Friday, October 26, 2012

Those One Step Forward Two Steps Back Moments

I think this is one of those. After my friend Sam encouraged me a month ago to run the Turkey Trot again I really couldn't say no. It's become a nice tradition now, something I can share with my dad and a way to get my Thanksgiving morning off to a good start. I was actually kind of excited to get back into running again and give things another try. I even decided I'd be smart and do the couch to 5K so I could try to run the whole thing this year.

Things started out strong. I got through the first week and did my three days of running alternating between 1 minute runs and 2 minute walks for 20 minutes. I even increased my speed during that time. Then I went home for the weekend and started noticing how bad my shin splits were again. I can rub my hand over this bump on my shin and it just shoots pain... so that's probably not a good sign. And then right when I came back to Kalamazoo I did something to my knee. I'm thinking I over extended it, because it's the back of my knee that has the most pain and I can feel things straining when I bend or walk on it. Then there's a bump on my patella too... kind of like the one on my shin (I just don't know what is happening with that).

So I've just been laying off and hoping things get better on their own. I'd really like to do the Turkey Trot but right now I'm just playing it by ear.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

I'm just gonna leave this here for ya'll

Today my friend sent me a link to "Losing Weight in the City's" post about not making excuses and why you can do anything you want to do. I've only read Theodora's blog a handful of times but I really loved this post. Her words got me thinking about how many excuses I've been making lately... and how many times I've thought to myself "I can't do this". Pretty much everything she's mentioned is something I've used as an excuse to mope around and not try any harder than I've wanted to.

This summer I was doing really well with exercising and losing weight. My old roommate Amanda kept me motivated to do Insanity every day and so did the bike trip. With all my hard work I was noticing a difference and so was Amanda. But after I got home from the bike trip and started school, my motivation to exercise has been put up on a shelf and been collecting dust. I know it's time to change my habits again because I'm reverting back to old ways in not only the physical sense but the mental as well. I've always known how important exercise is, but this was just a reminder to myself.

So no more excuses. I can do it!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Fall 2012 Playlist

Stuff I've been listening lately. Some new and some older stuff (pretty typical). Here's a link to the 8 Tracks Mix I made of this.

  • Live and Die by The Avett Brothers
  • Here I am Alive by Yellowcard
  • Hopeless Wonderer by Mumford and Sons
  • Love Lost by The Temper Tramp
  • Sleep Alone by Two Door Cinema Club
  • Warm Whispers by Missy Higgins
  • Fuck This Place by Frightened Rabbit
  • Demons by Imagine Dragons
  • Somewhere in Neverland by All Time Low
  • Local Man Ruins Everything by The Wonder Years
  • Maps by The Front Bottoms
  • Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
  • Lovers' Eyes by Mumford and Sons
  • Everyone's Waiting by Missy Higgins
  • Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
  • Lakehouse by Of Monsters and Men
  • Angela by Missy Higgins
  • My Heroine by The Maine
  • Carried Away by Passion Pit
  • Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men
  • Sun by Two Door Cinema Club
  • Autumn Leaves by Ed Sheeran

I feel like I'm leaving out a ton of stuff I've been listening to, but I tried to choose those songs that I've been replaying a lot or songs that aren't exactly the songs played on the radio but I think are excellent songs by that artist.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Bike Trip Motivational Thoughts

I told you guys I would post this... even though it's been a few weeks.

1. Biking 5 or 6 hours a day left a lot of room for thought. My dad would always say: it's more of a mental battle than a physical one.

2. I've mentioned it before but there's one motivational quote that I use to get me through every challenge in life. It's the last two lines from the poem Invictus: I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul. To me this just means that I can do anything I set my mind to. I won't let anything stop me from achieving what I want to achieve. For a while I would just repeat this in my head over and over again, but then I started trying to remember the whole poem (which took a lot of thought and kept me distracted when I wanted to be).

3. The next motivational thing is the poem Pioneers! O Pioneers! by Walt Whitman. I sort of discovered and fell in love with this poem when it was on the Levi's commercial. I tried to remember and repeat the first few stanzas of this poem too. Eventually I had to look it up one night because I knew something was off and I couldn't seem to remember the end of the second/beginning of the third stanza. I had tried to memorize the poem in the past so I knew a little of it, but the poem is kind of long and I was never actually successful in memorizing the whole thing. The second stanza was really the part I kept repeating in my head as a sort of battle cry.
"For we cannot tarry here,
We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger,
We the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend, Pioneers! O pioneers!"

Of course everyone didn't depend on us to finish the bike ride but you get my drift... it was motivational.

4. Encouragements from the crowd. I was a little worried that I'd get really bored without any music to listen to, but for the most part we kept each other company. Since a lot of the roads we were on were pretty empty, we were able to ride side by side and talk. This made things seem to go by a bit faster.

5. When we rode on busy highways and had to ride behind one another my main motivation was to get off that road as quickly as possible. My dad always laughed when I would ride 15 mph all of the sudden instead of the steady 11 or 12 I was at for most of the trip (yeah I know I'm slow).

6. On the last day we started getting bored and tired and my dad began singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall." It went on for a bit too long so in my head (and eventually out loud) I started singing Stu's Song from the Hangover. Yup desperate times call for desperate measures and this was the first thing that popped up in my head (I have no idea why).

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I Might Have to Start Watching The Voice Now

I've only ever seen bits and pieces of a few episodes of The Voice ever, but when I heard Cassadee Pope was on last night I thought I should change my ways. For those who don't know, Cassadee was the lead singer of a band called Hey Monday. Now I'm not here to go on and on about how I was her biggest fan way before I ever heard her name on the Voice; I definitely wasn't that dedicated to the band or her music, but I knew I liked her voice. And man, when I saw her audition video there were instant goose bumps.


I was kind of surprised she didn't pick Adam (well in my mind if he was an option I don't know why anyone wouldn't pick Adam, but that's just me). I'm not really a Blake Shelton fan, but he's lucky to have Cassadee on his team.

I don't really know how the show works but hopefully she stays on and we can see lots more from this talented girl in the future.

Also side note, her boyfriend, Rian Dawson (the one in the beanie), was super adorable when they showed him backstage. They make for a super cute couple. Plus I love All Time Low.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Big Bike Trip Day 4

Here we are, the last day of the trip.

