopefully I'll be caught up soon!
68. Give up candy for Lent in 2010
I did it! 46 days without candy, woohoo! On Easter morning, I woke up, opened my Easter basket (yes, I'm 26 and still get an Easter basket) and decided "I went 46ish days without candy - I'm going to eat chocolate-covered Peeps for breakfast!" This was not the best idea. My body pretty much rejected the sugar. Hey, maybe if I give up all of the foods I love, my body will reject them and I will lose weight!
77. Take my parents to a Red Sox game
There was a random Red Sox ticket sale on redsox.com one day. Pat sent me the link and told me to try to get tickets. I waited in that stupid virtual waiting room and BAM! I was able to buy tickets for the first time in forever. I was pumped; I ended up getting 4 tickets for 2 games (the sale was for a 2-game package). I figured this was the perfect opportunity to buy tickets for my parents and give them to my mom as a Mother's Day gift. This means that I will have another green check on May 10, score!
83. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (2/10)
One night, Pat and I wanted to grab dinner and movie. I wanted Chinese but didn't feel like going to the usual places. I went to yelp.com and decided to do some research. I ended up finding a new place in Quincy Center called Bistro Chi. It was good! That's 2 new restaurants so far in 2010 - 8 to go!
90. Replace one meal with a big salad every day for a week
I unintentionally started this yesterday. I had a nice healthy salad for lunch so I figured, hey, I want to check something off my list so let's do this. This is the week I will eat a salad every day for lunch/dinner. Maybe on Friday morning I will have lost another lb!
2 green checks = $50 into my savings account... I need to make sure I get to the bank Friday night or Saturday morning!
Hopefully on May 1 I will have checked off a few more items :)
Monday, March 1, 2010
March has definitely come in like a lion...
Another month has come and gone... I can't believe it's already March! I'm really behind with my list. I really want some green checks! I've decided to make March the "Month of Productivity."
Hopefully, nice spring weather is right around the corner and then I will be super excited to achieve some of my goals - walk the Freedom Trail, have a picnic in the Public Gardens... COME ON, SPRING! I'm not going to lie, spring also means baseball is back which means my favorite RED SOX are back in action :)
Some updates:
17. Don't eat fast food for a month
Lent is in full swing and one of the things I gave up was fast food. So far, this is a piece of cake. It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't had any problems. 40 days without it should be a breeze!
25. Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10
I'm not doing so well with this. I had a physical last week and I've gained back the whole 2 lbs I lost. That means I definitely have 15 lbs to lose in the next 2+ months. Hopefully I can do it. I've given up pasta, candy and fast food for Lent so this should help me stabilize my blood sugar and not crave bad sugars and processed carbs. I started working out again yesterday as well. I hopped on the treadmill and had a terrible workout but I'm glad I did it! I even rewarded myself with grilled chicken salad with feta and just a drizzle of low-fat Italian dressing. It was delicious and when I went out to watch the USA-Canada hockey game, I wasn't tempted by the Doritos and other chips, yay!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
I'm still doing really well in this class. So far, I haven't received less than 100% on any of my weekly quizzes (sometimes I got higher because of questions she didn't count that I actually got right) and I got a 107% on my first exam. I'M A NERD. Hooray!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I'm doing much better in this class than I thought I did. Other than one bad quiz where I got an 2 wrong, I've had all perfect 50/50s. My average right now is a 96% I think, woohoo! Hopefully I can keep up the good grades and get higher than a B+ at the end of the semester :)
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
I failed miserably at this! I think I was on time 4 days out of the whole month (and 2 of those days I didn't have to come in until the afternoon). I'm changing this one to March instead. I was on time today and I need to really make the effort. I can do it!
63. Do push-ups every day for a month
March is going to be the month where I do push-ups every day! I'm already doing the "100 push-ups in 6 weeks" challenge so I'm going to add push-ups to the other 4 days of the week. Because I'm doing a lot of push-ups 3 days a week (at least 50 each session), I'll do 10 on my off days. This way, I'll keep up my strength, not destroy my arms and earn another green check!
