What A Year

Last year at this time I had recently quit a job that had been making me miserable more often than it made me happy.  I quit via an email sent from my phone in the middle of the day and never looked back.  I felt immediately better. I had no job lined up and was finishing my last two classes of grad school but I somehow felt totally calm about the situation.

I took last summer as an opportunity to figure out if teaching was really it for me.  I have worked in only high stress teaching environments: a high school for at-risk youth, a school for cognitively delayed children with emotional disturbances, and an urban charter school who was not making it's state mandated goals.  I applied to teaching jobs for high schools but more selectively than in the past.  I even applied at a non-profit as an event planner.  I looked into editing and writing jobs.  I scoured job search sites for anything that remotely interested me and came up largely short.

As I completed my MA in English I came back to the idea I'd had when I first started it; I could teach at the college level.  I started applying.  Mostly to proprietary schools but to others as well.  Finally, I got a call, and by the end of the interview I was being handed the books for the courses and sample syllabi.  I taught four courses last fall and while I still was teaching a stressful population I loved it.  I met awesome people and I really bonded with several students.  Unfortunately they had to tell me they couldn't offer me four courses again.  I felt a little panicked.  Someone was looking out for me though and the school I really wanted to teach at offered me three classes at a significantly higher pay rate.  And that is where I remain.  I have reclaimed the joy that teaching is to me.  I love it.

Sure, I still have moments of stress but everyone does at their job.  Largely though I feel reinvigorated.  I am trying to learn as much as I can about teaching at this new level.  A part of me still really really wants to teach high school in my old school district.  But now, I know that even if I never get to I can still be very very happy.  I am finally on a path that I feel incredibly confident about and that excites me.

I have so much other stuff on my plate right now as I enter this next phase of my life, my thirties, and I can't wait to share it with the people that matter to me.

Feeling Motivated

I am feeling motivated, in case my title didn't clue you in.  I thought I'd update again on my 30 before 30 because I'm making progress!

1.  Buy a home.
2.  Go Dancing
3.  RUN a 5k in under 30 minutes- train for a half marathon
4.  Dye my hair
5.  Host a dinner party
6.  Go 30 days in a row without fast food
7.  Save enough money to cover my bills for the summer Over 25% there!
8.  Crochet an adult size blanket.
9.  Make $500 on Teacher's Pay Teachers Just hit the $200 mark!
10.  Make my book review blog active again
11.  Read 3 non-fiction books (any suggestions?)
12.  Take a picture a day I wish I were doing better, but I have taken a lot of photos.
13.  Be published or at least submit my essay for publication
14.  De-Clutter my life Bedroom done!
15. Visit MOCA
16.  Find Love I'm in a relationship with a great guy!
17.  Spend quality one on one time with as many friends as possible
18.  Go see The Cleveland Orchestra
19.  Take or at least book an out of state trip (other than my already planned trip to CALI this summer)
20.  Join two professional organizations
21. Fly a Kite (Thanks KD for the suggestion!)
22.  Purchase REAL art
23.  Complete 30 Random Acts of Kindness
24.  Buy a VW Beetle
25.  Complete a 1,000 piece puzzle Bought a puzzle!
26.  Eat at a fancy restaurant
27.  Write thank you notes to people who have made a difference in my life
28.  Drink 2 bottles of water a day for 30 days
29.  Take a class- either art or dancing
30.  Go to Amish Country

I am so ready to move on so many of the things on this list.  I am feeling like my life is very much on the track I want it to be on!  I am thinking as I head into 2014 that it might be my best year yet!

5 months!

The clock just keeps ticking doesn't it?

Well I'm almost done with my 30 days without fast food.  I will say twice I got a quick sandwich due to 13 hr workdays and poor planning on my part, so I'm taking 2 days onto the end... that puts my end date at December 10th.  However, it's been easier than I thought so I'm going to still work at making fast food a truly last resort, and I will work on actually eating healthier food at home.

I've worked out once.  I know, not too great for training for a 5k, but I've got 5 months and I will get there.

I'm working on getting my finances together so I can get pre-approved for a mortgage and then I can really look into buying a home.

The 30 days of drinking 2 bottles of water has proven very very difficult.  So I'm going to start again.  I'm thinking tomorrow might be good for that.

My sales on TPT have been slower this month, but there's a huge sale tomorrow and Tuesday that I'm hoping will give me my biggest month yet!