The home stretch felt equally good and bad. My body was hurting and I was getting weird tan lines. It was definitely time to be done. Oh and day 4 included an extra challenge for us... wind.

 This is a picture of me smiling pretending like I'm still having a ton of fun.

Luckily day 4 ended up being a shorter day... I think it was 60 miles (I probably should have written this stuff down sooner before I forgot... whoops). Anyway, we rode 25ish miles then stopped for lunch at McDonalds (we're super healthy lol). From there it was a rather interesting ride along Route 66.

Our original plan was to hop right on the old highway (right next to the new Route 66) and take it all the way into Normal, IL. Unfortunately for us, the historical highway went about a mile then was covered in grass. After our nice photo excursion (seen below), we made the executive decision to just stay on the new highway (with barely any shoulder) until we could find a good road to get off on.


 I really don't know why I look super awkward in all these pictures, but they're good ones of my dad and brother


The highway was definitely a challenge with the head-wind and cracked, pretty much non-existant shoulder. We had to go further than expected before getting off; all the side roads ended up being dirt, but we finally made it to a restored part of the old highway that went on for two miles. After the restored section there was a perfectly paved road that was quiet and slightly sheltered from the wind by trees. It started sprinkling while we were on 66 but luckily it was light and didn't last long.

After all our riding the end came sooner than I imagined. My dad kept pushing me to kick up the speed and I was totally not feeling it until he said "hey look there's aunt Pam and Eric." My aunt and cousin had rode out a bit to find us and bring us in to the subdivision. At the end all I cared about was not stopping until we made it to their house for fear my legs would refuse to pedal any further (this is most definitely an over exaggeration I would have made it further if I had to and it wasn't that bad).

Our "we finally made it, now lets jump in the pool" picture

And that's exactly what we did, went straight for the pool. Water is a wonderful thing. 

So that's it, we had a great weekend in IL with the family and now it's all just good memories. This trip had it's challenges but it was totally worth it. Now it's on to planning the next adventure. I'm thinking coastal tour (on bike of course).

Thanks for listening.
-S

P.S. I think I might post a separate entry about what kept me motivated during the trip so look out for that. 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Big Bike Trip Part 3

So here we are at day three.

My first priority of the day was to come up with an attack plan for the eye allergies. My dad suggested bringing a wet wash cloth and my eye drops along for the ride. The idea was a definite success and my eyes stayed painless (although still itchy) for the rest of the trip.

On day one my mom had bought a lime slushie for lunch and that spawned the slushie obsession. I don't know what it was about those drinks, but they were a perfect way to get cool and refreshed. In fact, the only way I kept going on day three was because my dad suggested stopping and getting slushies at Dairy Queen for lunch. I also shamelessly broke down in a mini fit when my parents suggested we keep going and eat outside in a park instead of actually stopping for lunch. Hot days on the bike deserve cool drinks in an air conditioned building.

The rest of the day included more of the same.... corn and soy beans. Oh and more getting lost. We had to reroute a few times because we got trapped in a maze of corn.

this went on for miles

I kept a slower pace on the third day until we passed the town we were supposed to end up in. We decided to get a head start on the next day instead of having to do so many more miles on our last day. I was also able to beat my mile 69 curse. My dad and I battled it out at the end until his computer said 70, and I happily avoided any upsets to the day. It felt good to finally accomplish a successful day.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Big Bike Trip Part 2

So, I was just about to get to day two.

We left the campground around 10:30 and decided to ride 20 miles to the next town in order to stop for breakfast. I think we all had a moment of panic when we first got on our bikes and our butts were already sore from day one, but luckily the pain went away after a few minutes. It was also replaced with the surge of adrenaline which came from riding alongside a busy highway for the first mile or so. That's pretty much how we started off every morning of our trip, getting our blood pumping as semi's went whizzing past threatening to knock you over or suck you up. I learned quickly to follow close and keep your eyes focused on a straight line in front of you. Also pay attention to cues (my dad typically rode in front of me and would point out pot holes or rocks).

The second day was all through Indiana and more corn mazes. I liked how peaceful it was back through all the corn. It may not have been quite as exciting as riding next to a busy highway, but I enjoyed the times we all got to ride side by side. There weren't many cars around for the majority of the day. After breakfast at Bob Evans and a nice rest, we got back on the bikes and kept on riding.

I noticed when I'd do longer (30- 40 mile) rides in TC that my fingers would go numb after a bit. Mostly my left pinky finger. That started happening after my first day and just continued for the rest of the trip. Although other parts of my body, like my butt or my quads, were sore from time to time nothing hurt, or was more annoying, than having a tingly finger the whole trip. I tried moving my hands around or shaking out my arms from time to time throughout the day, but nothing seemed to work. I would be interested in knowing if it was a common thing or if there's anything I could do to prevent that from happening. My brother said his did the same thing, but my dad's fingers all seemed to remain normal. I'm assuming it's some sort of pinched nerve or something.

Day two also had some bad moments for me. Actually day two may have been the most disappointing day on the trip. I knew my allergies would get really bad, like they did last year when we visited my cousins in IL so I tried to come prepared this time. I was supplied with medicines and all sorts of eye drops. Unfortunately though, the pollen and sweat must have built up in my eye and after about 50 miles it became a real problem. I tried pouring water in my eye, but every time I would look up at the road my right eye would blink and blink and it became painful to move my eye at all. At mile 53 I was desperate and that's when I cracked. I couldn't see and because the pain was so severe I was worried something serious may have happened to my eye. I didn't want to stop. I knew 53 miles wasn't even close to the end for us that day, but I had no choice. My mom came and picked me up and we drove on to find a motel. I think at this point I was crying more because I felt like I gave up that day than the pain I felt from my eye.

I can't say it was all bad though. Being able to finally take a nice shower and just sit and relax felt pretty good. By the time I got out of the shower my mom had to go back to pick up my dad and brother, so I was left alone in the hotel room to eat my Jimmy John's and watch the Hangover 2.