Not much progress has been made. I think tonight I'm going to Staples and Bed Bath and Beyond after work. I'm going to find something to start my custom recipe book with tonight (and then another green check!). If I can get a good chunk of hw done, I'm going to reward myself with comfy pjs and a few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
I'm determined to cross off a couple of things by April! Going to work all day and class most nights has been a tough transition. Now that I have more control over my schedule, I can really dive into this list and start making some progress!
Hopefully, nice spring weather is right around the corner and then I will be super excited to achieve some of my goals - walk the Freedom Trail, have a picnic in the Public Gardens... COME ON, SPRING! I'm not going to lie, spring also means baseball is back which means my favorite RED SOX are back in action :)
Some updates:
17. Don't eat fast food for a month
Lent is in full swing and one of the things I gave up was fast food. So far, this is a piece of cake. It's been almost 2 weeks and I haven't had any problems. 40 days without it should be a breeze!
25. Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10
I'm not doing so well with this. I had a physical last week and I've gained back the whole 2 lbs I lost. That means I definitely have 15 lbs to lose in the next 2+ months. Hopefully I can do it. I've given up pasta, candy and fast food for Lent so this should help me stabilize my blood sugar and not crave bad sugars and processed carbs. I started working out again yesterday as well. I hopped on the treadmill and had a terrible workout but I'm glad I did it! I even rewarded myself with grilled chicken salad with feta and just a drizzle of low-fat Italian dressing. It was delicious and when I went out to watch the USA-Canada hockey game, I wasn't tempted by the Doritos and other chips, yay!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
I'm still doing really well in this class. So far, I haven't received less than 100% on any of my weekly quizzes (sometimes I got higher because of questions she didn't count that I actually got right) and I got a 107% on my first exam. I'M A NERD. Hooray!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I'm doing much better in this class than I thought I did. Other than one bad quiz where I got an 2 wrong, I've had all perfect 50/50s. My average right now is a 96% I think, woohoo! Hopefully I can keep up the good grades and get higher than a B+ at the end of the semester :)
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
I failed miserably at this! I think I was on time 4 days out of the whole month (and 2 of those days I didn't have to come in until the afternoon). I'm changing this one to March instead. I was on time today and I need to really make the effort. I can do it!
63. Do push-ups every day for a month
March is going to be the month where I do push-ups every day! I'm already doing the "100 push-ups in 6 weeks" challenge so I'm going to add push-ups to the other 4 days of the week. Because I'm doing a lot of push-ups 3 days a week (at least 50 each session), I'll do 10 on my off days. This way, I'll keep up my strength, not destroy my arms and earn another green check!
Not much progress has been made. I think tonight I'm going to Staples and Bed Bath and Beyond after work. I'm going to find something to start my custom recipe book with tonight (and then another green check!). If I can get a good chunk of hw done, I'm going to reward myself with comfy pjs and a few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
I'm determined to cross off a couple of things by April! Going to work all day and class most nights has been a tough transition. Now that I have more control over my schedule, I can really dive into this list and start making some progress!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Happy Fat Tuesday!
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and I am giving up a lot of my favorites. Hopefully, this will lead to a more energetic and thinner Rachael... we'll see!
1. I am giving up pasta. 40 days without pasta is going to be really hard - because I'm so picky and currently hating almost all foods, I have been eating pasta probably 4 times a week. This will force me to eat different things and not have such a carb-heavy diet. Hopefully the weight will come off! I'm seeing lots of salads and veggies, maybe even fish, in my future...
2. I am also giving up candy. This will help me check off one of the items on my list, #68, Give up candy for Lent in 2010. That means tonight, Fat Tuesday evening, I will be binging on the candy I got on Sunday from my momma... I am going to have a crazy sugar crash!
3. Finally, I am giving up fast food. Another item on my list is #17, Don't eat fast food for a month. Lent is a perfect time to start this, since it's all about giving up stuff... thank you, Jill, for pointing out that if I can do a month, another 10 days won't kill me!
