is this thing on?

It's been awhile since I've written, but to be honest it's been awhile since I've done much else besides schoolwork. It turns out I really like phonetics(!). At first I was so daunted by the IPA, but now that I've spent some time with it I've totally nerded out on it. I'm still struggling a lot with figuring out which are the stressed syllables in words, but I'm slowly catching on. I have so much respect for people learning English, it's so crazy! There are a ton of rules, and almost just as many exceptions.

Yesterday I spent eight hours in the library (minus my break for lunch.) When I was doing my undergraduate work, I always wondered how people could spend so much time in the library. I figured you could learn whatever you needed to for your classes and be done in a couple hours. I am eating all those words now. I spend hours in there and still wish there were a few more hours in the day so I could feel caught up.

I decided I am going to take Neurology this summer if my funding goes through. Between that class and studying for the GRE it will be a full summer!

I'm hoping that in the coming months I can learn how to balance a little more. I'd love to be able to make some time to go back to the gym (Remember when I was going 5 days a week? Now I'm lucky if I squeeze in one!)

Speaking of trying to do something other than study, this weekend I am going to try to finish making our yard less of a fire hazard de-weeding our planter boxes, so I can plant some veggies. I know it's a little late, but I figure if I use established plants I can still get away with planting so late. I want fresh tomatoes!

Alright, back to learning about literacy in children and the muscles of the face/jaw/tongue!

What I've been consuming...

Today is absolutely gorgeous out--- Proof that it doesn't rain in Portland all the time!

My classes are keeping me ridiculously busy and forcing my brain to work harder than it's had to work in a long time. But, I (think I) am enjoying them. I'm learning a ton of new information, and all of it feels applicable to my career, which is such a good feeling.

Today I tried making a smoothie for the first time in a long time. I've been trying really hard to get some more vitamins/nutrients in my body (I did also start taking gummy vitamins, that are delicious!)

It was a pretty simple recipe: 3/4 cup whole soy vanilla yogurt, 1 cup frozen mixed berries, and 1/2 banana.  I think I'm going to figure out how to sneak some more good-for-you-stuff in there (like kale maybe?)

And since I seem to have made this a food post, here are some other delicious things I've been eating:

Nutty Noodles, Stirfry Veggies, and Trader Joes Chickenless Mandarin Orange Morsels

Vegetarian chili and cheese over Multigrain Sea Salt w/ Flax Seeds Tortilla Chips

Hello Life.

I haven't felt much like writing lately. Life has been busy. I just got back from visiting family and some of my favorite friends in Chico. I was so happy that my BFF drove up from Oakland! We got to to eat at some of my favorite places in Chico:

I also got to spend some time with my Mom, which included this totally amazing impulse purchase of whom I call "Bertha":

And to stop by some of my favorite local spots:

But, spring break is over and now I am preparing to start my first official quarter of the my post-bacc Speech & Hearing program. I am signed up for: Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Swallowing, Phonetics & Acoustics, and Speech-Language Development of Children. I am excited, but nervous!

To start the quarter of with a bang I am currently awake at 4am with a crazy sore throat, swollen glands in my neck, and feverish chills. Not exactly how I planned on starting classes. Hopefully it's a quick bug that goes away soon.

Weekend Plans

This weekend my love is off racing in Washington and it's just me and the pups & cats at our house.

I was a little sad today to see him off, but luckily I had a belated wedding present from my Dad arrive:

(Excuse my tacky monitor reflection)

Other than that, my plan this weekend is to study for finals, kick butt on week 3 of couch-to-5k, and snuggle with my furkids + this adorable lady, Lois, that I am babysitting for the weekend:

Lifestyle Changes.

A few weeks ago I sort of had a quarter(ish)-life crisis about my overall lifestyle. My stomach was all messed up from eating like crap, not sleeping enough, and not being active enough. I decided I need a goal to work towards, so I made a promise to myself I was going to fufill my 2012 resolution of running an entire 5k. I remembered the "Couch to 5k" plan and decided I'd model my training after that.

I cheated, in the sense that I didn't exactly start on the "couch" side of the workout spectrum, but I wasn't too far above it, we could just say like, "semi-couch-potato to 5k." I was going to the gym last year, but it definitely slowed down in January. The gym just got so crowded due to all the "new years" people and I totally dropped the desire to go. Plus, it was cold and rainy and gross out and staying at home in pajamas and watching way too much Instant netflix just sounded better. This Southern California born&raised girl just still can't quite get used to the rain.

So yes, I took a screenshot of the Couch to 5K plan on my phone and headed to the gym. The first workout was hard. There was a lot of sweat, cramps, and internal whining. But I made it through. Although I admit, my gym's cable definitely was a motivator. I wanted to watch cheesy TV shows. How can you not get sucked into Renovation Realities. Don't you want to know how the inexperienced naive homeowner's DIY project turned out?!