My dad and brother went on to ride 85 miles on day two. I was also grateful when my dad said my brother kept him at a 18 mph pace from a long ways. We averaged about 12mph for the whole trip.
No way I'd be able to do 18mph unless we were going downhill. They also had to ride for a few miles on a dirt road. We hit a dirt road earlier in the day that we ended up having to ride, but it was just a mile and I was really glad when it was over. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that'd be for a longer stretch.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Big Bike Trip Part 1

Finally. I found some time to actually sit down and write about the experience.

You may not care, but I'm kind of proud of myself for completing those four days. I knew biking four days straight for such great length would be a challenge... especially with the lack of training I managed to do. I do have Shawn T and Insanity to thank for helping me build up my cardio though (and for reminding me to "dig deeper" when I didn't think I could ride another mile).

The story really begins in high school when I met a guy (roommates of a friend's cousin who was attending U of M) who was telling us about how he was training to ride across the country. And then a year later when I ran across a blog about a group of friends about to do just that. Being the dreamer (and obviously delusional) person that I am, I went straight to my parents and declared that I wanted nothing more than to ride across the country on my bicycle. Originally I set my sights on that summer (I think it was '09), but that came and passed and so did the next summer and the next. I had put my dream on the back burner, but I refused to say it would never happen (well still refusing). This may not have been a bike trip across the country but it was a bike trip through three states and miles of corn mazes with allergies and busy highways and crazy dogs and two great companions (well really three counting my mom who we could have never done it without).

It started out on Tuesday morning, not as bright and early as we would have liked (but it wasn't a total disaster), around 11:30 from the KVCC parking lot in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Here's us at the start. Brother, Dad, and Me smiling like we have nothing to worry about

My dad had gotten what he perceived to be a good route down, which was good until we started hitting dirt roads and having to reroute. Thank God for gps and smart phones. The first day also consisted of many hills, some bad Michigan roads, and some unfortunate road kill ride-bys. On the good side though, the first day consisted of some gorgeous scenery, mostly secluded roads covered by trees, downhills (big smile for this one), and the nice smell of Concord grapes.

Me and the brother by some grapes

At the Michigan/Indiana

We met my mother for lunch in the middle of no where and then kept on riding. I wasn't feeling too bad until we got around mile 60. Before this trip I hadn't ridden longer than 40 miles, and my energy was in short supply. With that and a clumsy mistake on my part, disaster struck at mile 69. I was attempting to put my water bottle back into place when it almost slipped from my hand. My dad and brother were not far ahead waiting for me at a stop sign, which was located at the end of a small decline. In my attempted to put back the water bottle and slow myself down I managed to slam my hand on the left brake and went head first toward the pavement. At first, nothing hurt (well not too bad) but when I got up everything was in pain. I had somehow managed to save my face, arms, helmet, and sunglasses from any damage (I'm giving the thanks for this one to all those falling forward squat pushup things I had to do the day before in Insanity); but I did get a good blow to the ribs from my handlebars, a bunch of random scrapes all over my legs from various things (ground, gravel, bike, chain) and one massive bruise (that still has a hint of color to it) on my right inside part of my leg just above my knee.

 This was the big bruise after a day or so.... the picture really doesn't do it justice

I couldn't believe I had been so stupid and I was so worried about the fate of the rest of the trip. All I could focus on was how disappointing this was (and how bad my ribs hurt and how the worst pain was coming from that tiny scratch on my ankle). But after getting the blood cleaned up, covering myself in bandaids, and wiping away my tears I got back on my bike and rode another mile to where my mom picked us up. At this point I knew I could would be able to finish this. If I could crash and get back up, I could manage the next three days. Although I was pretty thankful to be done after all those miles.

The first day ended in a camp ground in the middle of Amish country, Indiana. My mom and I slept in a tent, until half way through the night when I realized I couldn't breathe because my allergies had become so bad. That's when I moved to the upright position in the front seat of my Dad's truck my mom was driving for the trip. Needless to say it wasn't the best night's rest.

- - -

I'll finish the rest of the story tomorrow but this has already become the longest blog post.
Till next time

S.




Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Came and Went

I went on the big bike trip a few weeks ago with my dad and brother and then school happened. Time has been moving so fast with the beginning of the semester and there's been so much to prepare for I haven't had any time to write about my amazing end of summer adventure. I promise I'll come back soon with pics and stories.

-S

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Guess Who Got Shiny New Trainers Today?

This girl :)

Look how pretty they are!

Can you tell I'm excited? I love new stuff. It's T minus 3 days till the big bike trip and I went out with my parents today to receive my late birthday present from them. We've been running around town trying to gather up all the essentials for the trip. It's been a bit stressful because I have to have all my stuff packed to take back to Kalamazoo for school and stuff packed to take on the trip. 

We went to Running Fit, a great local store that stocks up on anything you would need as a runner, today to buy shoes. I've had my old trainers for about 4 years now, and many miles, so it was definitely time for a new pair. My old shoes were Nike (I don't know what style) and the new ones are the Brooks Launch. The Brooks are so much lighter than the Nike's which I can already tell will make a major difference. Since I don't have clip-ins on my bike I will just be wearing these babies the whole trip (unless it rains or is muddy, then I have my old ones as back up). 

My old Nike's

The people at Running Fit were super nice and helpful today. They watch you walk around to check for any pronation, then just start grabbing shoes for you. I tried on about 4 or 5 pairs, some were too wide, others just didn't fit the shape of my feet correctly, but these were the first ones she picked out and they ended up being my favorite, The awesome colors are not a bad bonus either (even though you can't really tell how bright they are in that photo). Since I have two very different sized feet (and it's really hard to find shoes) I was really happy these seem to work for both. The people there also taught me how to tie the laces up on my smaller (right) foot so that the heal stays a bit more snug (like I said super helpful). 

A better photo of the actual shoe (with my insert already chillin in the right)

I went for a nice walk in them tonight to sort of work on breaking them in. I'll let you know how I feel about these after a bit of wear. Peace out till next time

S.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

My Hair is RED

I have always really loved red hair and find red heads really pretty or attractive. Dying my hair red on Thursday was a big step into the unknown for me. I was super nervous going into it, but am really happy with the outcome.