Giving up all of those items will definitely help me complete item #25, Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10!
As long as we are talking about fitness/health, I have recently started a new push up program, thanks to Patrick. It's the 100 push up challenge and in about 6 weeks I will apparently be able to do 100 push ups... in the process, I'll be accomplishing item #63, Do push-ups every day for a month. The program has you doing push ups 3 days a week but I think that every day I will do a few just to keep on track with item #63. I need more green checks!
I'm slowly but surely making some progress. I think all of these changes will help me get in shape and lose this extra weight I've been carrying around for about a year - maybe I'll even break out my workout DVDs. If I can't get in 20-30 minutes of exercise a day there is definitely something wrong with me!
Happy Lent!
1. I am giving up pasta. 40 days without pasta is going to be really hard - because I'm so picky and currently hating almost all foods, I have been eating pasta probably 4 times a week. This will force me to eat different things and not have such a carb-heavy diet. Hopefully the weight will come off! I'm seeing lots of salads and veggies, maybe even fish, in my future...
2. I am also giving up candy. This will help me check off one of the items on my list, #68, Give up candy for Lent in 2010. That means tonight, Fat Tuesday evening, I will be binging on the candy I got on Sunday from my momma... I am going to have a crazy sugar crash!
3. Finally, I am giving up fast food. Another item on my list is #17, Don't eat fast food for a month. Lent is a perfect time to start this, since it's all about giving up stuff... thank you, Jill, for pointing out that if I can do a month, another 10 days won't kill me!
Giving up all of those items will definitely help me complete item #25, Lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding on 5/15/10!
As long as we are talking about fitness/health, I have recently started a new push up program, thanks to Patrick. It's the 100 push up challenge and in about 6 weeks I will apparently be able to do 100 push ups... in the process, I'll be accomplishing item #63, Do push-ups every day for a month. The program has you doing push ups 3 days a week but I think that every day I will do a few just to keep on track with item #63. I need more green checks!
I'm slowly but surely making some progress. I think all of these changes will help me get in shape and lose this extra weight I've been carrying around for about a year - maybe I'll even break out my workout DVDs. If I can't get in 20-30 minutes of exercise a day there is definitely something wrong with me!
Happy Lent!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Getting to work on time is really hard
February has been an interesting month - time for some updates! Hopefully I'll be able to put a nice green check next to a few items this month - I'm sick of having many things in progress but nothing completed!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
I had another quiz in class and a take home quiz due last week. I'm pretty sure I still have an A+ in the class, score! Our first exam is tomorrow night but that will probably be cancelled since we are supposed to get a foot of snow!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I didn't do as well on my quiz in last week's class. I got two wrong because I changed my answers at the last minute- always go with your first instinct! Never fear - I still have an A-/A in the class!
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
This is not going so well. I've been late about half the time this month; I'm going to have to extend this one through the first week of March. Apparently, I have a rather difficult time getting myself out of bed to come here every day. I noticed that on the weekends, I have no problem getting up early - only on work days. I think it's because it's hard to get yourself motivated to get out of bed to go to your dead-end internship-like job. I guess I need to get started on item #28- "Find a new job that will help me move forward in my career."
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I recently completed season 4. I should receive season 5, disc 1 in the mail by the end of the week. I think I might be caught up to the current season by the end of the month! Hooray for another check!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)
I had another quiz in class and a take home quiz due last week. I'm pretty sure I still have an A+ in the class, score! Our first exam is tomorrow night but that will probably be cancelled since we are supposed to get a foot of snow!
33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I didn't do as well on my quiz in last week's class. I got two wrong because I changed my answers at the last minute- always go with your first instinct! Never fear - I still have an A-/A in the class!
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
This is not going so well. I've been late about half the time this month; I'm going to have to extend this one through the first week of March. Apparently, I have a rather difficult time getting myself out of bed to come here every day. I noticed that on the weekends, I have no problem getting up early - only on work days. I think it's because it's hard to get yourself motivated to get out of bed to go to your dead-end internship-like job. I guess I need to get started on item #28- "Find a new job that will help me move forward in my career."
