Wednesday Weigh-In

Wednesday Weigh-In is canceled today due to Mother Nature and her current presence in my life.

During these several days of her visit, I feel so bloated (which is a nice way of saying fat), irritable, overly emotional, and tired.

I also crave anything sweet.

Yum!! I want these!

Essentially, I am extremely stereotypical.

And also terrified to step on the scale at any time during my period.

I love it! I hate it!

This morning, I awoke to an email both anticipated and dreaded in my life.

It was from my most-loved and cherished friend, Kate Spade, and she was informing me about her sample sale.

You know, just 75% off.

No big.

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I hurriedly clicked over to the website. I am a shopper who fears that some other woman (or man) will snatch up my most coveted item(s) if I'm not quick enough.

Ms. Spade did not disappoint in her selection.

Of course, now that I have finally narrowed my choice down to one handbag (my shopping bag total was over $500; clearly, I was overexcited), I will likely spend the next twenty-four hours debating if I really need that purse.

Because let's be honest here bloggers. I really don't have $200 sitting around, watching TLC and sighing, "I'm so bored! Spend me already!"

Yet that handbag is beautiful.

And I think handbags are a lovely investment if you choose a classic style that will last for many years to come.

And Kate Spade is nothing but classic.

I'll keep you posted on who wins this battle: my shopaholicism (which sometimes rivals that of Becky Bloomwood's) or my very weak practical side...

My Skin Aha Moment

Ever since I was twelve, I've had problems with my skin.

While I was lucky to never have severe acne, small breakouts have always been the norm for me.

"You'll grow out of it," my mom would tell me.

Unfortunately, it's been about nine years now, and I have yet to "grow out of it."

Recently, I was with a friend shoe shopping at Nordstrom. She was waiting on a few pairs of shoes to be brought out when I caught sight of the Bobbi Brown makeup counter.

"I'm just going to go over there for a minute," I told her.

When I arrived, I told the consultant about my skin and how I needed a foundation that would provide good coverage to my acne while not making it any worse.

"I have literally tried everything," I explained, "and nothing helps my skin."

It's true too. I have used...

Proactiv: This didn't help me at all. If anything, it exacerbated the problem. Also, the company is really sneaky, and you end up spending more money than you thought you would thanks to the fine print. Avoid this company at all costs!

Neutrogena Skin ID: Meh.

Aveda Outer Peace: This worked fairly well. It's gentler than other acne medicines, which is very nice.

Clinique Acne System: Same comments as Aveda.

Anything you can buy at the drugstore

Pills from the dermatologist: I had a severe allergic reaction to these my junior year of high school and was out of school for two weeks. I had to have a spinal tap and permanently lost my peripheral vision. Awesome.

"The" pill: While I gained weight, I didn't gain clear skin.

Anyway.

The kind Bobbi Brown consultant examined my face and said, "Sweetie, your skin is really dehydrated. You're using way too much salicylic acid, and it's only making your acne worse."

I couldn't believe that all of the acne products I had been using had been only hurting my skin.

That evening, I bought a really excellent foundation from that sweet makeup consultant.

Over the next few days, I began using a Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar (as suggested by a friend of mine who has the most beautiful skin) while washing my face and then Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion afterwards.

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And my skin feels amazing.

My face is soft again, and my acne is disappearing.

Many people do not realize how embarrassing acne can be. I have always felt so self-conscious about my breakouts, and I feel incredible now that my skin is looking clearer.

Thank you Bobbi Brown consultant!! :)

Worth it.

Last night, my friend (and future roommate) and I made a trip out to Ikea.

We were naturally quite hungry after hauling furniture off shelves and attempting to maneuver those awkward Ikea carts (WHAT is up with those?) so we stopped to eat on our way home at Frisch's.

I ordered a Big Boy hamburger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake.

Not my actual sandwich.

It was absolutely amazing and worth every calorie.

Oh, and I felt like a total American.

Fired up

Sorry for my lack of a Wednesday Weigh-In post yesterday. I spent my day at my grandma's sewing a pair of pajama shorts (which are still not done due to neither of us following directions. Oops). I imagine my weight wouldn't have been very pretty though, judging by what I ate in Chicago...

But anyway.

