Random!!

• I'm looking forward to doing absolutely nothing this weekend.  Well, nothing except hanging out with the bestest best friend ever!!!
• I'm going to buy an article of clothing this weekend, not sure what, but something fabulous!!
• I ordered the dress that I'm going to wear to my sisters wedding, I'm HOPING that I'll need to have it altered, meaning I've lost enough weight!!
• My brother is frustrating, don't call me a couple of hours before you are having cake and ice cream for your daughters birthday, you knew all week.
• Seriously considering shacking up...we spend every night together anyway...
• Cheddar's in my town, is seriously a restaurant for black people...I've never been to another restaurant where 80% of the customers were black...
• I love shopping with my mom!!!  It doesn't matter where we go, or if I actually buy anything...
• I'm saying goodbye to my elliptical...
• I walked into one of my co-workes cubicles right after he must have passed gas, it was gross...
• I want a wig...Or some weekend hair, I bet I could get one and people wouldn't be able to tell if it was my hair or not!!!
• Couch to 5k is going well, I'm going to sign up for my first race this weekend, it isn't until June, but I'm hoping it will help keeping me focused!!
• 
  

Every Penny...

Although I'm working on getting out of debt, I can sometimes be a little frugal.  Well, maybe not frugal, but I try to find deals.  There's a Tar.get about 1 minute from my house, so I shop there somewhat regularly.  If you use your Tar.get card, you automatically save 5%.  Now, when I owed them money, I never really used my card, because I knew I wasn't really saving 5%.  You only save if you DON'T have to pay the interest.  Well, now that I've paid them off, whenever I shop there, I use my card, and once I'm done paying, I IMMEDIATELY walk over to customer service, and pay it off.  Initially, I would tell myself, oh, it's only 5%, it's not that much.  And it's not, but, it's 5%.  I'm saving 5% with very minimal effort.  And, every penny counts...

Week 13 Goals

Recap of last week:

1. Workout 5 times. - FAIL - I worked out 4 times.  I missed Thursday and Friday.  But, instead my typical, oh well I'm not going to make my goal, start over on Monday, I worked out as much as I could. 

I didn't really have any other goals from last week. 

Goals for this week:

1. Workout 5 times.  And, get my 3 weight lifting sessions in.  I've been doing both, but last week, I only lifted weights once.  I need all 3 sessions.

2. Drink 8 cups of water a day.

3. COOK.  I have been eating out WAY too much, time to get on track.  No eating out for dinner before the weekend.

4. No credit cards.  This will be a tight week, I cannot allow myself to turn to cc's for a break.  I have enough food at home to eat off of all week.  I don't need gas.  I have no excuse!

Week 12 Goals

Recap of last week:

1. Workout 5 times. - Pass!!!  My part time job isn't bad at all.  I'm not there as late as I thought I would be, so I have time to workout at night.  I even worked out in the morning a couple of times last week!!

2. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.  - FAIL - There were probably a few days of 7 hours or more, but I'm pretty sure they were on the weekend.

3.Take lunch two times a week. - FAIL - I did not take my lunch one day :-(. 

Goals for this week:


I waited entirely too late in the week to do this post.  So, I'm not going to post any goals for two reasons.  1, if I put a goal that I've pretty much already attained, I feel like it's cheating.  2, if I haven't attained it, I probably won't with it being Thursday.

I know I will get my 5 workouts in, I've worked out twice this week, and I plan on working out tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday (maybe Sunday, but we'll see). 


I am on week 4 of Couch to 5k, this week is tough.  Well, tough for me, the 5 minute runs are killing me, but I'm fighting through.  I've found a couple of 5k's that I can sign up for, but I'm leaning towards one on June 18th. It's about 13 weeks away, plenty of time to get a respectable 5k time, for me.  There are about 5 more weeks to complete couch to 5k, so that gives me some time to work on increasing my run time, work on my breathing, and whatever else I may need to do (I need to do some research maybe).  This will be my first ever race, so I'm looking to enjoy it!!  If anyone has any tips, I'm open!!!!

I had a very irresponsible weekend, I left my camera in my best friends car, I lost my ID, and a credit card (one that is paid off :-)).  I've ordered a new ID, that should be here within the next week, and reported my card lost.  Luckily I realized on Sunday before anyone could find and use my credit card.  I need to get it together.

Random....