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I recently completed season 4. I should receive season 5, disc 1 in the mail by the end of the week. I think I might be caught up to the current season by the end of the month! Hooray for another check!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
6 more weeks of winter... shocking. It's New England!
January 2010 is already done. I can't believe how fast that went! I am one month into the day zero challenge and another year older (I can't believe I'm going to be 30 in 4 years. SCARY!). The bigger question is how am I doing with my list? Let's see...
In progress:
3. Develop a better skin care routine
This is well underway. I've started experimenting with different products that claim to clear up skin. So far, nothing is working - I'm trying though! Over the weekend I picked up some Proactiv to see how that does. It works well for my sister and since we share genes it should hopefully be ok for me! I also have an appointment with my dermatologist next week. I haven't seen him in almost 10 years. A few weeks ago, I decided I should give his office a call and schedule a skin checkup. I am really good about going to the dentist, getting physicals every year, etc. but I never remember to get my skin examined - it needs to be healthy, too! Luckily I try to avoid the sun as much as possible, use sunblock regularly (even when I am out running - I've been good about being diligent about this in my old age) - hopefully nothing is wrong!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)& 33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I'm two weeks into the spring semester at good old QC. We have already had a quiz in each class and I got 100% on both. Therefore, I currently have an A+ in both of my classes (hey, it has only been a week but that has to count for something, no?). As long as I keep up with this and continue to do my homework and study hard, I think these goals are very achievable!
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
I am on day 2 of this item and it's going better than I thought. I need to leave a good 5 minutes earlier, though. I've noticed that by the time I pull into the parking lot, it's 8:29ish and since it takes me 5-10 minutes to get from my car at the back of the parking lot to my desk, I end up "late" by the time I get there. I technically get to work on time, so I guess this counts...
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I am currently halfway through season 4 of this. I need to watch the last disc and then I can ship it back and get season 5 (thank you, Netflix). That means I have 2.5 more seasons to get through before I'm caught up to the current season (7). Score!
101. Donate money to 5 people doing a walk/race/etc. for charity (1/5)
My friend John is doing an American Lung Association race this weekend where he runs up an un-godly amount of stairs - this is the perfect opportunity to donate to a friend doing something for a good cause!
Completed:
41. Keep a food journal for January 2010 and write down every single item I eat/drink
I successfully logged everything I ingested in January. However, this has not resulted in any weight loss. I am down 2 lbs from my heaviest weight, which is a good thing - I was just hoping for better results. I've always read that keeping a food journal helps you eat better because if you have to write it down, you will not be as likely to eat something that's bad for you. This is not true. I did not eat any better in January - maybe it's because it's my birthday month and I ate a lot of cake :)
I'm hoping that now I can go through this food journal and see what I can improve on to help me lose weight!
All in all, I have a lot of items in progress on my list - this is pretty typical of me. I just need to make sure I finish them! I'm pleased that I have another green check on my list - time to go to the bank and make a deposit!
In progress:
3. Develop a better skin care routine
This is well underway. I've started experimenting with different products that claim to clear up skin. So far, nothing is working - I'm trying though! Over the weekend I picked up some Proactiv to see how that does. It works well for my sister and since we share genes it should hopefully be ok for me! I also have an appointment with my dermatologist next week. I haven't seen him in almost 10 years. A few weeks ago, I decided I should give his office a call and schedule a skin checkup. I am really good about going to the dentist, getting physicals every year, etc. but I never remember to get my skin examined - it needs to be healthy, too! Luckily I try to avoid the sun as much as possible, use sunblock regularly (even when I am out running - I've been good about being diligent about this in my old age) - hopefully nothing is wrong!
26. Get an A in my Developmental Psych class (Spring 2010)& 33. Get a B+ in my Microbiology class (Spring 2010)
I'm two weeks into the spring semester at good old QC. We have already had a quiz in each class and I got 100% on both. Therefore, I currently have an A+ in both of my classes (hey, it has only been a week but that has to count for something, no?). As long as I keep up with this and continue to do my homework and study hard, I think these goals are very achievable!