Last week, I found out that the Catholic high school I attended was hosting an end of Ramadan dinner with a local Muslim group. I thought that was such an incredible idea, and I was really proud of my Alma mater for hosting this event.

Islam is such a misunderstood religion, and I always think it is a fantastic idea when different faiths join together to better understand and appreciate one another's beliefs.

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Today though, I read an article online about my high school canceling this event due to parent complaints and "safety concerns."

This REALLY upsets me.

Whenever I see awful things on the news concerning prejudice or racism, I think how far away those people and places are. It really hurts to see it in my own neighborhood.

Ignorant people ruin everything.

What? You can't see her too?

This morning I was enjoying a cup of hot tea while watching an old "Arthur" episode.

And yes. I mean "Arthur" as in Arthur the Aardvark.

That show (and the books) will always bring me immense happiness. I am a proud Arthur fan.

Anyway. The episode this morning featured D.W.'s imaginary friend, Nadine.

BFFs

"Aren't imaginary friends so weird?" I said to my mom. "What's up with that?"

"Um. Don't you remember YOUR imaginary friends?" She replied.

Oooh. Yeah. That's right.

When I was little, I had one imaginary friend and one imaginary boyfriend (sad how my romantic life doesn't look any more optimistic fifteen years later...).

Their names were Corda and Chachi.

I obviously got the name "Chachi" from Joanie's boyfriend on the TV show "Happy Days," but I still have no idea where I came up with "Corda."

While I can't remember ever actually playing or hanging out with my imaginary friends, what I do remember is making up extravagant stories about them.

For example, I would tell my mom that Chachi decided to run away from home and was living in our woods for a while with a family of baboons (creepy???), and I had designated a house on my aunt's street where Corda apparently lived. She was only six-years-old but mature enough to live alone. Oh, that Corda.

As disturbing as this information all may sound, I actually think it was my first way of creating stories. Writing fiction is one of my favorite things to do, and today I realized that the invention of these imaginary friends' and their lives was my very first experience with fiction writing.

Which is very cool actually.

But what about everyone else? Did you have an imaginary friend?

A mega awful ride

This past weekend, I rode the Mega Bus between Cincinnati and Chicago.

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I have been riding the Mega Bus for almost three years now. 

I am a seasoned veteran. 

Anyway, my ride this past Thursday was one of my worst.

It all started off so well when I found myself standing first in line.

YESSSS!!! You can finally sit in the front row seats on the upper deck! YOUR DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!!! I thought excitedly. 

"Daddy, can we please sit in the front seats up there? I want to look out the window!" The small child behind me asked her father.

Her brother nodded eagerly, "Yeah!!! Those seats are so cool!!"

I sighed and took a seat on the lower deck.

Suddenly, there was a strong smell of cigarette smoke (a smell I honestly cannot stand), and two younger women emerged on the bus. They were talking obnoxiously loud and were total Mega Bus newbies. 

"I mean, how cuuuuuuteeee is this bus?? And like, I mean, it is SOO eco-friendly, right?" The one gushed to whomever she was speaking to on the phone.

And let me just add- this phone conversation was one of several that took place during our ride across the Midwest.

When the bus finally embarked on its journey, the ride felt uncomfortably jerky. I assumed the driver wasn't the best and wished I had brought Dramamine.

We made our customary stop in Indianapolis, and I made a friend with one of the riders we picked up at that stop. And thank gosh I did because just twenty minutes later, our Mega Bus driver pulled over to a gas station and declared that he couldn't get the bus to accelerate past 45MPH.

He also mentioned that there was smoke coming from the back.

Awesome.

"Ummm...well, the gas station doesn't have the oil I need so I guess I'll just walk down to the truck place," our Mega Bus driver said.

The "truck place" was a looooong ways down the road. It would take him at least an hour to walk there and back!

Lucky for all of us, a man pulled up in his pickup truck and called out, "Ya'll need a ride somewhere?"

Our Mega Bus driver hopped in the truck with the local and off they zoomed.

At this point, we all wondered if we would ever see our driver again. Or make it to Chicago.

Our driver did return ten minutes later, and he was able to fix our bus and get us on our way again. We ended up arriving in Chicago over an hour late (earlier though than I expected).

I am never riding the Mega Bus again. After three years of putting up with random inconveniences like this, I'm done.