Last December was the first time I've ever gotten highlights in my hair because I've always had nice natural highlights. Before that I have never put any sort of color into it (that wasn't extensions). My friend Sam has dyed her hair multiple times before from a box and it's always looked really good, so I asked her to help me. It was a good thing there was both of us too because I have way too much hair to try and get it all myself. I'm sure I could have used two bottles instead of one to really get my whole head red, but I like the mixed auburn-y look it came out as.


and just for comparison, here is a picture from before:


I used L'Oreal Feria permanent color because they had the widest selection of reds. A lot of the brands were limited to a dark purple-ish color or a more orange-y tone, which I was trying to avoid. I thought the system worked really well and was pretty simple to use. It also made my hair really really soft, which I think was mostly in part to the conditioner that comes with it. I definitely took a long time looking around ulta for a good color that would work with my skin tone and be what I was looking for.  Overall I would definitely use this again and recommend it to anyone who's looking for a box color.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Olympic Playlist

Yup that's right, I am so cool I made a playlist for the Olympics. Honestly I make playlists for everything. The list is kind of a mix between semi-old rap music, classic rock, and whatever it is I've been listening to this past week.


  1. Home by Philip Phillips (thank you nbc for getting this stuck in my head... at least it's a really good song)
  2. I Bet That You Look Good On the Dance Floor by the Arctic Monkeys (the opening ceremonies kind of reaffirmed my love for this band and this song)
  3. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen (just as I was thinking about how much I was beginning to hate this song the US swim team came out with this video and now I can't stop watching it)
  4. Got Money by Lil Wayne (because it was summer of '08, we all know how Phelps loves Lil Wayne, and the olympians have money now)
  5. Young Blood by The Naked and Famous (well I guess the name of the song and the name of the band kind of work for this pick)
  6. The Waiting by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (seriously, they have to just stand around until the gun or whatever, that'd be hard)
  7. Forever by Drake (last name ever first name greatest)
  8. Under Pressure by Queen (just think about all that pressure of representing your country)
  9. Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
  10. Boys Boys Boys by Lady Gaga (kind of self explanatory now isn't it)
  11. The Fighter by Gym Class Heros
  12. All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled (all we do is win, the US has 83 medals currently)
  13. I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
  14. Bicycle Race by Queen (BICYCLE BICYCLE BICYCLE)
  15. We Like Sportz by the Lonely Island (me this whole week, "hey do you want to go to a party with me? no the Olympics are on"
  16. Bad Things by Jace Everett (I want to do bad things with a few of those Olympians)
  17. Go Getta by Young Jeezy (talk about some go gettas)
  18. Sexy and I Know It (because of this video)
  19. Dirt Off Your Shoulder by Jay Z
  20. Good Time by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen
  21. I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry (because I will always think of Michael Phelps when I hear this song... don't ask why)
  22. I'm So Paid by Akon (they mention Michael Phelps...)
  23. Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men (My roommate has been playing this a lot this week. Obviously I don't mind)
  24. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk (because that's the way Olympians do it)
  25. Want U Back (she's british and my roommate and I have been rocking out to this all week)
  26. Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
  27. Lose Yourself by Eminem (this is a classic go out and do your best because you've only got one shot song)
  28. Wavin Flag by K'naan 
  29. Don't Stop Believin by Journey
  30. American Star by Lil Wayne
  31. Star Spangled Banner by Boston (because USA that's why!)
  32. Come Together by the Beatles (how awesome was that sing along during the opening ceremonies?!)
  33. Wannabe by the Spice Girls (8 year old me is super excited about the opening ceremonies)
  34. Bonus Track: Jeah! by Ryan Lochte (yes I made a sound recording off this video for my ipod. I die laughing every time)
So sit back and enjoy that masterpiece I just shared with you. Also go watch the Olympics because it only comes every 4 years, it's in London, there's hot people doing things you probably can't do and it's awesome!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

The Greatest Olympic Athlete of all Time

The Olympics is always about witnessing history, and Michael Phelps has certainly made his mark in history. The man is an inspiration to people everywhere. Four Olympics, 22 medals, all those broken records and he's only 27.

This picture is currently my computer background (I had to switch out Lochte for Phelps under these circumstances) 

I can't imagine a summer Olympics without Michael Phelps. All of my good vivid Olympic memories have included his presence and things just won't be the same without him there in the future. My cousin and I were talking about it last night and about the first time we noticed Phelps. He was probably the reason I started paying attention to the Olympics. I watched the 2000 and the 2004 Olympics at my cousins and it was there we began joking about "that one swimmer with the butt crack pants." 

I'm pretty sure these were the pants I'm talking about

In 2008, I was stuck in the U of M hospital due the infection from my surgery for most of the Olympics, and Michael Phelps (and Ryan Lochte) was the person who kept me going in there. Almost two week was a long time stuck in a hospital bed, but Phelps gave me something to get excited about and distract me. If he could manage to win 8 gold medals, I could survive being poked and prodded. I felt connected to be in a town where he spent so much time, and to watch him achieve a goal he had obviously worked so hard for. I remember my parents always telling me I needed to sleep, but I wouldn't let myself miss any of his races.

He always seems to be smiling

Phelps and Lochte always talk about the importance of setting goals. I've always tried to make lists and set goals for my life, big or small. Even if the goals seem way out in left field I think it's important to have something to work towards. If you don't have goals what drives you to live and become better? To me Michael Phelps isn't someone to look up to strictly for his swimming but for the way he seems to be as a person. It'll be interesting to see what he sets his sights on next.

4x100 medley relay (his 22nd medal)

Congratulations Michael Phelps! You're an awesome human!

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

- Phelps Phan Phorever!!!!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Olympics, Summer School, and Insanity

I've been kind of MIA in blog world lately but it's been for good reasons. I had two more exams this week for my summer classes (which by the way are even harder to study for when the Olympics are on.) My Survey of Behavior Analysis Research class has proven to be a test, and after huge doubt in my ability to pass the class, I managed to pull off a B on my 3rd exam on Wednesday! I don't think I've ever been so happy for a B before. Two more weeks to go and I'll be done with classes and getting to head home for a bit. Three weeks or so until the big bike trip (more about that later). About Four weeks before Fall classes begin... time flies!

This past week was full of fun roommate moments. In a few weeks my roommate Amanda is moving into a two bedroom in the same apartment complex and my roommate Nikki is moving to East Lansing. I'm gonna miss having these girls so close, but Amanda and I already have study dates and Insanity nights planned. The three of us started the Insanity workouts almost two weeks ago now. After experiencing the pain of Insanity last summer (and the payoffs) I was nervous but excited to get back into the routine and try to finally finish all 63 days of the workout. I'll have to take a few days for long bike rides and ultimately the bike trip but they'll be totally worth it.