With the amount of subbing I'm doing I've been able to put a couple hundred bucks every two weeks towards my summer savings so here's hoping I'll reach that savings goal ASAP!  I just need to get more days in and the districts that pay me just over $10 an hour.

Thanksgiving was great this year and I have so much in my life to be thankful for.

Hope the start to the holiday season is going as wonderfully for you as it is for me!


Here are some of my pic a day pics:

Nov 1: My boy Titus.

Nov 2:  I was clearly a sexy King Pig for Halloween.


Nov 3:  Driving home from Columbus- Instagram automatically flipped it so I left it.


Nov 16: (I have more pictures, just not posting all of them here.)  My first date surprise.  He got more dates :)



Nov 25: Months without working out.... I was not happy.

Progress on My 30 Before 30

I'm doing pretty well on the picture a day goal.  And, I haven't had fast food since Thursday, November 7th so I'm on a roll with that.  I should have probably started the working out and drinking water goals at the same time, but they will be forthcoming.

I need to buy a puzzle to complete, and clear an area to work on it.

I'm really glad that I've decided to do this!  I think it will be good for me!

Thanks for the support!

6 Months 30 Things to get me to 30

Two days ago marked the six month mark till my GASP! 30th birthday.  Never mind the fact that even when wearing a suit while teaching at the local high school the security guards ask me if I'm a student- it's true, I'm getting older.  I probably should have thought of this idea six months ago on my golden birthday, but alas, I didn't.  So I'm doing it now.  I'm giving myself a list of 30 goals to accomplish before hitting this next milestone in my life.  Some of them are BIG some of them are small, some of them are just for fun and some are more serious, but all of them are important to me.

Before I get to my list let's look at some of the things I've already accomplished, tried, or experienced in this last year of my 20s.

1.  I quit a job that was making me unhappy.
2.  I got my Master's Degree!
3.  I started a new job doing something I've never done before!
4.  I dated multiple people.
5.  I took a spontaneous road-trip with my best friend.
6.  I took a not so spontaneous road-trip with a good friend.
7.  I volunteered at a charity event.
8.  I split a block of granite in half with some awesome people.
9.  I went to a geology lecture.
10.  I tried moonshine!

I'm sure there are things I'm missing but these were the things that stood out to me.  This is definitely going to be one of my best years yet!

So, in no particular order, here is MY LIST!

1.  Buy a home.
2.  Go Dancing
3.  RUN a 5k in under 30 minutes- train for a half marathon
4.  Dye my hair
5.  Host a dinner party
6.  Go 30 days in a row without fast food
7.  Save enough money to cover my bills for the summer
8.  Crochet an adult size blanket.
9.  Make $500 on Teacher's Pay Teachers
10.  Make my book review blog active again
11.  Read 3 non-fiction books (any suggestions?)
12.  Take a picture a day
13.  Be published or at least submit my essay for publication
14.  De-Clutter my life
15. Visit MOCA
16.  Find Love
17.  Spend quality one on one time with as many friends as possible
18.  Go see The Cleveland Orchestra
19.  Take or at least book an out of state trip (other than my already planned trip to CALI this summer)
20.  Join two professional organizations
21. Fly a Kite (Thanks KD for the suggestion!)
22.  Purchase REAL art
23.  Complete 30 Random Acts of Kindness
24.  Buy a VW Beetle
25.  Complete a 1,000 piece puzzle
26.  Eat at a fancy restaurant
27.  Write thank you notes to people who have made a difference in my life
28.  Drink 2 bottles of water a day for 30 days
29.  Take a class- either art or dancing
30.  Go to Amish Country

I will officially start TOMORROW!  So excited to see what the next six months bring.

Summer Wrap Up

At the beginning of the summer I posted my bucket list for the months of June, July, and August.  Now that we're at Labor Day it's time to evaluate my summer...

As a reminder, here is my bucket list...

Sara's Summer Bucket List:

1. Go to Bar Harbor, ME!!

2. Attend a Wade Oval Wednesday

3. See Shakespeare in a park

4. Go to the beach

5. Crafting!

6. Girls Nights!

7. Date Nights! I'm having a lot of fun dating and figuring out who really is a solid match for me!

8. Bonfires

9. Lay out at a pool

10. Cook out

11. Outdoor runs

12. Read fun books!

13. Go to the Zoo

14. See the summer blockbusters! - So far I've seen Fast and the Furious 6, Superman, Heat, 

15. Day drink!

16. Finish my MA Essay

17. Go to Cedar Point
18. Find a job!


I definitely didn't complete everything on this list, but I have to say I'm really happy with how this summer went for me.  My trip to Bar Harbor was amazing.  I saw whales, caught up with friends, went nature creeping, and ate lots of lobster.

