National *Fill In The Blank* Day

Did you know today is National Chocolate Chip Day? If you didn't, consider yourself informed. This revelation comes on the heels of my new found dedication to fitness. Honestly, I love the idea of National, well, Anything Day, but I just can't get behind this one.

Here's something that will probably make me lose some friends: I don't really even like chocolate all that much...

As it is, my daily exercise routine has caught a snag, I don't need National Chocolate Chip Day to make it worse. I discovered that not only do I have bursitis in my hips (ouch!) I apparently have bursitis in my ankle (double ouch!) and can barely walk, much less the mile+ that I was doing in the mornings. 

Here's hoping my doctor appointment this afternoon helps things!
  
I have, however, found an awesome online diet and exercise journal in which to log all my calories and exercise time. It tells me how many calories, fat, carbs, etc. I have left to consume in the day. Talk about a real eye opener! If you are just getting started with a nutrition change, I recommend finding a journal/tracker like SparkPeople or MyFitnessPal and really seeing how much you consume in a day. 

It's mind boggling! Even if you aren't trying...DO IT NOW! You will be shocked!

 So, even if my exercise is a bit affected with my body being moody and lame, my eating habits will be on the straight and somewhat narrow. A little motivation goes a looooooooooooong way, and believe me, this is motivation to change. 



Now...go eat a chocolate chip cookie for me :)

New Chapters, Old Habits

Hello my dear readers! It has been awhile since we last chatted...or interacted in any way. I realize I have the habit retention of a nine year old sometimes and never pay attention to this poor blog, and for that I apologize. But, so many things have happened since January!

Of course a lot has happened...it's been like what? Five months? Ok, maybe only four, but still.....

The school semester has ended, and the library is once again completely empty. Oh, don't worry, it will pick up again once summer session starts. I am happy to say that I am finally entering my Senior year of college! Exciting stuff right there....

And it only took 13 years to get here!

Oh, don't get me wrong, I haven't been going to college for thirteen years. I took classes here and there without really committing myself to finish. This time I started in 2010 and changed my major last year, so to actually hit Senior status is epic. I will be graduating with a Bachelor's degree in English.

WHAT are you going to do with a degree in English? Or, What ARE you going to do? Or even. What are you going to DO as an English major??? As a phenomenal professor once said, I am going to critically explore the human experience with my English degree. I realize it doesn't pay well, believe me.

I don't recall if I have mentioned my love of libraries, or books, or words, or language. If I haven't, I should have long ago! Yeah, I am going into Library Science.

OH! I also have signed up for my very first 5k run! I have nineteen weeks to train...and boy am I out of shape. But, I am determined to do this and get myself where I need to be physically. It is amazing how extra weight in my middle age can slow me down. I am sick and tired of my joints hurting and being..well, tired, all the time.

I know I was going somewhere....This post jumps around more than a flea with an attention disorder.

I really didn't come here to just talk about me, but I want to be an encouragement to all of you. No matter your age, your fitness level, or your status in life, you can do whatever you put your mind to! 

It is easy to quit when things get hard, but more rewarding to follow through.

 (I never got around to that clock, but I still would love to!)

Don't give up my friends, there is so much world out there! We can only see, not experience, from behind the computer screen.


Want to join me in The Color Run 5k? I am in the process of forming a team right now! Just click here
to register. If you would like to join our team, leave a comment and I will give you the team information!

Time Goes By: Clocks and Other Reflections

I have been inspired. Inspired to do more with the time I have been given in this life. Oddly, this inspiration began with a clock. This clock to be exact.

If you are wondering what this clock inspired me to do....I must go back to a bay window.

I know, I know. It sounds like a bad joke. A clock, a window and a picture walk into a bar....
 
This beautiful yet utterly dysfunctional bay window that takes up an entire wall in my living room was a source of frustration and subsequent frantic Googling for ideas. You see, I had this window decorated for Christmas and while I had taken all of the holiday decor down, I hadn't yet washed the window. As I was washing them this afternoon I was contemplating what to do with this awkward space next. My four year old son makes pretty.....un-pretty and well placed decor items, well, they walk away.

Or maybe they run, I don't know.

 Sooooo anyway, I ended up moving a large inexpensive picture (whose glass had already been broken) into this window just for filler until I decided what to do next.

Believe me...it looks awful from the outside if it is just left empty. Just trust me when I say it's better this way. Or maybe not, I stink at decorating.

And now, I have a completely blank wall in my dining room. I'm not sure, but I think I just moved the problem from the window to the dining room. 

Sigh.......

I had this idea a few months ago that I would get one of those over sized wall clocks and make it the center of attention in the room, but I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for a good one. Then, it occurred to me I could get a vinyl wall clock with a clock kit and put it there. It would be cool....right?

I loved the idea until I found the price of one of those was about as expensive as buying a real one. And let's face it, although they are cool, they aren't as nice as a real solid clock.

Next came the idea of stenciling the numbers and just getting the clock kit. You know, like any one of these that only cost around $10. At this point, I was kind of annoyed. I began thinking that cleaning my window had evolved to redecorating my entire house. I am notorious for doing this. I rearranged my living room five stinking times to put up my Christmas tree, which is only three feet wide by six feet tall.

So you can imagine what this window has done to my brain.

Then I ran across that clock. That handmade, based on a expensive designer, only cost $15 to make, clock.

I fell in love. Oh, no, I didn't fall in love with that clock, per say. I fell in love with the idea of making one myself. I had one idea...then another and another. I know if I don't write them down I will not remember them later. I wish I had the stuff to make one right now, but unfortunately my brilliant ideas are just going to have to wait until tomorrow.

I have this bad habit of not getting around to projects because I have so many other things going on in my life. In fact, I have a whole Pinterest folder entitled "Crafts I might get to...Some day" So this may not go very far. We shall see.

I'll leave you with a piece of advice: Don't muse too long on the concept of time, it slips away into the deepest regions of your brain and before you know it, you've lost track of it.