The Insanity Countdown Calendar. Almost two weeks down! Jeah!

Lastly a few words (and pictures) about the Olympics. From gymnastics, to beach volleyball, to diving, to swimming I love the summer Olympics! It's always exciting to watch people's dreams come true and to band together as a country. For me, swimming is probably my favorite event. Lochte, Phelps, Berens, Adrian, Soni, Franklin... I could keep going because the whole USA team this year is awesome!

Jones, Adrian, Lochte, and Hansen

It's no question Ryan is my favorite

Nathan Adrian is like a hot teddy bear. He's just adorable. And that smile!

I think I might be heading to Dunham's this weekend to purchase a one piece swim suite in order to start working out in the pool. My roommate used to be a swimmer and I'm hoping she can teach me a few moves and we can push each other even harder. I just keep imagining what my body will look like after all this Insanity, biking, and swimming. Rock hard hopefully. 

Gonna get my Missy on!!!!!!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Listen to Her Heart


One of my favorite songs covered by one of my favorite bands. It's such a nice gift of music and makes me incredibly happy.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Unashamed Movie Viewing

Today I walked into a theater packed with women to watch a movie about a bunch of male strippers. It was definitely worth the $4 ticket and weird moment you realize you're in the theater behind a line of women who in their late 60's maybe mid 70's. Hey, whatever, I got to get a nice view of Alex Pettyfer, Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matthew McConaughey, and Matt Bomer's bare asses. Whoever was on the casting project for this movie had some lucky days on the job.

I mean really... can it get any better?

Overall, I was surprised by the fact that the movie's actual story line wasn't too bad. I figured they'd focus most of the energy on the hot guys that the movie in general would completely suck, but it didn't. I haven't seen Beastly or I am Number Four, so I was kind of blown away by Alex Pettyfer. Anyone who can steal the spotlight from half naked Channing Tatum deserves some sort of award.

Oh wait, yes it can


The movie is certainly not lacking on eye candy, I can tell you that. My recommendation, make it a girls night, buy your tickets, get out of the heat (or into it) and sit back and enjoy.


All I'd really like to know is what they all had to do to get their bodies like that? And can I touch those abs?

Movie number 20 was Brave (I believe)
21 Terms of Endearment
22 Magic Mike 
I'd give them all 4 out of 5 stars

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wrap Me In This Music Playlist


  • Witchcraft by Frank Sinatra
  • My Dearest Darling by Etta James
  • A Song for You by Ryan Adams
  • I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday
  • 2 BS by Charles Mingus
  • What Am I to You by Norah Jones
  • I Put A Spell On You by Nina Simone
  • Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
  • She Belongs to Me by Harry Connick Jr.
  • Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald
  • At This Moment by Michael Buble
  • My Funny Valentine by Miles Davis
  • The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel
  • Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra
  • Fly by Ludovico Einaudi
  • The Look of Love by Nina Simone
  • Try A Little Tenderness by Etta James
  • Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
  • First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
  • Feeling Good by Michael Buble

This playlist should otherwise be known as the "music a guy needs to grab my hand and dance with me to."

I've been really into Jazz and Classical stuff lately, so this playlist is pretty heavily, if not all, into those genres. I'm also going to make a small note that I just got done with Fifty Shades Darker which had a few of these songs in it, so the list is slightly inspired by that.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Behind on Movies

I'm behind and honestly don't remember all of what I've watched that need to be noted... but I will try.

17 was Captain America I believe... 4 out of 5 stars
18 was Snow White and the Huntsman... 4 out of 5 stars
19 was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close... 4 out of 5 stars

That's definitely not all of them. This seemed like a pointless post but I haven't really given up on my blogging yet so I thought I'd go for it. Seriously all the movies were pretty good. I was really surprised by Snow White and the Huntsman being as well done as it was. I think everyone (including Kristen Stewart) did well in their parts, and the whole thing was a nice twist on the typical story.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

I feel the need to share this

I found the "20 Things I Should Have Known at 20" list from The Buried Life's tumblr though it was originally written by Julian Smith. I should remember to keep these in mind.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Watching All the Academy Award for Best Picture Winners

This just so happens to be one of the items on my Bucket List. I'm hoping it's one I can realistically cross off this summer. I know there's a few on this list also on the Top 250 list I've already posted, so I guess I can cross off some for both.

  1. Wings - 1927/28
  2. The Broadway Melody - 1928/29
  3. All Quiet on the Western Front - 1929/30 *
  4. Cimarron - 1930/31
  5. Grand Hotel - 1931/32
  6. Cavalcade - 1932/33
  7. It Happened One Night - 1934
  8. Mutiny on the Bounty - 1935
  9. The Great Ziegfeld - 1936
  10. The Life of Emile Zola - 1937
  11. You Can't Take it With You - 1938
  12. Gone With the Wind - 1939
  13. Rebecca - 1940
  14. How Green Was My Valley - 1941
  15. Mrs. Miniver - 1942
  16. Casablanca - 1943
  17. Going My Way - 1944
  18. The Lost Weekend - 1945
  19. The Best Years of Our Lives - 1946
  20. Gentleman's Agreement - 1947
  21. Hamlet - 1948 *
  22. All the Kings Men - 1949
  23. All About Eve - 1950
  24. An American In Paris - 1951
  25. The Greatest Show on Earth - 1952
  26. From Here to Eternity - 1953
  27. On the Waterfront - 1954
  28. Marty - 1955
  29. Around the World in 80 Days - 1956
  30. The Bridge on the River Kwai - 1957
  31. Gigi - 1958
  32. Ben-Hur - 1959
  33. The Apartment - 1960
  34. West Side Story - 1961
  35. Lawrence of Arabia - 1962
  36. Tom Jones - 1963
  37. My Fair Lady - 1964
  38. The Sound of Music - 1965
  39. A Man for All Seasons - 1966
  40. In the Heat of the Night - 1967
  41. Oliver! - 1968
  42. Midnight Cowboy - 1969
  43. Patton - 1970
  44. The French Connection - 1971
  45. The Godfather - 1972
  46. The Sting - 1973
  47. The Godfather Part II - 1974
  48. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - 1975
  49. Rocky - 1976
  50. Annie Hall - 1977
  51. The Deer Hunter - 1978
  52. Kramer vs. Kramer - 1979
  53. Ordinary People - 1980
  54. Chariots of Fire - 1981
  55. Gandhi - 1982
  56. Terms of Endearment - 1983
  57. Amadeus - 1984
  58. Out of Africa - 1985
  59. Platoon - 1986
  60. The Last Emperor - 1987
  61. Rain Man - 1988
  62. Driving Miss Daisy - 1989
  63. Dances With Wolves - 1990
  64. The Silence of the Lambs - 1991
  65. Unforgiven - 1992
  66. Schindler's List - 1993
  67. Forrest Gump - 1994
  68. Braveheart - 1995
  69. The English Patient - 1996
  70. Titanic - 1997
  71. Shakespeare in Love - 1998
  72. American Beauty - 1999
  73. Gladiator - 2000
  74. A Beautiful Mind - 2001
  75. Chicago - 2002
  76. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - 2003
  77. Million Dollar Baby - 2004
  78. Crash - 2005
  79. The Departed - 2006
  80. No Country for Old Men - 2007
  81. Slumdog Millionaire - 2008
  82. The Hurt Locker - 2009
  83. The King's Speech - 2010
  84. The Artist - 2011
  85. Argo- 2012
  86. 12 Years A Slave- 2013
Obviously the crossed off ones are movies that I have already seen. As of now it's 26 out of 84.