Lobstah!

I had several awesome girls nights with margaritas, tacos, and gossiping that made me continue to appreciate the friendships I've been cultivating for years.  My ladies are truly awesome.

This was the first summer that I really made a point of putting myself out there and dating.  I kept things casual and it's been great.  Everyone I met or gave a chance too has been awesome.  Some have stuck around, some I've let fall away, but all have been good experiences.  There have been movies, hikes, dinners, parties, cook outs, and one lucky guy even got a home cooked meal.  Now that summer is over and my schedule is going to get crazy we'll have to see how everything works out.  But I certainly have no regrets.

Homecooked!

I got to hang out with several of my co-workers this summer which was super fun.  While my job wasn't the right fit for me last year, my co-workers were stellar and I'm glad to be continuing friendships with them.  Corn-hole, day drinking, night drinking, a play, and lots of stupid snap chats made it a fun time.

My spur of the moment road trip with my bff to Gatlinburg was a perfect little get away.  We saw the most hilarious things, got caught in tourist traps, and sampled lots of types of alcohol.

Moonshine!

Perhaps most importantly I finished my MA Essay and, as of yesterday, GRADUATED graduate school!  I'm so glad to be done.  And, because I now have an MA in English, I was able to complete #18 and procure a job!  This year I'm going to be teaching college composition classes at a career college downtown.  I'm excited for the challenge but nervous too.

Other random summer highlights:

Pole dancing class!
Oktoberfest!
Taste of Tremont!
The Lion King!

Sexy, I know.

Rock Star Accordion!

Goodbye Summer... Hello Fall!

Sara in Colorado: Day 4

Day 4 (July 9th) was rock climbing day.  For those of you who know me you know I have a relatively intense fear of heights yet every year I challenge myself to confront this fear head on and attempt either rock climbing or a high ropes course or both.  This year my good friend Matt who I've known since approximately 1999 was the rock climbing instructor along with his climbing buddy Nick and was assisted by another long time friend, James.

We were climbing on these beautiful red and orange toned rocks.  The boys had set up our ropes on two opposing walls and it was simply put, gorgeous.  Matt and Nick were great at explaining how to tie our own ropes to our harnesses and teaching us how to belay- that is, how to be the person making sure the climber doesn't fall if they slip while on the rock.

Before I knew it it was my turn.  I had my climbing shoes on, my harness, and my helmet; I was ready to go.  I looked at James, who was belaying me and stated, "on belay?"  He calmly replied, "belay on."  I continued our climbing communication, "climbing?" "Climb on" came the response and I was officially on the rock wall.  The thing about rock climbing is, as a spectator, you see all these cracks and ridges and holds for a climber's hands and feet but when you are right there, face to face with the wall it feels impossible.  But it's not.

I slowly began carefully placing my hands and feet on the wall while continually asking James to keep tension on my rope.  I was soon up a few feet and to my surprise felt extremely comfortable on the wall.  My muscles weren't tight, my hands weren't cramping, and my legs weren't shaking.  I hadn't started freaking out.  I was suddenly hit with this feeling that I really could make it!  I continued up until I hit an area of difficulty.

As I paused to assess my options I heard my friends yelling their encouragement and offering their suggestions.  I hoisted my leg up- using my long legs to their full advantage and surpassed the smooth section of rock before me.  I was within two feet or so of the top of the rope but I had moved several feet off to the side from it.  Not about to stop so close to my goal I edged my way, hugging the rock, to the area directly under the carabiners that were holding my ropes.  Another step or two up and BAM my hand reached up and slapped the carabiners!  I had made it.  Insisting upon proof, I had my friends snap a few pictures of me!  It was amazing, I was so comfortable on the rock that I was able to chill at the top enjoying the view and posing.

I'm sure you've all heard the saying... "What goes up, must come down."  After I reached the top, posed for my pictures, and enjoyed the view it was time to get back down!  I told James, my belayer, that I was ready and he reminded me to place my feet flat on the rock wall and to sit back.  This was probably the most nerve-wracking, but it was fun too and I was able to back myself all the way down to firm ground.