• I've had my new license plate sticker for almost 2 weeks, I should probably put it on my car before the one on there expires...
• Sooooo ready for a vacation...
• Easter is late this year...
• Someone asked me why I picked up a part time job...O_o, I'll give you one guess...I want more money...
• Thinking I'm going to straighten my hair this weekend...
• Poetry's birthday is today (March 16th, in case I don't post this today)...
• I have almost 500 pictures on my camera, well, on the memory card, ALL of them are on my laptop, I think it's safe to start deleting...
• I need to shop more...Well, I typically go months without shopping, and then, all at once, I try to get all of the things I think I need, I need to shop like once a month or something, and pick up a couple things here and there...
• I want some really cute maxi dresses for the summer...
• I want a few blazers too...
• My sister has a NO.OK Color that she does not know how to use...guess who does EVERYTHING except read the books for her??????
• I want to paint my nails this weekend...
• I'm considering cutting my hair...I'm happy that it's getting long though...
• Week 2 of Couch to 5k is harder than I thought, I'm supposed to start week 3 today...I'm scurred, lol...
• I need to get a good workout in today...
• I want to go to Italy...
• This warm weather is making me want to shop for some reason...
• It's getting easier to make healthier decisions...I know I have a long way to go though...
• Twenty dollars here and there adds up...
• Is gas ever going to be reasonable again???
  

Careful What you Wish For...

So, about a month or so ago, my sister picked up a part time job at a place that cleans up office buildings.  Seems like the perfect part time job, just a couple of hours a night, can go in when it's convenient for her, can even have people help her if she wants to.  So, I said hey, sign me up.  I'm trying to get out of debt, I could use some extra money.  So, I went to the company's website, filled out an online application, and had my sister tell the lady that hires people that I was interested.  After a few weeks went by, and I didn't hear anything, I put the thought in the back of my mind.  Meanwhile, my sister was complaining about how she was tired of it, which made me think, I probably don't want to do it either.  It would be ok for a little while, and I would eventually tire of it as well.

Fast forward, to last week, I get a call from the woman that does the hiring.  She left a message, with the details of the job she has available.  I call her back, thinking I'm going to setup an interview, she has me meet her at the building where the job is located, she brings all the paperwork for a new employee, and basically tells me if I'm interested, it's mine.  So I say sure, I'll try it out.  I'm not too sure if it's going to workout though.  It's not nearly as flexible as my sisters.  I will be working with 2 other people that I don't know, so we work a set schedule.  It's EVERY day.  And, because I work with other people, I can't bring anyone in to help me.  

Needless to say, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to, or want to, work this job, but I'm going to give it a try.  If it doesn't work out, I'll just tell the woman that I'll do it until she can find someone to replace me.  I believe if nothing else, it will force me to be much more organized. 

WHY?????????

Just a few gems from the weekend...

Goodbye...

I have to say goodbye to my scale.  I feel myself being discouraged already, when the number on the scale doesn't seem to match the effort I feel I'm giving in the gym.  I get down, and thoughts like "why work this hard for nothing" enter my head, even though I know better.  So, I'm hiding the scale from myself, for a while.  I know what my starting weight was, and I will not get on the scale again until April 3rd at the earliest.  I want to focus more on making sure I get a good workout, I'm consistent with going to the gym, and that I'm making healthier choices when I eat.  I still want to lose 2 pounds a week, but I am not going to make the number on the scale my main focus.  Working out 5 days a week will be my focus. 

Week 11 Goals

Recap of last week:

1. Workout 5 times - PASS - I really feel like I'm winning, lol.  I worked out 5 times this week, they were good workouts too!

2. Drink 8 cups of water every day. - PASS

3. Lose 2 pounds. - I'm not sure, I will explain later!!!

4. Take more blog-worthy photos :-) - Just to liven it up a bit. - Well, I'm going to have to say FAIL.  I took a couple of pictures, but not enough.

Goals for this week:

1. Workout 5 times. - I am starting a part time job, more to come later about that, but I do not want my workouts to fall off because of it.  I am prepared to quit the job in order to stay focused on my workouts.

2. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.  - I'm going to workout in the morning a couple of times this week, and in order for this to happen, I need to get to bed early enough to feel rested!

3.Take lunch two times a week. - I have not been keeping up with bringing my lunch to work :-(. 

Since I'm starting this part time job, I'm going to see how things go this week, I don't want to put too much on my plate.

Social Network Love

** Let me start by saying, I have been guilty of the very thing I am going to talk about. **

Why do we (myself included), as adults, feel the need to let the world into our lives.  Specifically, our personal lives.  We meet someone, we update our twitter, fb walls, whatever, telling the world how great our dates are, how this guy is different, and so on.  We make it official, and immediately update our relationship status, sometimes even linking our significant other on our page.  Things are going great, everyone in our circle, even lurkers, know that I'm in love.

Then, there's a hiccup in our relationship, we stop posting about the miraculous-ness of our significant other, we start posting more insightful things. Then, when it's over, really over, we change our relationship status back to single, or hide it, or anything we can think of to save face.  After some time, when we think no one will notice, we start posting about the joys of being single.  How we are a great catch, and anyone who let us go lost out on a good thing.