* I'm about 87% sure I've seen the whole of these films for different classes during High School but I don't know for a fact

I've also added movies 14 (The Avengers), 15 (Iron Man 2), and 16 (A Single Man) to the 360 List.
The Avengers was SO SO SO GOOD! Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.
Iron Man 2 I didn't think was all that great 2 out of 5 stars
A Single Man 4 out of 5 because it was intriguing and yet kind of confusing but I really liked the style of the film.

** Update (March 2014): 46 out of the 86 finished.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Add to the List

I had a wonderful girl's night yesterday with my friend Sandy. We ate pizza, drank wine, and watched We Bought a Zoo (movie number 13). It was adorable! I honestly had no desire to go see this movie in theaters, but when Sandy suggested it I wasn't about to say no. It's always nicer when something is better than expected. Now I want to buy a zoo, minus the exotic snakes. I'd give the movie 4 out of 5 stars.

Next thing to talk about is my reading list. 13 movies (out of 365) and 4 books (out of 50). I feel like it would have been much smarter to count all the movies I was watching instead of just ones I'd never seen before. Oh well, it's not about the destination exactly. Hopefully I can catch up a little on my reading list during my time off of school.

Anywho.... what I really was going to talk about was how I finished Catcher in the Rye. I never read this in high school or anything, but it's one of my cousin's favorite books so I thought I'd give it a try. Thank god I did. This may possibly be my new favorite book of all time. Don't get me wrong, this book is depressing as all get out, but it's a wonderful read. The whole book follows Holden Caulfield's story after he gets kicked out of yet another school and decides to go back to New York City alone before the term finishes. Holden hates on just about every person he meets/knows, even if he likes them he doesn't. He is alone in this big city with no one to call, it's quite sad. And when you think he finally finds a guiding light in this old english teacher he had, the man ends up being a complete creep (it's a total let down). His kid sister, Phoebe, is really the only person that makes him happy (children in general I guess). The book is full of all these great metaphors, true high school english class style (cue red hunting hat). I guess there's just so much in Holden that I personally identified with, which made me love the book even more.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

I'm not getting anywhere here...

I've spent all night thinking of ways to make some extra cash (seeing as I currently don't have a job and I need money for a whole list of things). Currently I haven't got any good prospects.
Here's the list I've come up with so far...


  • buy myself bongos and play them on the streets (but I don't have money to buy bongos so that's out)
  • become a cleaning lady for people (am I really that great at cleaning?)
  • organize people's closets (what if there were spiders...)
  • become someone's personal shopper
  • start selling off my belongings (anything besides books)
  • write a short story (now I just need a good idea)
  • blog more often (maybe people would actually start reading it and stuff)
  • start selling my cookies/start a little bakery (I am a pretty good chocolate chip cookie maker, but who the heck would I sell them too?)
  • make and sell items on etsy (I'm not that crafty)
  • sell my art..... hahahahhaha
  • start making YouTube videos (I can only imagine the nothing I would talk about)
  • do people's hair and makeup (I mean I used to do it all the time to my cousin as a child...that's gotta count for something)
  • lemonade stand?
  • can someone just pay me to travel and review things and write about my ideas? anyone?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Vans Warped Tour 2012 Playlist

So, I've heard a lot of people say "oh the lineup for Warped this year sucks." Well if you think it's not up to par, maybe I have a bad taste in music because I like about every band on the list. So much so, that I decided to make a playlist based off of it.


  • Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings
  • No One Does It Better by You Me At Six
  • Oh Well, Oh Well by Mayday Parade
  • Kiss Me by New Found Glory
  • Kiss Me Again by We Are In the Crowd
  • Dancing for Rain by Rise Against
  • Burn, Burn by Lostprophets
  • All That I've Got by The Used
  • Loverboy by You Me At Six
  • Head on Collision by New Found Glory
  • Walk On Water or Drown by Mayday Parade
  • MakeDamnSure by Taking Back Sunday
  • Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard
  • Dear Maria, Count Me In by All Time Low
  • The School of Assassins by Anti-Flag
  • You're So Last Summer by Taking Back Sunday
  • Give it All by Rise Against
  • When I Get Home You're So Dead by Mayday Parade
  • My Friends Over You by New Found Glory
  • Noise and Kisses by The Used
  • Say You Like Me by We the Kings
  • Raised by Wolves by Falling in Reverse
  • 9mm and a Three Piece Suit by Streetlight Manifesto
  • Something I Call Personality by New Found Glory
  • One Year Six Months by Yellowcard
  • Great Romances of the 20th Century by Taking Back Sunday
  • Jaws on the Floor by You Me At Six
  • Jamie All Over by Mayday Parade
  • Damned if I Do You by All Time Low

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Glee and Whitney

Last night I finally found the time to watch Tuesday's episode of Glee and I was actually really happy about it. With songs from such a powerful voice as Whitney Houston's I was kind of concerned they couldn't pull it off.


