Blog #138: Wherein I beg for an Olympic Medal and am overly proud of myself for doing ordinary adult things.

You guys. I want to tell you how grown up I was this weekend. I mean, yes I took some naps and most of Sunday was spent in bed or on the couch but hear this: I was exceptionally adulty.

Maybe it's my new living situation that has me hyper aware of how I leave things because I did 2 cooking projects over the weekend that would have left my kitchen destroyed all week (month?) back when I lived alone. But not this time. No, I cleaned up after myself RIGHT AWAY and left the kitchen how I FOUND it like I was at my mom's house or something. Plus, these cooking projects were in order to plan ahead for lunches and dinners so as to avoid eating out! Just like I said I would! So instead of zipping out to spend $8-10 on a meal, I now have a good 8-10 meals that didn't cost me much more than that to make total!

Chicken Salad I made Friday night while being super-grown up.

Not only that, but Friday night. I did my laundry after only 2 weeks (instead of probably 6) so it was only 2 loads. Then, instead of leaving my clothes in the hamper or throwing them on the floor, I put them away immediately. That's right! No procrastinating. And while the laundry was going and chicken boiling for my chicken salad I ran the vacuum in the living room just for maintenance sake. Not because I spilled flour while trying to make cookies in front of my DVR (something that frequently happened at the old place.) Just because I thought, "Hm. It's been a few days since the living room has been vacuumed. Maybe I'll do that real quick." I also got my workout in even though my roommate was out and no one would have known otherwise. Friday & Sunday with their cooking projects and uncharacteristic cleanups were certainly one of my crowning moments in adulthood. And I went to work Saturday so that gets me grown up points too.

My spaghetti squash cooking project 

Lest I get too full of myself or you all think I've totally reformed, here are some "not so" adulty moments from the weekend:
- Saturday upon getting home from work at 3:30 I snacked on some Trader Joe's mini chicken tacos in bed before napping for 3 hours and then sitting in front of the TV watching the Olympics with a bottle of wine until 11pm. No workout. Oops.
- I didn't get out of bed for the day until after 11 on Sunday. And while I was working on my super adult spaghetti squash cooking project, I was also playing Super Nintendo with my roommate.
- We had wine and girl talk in lieu of a workout Sunday. Oops.
- Basically, every night during the Olympics has featured me on my couch for at least 4 hours straight.

May have spent an hour or so rocking the Super Nintendo.

Blog #137: On the whole August Challenge

Greetings, blog. As I mentioned the other day, I'm challenging myself to not eat out at all in the month of August. I promise this has nothing to do with the Chik fil a thing (though I would start to question my eating habits if I felt that my own patronage would make or break a fast food restaurant. I think I've eaten CFA maybe 5 times in my whole life. I just hope Chipotle never becomes so controversial that my mere consumption or desire for a burrito bowl reflects my character and personal life philosophy. Because I love my Chipotle burrito bowl and will miss it this month.) ** (Also, PLEASE read through the link on my last post re: CFA. I want to communicate about the tough issues with kindness and love and the recognition that very few things are as black and white as we'd like them to be. Culture wars be damned.)

Anyhow, the night of the 1st the boss actually gave me 2 tickets to go with my boyfriend to sit in the fancy seats at the Royals game that include all you can eat and drink, so I technically ate restaurant food but I didn't buy any, and this is really more about cost than consumption anyway.

very exclusive entrance

So close!

Here are my priorities for the August Challenge:
1. Save money!!! I haven't taken a HARD look at how much I spend per month on premade food, but the fact that I am averse to even thinking of adding it up means that I should concentrate more on groceries and learning to cook for 1-2 regularly than quickly zipping through my nearest Wendy's or Panera. The days of grad school are over and I have the time to spare, so there are no excuses.
2. Be Healthy. This takes #2 because I believe it's pretty much a side effect of preparing my own food anyway. Also because if someone (usually my boss on occasion, see post script) is going to bring in food from somewhere to the office and offer it to me, if it's something I love I will take advantage of the cost free treat! But health is a motivation here. My roommate and I have committed to doing the 30 day shred this month and have been adding in a mile jog/mile walk with it as well. Hopefully by making smarter food choices and doing the workouts I will start to feel less sluggish and fatigued overall. I can't wait to compare how I feel now with how I will feel at the beginning of September. Plus, my summer clothes are actually much more forgiving than my fall clothes when it comes to fit. The flowy skirts and dresses have allowed for me to fill out with BBQ and beer this summer and my skinny jeans aren't going to be so kind.

This whole thing was going to be a lead up into telling the story about how I was so dedicated to the idea of my "no eating out" that when I forgot my lunch for work yesterday I ended up scrounging until I found some raw broccoli and ranch I had left in the fridge and made myself some rice I found in my desk drawer flavoring it with old pizza hut parmesan cheese packets rather than go get food... but now I've typed so much that to tell that story in an interesting way would take way too much more time.

** Literally right after I typed that about Chipotle, my boss sent me a text telling me to place an order for Chipotle that he would pick up and bring in for lunch for several of us at the office. I kid you not. Yes, I will have a free burrito bowl and chips thankyouverymuch.

Blog #136: Various things I Care to To Think/Talk About more than Chik-Fil-A

1. The Olympics. They are the best. I don't even know what's going ON when I see two people in what look like space suits waving swords at each other until one of them lights up for some reason but I'm still totally enthralled. Granted, my favorites are gymnastics, beach volleyball, swimming, and track... but I could literally sit and watch every minute of all of it in fascination. I watched what I think was water polo while working today. Oddly enough, even if my favorites were on TV for any other kind of championship that wasn't the Olympics, I'd probably yawn and watch reruns of Friends insteads. But, because it is the Olympics, it matters.
2. For my job today I googled the following things: hookah catering, strolling magician, stone temple pilots lyrics. My job is so fun.
3. No eating out challenge this month! I won't be eating at any restaurants... especially not the fast food kind (regardless of presence of waffle fries/polynesian sauce/alleged bigotry) because I need to save money and eat better anyway.
4. I am REALLY not interested in getting into the whole Chik-fil a thing but I like the way this blogger talked about it. http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2012/07/27/in-the-basement#.UBkxaCwzorB.facebook

That's all.