43. Get to work on time every day in February 2010
I am on day 2 of this item and it's going better than I thought. I need to leave a good 5 minutes earlier, though. I've noticed that by the time I pull into the parking lot, it's 8:29ish and since it takes me 5-10 minutes to get from my car at the back of the parking lot to my desk, I end up "late" by the time I get there. I technically get to work on time, so I guess this counts...
66. Watch every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm
I am currently halfway through season 4 of this. I need to watch the last disc and then I can ship it back and get season 5 (thank you, Netflix). That means I have 2.5 more seasons to get through before I'm caught up to the current season (7). Score!
101. Donate money to 5 people doing a walk/race/etc. for charity (1/5)
My friend John is doing an American Lung Association race this weekend where he runs up an un-godly amount of stairs - this is the perfect opportunity to donate to a friend doing something for a good cause!
Completed:
41. Keep a food journal for January 2010 and write down every single item I eat/drink
I successfully logged everything I ingested in January. However, this has not resulted in any weight loss. I am down 2 lbs from my heaviest weight, which is a good thing - I was just hoping for better results. I've always read that keeping a food journal helps you eat better because if you have to write it down, you will not be as likely to eat something that's bad for you. This is not true. I did not eat any better in January - maybe it's because it's my birthday month and I ate a lot of cake :)
I'm hoping that now I can go through this food journal and see what I can improve on to help me lose weight!
All in all, I have a lot of items in progress on my list - this is pretty typical of me. I just need to make sure I finish them! I'm pleased that I have another green check on my list - time to go to the bank and make a deposit!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Changing the "s" at the end of a name to a "z" does not make it classy
83. Try 10 new restaurants in 2010 (1/10)
Last week, I joined Pat and his parents for dinner at a restaurant called Peppercornz in Weymouth. I've driven by the place plenty of times and always made fun of it. Peppercornz? With a Z? What kind of restaurant name is that? However, I was surprised. It wasn't the best Italian food I've had but for a place with a silly name, it was pretty good. I started with a house salad- you can't really screw that up. The waitress left a basket of "focaccia" bread on our table. To be honest, I'm not sure what kind of bread it actually was. I think they were passing it off as focaccia. It was a bit stale and the flavors were off - not the best I've had. For my entree I ordered cheese lasagna. It was surprisingly tasty. I was good and ate half of my meal, wrapping up the other half to take with me. Hooray for not overeating and sticking to my plan of losing 15 pounds by Erin's wedding!
Would I go here again? Maybe- it certainly surprised me. I thought it was going to be terrible. I don't plan on going back any time soon (I'm a bit of an Italian food snob) but it's not bad maybe once a year...
1 down, 9 more to go!
Last week, I joined Pat and his parents for dinner at a restaurant called Peppercornz in Weymouth. I've driven by the place plenty of times and always made fun of it. Peppercornz? With a Z? What kind of restaurant name is that? However, I was surprised. It wasn't the best Italian food I've had but for a place with a silly name, it was pretty good. I started with a house salad- you can't really screw that up. The waitress left a basket of "focaccia" bread on our table. To be honest, I'm not sure what kind of bread it actually was. I think they were passing it off as focaccia. It was a bit stale and the flavors were off - not the best I've had. For my entree I ordered cheese lasagna. It was surprisingly tasty. I was good and ate half of my meal, wrapping up the other half to take with me. Hooray for not overeating and sticking to my plan of losing 15 pounds by Erin's wedding!
Would I go here again? Maybe- it certainly surprised me. I thought it was going to be terrible. I don't plan on going back any time soon (I'm a bit of an Italian food snob) but it's not bad maybe once a year...
