Keep Hold of Your "You"

I have this friend named Dana. I am a little jealous of Dana because she has a way of putting together phrases, and sentences, and paragraphs in a way I don’t ever feel like I could. She is a gifted writer and has a way of communicating her point of view with just enough information so you get her point, but not so much information that you can’t see yourself in her writing and develop your own interpretation from it.

Well, Dana wrote this post on her blog. And, I loved it. (Proof of Love = Retweet). Here’s the meaning that I gleaned from her post:

Every single person in your life has their own interpretation of “you,” and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s not good or bad. It just is. But you have your own belief and interpretation of the “you” that you are. And, you have a responsibility to yourself to maintain the “you” that you believe you are, no matter what.
But, it becomes difficult when the “you” that you believe you are strays from the “you” that others believe you to be. So, what do you do?

You let them be. You allow them to hold on to what they believe you are, because it works for them. You, on the other hand, must hold on to your “authenticity.”


I think she couldn’t be more right. If you believe in you, and all that you are there is … there’s no shame in your game. You continue to be you, even though it’s hard.

Personally speaking, I have had instances where I’ve thought that it would be so much easier to just give in and match a person’s version of me.

I mean, think about it. We, as a society, don’t like change. Similarly, as communicative beings, we like organizational patterns. They help us perceive all that happens in the world around us quickly and efficiently. So, when we evolve the version of ourselves and this version no longer matches the pattern that others are used to following, it causes struggle and tumult, and it strains relationships.

So, what do you do when your "you" is causing chaos in your life?

You keep your feet firmly planted in your truth.

You stick to your convictions.

You listen to your gut.

If you can stay connected and in tune with your “you,” through every inevitable evolution of yourself, it is only a matter of time before those that matter will start to change their expectations and begin to love and value and appreciate you, for all that you are.

Friday Mini-Dance Party #2

One of my favorite things to do is to drink outside. Obviously, I'm taking about alcoholic drinks. But there's nothing I love more than day drinking in the sun.

But because I am a "grown-up" I can't do that. I have to "work" until 5. While doing "a lot of work," I'm listening to these fun, upbeat, get-ready-for-the-weekend tunes. 

Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa (ft. Bruno Mars) - Young, Wild, and Free

Travie McCoy - We'll Be Alright

Pitbull ft. Lil Jon - Krazy 

What would y'all add to this list? 

My First Attempt(s) at Green Smoothies

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a trend follower. I definitely didn't invent the Green Smoothie. But, I did my research on them, read up on how they are soo freakin' good for you so I decided to give them a try and see if they were good TASTING.

Now, my research mostly (okay totally) comes from Kimberly Snyder. She's kind of a big deal in the Green Smoothie arena. She has a blog and a book, and she has all kinds of famous people endorsing her and drinking them. By famous I mean Fergie, Hilary Duff, Josh Duhamel, Channing Tatum (swoon), Drew Barrymore, and Dr. Oz. I mean, come on. If I can look like Fergie, I'll drink a gallon of this stuff everyday. So here's what I learned from her website:

1. Greens have more nutrients than anything else. Sadly, very few people eat as many greens as they should and thus don't get as many nutrients as they need. AND, even if you are eating lots of green vegetables, you may not be getting all the nutrients because chewing alone probably doesn't break down the veggies enough for your body to get all the goodness. So, blending them to a creamy consistency is the way to go, it'll ensure you get all the good stuff.

2. Each serving (16 ounces) gives you 3 CUPS of dark leafy vegetables. That's a lot.

3. Drinking these things are like a daily cleanse. I learned that cleansing is your best shot at good health and beauty. Cleansing helps keep your body clean. I know that seemed like a stupid sentence, but it makes sense. Keeping your body clean can improve your skin, your energy level, your metabolism, and your urge to eat bad stuff. And as a girl who loves her fast food (and who's skin has decided it wants to resemble that of an adolescent again) this seemed perfect for me.

So, taking all that into consideration, I decided to go for it. I made this decision about a week ago and have been drinking them every day. I've made two batches and mixed up the recipes slightly, but you'll still get the idea from pictures below.

Here's what I used:

- 1 banana
- 1 mango
- 1 apple
- 2 stalks celery
- 6 cups of spinach (about one bushel of the normal-sized spinach)
- 5 cups of romaine lettuce (about one head of lettuce)
- Juice of 1 lemon (not pictured)
- 2 cups cold, filtered water

This picture was taken during my first attempt. The second go-around, I swapped the mango for about 1/2 container of strawberries.

Kimberly stresses how varying the fruits and veggies is okay, just keep the fruit / veggie ratio the same. The berries were a good choice. Next time, I think I may try some kale or seaweed. Romaine lettuce, while a lot better than iceberg isn't as nutrient-rich as some other greens. Also, I may throw in some blueberries. Blueberries are supposed to work wonders for belly fat (also known as: I like beer and wine fat).