Blog #135: yesterday

Sometimes traffic jams send me into a level of rage inappropriate for the minor inconvenience they really are. Yesterday there was an accident at a key juncture of my typically incident free commute home and rather than getting riled up at the feeling of being trapped and tired, I took the opportunity to enjoy the glory days of music (including but not limited to some Salt n Peppa and Sir Mixalot action)

Blog #134: Wherein I get a little serious.

I don't typically post opinions I have on topics that are considered controversial, for many reasons. One, I'm of the belief that strong statements in support of any side of an issue (especially if the issue is divisive) in a public forum should be backed with sound resources supporting them. Otherwise they are just more noise. I would prefer not to add to an already noisy internet, but I often tend to lack the follow through necessary to really put forth the time to get something meaningful and eloquent written. So, my opinion gets kept to myself or shared in discussions with those close to me.

Another reason is that I often don't feel convicted enough about something to devote a whole entry in my already sporadically updated blog just to rail about how the world needs more of this and less of that. I try to keep it mostly pretty fun around here. Plus, I don't know if I have it in me not to take opposing commentary personally. Especially if it's done the way most people disagree on the internet these days. You guys, my skin is just not that thick. So, since I can't take the heat, as they say, I pretty much stay out of that kitchen.

In fact,  I often keep myself from even making a spelling correction online just to avoid the backlash. The other day I read one of my favorite blogs, and she had asked her readers which movies made them cry. After about 8 commenters mentioned how various movies had them "balling" I myself had to BALL UP in a corner to physically restrain myself from an all caps tirade: "BAWL. TO CRY LIKE A BABY IS TO BAWL. YOU ARE BAWLING NOT BALLING. STOP IT." But alas, I held myself back.

However.

There is one thing that I feel very strongly about that doesn't need sources, or even much of an explanation. It shouldn't even need to be said and yet here we are. It has nothing to do with spelling or grammar (though, I still believe that the internet needs some help with that.). No, this is just me, making a plea for common decency, that will fall, I'm sure, on deaf ears.

The stories in the news and on the internet lately have been intense this week.But it's the commentary added to the links being shared on Facebook, the reactions in the comment section of the articles, and the overall attitude surrounding the way differing opinions are treated that has me troubled for humanity. And whether or not you believe that 2 men who want to be able to eat chicken sandwiches together for the rest of their lives should be able to teach a group of boys to tie knots and sell popcorn at Christmas time is irrelevant.

Can we all just take a minute and remember that even people who disagree with us are PEOPLE (unless they are Raiders fans.*) ? As in, actual human beings who, regardless of the way they feel about waffle fries and merit badges, are probably basically decent people (Unless they are Raiders fans*)? Can we remember that the issues we're disagreeing about are also about human beings? Not animals or monsters or aliens... but people who have feelings, dreams, hopes, and also are probably pretty decent for the most part? Because, the fact is, people aren't created or developed in a vacuum. A little bit of empathy, even in disagreement, to at the very least realize how someone got to an opinion (even an opinion you find abhorrent) goes a lot further in facilitating change than a personal attack ever will. I didn't totally mean to get on this soap box, and maybe I just need to take a break from reading articles about these topics (or at least from reading the comments sections) but I am equal parts fascinated and horrified at the way we choose to interact with one another. Maybe we should all just take a break from serious things on the internet until we can learn to respectfully disagree.

And for what it's worth, I believe it's none of my business WHO you want to eat chicken sandwiches with.

Thanks for reading. Now let's all have some margaritas and chill out.

*JK about the Raiders thing you guys. But seriously.

Blog #133: Pardon the Thigh Shot

But these bruises are just ridiculous. You may wonder, "Marissa, what monster have you been fighting so fiercely with that you should have such discolorations all over your legs?" To which I would reply, "THE BOXES! All the boxes!"

See, I moved apartments over the weekend. It wasn't too major of a life event because I stayed in the same complex but I still had to load and carry boxes. These particular bruises are the fault of my arms because I have zero upper body strength. When I want to lift an exceptionally heavy box I have to bump it with my leg to get the proper oomph factor. Of course, I bruise like a peach so the oomphs have added up and left me looking like a tough guy. I'm going with it.

While it's not a huge move in regard to distance, the new location/layout of my apartment has me a little disoriented. Pre-caffeine this morning in the shower I almost shampooed my hair with spring fresh body wash. That might also have been due to the adrenaline from dealing with the spider in my shower first thing in the morning but either way. Disorientation.

Come to think of it, my brain has been on the fritz for the past two weeks as far as forgetfulness goes in a variety of ways that are both like me in scatteredness but unlike me in frequency. I might need an X Ray.

Until then I'm just going to chalk it up to too much stuff going on up in there. Much like my room.

P.S. My new roommate has a dog so I guess I have 2 new roommates. Meet Jake. He is very handsome and while he seems to have a little separation anxiety, he's a good dog. We're going to be friends.

Blog #132: introduction.

Meet Boyfriend. We were going to grill out at Smithville Lake and fish tonight. He forgot the grill when we left. So we came back and we're patio grilling instead. This can count as another "non problem problem." oooh my boyfriend has to grill for me on a patio in his condo instead of taking me to the lake. My life is soooooo tragic."

He's okay.