1 down, 9 more to go!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Today I found my workout bible
I finally found a book I have been searching for... A book with lots of weight training exercises that I can do at home! Thank you, Barnes and Noble in Braintree. I finally have a book with tons of exercises and the best part is the book has awesome pictures. I can tell you how to train for long distance races but I'm clueless when it comes to weights. High five to fitness!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, January 16, 2010
I steal forks from restaurants
Update: I finished season 2 of Curb Your Enthusiasm today. Two down, 5 to go (I think)! I'm that much closer to another green check...
Update #2: Season 3 is finished as well. Season 4 should be sent out from Netflix today or tomorrow (I wish it was one of the shows you can view instantly). Great success!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Update #2: Season 3 is finished as well. Season 4 should be sent out from Netflix today or tomorrow (I wish it was one of the shows you can view instantly). Great success!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The best way to lose weight is to stop caring!
I'm well on my way toward reaching my goal of losing 15 lbs before Erin's wedding in May!
Yesterday I decided to face my fear of the scale and see what I currently weigh. I was pleased to see I have already lost 4 lbs! Woohoo- 11 more to go!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Yesterday I decided to face my fear of the scale and see what I currently weigh. I was pleased to see I have already lost 4 lbs! Woohoo- 11 more to go!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, January 11, 2010
I like challenges!
I was scrolling through my Twitter friends' updates and I stumbled upon this link from Elle magazine:
http://www.elle.com/Beauty/Makeup-Skin-Care/21-Day-Make-Better-Challenge-Day-1
A list that helps with everything from organizing your closet to developing better skin care techniques (another item on my list)? SIGN ME UP!
http://www.elle.com/Beauty/Makeup-Skin-Care/21-Day-Make-Better-Challenge-Day-1
A list that helps with everything from organizing your closet to developing better skin care techniques (another item on my list)? SIGN ME UP!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The RMV is the most miserable place on earth.
FINALLY! I HAVE A GREEN CHECK ON MY LIST (2 GREEN CHECKS ACTUALLY)!
9. Become an organ donor and 47. Renew my Driver's License and get a new picture taken for it so that people think it looks like me
I spent my day off getting various errands done, including going to the RMV to get my license renewed. The RMV is the most miserable place on earth. You can go online and renew your license once every 10 years or something like that. Unfortunately, I decided I need a new license picture (I learned that people in MA at bars are really dumb. Apparently, if a girl with long hair and no bangs cuts it short and gets bangs, she looks COMPLETELY different and therefore has a fake ID), plus I wanted to become an organ donor (#9 on the list). I dragged my sister with me (strength in numbers!) and we got there bright and early at 10 am. The line looked super long. I was expecting this; you never get out of a Massachusetts RMV in less than an hour. We sat down and eagerly watched as numbers were called and the creepiest people went to take care of things. I only had to wait about 25 minutes (not bad!) and then proceeded to window #12. The teller at window #12 was by far the most miserable man I have ever met. I made sure I was very polite and pleasant (kill them with kindness, item #72). I was done 5 minutes later with a new picture (item #47) and "organ donor" printed on my temporary license. Hooray!
Update on other items:
27. Each time I complete a task, put $25 into my savings account
After the RMV, I went to the bank with my savings passbook in hand. I knew I completed item #9 and decided to tack on $25 to the deposit I already planned on making.
71. Try to follow the "kill them with kindness" mindset, even with difficult people
See RMV experience above.
9. Become an organ donor and 47. Renew my Driver's License and get a new picture taken for it so that people think it looks like me
I spent my day off getting various errands done, including going to the RMV to get my license renewed. The RMV is the most miserable place on earth. You can go online and renew your license once every 10 years or something like that. Unfortunately, I decided I need a new license picture (I learned that people in MA at bars are really dumb. Apparently, if a girl with long hair and no bangs cuts it short and gets bangs, she looks COMPLETELY different and therefore has a fake ID), plus I wanted to become an organ donor (#9 on the list). I dragged my sister with me (strength in numbers!) and we got there bright and early at 10 am. The line looked super long. I was expecting this; you never get out of a Massachusetts RMV in less than an hour. We sat down and eagerly watched as numbers were called and the creepiest people went to take care of things. I only had to wait about 25 minutes (not bad!) and then proceeded to window #12. The teller at window #12 was by far the most miserable man I have ever met. I made sure I was very polite and pleasant (kill them with kindness, item #72). I was done 5 minutes later with a new picture (item #47) and "organ donor" printed on my temporary license. Hooray!