And just for the record- it is VERY rare to find a ticket for $1. Don't believe the advertisements. You'll actually pay about $41 each way.

Wednesday Weigh-In

I leave tomorrow evening for a weekend in Chicago.

My diet is being left behind in Cincinnati, and I think that's perfectly okay.

I will let myself have...

Lou Malnati's pizza

Lou Malnati's is a million times better than Giordano's. Just saying.

A California sandwich from Uncle Sammy's

This is not a California sandwich, but it is from Uncle Sammy's, and it does look equally as delicious.

Jamba Juice's Razzmatazz 

Cincinnati does not have a Jamba Juice. Yeah, I don't know how I survive here either.

Anything on the menu from Bistro 110

They have the best bread and roasted garlic in the entire world. That is no exaggeration.

A Ghiradelli brownie

I realize you can buy these at Target, but they are SO much better from Uncle Sammy's.

Whatever my little Cincinnatian heart desires

Besides, I plan on doing lots of walking so all of this food will burn right off.

Right...

Weight today: 141.5

Not as low as I had hoped, but a poor day of eating last week (I went totally crazy and ate essentially anything in my path. This happens sometimes) and a huuuge dinner at Maggiano's probably didn't help my case.

Please don't hold out high hopes for a positive weigh in next week because I have a suspicion it is not going to pretty.

One of my favorite movie moments.

My favorite movie ever is "Love Actually," and this scene in particular always makes me laugh out loud.

This is incredibly funny and adorable to me.

Oh, Hugh.

Social media's former ruler: AIM

I was doing something on our ancient family computer the other night when I noticed the "AIM" icon (AOL Instant Messenger) and was instantly filled with nostalgia.

This little guy is so cute.

In a day and age where ten-year-olds have Facebooks, it's hard to remember the time when AIM ruled the social media world.

When Facebook first installed an instant messenger, I can remember talking to a friend and commenting, "I doubt anyone will ever use this! Who would use Facebook to instant message when there is AIM?"

Of course, poor AIM was beaten out by FIM. Even by a loyal AIM user such as myself.

Here are some of my AIM memories...

The immense amount of time and effort that went into creating the perfect AIM profile. Here is an example profile:

"LiVe LaUgH lOvE

Friends: Katie, Ashley, Megan, Sarah...you know who you are!~!~!~! Love ya!! BFFAE!

10.3.99

I love you Scott! Idk what I'd do without you!"

(Note: You would probably break up with the love of your life, Scott, in less than two weeks. Love is fleeting at the tender age of eleven)

or the classic:

"UnDa CoNsTrUcTiOn"

Having your fifth grade boyfriend tell you, "Get on AIM today at 3:30," and then feeling waaay cool while you chatted to him about the upcoming book fair or most recent episode of Hey Arnold!

The pointless conversations shared between friends

Me: Hey!

Friend: Hey!

Me: What's ^?

Friend: n2m u?

Me: Same.

Friend: Cool.

Me: Yeah.

(I swear those conversations sadly occurred on a normal basis.)

The buddy icons

Lance Bass from N*SYNC or Britney Spears? Decisions, decisions!

The sound of the opening door whenever anyone signed online, and the slam of a door when someone signed off.

Quite dramatic in hindsight.

Oh, AIM...

I must admit, I feel very fortunate that Facebook was not invented when I was younger. I can only imagine the embarrassing things I would have done on there... 

Thoughts on the mall...

This afternoon, I spent time at my favorite shopping mall in Cincinnati.

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I believe that shopping alone is one of the most relaxing things in the world. I get so much enjoyment out of the activity, I actually described the experience to my mom as "euphoric."

Which she told me was so, so weird.

But that's alright.

Here are a few thoughts that came to mind while shopping today...

1. I will forever be considered "large" according to Forever 21 sizes.

2. A day of shopping at the mall is excellent exercise

3. It was nicer when kids didn't have cell phones until high school (This thought occurred to me when I was waiting in the checkout line at Forever 21 behind a mom and daughter. The daughter was sullenly texting away while her mom paid the bill).

4. I want to eat a crazy amount of Godiva almond truffles. And chocolate covered strawberries. Just chocolate in general, really.