Now, I'll be honest, the worst part is the time it takes to chop everything up. But, once you hit your groove, I think you can knock it out in about 10 minutes, uninterrupted.

Here's some picture of the process:

I have a plain old, run-of-the-mill Black and Decker blender. No muss, no fuss. I don't have a juicer or a fancy mixer, and honestly, it's super creamy as is. Add your water to the blender to start. 

Then, add your greens. I only have a 6-cup blender, so you have to add some then blend, then add more and blend. 

Next up, apples. I used a granny smith in the second rendition, a boring old gala the first go around. The granny smiths win. 

Strawberries! So good. I love strawberries. I will say their little tiny seeds tried to sneak in between my teeth, but I liked the flavor nonetheless. 

Bananas! Kimberly, made a point of saying the banana and the lemon juice should go last. Keep that in mind. Please excuse my disgusting, green-covered, slimy hands.  

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a cup (or a coffee cup like me) and then get rid of the seeds before pouring it in. (At this point, Sarah, the photog, remarked "Ew, that looks like pee." Sick.) 

Mmmm. It bubbles and spurts once you take off the top. Mmm ...

My first statement to Sarah when trying it? "It's not that bad!" You're not chewing a beverage, and it doesn't taste like pulverized greens. It tastes ... like a healthy, good for you, morning beverage. You feel good drinking it. And it doesn't take long to drink, at all. 

Now a die-hard ANTI-banana person, the banana is essential, as it masks the flavor of the greens. I thought the mango would be the star of the first batch, but it really was the banana. And everyone knows bananas are full of potassium, which is good for energy, among other things. Another reason to incorporate this in your morning routine. 

A serving of this drink (again, 16 ounces) is perfect to sip on before heading to yoga and I don't feel weighed down or overly full of liquid during a class. It really was good. And, because each recipe will make 3 days worth, it's not a huge time suck or drain on the bank account.

I definitely recommend giving it a go. If I liked it, you'll like it!



Blogger's Note: Kimberly Snyder's Glowing Green Smoothie recipe can be found here. 

A Week in Review: The Fake Retweet

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just can’t wait for the weekend? Of course you have. Now, have you ever had one of those weekends that was a lot of fun, but left you utterly exhausted. Who hasn’t? Welp, that’s exactly what happened to me over the past week.

Here’s what went down this week:

Bikram Yoga Classes Attended: 3

I know, I know. It’s only week two. But, I had a busy week. And, part of that week included this.

Two words. Tequila. Tuesday.

$4 Patron Shots + 105 degrees + 6AM = Next to Impossible.

Not impossible mind you, because I’ve done it before. And I was moments away from voming everywhere the entire time.

Times I Ate Out: 6 (That I Can Remember)

I need to keep a running tally on my phone, because this is all I can recall. And clearly this is the hardest resolution to actually keep. Case In Point: I ate out twice on Saturday. TWICE.

Blogs Written:

A Week in Review: Winery Tour
Recipe: Andes Mint Cookies - Two Ways 
Friday Mini-Dance Party #1

So, what else happened this week? Well …

I finished The Hunger Games! I could not put that book down. It was soo good. I am truly shocked at how good it was and how much I loved it. I can’t wait to grab all my best buds and have a watch party when the movie comes out in March! On to the next book, “Catching Fire!”

Britnee turned 25! I love birthdays because it’s such a great opportunity to get everyone in a room together. Bottom line, that’s really all that matters when it comes to birthdays.

Oh, and then there was the time I got retweeted by … Brad Goreski!

Here’s what happened:

I DVRed “It’s a Brad, Brad World” so I didn’t watch it until Wednesday, even though the show airs on Mondays.

After watching the episode, I tweeted this:

Then, I sent out this text:

I took the time to include proof of the event (the email from Twitter). 

Then, this happened:

Then I sent out this tweet:

So sad, right?!

Here’s how the conversation went with Ray about the infamous tweet (Note: replace “how” with “why” in Ray’s first text):

That’s pretty much our relationship in a nutshell.

Have a good week everyone!

Friday Mini-Dance Party #1

Because it's Friday, because I made it through another week, and because I can't help myself. Here's a mini-dance party from yours truly. Take a listen, I think it'll make you smile because it made me smile. Just resist the urge to dance in your seat at work. People will judge. 

1. Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) 

2. Britney Spears - If You Seek Amy

3. Selena Gomez and the Scene - Love You Like a Love Song

Recipe: Andes Mint Cookies - Two Ways

Let me start by saying that I love Andes mints. I love the chocolate and mint combo. (I also love Olive Garden a little bit more because you get Andes mints there.)