I mean right from the start when they sang How Will I Know, my eyes got watery... and don't even get me started on Kurt's performance of I Have Nothing. The line up of songs they chose was really great. My least favorite song was actually I Want To Dance With Somebody, I was just not feeling their version of the song, although it's definitely one of my favorite Whitney songs.


The only problem I have with Glee still after three seasons is their lack of a good story line at time. They try to tie a bunch of songs together and that often makes the story lines unbelievable or practically non existant.


Oh Darren....your face body voice.

Also this song will always remind me of dance class, because I had one teacher who always used it as one of our warm up songs.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Movies

I feel like I'm missing a few since I last checked but....

Number 11: The Decendants, watched April 20, 4 out of 5 stars. I liked it but it was a bit depressing

Number 12: Like Crazy, watched April 21, 4 out of 5. I liked the story, it was a bit slow though.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Run It

Short and quick for documentation sake.

Mile Breakdown:


  • 3 minutes walk (warm up)
  • 5 minutes run
  • 2 minutes walk
  • 1 minute run
  • 1 minute walk
  • 1 minute run (end mile 1)
  • 1 minute walk
  • 1 minute run
  • 2 minutes walk
  • 1 minute run
  • 5 minute walk
  • 1 minute run
  • 2 minute walk
  • 1 minute run
  • 3 minute walk (end mile 2)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Jukebox

Thank you Tumblr for once again introducing me to wonderful music such as Jukebox the Ghost. These guys are awesome and I'm really digging there sound at the moment.




Just a few good ones. And if you like Empire I'd recommend getting it for free by entering your email on their website.

Also, because I'm listening to this right now and it reminds me of good things...


Hope everyone is having a wonderful day. I keep thinking mine will get better, but we'll see.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Indoor Bike Ride

Oh the joys. Sitting on a stationary bike is about as exciting as running on a treadmill, that's right, it's not.
I mean, I guess it's probably better that the bikes at the Centre have monitors on them so you ride a virtual trail, but still. I did 5.5 miles and was done. Biking indoors can be hard, so don't judge me. I actually put my feet in the straps of the pedals this time too, mostly because I didn't even notice they were there before.  I was just surprised and how it almost made it harder, or made different muscles work I guess. I just can't wait to challenge myself this summer with this trip and hope everything works out for it to happen.

-s

Wednesday, March 21, 2012


It Might Sound Pathetic Comparatively...

But to me it's a big deal. I ran for a straight 5 minutes tonight, meaning straight half a mile. It felt good too!

I didn't plan on going to the gym tonight, but I couldn't focus on hw and I didn't know how else to clear my mind. I'm hoping it stays clear, although I doubt it. I kind of feel like my brain's been taking a trip on the TARDIS lately.

Anyway... I miss running like that and I definitely want to do it again soon. Hopefully I can build up some mileage again. I only went for 1.3 miles or so, 20 minutes. A short and sweet (or should I say sweaty) homework break.

So I guess here's the mile breakdown:

  • walk 3 minutes
  • run 5 minutes
  • walk 2 minutes
  • run 1 minute
  • walk 2 minutes
  • run 1 minute (finished the mile here)
  • walk 6 minutes
I've been on a roll with this and I'm not gonna let it stop anytime soon. I just keep hoping my knees and shins will stay pain free... although I am definitely feeling a bit of tension in my right shin (the one that always gets hurt). Definitely need to rest it tomorrow and make sure I build up strength.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Exercise Log: Week 1 of Intervention

Well I made it the minimal requirement of 3 days for week 1 so far and I'm feeling pretty good about it. I'm definitely struggling more than I used to and can tell it will take some work to get my stamina up for running or biking any sort of distance.
On Friday I went to the Rec to bike for 2.5 miles (although I swear it was lying to me because I was on there for roughly 40 minutes). 
Sunday I just worked out at the Centre's gym for half an hour, alternating running and walking. As well as some core and arm exercises.
Tonight I started out on the treadmill for 10 minutes at an incline of 4-5 walking, then I moved onto the stationary bike for just over 20 minutes and 5 miles. I couldn't believe how bad my my legs hurt just after that little ways. So much time ahead of me. I'm definitely going to have to get to the gym more than 3 or 4 days a week.

I just wish I had my actual bike here to ride outside on a trail. Which reminds me that I need to find a bike shop around Kalamazoo so I can go get fit. If anyone knows of any let me know. Also if you have trails to recommend, I'd appreciate that as well. 

Sunny Days

I just wanted to lay outside all day! I wish I hadn't had class for so long. I can't get over all these record breaking temperatures happening. 80 degree weather in the middle of March... in Michigan. We're getting spoiled because I doubt this will last. Maybe it's best it doesn't or else my grades might go down the tube. With all this sunshine I just keep procrastinating longer. The other part I love about good weather... it reminds me to whip out my summer playlists. Songs about beaches, sun, going outside... all that good stuff. I need to find people who will be here this summer and will slackline with me. Three main things I want to do once summer starts, or really once I have free time: slackline, practice/learn to play the guitar, and finally learn to longboard. I still just think it will be weird not going home for the summer.


I know I've posted this before but I just really love this song, especially when it's nice outside.

What is a better way to up your mood than a live version of this song?... nothing

Sunday, March 18, 2012

This Will Hurt

A few things:

  • I had to come up with a behavior to modify for a Health Psych project so I chose exercise. I set a goal of 3 days a week (T/F/Sun) for at least 30 minutes for the first 2 weeks, and 4 days a week (T/Th/F/Sun) for at least 30 minutes for the second 2 weeks. For each week I make my goal, I get to buy a song on iTunes.
  • Since today is Sunday, I needed to workout. The unfortunate thing being St. Patty's Day was yesterday, which left my body a little less apt to workout... but I did it anyway. 
  • My dad called tonight to remind me to get spinning because after some research he discovered it's about 320 miles from Kalamazoo to Normal, IL. So what we thought was going to be a two maybe three day ride is now a four day ride... 80 miles each. That really will hurt, even after training I'm thinking.
  • I will train train train train train!
  • This is just a warm up for my across the US ride one day.
  • Why do I insist on dreaming so big again?