5. H&M's autumn line is absolutely gorgeous. Very classic and polished.

6. Nine West always appears to be having some huge sale.

7. I wish everyone would go back home and let me shop in peace.

8. Why do so many young girls hang out in Victoria's Secret (The answer to that could be bothersome. Please disregard)?

9. I hate slow walkers.

10. Someday I'd like to shop in the actual store part of Anthropologie and not the "Sale" area (located in a pseudo closet- how degrading).

What do you love and hate about the mall?

What's on your desk?

So I loved finding out what you all keep in your showers, and now I want to know...what's on your desk?

Do you consider your desk your "workspace" or is just a place where random items are tossed or stored?

Here is my desk from Ikea.

My mom bought me this desk (and my beloved bookshelf) the day after my boyfriend told me he was gay. Ikea can heal all wounds apparently.

Hanging above my desk are two magnetic boards I just had to have from PB Teen back when I was in high school and weirdly obsessed with everything PB Teen. I like to put up pictures and things that inspire me or just make me smile :)

I also have a poster of my girl, Bridget Jones, up too because just looking at her makes me happy. And oh, how I'd love to have Hugh Grant and Colin Firth contesting for my heart...

My desk serves as my energy hub, as well. Here is my "power squid." Don't worry. It doesn't bite.

While I'd love to lie to you all and say that I use my desk for intense study sessions and magnificent writing, I have to admit...I don't actually use my desk all that often.

It's really just a place where I set my laptop and printer and store important papers (okay, and lots of other miscellaneous junk). See?

I know. It's a total wreck.

Honestly, I have always used my bed as my "workspace," which I know is frowned upon, but oh well...such is life.

Sooo-what are your desks like?

Wednesday Weigh-In

Today's weight is so exciting that I'm not even waiting until the end of this post to report it.

142.5 pounds.

As in I am down 32 pounds!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited to have passed that 30 mark and inch my way even closer to my goal of 40.

If you look at last Wednesday's post, I weighed 148.5 pounds. While I would love to claim that I am just that amazing and miraculously lost six pounds in one week, I must admit that this weight loss is a combination of a successful week, the departure of Mother Nature, and the cessation of a medicine I was taking that has a side effect of weight gain. 

But I am still ecstatic about this beautiful 142.5 number on the scale.

At this rate, I'll be gliding into the 130s in no time.

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Relief!

I am happy to report that I have completed my GRE test and feel very good about my scores.

This picture somewhat illustrates my happiness:

I plan on spending the rest of my Tuesday doing nothing of educational value.

But let me leave you with my own personal test-taking strategies.

1. Sleep with a prayer card of your favorite saint beneath your pillow for a few days before the big exam. My favorite saint? Saint Jude. He is also the saint of hopeless causes. Appropriate.

Doesn't he look like a nice guy?

2. Cross yourself with the holy water you bought from St. Peter's when you were in Vatican City last summer. Do this the night before and morning of the test.

3. Last religious one- pray your heart out. Offer extra money in the Sunday collection basket.

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4. Eat Cheerios and drink orange juice for breakfast.

I love pulp. Is that weird?

5. Wear your most favorite leggings, tunic, and scarf (Note: You actually cannot wear a scarf into the exam room [who knew?], but it's the thought that counts) to the exam so you look and feel your best!

My favorite scarf and my favorite dad.

Au revoir GRE! SO happy you are done!

The stress is almost over...

In just two more days, I will finally be relieved of the dark cloud looming over me...also known as the GRE.

I feel much more confident about the test since I took another practice test on Friday and did pretty well, but I will continue to stress about this exam until it is over!

Because I am a stressy person, and that's just what I do.

Here is what I am planning on doing after Tuesday:
1. Read Tina Fey's Bossypants.

I love you, Tina Fey.

2. Concentrate on packing for the new house (and buying more home decor, bien sûr!)

A girl can dream.

3. Watch a crazy and unhealthy amount of Sex and the City episodes.

Buying the SATC complete series was one of the smartest shopping decisions I've ever made.

4. Go shopping (I am planning on doing this immediately following the exam)

One of my favorite stores.

5. Get frozen yogurt!

Can I just stick my mouth under those things?

6. Actually have time to be excited about my trip to Chicago and seeing my friends <3

One of my favorite cities in the world.