Now, I know i sing the praises of Pinterest alllllll the time because they opened my world up to all the fantastic DIY crafty projects. BUT, Pinterest has also opened my eyes to some deliciousness.

Today's deliciousness comes in the form of Andes Mint Cookies.

You can find the recipe here. But, below are some of the pictures I took while making them.

Here's what you'll need to make these: devil's food cake mix, a box of Andes mints, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, and two eggs. 

The cookies will only need to bake for 6 minutes. While they were in the oven,  I furiously unwrapped all 28 mints.

The second the cookies come out, lightly press an Andes mint into the center of the cookie. 

Now, after about 5 minutes, if you touch an Andes mint, this will happen. Unapologetically lick it off.

Once the 5 minutes or so is up, grab a spoon and smooth the Andes mint, like this. 

This will happen ...

... prompting you to do this. Totally okay.

I'm sure you noticed that title said Andes Mint Cookies - TWO ways. Well, that's because I made these the night Ray came into town. And while Ray fell in love with the cookies, the cookies were a little rich. Ray is a wimp when it comes to chocolate, which I think is unacceptable (but that's just me).

Consequently, Ray went home and made another version of these cookies, with French vanilla cake mix. I didn't get to try them, but from what I hear they were just as good, and not nearly as rich.

Same ingredients, just switch out the cake mix.

This cake mix isn't as nice to work with, because it doesn't have water. To make life easier, roll them into about 1 inch balls. It'll also make your cookies all symmetrical and pretty. 

Someoneeeee didn't send me a final picture so this is about as good as it gets. I love how golden they look though. 

So there you have it. Andes mint cookies done two ways! Enjoy!!

A Week in Review: Winery Tour

Oh, the first week back from a wonderful, long weekend. It’s tough. It’s exhausting. It kinda sorta blows, right?

Oh, and to add another layer to the fun, it is the first week of the New Year. This means you have to go back to work and be productive AND you have to hold yourself accountable to all your overly ambitious New Year’s resolutions. Here’s how I fared:

Bikram Yoga Classes Attended: 4

I’m not saying I’ll be able to keep this up all year, especially when Ray comes to visit, but I refuse to screw up this resolution on the first week. So much so that I overslept, missed my 6AM class, and then went to a class after work.

Times I Ate Out: 7.5

I know. Not good. BUT, if it helps my case, Ray was in town until Tuesday morning and that accounts for 3 of those meals. The .5 is because my boss paid for lunch for everyone so I couldn’t resist, even though it was fast food.

Blogs Written:

New Year's Eve 2011: A Theory and a Dip

Five Songs That are Kinda Good Again

Here's how the rest of the week went:

• As mentioned above, Ray left on Tuesday morning. Ray was supposed to leave on Monday afternoon, but because of a intercom malfunction everyone got bumped to another flight, which gave us another night together. 

• I have developed a new fiery love. Of peanut butter and apples. So freakin' good that I don't even care that I'm about 20 years late on this. 

• I only have about 60 pages left in The Hunger Games. It’s soo good I can’t stand it.

• The guys at the dealership informed me that I had a nail in not one, but two tires. Strangely enough, it’s not the tire that consistently looks low to me. Either way, I’m out some dinero.

• I spent Friday night at home, alone. I fell asleep on my couch watching Hulu at 9:30PM. It was glorious.

On Saturday, Eddie and I went on a winery tour. Unsurprisingly, it turned out to be an absurd, drunken time. Surprisingly, we met all kinds of women who gave us their business cards and asked us to get in touch with them for this, that, and the other.

And in accordance with another resolution of mine, I took tons of pictures, making good on another resolution. Here are some gems. If you look closely, you can see the intoxication level rising.

We were born this way.

P.S. Our winery tour included this impulse buy. Best. Impulse. Buy. Ever.

Five Songs That Are Kinda Good Again

The relationship that we have with Top 40 music is a never-ending cycle. It looks something like this:

- Top 40 finds a song for us.
- Top 40 plays it just enough for us so that we fall in love with the song.
- Top 40 sees our love as an invitation to play the song every 17 seconds.
- We begin to scream at our radio whenever we hear the first two notes of the song because it comes on every time we're in the car. Literally. Every. Time.
- Repeat with another song. And another. And another. Anddd another.

But, every once in a while, Top 40 radio is smart enough to know that they should stop playing the song, let us breathe for a while, and then they reintroduce it to us so we can love it again.

Guess what, guys? I have another list for you ...

Five Songs That Are Kinda Good Again

1. La Roux - Bulletproof 

Remember how catchy and techno-y this song was? Remember how we used to drive in our cars and belt out "This time baby, I'll beeeeee bullllllllletproof." Those days were fun. I miss those days. Come on Top 40. Please play THIS instead of LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem." 