Phew, I was finally done.  Or so I thought.  The boys had other ideas for me... scary ideas... like walking backwards off of the side of a cliff.  (That is, repelling.)  I tried to avoid it, but feeling a bit enthusiastic after the best climb of my life I agreed to it.  

First, I had to scramble over a bunch of rocks to get to the top.  Then I hooked into a horizontal line as I edged along the cliff to the repelling station.  Lastly, I received my instructions on how to lower myself slowly to the ground.  After getting strapped in Nick told me I could start.  It was such a weird feeling to me to walk backwards towards the edge of this rock wall and start going backwards.  Once I was on the wall it wasn't nearly as scary since it was a lot like coming back down after climbing.  

And with that, my rock climbing experience for this summit was over.  I was so proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and really not freaking out!  There is a first for everything.

But what do you follow rock climbing with?  Other than a quick rest in my hotel room I followed it with.... A SQUARE DANCE!   Every summer we square dance at the Family Nature Summit and it is a great time!  I threw on my "country" outfit and headed out on the dance floor with my friends!

We partnered up and do-si-do'ed, promenaded, and generally had a great time.  It was actually a pretty decent workout as well.  If you ever get the chance, definitely go to a square dance.

As you can see Day 4 of my Colorado adventure was chock full of excitement... but there's so much more to come.  

Sara in Colorado: Day 2-3

Day 2 and we were still in Fort Collins.  We took our time having breakfast, hanging out with my aunt and uncle, and gathering the supplies we were borrowing from them for our week of hiking and other activities up in Estes Park.  Finally we got our stuff together and began the drive up up up several more thousand feet!

I'd forgotten how many twists and turns the road into Estes contained.  Surrounded on either side with walls of rock that shimmered in the sun (I'm thinking from mica) and following a flowing river we continued our journey.  There were several signs that had symbols for mountain goat crossings but no matter how much I looked I couldn't find any.

We arrived at the Y and checked in rather painlessly and I began my favorite part of the Summit, greeting all my friends I hadn't seen in a year!  These people have truly become family to me and it is just as exciting now at 28 as it was at age 12 to see my friends again!  After 17 years I can't imagine not attending one of these events.  

It was chilly and rainy and cloudy up at the Y but I really liked the view.  I don't think this picture truly captures how literally in the clouds we were but it really was beautiful.

Day 3 was the first full day of the Family Nature Summit!  I decided to start my week of easily with a four mile hike to a visitor's center in Rocky Mountain National Park.  We crossed streams, saw wildlife, and beautiful scenery.  It was the perfect hike to start the week with!

There's a deer sitting in there, smack dab in the middle- can you find him?

After my morning hike I was much more exhausted than I'd planned.  I think the altitude had finally caught up with me and I was forced to lay down instead of going to a lecture I had planned on attending.  Upon awaking though I felt much better and was able to spend some quality time with my friends.

Stay tuned for rock climbing, wine tasting, and much much more!

Life Changes

I wrote this post several weeks ago but apparently forgot to post it... so here it is now.

I made a big decision official on Wednesday.  I informed my workplace that the next 17 days are my last, and I will not be returning next school year.  I believe whole heartedly that this is the right decision for me.  However, it was a far from easy decision to make.

I LOVE my coworkers.  I really do.  They are dedicated and intelligent and so good at what they do.  Not just the ones in my classroom, but throughout our entire building.  I have made many friends and have people every day checking in on me to see how I'm doing and asking to help.  I enjoy many many aspects of the job I have, but unfortunately for me, there is no real room for growth for me unless I get a counseling or special education license, and neither makes sense for me currently.

6 weeks from now I will be 50% done with my Masters degree coursework.  By attending John Carroll full time next year I can finish by May.  My schedule will be such that I can substitute teach several days a week and get my face into districts I really want to work in.  Upon graduation I can apply to adjunct at local community colleges as well as continuing to apply for full time High School English jobs.  This is the path I have to take.

The sense of relief I have from making my intentions known is great.  My leaving may open up opportunities for others in my school.  But I am still sad.  And, I can admit, scared.  What if this doesn't work out the way I want.  What if I don't get enough sub jobs and can't find a decent part time job that works with my schedule?  I have to trust my gut and stick with the choice I've made.

To any Phoenix people reading this- I appreciate each and every one of you and will miss you greatly.  Don't be surprised if I come and visit.

Another First/Last Date...

Last night I went on another First/Last Date to Dave and Busters.  We'll call him Mr. Spikey Hair.  I want to preface with this wasn't an awful date.  It just wasn't going to lead to a second date for several reasons.  Single men, consider the following a general guide to first dates/dating in general.