Taking it back


I've been in such a New Found mood lately.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

My Top 25 Most Played

I felt like I needed a year. I got my new computer last year on March 1st, and I told myself I'd have a year to regulate my top 25 playlist before I shared it with anyone. I was going to make a post about it right before my last laptop broke, but obviously that didn't work out in my favor. I have no idea if my old laptop would even turn on anymore and I'm not really sure I want to try at this point. I do know that the old list was much different that this list is. Sure there are a few overlaps here and there, but I think it adds up to something new in the end. It's weird how time changes us and music is just one of the ways of measuring that. So I guess it's time to get down to it...

1. Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye - 76 plays (I've had this song in my itunes since early September and I'm sure it would have had many more plays if I hadn't obsessively watched the music video for a week before buying the song, or all those times I've watched it after the fact.)
2. Nicest Thing by Kate Nash - 72 plays
3. Re: Stacks by Bon Iver - 70 plays ("this is not the sound of a new man or a crispy realization" there's just something about that line that I've always been really attracted to)
4. Skinny Love by Bon Iver - 68 plays
5. The World Spins Madly On by The Weepies - 62 plays (I listened to this song for hours after my friend died because it said what I couldn't say. I also love this band and I love Grey's Anatomy.)
6. Fireworks by You Me At Six - 62 plays
7. Wrapped In Piano Strings by Radical Face - 56 plays
8. Winter by Joshua Radin - 54 plays (obsessed with this song since forever, thank you Zach Braff)
9. Kids in Love by Mayday Parade - 54 plays
10. Someone Like You by Adele - 53 plays (the 21 cd was actually the first music I bought on my new laptop and for the longest time half the cd was part of my top played. I was obsessed for weeks.)
11. The Outdoor Type by The Lemonheads - 50 plays
12. Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol - 49 plays (was number one played on my old computer)
13. We Sing In Time by The Lonely Forest - 48 plays
14. Set Fire to the Rain by Adele - 47 plays
15. Sleeping Sickness by City and Colour - 44 plays (another song where the lyrics describe everything)
16. E.T. / Waiting for the End by Michael Henry and Justin Robinett - 43 plays (I've mentioned them before but I just love this mashup and these guys are amazing.)
17. Laundry Room by The Avett Brothers - 41 plays
18. What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie - 41 plays (sometimes I don't have the words to explain what a song means to me.)
19. To Kingdom Come by Passion Pit - 40 plays
20. The Freshman by The Verve Pipe - 40 plays (this song reminds me of high school)
21. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers - 39 plays
22. Michicant by Bon Iver - 37 plays
23. Going to California by Led Zeppelin - 37 plays (because I really want to move to California, I swear I will play this the whole way out there whenever I do.)
24. Anna Sun by Walk the Moon - 37 plays
25. Stay With Me by You Me At Six - 37 plays

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Lets Make Kony Famous


Together we can make a difference, capture Joseph Kony and stop these horrible crimes.


All I ask is that you watch this video and spread the word. Stop what you're doing and pay attention. It's not that much time to spend on something as important as this.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Big Snow Storm Movie Number 10

I came home Friday for Spring Break which has been quite eventful so far. Traverse City got hit by a huge snow storm Friday night, getting 18 inches of snow just that night and putting the county in a state of emergency. Power lines were down all around town causing most of the city to lose power. There were trees and branches on houses, cars, and in the middle of streets. We luckily still had power through most of Saturday, up until about 7:30 pm and no fallen trees. We got power back Sunday around 2 and internet/cable back some time after that. I can't imagine people who still don't have power, or heat, or hot water. This storm definitely reminded me of all that I take for granted and made me even more thankful for everything my family is blessed with.

On Sunday, my family met up at Minerva's for breakfast to celebrate my Grandma's birthday. Later my mom and I decided to go see This Means War (March 5th).


I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. It was funny, cute, but not lacking in action and scandalous jokes. It's definitely not just another chick flick. Both Tom Hardy and Chris Pine are hot as always and I love Reese Witherspoon and Chelsea Handler. I'd give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Movie Number 9

Number 9 out of 365 never seen before movies.... yes I realize I'm really far behind now. There's probably no catching up but it's not really about making the goal as much as it's about attempting the challenge.

Number 9 happened to be the Vow. Watched February 13, 2012.


4 out of 5 stars. 
I went to see this with two of my good friends here at Western. A little pre-Valentines Day girls night out. This movie was much anticipated and I was not disappointed by what it turned out to be. I loved that this was based of a true story and I would love to read the book about it as well. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5, instead of 5 out of 5 is the fact that I found it somewhat painful to watch in the middle. It was just so hard to see him fighting to hold on and her losing everything from 4 years or so. I can't even imagine.

My Night In

After class tonight I was finally able to relax for some free time. So of course, I poured myself a glass of wine that I had left over from Tuesday night, popped in the Notebook and opened up some Dove chocolates. Truly a girls night in kind of moment.

Watching the Notebook just takes me back. Back to a much simpler time in my life when I spent two or three full days watching this movie with my cousin back to back. That’s all we did, watch the Notebook over and over again. I don’t know what we were thinking. We watched and ate food. Life seemed so much more care free at that point. I miss being able to waste my summer days laying in my basement in a pile of blankets next to my best friend just repeating lines from this movie and laughing and crying and drinking in all that is Ryan Gosling.

If you're a bird I'm a bird.


When we would actually go outside, we’d walk up the huge hill by my house and when we got tired we’d tell each other that Ryan was waiting for us at the top. We had to keep going because we didn’t want to leave him up there in the heat for forever. Maybe that’s crazy, but those were some of the best days of my life so far.

Plus look at that face... who wouldn't want that wanting for them at the top of a hill.


Yes Ryan I do, would you like to start with the Dirty Dancing lift, or the romantic Noah and Allie street dancing.... either one would be fine with me.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

So It's February 14th Again...


but really....


and let's not forget....


aren't you glad I didn't send semi-threatening cards to you when I was a child Mom and Dad?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Ben (from Ben Does Life) is so inspiring! One of the best answers to a tough motivational question I've seen.