2. Cee Lo Green - Forget You 

Such a good song. It kinda sounded like an old Motown-y hit, but it was a cool, new song, tailor-made for our generation. And, it gave us an excuse to sing expletives, which is always fun. When it came out, I couldn't get enough. But, eventually I got enough and had to switch to my iPod whenever Cee Lo started singing "I see you driving 'round town with that girl I love... And I'm like [bleep] you." But come on back, Cee Lo, I'm ready for you. But just this song. (I mean, let's not kid ourselves, that "Bright Lights, Bigger City" song was not good). 

3. Bruno Mars - Grenade 

I'm almost certain that if I could pick any male singer to sing to me, it'd be Bruno Mars. This is one of my favorite songs. It's a terrific ballad. It's so very intense. B. Mars not only offers to take a grenade for ya, but he says he'll throw his head on a blade for ya, AND jump in front of a train for ya. (Oh and he will take a bullet straight through his brain for ya). And I'll admit it -- I used to hold up my fake microphone and sing the climatic part of the song"... But darling I'd still catch a grenade for ya!" right there with Bruno. But then, Top 40 went and killed it and made me loathe every time I heard that first line. Top 40, I totally forgive you. Bring this song back and I'll bring my mic. 

4. B.o.B (ft. Hayley Williams and Eminem) - Airplanes 

Now for me, this song has almost everything I need to fall in love. It's hip-hop, but it has a soft melodic chorus. And it has Eminem. I love Eminem. A lot. And this is a song is one that I think everyone loved. So much so that I have distinct memories of some of my Facebook friends posting that memorable first line on their statuses: Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? 

Soo deep. At any rate, recently it's been creeping back into my airwaves and I love it! Keep it comin'. 

5. Ke$ha - Tik Tok 

I just love Ke$ha. So much so that I'll take the time to stylize her name in my blog. She is a beast when it comes to writing catchy, absurd songs. 

Example of Catchy Absurdity: 

I'm talking about everybody getting crunk, crunk
Boys tryin' to touch my junk, junk
Gonna smack him if he getting too drunk, drunk

Gotta love that Ke$ha.


So, is there anyone I missed? Who would make YOUR list of songs that are kinda good again? 

New Year's Eve 2011: A Theory and a Dip

Can I just say that I’m a little bit pleased to be DONE with the holidays? When the holidays are done correctly, they are absolutely exhausting! I know we all have moments in life where you feel like there’s just not enough time. But, from mid-December to January 1, there seriously isn’t enough time. Between the cooking (eating), shopping, and partying (drinking), you really kind of need a vacation from your vacation.

But, I’d be lying if I said that this wasn’t one of the best holiday seasons I’ve had. It was great. I loved every single moment, even the 10-hour shopping sprees where I made a rule that I could not buy a single thing for myself.

Now, I have a theory on New Year’s Eve. Allow me to share. NYE is like your high school prom*. That is, it is never, ever as good of a night as you think it’s going to be. It can’t ever live up to the hype. And because it can never live up to the hype, you have no other option but to set your expectations low. Better yet, don’t set expectations. Just see what happens. Don’t overspend on an outfit, don’t update your Facebook with statements like “New Year’s Eve 2011: It’s gonna be the best night everrrr!” You’re setting yourself up for a loss if you do. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So this year, my friend Kathy mentioned that she was hanging out at this hole-in-the-wall bar. So, that’s what I went with. I figured that, no matter what plans we make, we’ll find a way to have fun. So, we grabbed a quick bite and then met up with Sarah to pregame before the party really got started.

It turned out to be a really good time, all things considered. The drinks were cheap, which was super nice. I was in good company, which was great. You know how in movies there are times where all the characters are badly (drunkenly) dancing with each other looking all carefree and fun-loving? I think that if there was a camera crew filming us that night, that’s what we looked like. There was a cover band playing “90s angry chick music” (think Alanis’ “You Oughta Know” and Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch”) and I love that stuff.

Here’s a pic from that night, taken before the drunkenness and the dancing:

I'm not a sequin girl by nature but I feel like NYE = sequins.

Now, everyone knows what you’re supposed to do on New Year’s Day, right? Eat black-eyed peas! It’s a rule. You must eat them on New Year’s Day to ensure good luck in the coming year. Well sooooomeone (Ray) doesn’t like black-eyed peas and swears they taste bitter. So, I did what any good girl would do. I got on Pinterest and found a recipe for black-eyed pea dip. It renders the peas (beans) virtually unrecognizable and is actually really good.

Here’s the recipe. I definitely recommend giving it a go even if it isn't January 1. The image above and the recipe are both courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

All in all, I’d say that the New Year shaped up pretty nicely. Today, I’m back to the normal routine, including yoga, and couldn’t be happier.


* My theory on NYE also applies to movies like Anchorman and Avatar.