1. Texting your date the day of and saying "I think we should hold of eating there because it is mucho expensive" makes you come across as cheap.  I by no means was expecting an expensive dinner but putting it this way was just awkward.  Try saying, "let's meet for a drink" it's clear and doesn't make you sound like a cheapskate.
2. Super gelled spikey hair screams immature (but this would not be a deal breaker- hair can be fixed.)
3. Three mixed drinks (2 margaritas and 1 mojito) in the first hour, especially on a Tuesday and when your date is obviously only having 1, might be over kill.  Do you need to be buzzing to be with me?


I suppose none of these things were deal breakers for me it was just a lack of chemistry in addition to these misjudgments that have me decided that Mr. Spikey Hair will go into my archives of one date wonders.


I met this guy on www.okcupid.com but I've had much more success using Chemistry and Match.

On my 14 day free trial I met a guy that I casually dated for a year.  And, on a free communication weekend I met a guy I dated exclusively for a few months.  Sign up for the free trial- then if you like it I believe you should be able to get 3 months for the price of 1 right now!


On my 3 day trial of Match I managed a few dates with one guy.  Not the guy for me, but really nice.

Just a Pic

This week I sucked at going to the gym so I left happy hour early (GASP!) to hit up Zumba tonight.  I felt great afterwards and decided I should be documenting my progress with my body so here's a picture of my right bicep... try to see the little roundness to it... that wasn't there before.  Impressed?

Oh yeah, I'm getting there.

Double plus for me, I didn't buy the hot dog they were selling at work and instead had a big mixed green salad with grilled chicken and lite balsamic vinaigrette dressing!  I give myself a gold star for effort today!

On My Soapbox

I'm not one to get political on my blog.  In general I let people have their opinions and I have mine.  But lately I'm having a hard time keeping my mouth shut.  This mess about birth control coverage, planned parenthood, and the pro-choice/pro-life debate is really getting to me.  To be clear, I am pro-choice, pro-birth control, and pro-planned parenthood.  Let me explain why I'm having a harder time accepting the view points of those who feel differently than me.

Being pro-choice is NOT being pro-abortion.  I would never tell someone they have to get an abortion, it is even unlikely that I would recommend an abortion to someone.  I do not like the idea of people using abortion instead of practicing safe sex.  BUT it is a woman's choice to do what she wants with her body and there are times when abortions are the best option- albeit an uncomfortable choice for many.

I have a problem with people who say that instead of aborting unwanted babies we can just put them in foster care/ up for adoption or the moms can just take care of them.  This is namely because almost none of the people who I have heard said this are planning to adopt (I on the other hand am).  And, my conservative friends, are less likely to want to support public assistance programs to help these mothers take care of their children.  I've also worked first hand with tons of children in the system and it's a horrible place to be that should be avoided by many.

I've heard the argument that if they can't afford the children they shouldn't have them.  So you'd think this means that these pro-lifers would be in support of lowering the number of unwanted pregnancies.  Yet these are the people saying birth control should not be covered by insurance.  Then I hear the argument that if you can't pay for birth control you either should not have any sex life or you should go to Planned Parenthood.  Again, these same people want to cut funding for Planned Parenthood.  And let's not get started on the fact that Viagra, Cealis, and other ED drugs are covered- and are essentially ONLY about sex not other medical conditions.

As we look at lowering the rate of unwanted pregnancies I think we should turn to the schools.  But AGAIN many of these conservatives refuse to let us teach our students about safe sex.  We can't show them how to use a condom, we can't tell them about birth control.  All we can do is tell them that they shouldn't have sex till their married- and let's face it not only is that naive, but teens don't respond well to strict rules that seem to impede on their ability to make choices for themselves.

In my perfect world there would be comprehensive sex education that encourages teens to wait for a long term exclusive relationship but ALSO teaches them how to use condoms, what their birth control options are, and the dangers of STDs.  This program would help future generations avoid unwanted pregnancies. Insurance would cover a portion of birth control making it accessible to all women.  Planned Parenthood will continue to provide important health services to women and will cover the women who aren't insured.  Birth control use will rise and unwanted pregnancies will decrease.  The overall number of abortions will go down and be used primarily for extreme health situations, cases of rape, and in instances of incest.