Update on other items:
27. Each time I complete a task, put $25 into my savings account
After the RMV, I went to the bank with my savings passbook in hand. I knew I completed item #9 and decided to tack on $25 to the deposit I already planned on making.
71. Try to follow the "kill them with kindness" mindset, even with difficult people
See RMV experience above.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Why did I sign up to run another 13.1 mile race?
We are now 5 days into 2010. I probably have about 10 or so items started, which is good. It's too bad that I don't have a nice green check next to them!
After spending a day and a half trying to get in contact with wonderful Quincy College, I finally am getting my Saturday Microbiology class + lab moved to Tuesday/Thursday nights. This leaves my Saturdays open now. I didn't realize how important these Saturdays are this spring - between college graduations, wedding/bridesmaid festivities and races, there is a lot going on! Moving my class from Saturday to the weekdays now means I can register for a half-marathon in April (which I did approximately 15 minutes after I got off the phone with QC enrollment). This will help me reach three of my goals: run 6 races in 2010, run a half-marathon in under 2 hours and lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding in May.
After reviewing my list, I noticed that I have started 4 additional items:
19. Take pre-requisite nursing classes
I don't start for a couple of weeks but I signed up for a psychology class (growth and development, with a birth to death focus) and microbiology (with lab) at Quincy College. I should get my schedule in the mail soon (according to the girl in Enrollment Services) and on January 19th I am officially a student again! Now that #19 is underway, this means I am a couple of weeks away from starting to achieve goals #26 and #33 - get an A in my developmental psych class and a B+ in microbiology, respectively.
30. Run a half-marathon in under 2 hours in 2010 and 56. Sign up for 6 races in 2010
Today I registered for the Asbury Park Half-Marathon on April 17. I have my training schedule all mapped out - I don't have to officially start training until the middle/end of this month (I think). I'm hoping to incorporate speed training so I can try to shave off a good 15 minutes off my total time. More importantly, I need to learn to keep my mind focused - during races, I feel the need to quit about halfway through. It doesn't matter how good I might feel - I just get really bored. All in all, this is going to be quite the challenge! Luckily I have plenty of time to train properly.
46. Go through all of my books and either pack some up or donate some of the ones I don't want to a local library
As crazy as I went last weekend, it was good that I was snowed in for a couple of days. It forced me to start to reorganize my room. I finally went through some of my old books in my desk/bookshelf. I learned a couple of things: 1. I have way too many libros en espanol, 2. I have a huge college of (not so) great Russian works and 3. I can't get rid of most of my books because they are from college and have notes written all of them and passages highlighted. However, I was able to go through the other books and fill up a bag of ones I don't need/want. The next step is I need to either donate them to the library or to the Hingham Transfer Center.
After spending a day and a half trying to get in contact with wonderful Quincy College, I finally am getting my Saturday Microbiology class + lab moved to Tuesday/Thursday nights. This leaves my Saturdays open now. I didn't realize how important these Saturdays are this spring - between college graduations, wedding/bridesmaid festivities and races, there is a lot going on! Moving my class from Saturday to the weekdays now means I can register for a half-marathon in April (which I did approximately 15 minutes after I got off the phone with QC enrollment). This will help me reach three of my goals: run 6 races in 2010, run a half-marathon in under 2 hours and lose 15 lbs before Erin's wedding in May.
After reviewing my list, I noticed that I have started 4 additional items:
19. Take pre-requisite nursing classes
I don't start for a couple of weeks but I signed up for a psychology class (growth and development, with a birth to death focus) and microbiology (with lab) at Quincy College. I should get my schedule in the mail soon (according to the girl in Enrollment Services) and on January 19th I am officially a student again! Now that #19 is underway, this means I am a couple of weeks away from starting to achieve goals #26 and #33 - get an A in my developmental psych class and a B+ in microbiology, respectively.