And I kept going back... every day. I only did the couch-to-5k plan 3x a week, and the other days I just did an overall workout (20-25 min treadmill, 15-20 min bike) it didn't take up too much time, but it made me work up a sweat. My official plan in work out Monday-Friday, and take Saturday/Sunday off (and get outdoors! Oregon weather permitting) :)

I've noticed a lot of things since I first started working out. One is that women engage in a lot of negative self talk. It makes me cringe when I hear people say, "Oh, I gotta go workout, gotta get rid of my flabby arms/gut before bathing suit season." It's something I feel like I am surrounded in constantly. I often feel like I don't fit into a circle-- I do embrace a lot of notions of the Fat Acceptance/Positive Movement. I think that women should lovingly accept their body and not be shamed into losing weight. If you like who you are, embrace yourself! But for me, yes, I have a gut, & it's part of who I am right now and that's OK. But I also am not offended by people who have a goal to lose weight. I don't want to have a gut and the resulting back problems, so I am working out. But it doesn't mean I need to engage in negative self talk and beat myself up about it all the time. Yes, I track my calories each day, but I still eat chocolate and drink a beer if I want one, I don't think I am some sort of diet-failure. I don't need to starve myself to get my body to a place where I feel more comfortable in my own skin.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox.

In doing all of this, I should reach my goal of jogging an entire 5K, and then after that, who knows? Maybe I'll join my husband in cycling. :)

Learning to read...

Tomorrow is Dr. Seuss' birthday and at the elementary school I volunteer at (through the Smart Reader program) 4 boxes of Dr. Seuss books were donated. Each child got to pick out a Dr. Seuss book to bring home. I volunteered for two hours, which meant I read a crazy amount of Dr. Seuss today. But it was so fun to see kindergartners and first graders read (or at least try to) Dr. Seuss. I hadn't read one of his books since I was a kid. Such a fun flashback! I loved all the illustrations inside.

11 Things

Tonight I felt like writing, but sort of hit a writers block when I was starring at the screen. Then I remember the "11 Things" post floating around. I used Danielle's.

These are five rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you've tagged them.

I took this earlier. I was having a starring contest with the cat. 

11 Random Things:


1. I watch college football. Yes, it's totally out of character for me. But I went to UCLA football games from 3rd grade through junior high. It made me a lifelong fan (Even if they are doing horribly right now) Then when I met Colin he has slowly converted me to liking a select amount of pro football (Basically, just his favorite team, NY Giants) When games are on, expect to see me cook up a bunch of "Tailgating food" and parked on the couch.


2. I love Scrabble and fantasize about memorizing the entire SOWPODS word list.


3. I'm totally grossed out by people who drink the milk from their cereal. I don't know why. I think it's sort of wasteful to throw it out, but it still grosses me out.


4. I judge people by their shoes. It will be one of the first things I notice about someone.


5. I've been around computers since I was the early 90s. Having parents in the technology field meant we were a pretty techie household. I completed Mavis Beacon Typing program over the summer for fun when I was in elementary school. I got AOL in fifth grade. I can still hear the noises of dial-up.


6. I cannot wear holiday colors together (red/green or orange/black) on non-holidays, it bugs me whenever I see it. 


7. I love public speaking -- give me a crowd of thousands and I will speak confidently and comfortably in front of them. But if you put a test in front of me-- I will have a full on anxiety attack if I don't crazy overprep myself.


8. I am neurotic with my finances. I reconcile my account in Quicken at least weekly. It doesn't always mean I'm good with money, but I do know where every cent I spend goes.


9. I recently started training for a 5k. By the end of 2012, I am aiming to complete at least two 5ks.


10. I still sleep with a stuffed animal from my childhood. It's a hippo my mom gave me when I was little. I put it away for a few years when I first moved out because I wanted to look "cool and adult." But it slowly made it's way back out once I stopped caring.


11. I have been in six car accidents, three of them totaled cars. Only one was my fault.




And Danielle's questions...


1. If money, schooling or time was no obstacle, what career would you choose?
I actually am really passionate about the career I am currently pursuing (Speech Pathology) But if I had to chose something else ... Some kind of interior designer. I love shopping for people and decorating their houses. There's something about meeting someone, getting a sense of their style/taste and then taking their space and transforming it to make it represent them that is extremely satisfying. 

2. What's the one thing you look forward to every day?
Waking up next to Colin and our two dogs/two cats.

3. What is your number one, all-time, favorite blog?
Excluding personal friend blogs, I am a total sucker for the Post Secrets blog. People's secrets fascinate me.

4. Biggest online pet peeve?
I hate tacky self-promotion in comments.

5. What is your all-time favorite book?
It's sort of cliche, but Catcher in The Rye. It impacted me a lot in high school.

6. What would your "last meal" be?
Grilled cheese with fries and a icy diet coke from In&Out.

7. Do you believe in love at first site?
No. Being drawn to someone at first site? yes.

8. What would your ideal Sunday morning consist of?
Waking up, watching political shows with Colin, eating breakfast in bed, and then taking a walk around the park.

9. Why do you blog?
To clear my head.

10. If you had to choose one color to wear forever, what would you pick?
Slate grey. So boring :)




I'm horrible at tagging people and I think I only have like 3 readers. ha. So fill it out if you desire and comment and let me know you did. Here are my questions:
1. How did you spend you favorite birthday?
2. Who is your best friend? (other than a spouse, that's cheating!) :)  Why do you consider them that?
3. Favorite way to spend a Friday night?
4. A song you could listen to over & over?
5. What does your favorite outfit look like?
6. What is the strangest dream you've had?
7. What do you hope your life will look like in 10 years?
8. If you won $1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
9. If you could move anywhere, where would it be and why?
10. What is one thing that currently costs money in our society, that you wish were free?
11. What do you feel is your greatest talent/skill?