What do you think?  I appreciate all viewpoints as long as they are not personal attacks.  If you're pro-choice do you have anything to add?  If you're pro-life what do you think we should do about unwanted pregnancies?  Do you plan on adopting the unwanted kids?  Why or Why not?

Grad School

I'm meeting with my advisor for the first time on Tuesday and one of the things I need to discuss with her is whether or not I plan on per suing my degree full time or part time next year.  So in an effort to better organize my thoughts on it I've decided to create pro/con type lists...

Part-Time:

Pros:
Can work full-time while going to school
Less financial burden at any given time
Potentially less stressful if I remain in my current job where I do not have take home work

Cons:
It will take me over 2 years to complete the degree
I might lose some of my motivation
Could postpone career opportunities

Full-Time:

Pros:
Can focus fully on my classes
Can potentially work a part-time job
Could finish in as little as a year and a half (I think.)

Cons:
More money up front
Would have to stop working full time
Might burn out on school



All in all my lists seem relatively even.  Perhaps I should just view it as if I get my dream job for next year I will go part-time.  If I get laid off due to staff reductions I will go full-time.  I'm unsure where I stand if I'd just be keeping this same low-paying job.  I like what I do but I'm not sure it's furthering my career in anyway.


Any ideas? Thoughts?  I'd love your opinions!

Product Review: Match.com and Chemistry.com

Happy Valentine's Day!  In honor of this "day of love" I thought I'd post about dating! Recently a few people have asked me about my experiences with online dating.  So I thought I'd review two of the sites I've used.

First up is Chemistry.  I found a  14 Day Free Trial to Chemistry.com online (this link will take you to a free trial as well) and decided to test it out.  I created a profile and started searching.  Chemistry strikes me as a mix between Eharmony and Match.com.  The program gives you a "type" and then "matches" you to people they feel you could be compatible with.  I'm not sure how accurate their matching is but I met a few people off of the site and two of them led to a little bit more.  One I ended up dating on and off for a year.  I'm not sure either of us was really in a great place for a relationship but we got along great and had a lot of fun together.  The other guy was "the dude" who I've previously mentioned on here and we dated for 2 months and it was great while it was lasted.  Perhaps we didn't have long term potential but I don't blame Chemistry on that.  If you're thinking about trying online dating check this free trial out and it might even be worth your money!  My friend's dad met his new wife on Chemistry!

 

 I also did a free trial of match.com and then later paid for the service.  I  had several dates from Match.com though none of them went past a second date.  I'm not sure what to attribute this to.  There were A LOT of people to choose from on Match but I had less responses from my matches on there.  So maybe it was just me or how I had my profile filled out.  On Match you put in all the things you want in a partner and sort the sea of people that way.  It gives you more control, though your own thoughts about what you must have or can't have might keep you from seeing some keepers.  Here is a link to 15% off of your fees.  It is probably worth a look!

What services have you tried?  Is online dating the only way to meet people these days?  Thoughts on Match or Chemistry?

Pinterest Crafts! Circle Painting #1

I saw a pin from Two Girls Being Crafty where they made a piece of art very simply and I thought, "I can do that too!" So I did.

The first step in their post has you spray paint the canvas but I skipped that step, I didn't mind a pure white background.  They used a brown paint pen for the stems but I cheaped out and mixed my own brown paint and used a thin brush to paint the lines.  they aren't as perfect and some are thicker than I'd like but it was overall pretty simple to do.  Here is a picture of that step:

Then I started making the circles.  I used red, orange, blue, teal, and a little black.  I mixed colors together to make additional shades.  It was pretty time consuming because I had to clean the sponges in between colors to vary sizes and colors at the same time.  But it was easy.  Here are some pictures of the final product:

What do you think Oh and this all cost me less than $10 and I still have paint left over and the brushes/sponges are reusable!

A Lazy Girl Gets Active

Saturday I went to the local YMCA and filled out almost all of my paperwork to enroll (I finished the rest tonight!).  My friend Katie and I went and did a quick cardio workout.  I did 15 minutes on the elliptical which equalled approximately 1.17 miles.  I took a very easy pace because we were headed to Zumba immediately afterwards!  We then did a 50 minute Zumba class that was packed and SUPER hot.  I was impressed with how I was able to do both the elliptical and the Zumba without dying.  

As I continue my quest for being a healthier person I am looking for ways to keep it fun and to challenge myself.  I'd like to find a race to run in the spring.  But until then, I'm tracking the miles that I do on ellipticals, treadmills, bikes etc and am mapping my progress starting on the east coast and heading towards California.  We'll see how far I can get in a year!