30. Run a half-marathon in under 2 hours in 2010 and 56. Sign up for 6 races in 2010
Today I registered for the Asbury Park Half-Marathon on April 17. I have my training schedule all mapped out - I don't have to officially start training until the middle/end of this month (I think). I'm hoping to incorporate speed training so I can try to shave off a good 15 minutes off my total time. More importantly, I need to learn to keep my mind focused - during races, I feel the need to quit about halfway through. It doesn't matter how good I might feel - I just get really bored. All in all, this is going to be quite the challenge! Luckily I have plenty of time to train properly.
46. Go through all of my books and either pack some up or donate some of the ones I don't want to a local library
As crazy as I went last weekend, it was good that I was snowed in for a couple of days. It forced me to start to reorganize my room. I finally went through some of my old books in my desk/bookshelf. I learned a couple of things: 1. I have way too many libros en espanol, 2. I have a huge college of (not so) great Russian works and 3. I can't get rid of most of my books because they are from college and have notes written all of them and passages highlighted. However, I was able to go through the other books and fill up a bag of ones I don't need/want. The next step is I need to either donate them to the library or to the Hingham Transfer Center.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
There's an app for that
Thank goodness for the iPhone... Now I have a handy app so I can talk about my list progress when I'm away from my computer!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Snowstorms are good for getting things accomplished on the list!
So 2010 is here and I'm pleased to say that I have a few more items from my list started:
41. Keep a food journal for January 2010 and write down every single item I eat/drink
It's been 3 days. I've managed to remember everything I ate/drank those days - that's a miracle in itself. The next step is to be more specific on the amount of each thing I've consumed - except for New Year's Day (chips + hockey game = bad news), I've been back on track with the whole "healthier eating" thing. That should help me start to lose these extra 15 lbs!
73. Give my eyes a break and wear my glasses more often
I've been in my pj's the last 3 days, thanks to New Year's Day laziness and the snowstorm that took over the weekend. As a result, I have been entirely too lazy to put my contacts in. My eyes are pleased with me - 3 days in a row with glasses is a vacation for them!
79. Finish 100 of the 200 crossword puzzles in my New York Times crossword puzzle book by my 27th birthday
These puzzles are certainly NOT easy, as the title of the book implies. However, I am pleased to report that 6 are done, which means I just have 194 puzzles left to complete in the next 56ish weeks!
80. Beat all of Super Mario Bros. Wii and DS
I beat another half of a world this morning in Super Mario Wii. Unfortunately, I then was too frustrated to continue.
I have about 3-4 more worlds to beat in the DS version, which isn't as bad as I thought.
Not a bad start!
41. Keep a food journal for January 2010 and write down every single item I eat/drink
It's been 3 days. I've managed to remember everything I ate/drank those days - that's a miracle in itself. The next step is to be more specific on the amount of each thing I've consumed - except for New Year's Day (chips + hockey game = bad news), I've been back on track with the whole "healthier eating" thing. That should help me start to lose these extra 15 lbs!
73. Give my eyes a break and wear my glasses more often
I've been in my pj's the last 3 days, thanks to New Year's Day laziness and the snowstorm that took over the weekend. As a result, I have been entirely too lazy to put my contacts in. My eyes are pleased with me - 3 days in a row with glasses is a vacation for them!
79. Finish 100 of the 200 crossword puzzles in my New York Times crossword puzzle book by my 27th birthday
These puzzles are certainly NOT easy, as the title of the book implies. However, I am pleased to report that 6 are done, which means I just have 194 puzzles left to complete in the next 56ish weeks!
80. Beat all of Super Mario Bros. Wii and DS
I beat another half of a world this morning in Super Mario Wii. Unfortunately, I then was too frustrated to continue.
I have about 3-4 more worlds to beat in the DS version, which isn't as bad as I thought.
Not a bad start!
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