Now, I won't lie, when I'm feeling like being nosey, I'll go to a distant associates page, to see what is going on with them.  And I will look through their wall, pictures, information, just to see what's going on in their lives.  And it's crazy to me just how much I can find out without speaking to said person, or someone close to them.  

We meet someone new, the cycle continues.  Now, I can't say that I've done EVERYTHING mentioned above, but I've seen it done by so many people, it perplexes me.  And having done that foolishness once, I have not done it again.  I won't say that I will NEVER change my relationship status, hopefully one day it will ready MARRIED.  Until then, it's not necessary to change it, in my opinion.  If you aren't close enough to me to know that I'm in a relationship without looking at my fb relationship status, then guess what, it's none of your business. 

Now let me say this, I don't see anything wrong with updating your relationship status to being in a relationship, if you truly believe that relationship is going to last.  But if you are updating your relationship status once a quarter, maybe you should give the relationship some private time, before putting it out there for the public to engage in.

Ah-well, to each his own I suppose...

Week 10 Goals

I have been eating maple oatmeal, with a banana cut up in it, and almonds for breakfast.  It is really good, but I need to switch it up!

Recap of last week:

1. Workout 5 times - Although I've worked out at least 3 times the past couple of weeks, I need to step my workouts up.  It's time!!! - PASS!!!!!!!!!  I feel great that I passed this goal.  It was tough, but I did it.  I also stepped my workouts up, my body feels tight, and a little sore.  What a great feeling!!

2. Eat a fruit and/or a vegetable with every meal. - PASS!!  Although my fruit and vegetable choices were a little bland, I did it!!! 

3. Drink 8 cups of water every day. - PASS - sort of.  Well, I didn't get exactly 8 cups in every day (I did most days though) I only had water and green tea to drink last week, and I am happy about that.  I need to have a water bottle with me at all times, especially on the weekend to ensure I get at least 8 cups in each day.

I knit a little bit last week, hopefully I can at least a little bit of knitting in this week to, and eventually finish the forever scarf!!!




Goals for this week:
1. Workout 5 times - I'm really looking forward to this goal.

2. Drink 8 cups of water every day.

3. Lose 2 pounds.  I go to Jamaica in 17 weeks, I want to lose 2 pounds a week until I leave.  I don't think it's a lot, but I do think it will keep me focused enough to stick with my healthiness goals!  And it would be an added bonus to not hide from the camera at my sisters wedding!!  I lost 3 pounds last week, so I'm on way!!!

4. Take more blog-worthy photos :-) - Just to liven it up a bit.

The Painted Hand

So, I've been buying finger nail polish, adding to some that I already have. I'm developing a small collection, yet I don't paint my nails very often. I had gotten a manicure last summer sometime, it was a really pretty pink, and I have been trying to find a similar color ever since. Well, I found one that's close, purchased and painted my nails!!! Go me, lol!!!  Isn't it pretty???

In Love...

I enjoy, way too much, the bowls, or naked burritos at Chi.potle and Q.doba.  So, I had the wonderful idea to create something similar at home last night.  Take a look!!

Lots of lettuce, Spanish rice, grilled chicken breast, tortilla chips, and salsa. It was very tasty!!!

Week 9 Goals

Recap of last week:

1. Knit :-). FAIL...Again - I'm really not concerned about it though, a crafting goal isn't that serious to me, I do want to finish my scarf though!!

2. Exercise 3 times. - I did it, I ran when there was snow out.  I even took pictures, but somehow, I plugged my phone up, and ALL of my pictures are gone :-(...I guess I could look on my camera and see if anything is blog worthy...

3. No Credit Cards!!! - I am proud of myself, I've passed this goal all year!!! 

4. Bring lunch 2 times. - FAIL - I brought my lunch one time...

Goals for this week:


My main goals this year, are to take better care of my hair, get healthier, and pay off as much debt as possible.  So, those are what I will focus on.  I have my debt payoff goal in place and is automatically taken care of before I see any money from my check.  So I'm not too concerned about that, I just have to make sure I don't change anything, and once one bill is paid off, put the money going towards that bill, on another bill instead of leaving it in my checking account, and everything will fall into place there.  I have not used any credit cards this year, so I'm proud of myself there.  I have also been doing an awesome job with my hair.  I trimmed it in January, and I've been either deep conditioning, hot oiling, and protein treating it every weekend.  The one goal, that I have not been able to get together like I would like, is my goal to be healthier.  Not fast enough for my liking anyway.  With that said, I think all of my goals this week will be health goals!!!

1. Workout 5 times - Although I've worked out at least 3 times the past couple of weeks, I need to step my workouts up.  It's time!!!

2. Eat a fruit and/or a vegetable with every meal.

3. Drink 8 cups of water every day.

That's all I've got this week :-).  Even though I didn't list out any hair or money goals, they are still in the front of my mind.  Oh, and I promise to have pictures soon!!!