Checking In

So January is coming to a close and I think it's time to check in.  A couple of weeks ago I posted some goals for the new year and I thought I'd remind myself of what they are and see how I've been doing on them.  To refresh your memory here is the list:

Build stronger relationships- as a family member, friend, and romantic interest
Kick butt in my grad school classes
Expand my book blog to include other bloggers and buy my own domain
Read for pleasure as much as possible
Explore Cleveland
Exercise and be healthy
Focus on the positive
Complain less
Be open to change


I feel like I have definitely strengthened some friendships.  I've spent some quality time with my quality peeps and I am happy about that.  My family and I have also been spending time together and getting along which is great.  I can't comment too much on grad school yet- but I did complete my first week of reading and took notes so I think so far so good.  My professor seems great and while it's going to be a lot of work I think it's going to be really fulfilling as well.  


I have sucked at doing stuff with my book review blog, but I will remedy that soon.  Yet, I have been reading for pleasure a LOT, so far it's been one book each week of 2012, which keeps me on track for finally reaching 50 books in one year!


My friend Katie and I went to Zumba once and I filled out the paperwork to get a scholarship to the Y.  So this week I plan on finalizing my membership so I can be healthier.  I've also realized I haven't been eating enough- nor healthily enough so I'm trying to eat 2-3 meals a day and am including a lot more fruit and veggies.  


Focusing on the positive has been really tough for me.  I was in an extremely negative move last week especially in regards to my job.  I decided to try to perk up this year and am trying to focus on school and what my future might bring to keep me positive.  I have also sucked at complaining less.  I've complained a lot.  I'll keep working on that!  Being open to change.  Hmm, I think I am being open to change.  I think my life is in a state of change right now and I'm embracing it.  Let's see what it brings.




How is 2012 turning out for you?

2012 in Cleveland

I've been thinking about this post for a few days now.  Resolutions seem like they are meant to be broken and I don't want to become another statistic.  So, dear readers, I'm going to tell you what I want out of 2012.  I want to be happier in, more content with, prouder of, and thankful for the life that I'm living.

I can see that this is a rather broad statement so what does it all mean?

In 2012 I want to do as many of the following things as possible:

Build stronger relationships- as a family member, friend, and romantic interest
Kick butt in my grad school classes
Expand my book blog to include other bloggers and buy my own domain
Read for pleasure as much as possible
Explore Cleveland
Exercise and be healthy
Focus on the positive
Complain less
Be open to change

I'm going into 2012 feeling good about where my life is headed.  What about you, are you optimistic for what the future holds?

2011 in Cleveland- The Good Stuff

Every year is filled with hits and misses, positives and negatives, successes and failures.  But today, the last day of 2011 I want to reflect on what went right this past year so I can enter 2012 on a positive and cheery note. (And, I guess not all of these things happened in Cleveland, but they all happened to a Clevelander!)

In 2011 I...

• partied with and made new friends when I spent NYE in Las Vegas
• was recalled to my job
• met a guy and had a fun couple of months going on unique dates
• went on a road trip to IKEA with a coworker
• got my first coach purse
• saw my cousin get "hooded" as she finished veterinary school
• went to Missouri and spent a week with some of the best people in the world with www.familysummits.com
• partied with my ladies on Kelley's Island for an awesome bachelorette party
• attended a rocking wedding at the House of Blues
• travelled to St. Joseph Michigan to see my big cousin get hitched
• was the maid of honor in my lil cousin's wedding
• witnessed a friend of 16 years marry the love of her life 
• attended my first professional conference in Chicago! NCTE 2011!
• shared a family holiday with a boyfriend for the first time
• applied for and registered for grad school
• maintained three blogs
• went completely dairy free
• performed twice in front of my entire school as part of the all staff group "the pepettes"
• helped my special ed students perform and film Hamlet
• got a Droid
• adopted Titus (my adorable new kitty!)
• read 14 books!

What went right for you in 2011?  

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday with their family and friends.  As we gear up for the new year I am starting to think about what my goals/resolutions are going to be.  Stay tuned to find out!

In other news I got one of the things, a Glee soundtrack from my Santa wish list and several other things that I didn't ask for but appreciate none the less, including pajamas for my kitten!  I got one big ticket item unexpectedly from my parents but I'll save the surprise till I have a picture to show you.

Happy New Year!