7. Continue to write and work on my in-progress novel

Okay so I actually type my writing.

I'll see you all again on Tuesday! Have a great beginning of the week!

Everyone needs a little S Club!

I was driving along this afternoon when one of my favorite songs came on my iPod (it's been recharged and resurrected to life).

S Club 7's "Reach."

Remember this song anybody?

You know what I didn't remember about S Club 7? Their AWESOME dance moves! Check them out!

I think we need more artists with such optimistic and cheerful songs.

Whenever I hear "Reach," I feel like I can achieve anything!

At least for the song's 4:03 duration anyway.

Am I the only girl who loves to shower?

So today while I was driving home from work, my iPod died.

C'est tragique! I know.

Anyway. I was forced to resort to the radio (which I hate) and caught the end of a conversation where a young woman called in to say all of the things she would live without before giving up her cell phone or something.

One of the things she'd gladly give up?

Showering.

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"I mean, we girls all hate showering anyway! It's soooo much work!"

Um, THIS girl (me) does not hate showering. I love it!

I begin every day with a shower. It's my morning wake-up, and I like to start the new day fresh and clean. I even shower before going to the factory, which may sound pointless seeing as dirty as I get during the workday, but I just cannot function without having had a morning shower.

And while I can acknowledge that, as a woman, showering can feel a little tiresome with all of its tasks during and afterwards, I don't think of it as "soooooo much work."

But am I in the minority here? Do you other ladies view showering as a lot of work and would give it up before your cell phone?

Wednesday Weigh-In

Last night, I went to Panera with a few friends.

I had already eaten dinner so I thought I'd just get some sort of coffee drink.

Having consumed a piece of cake that day, I went into my bad habit of considering the entire day a waste since I hadn't been perfect on my diet.

I ordered an Icee Mocha (AKA a frozen mocha- were they ever called "Icee Mocha" or am I just crazy?) as I hadn't had one in forever and stood patiently waiting for the barista to blend my drink.

The Perpetrator

Finally, it arrived, and just as I was sipping in that first heavenly taste, my dear friend said, "Isn't it great how Panera lists the calorie counts of everything on their menu?"

"Wow! That is awesome," I had replied, innocently searching for my frozen mocha.

570 CALORIES.

THERE ARE 570 CALORIES IN A MEDIUM FROZEN MOCHA.

Awesome. Really, really awesome.

Needless to say, I haven't had the most successful of diet days this week, but I have been committed to my exercise routine so my weight has not skyrocketed or anything of the sort.

Weight today: 148 pounds

Which means...26.5 down and 13.5 to go...

After having sipped down a 570 calorie drink, I'll take it.

Let them eat cake!

Earlier this afternoon, after I emerged from the cold and dark basement having just taken my practice test of the GRE, I suddenly smelled something divine.

Like cake.

Already feeling sad, defeated, and incompetent (let's just say I mcsucked on the math sections), I was in a vulnerable position.

I saw the cake tin sitting so innocently on the counter. 

Then, I did something dangerous. 

I lifted the top off and was faced with a gorgeous bundt cake. Hot from the oven. With vanilla icing drizzled all over it.

Obviously, at this point I had no choice but to eat the cake.

And now I want more.

Oh, hey- self control? I'd love to have some of you right about now.

Welcome August! A recap of July Favorites!

Where did July go?

Does it even matter? I don't particularly enjoy July.

But here are a few of my favorite things from the scorching month!

1. Persol sunglasses: I want these. Really badly. I have had a fantastic pair of Chanel sunglasses for about four years now. Want to know how I acquired my Chanel glasses? THEY WASHED UP IN THE OCEAN. Yep. Seriously. I had them inspected and found out they were genuine. They're gorgeous glasses, but they've always been lightly scratched in the lens area (being tossed about in the Atlantic will do that to a pair of sunglasses), and they've definitely seen better days. My friend recently bought Persol prescription glasses, and they look absolutely fantastic. Very sophisticated and posh, I think.

So glam!

2. Ellie's new collar: I bought this off eBay for under $15. It's purple and glittery with her name in rhinestones. Ellie looks and feels quite fab!

3. Memory foam: For my new bed for my new house (it should be noted that my "new bed" will actually be a downgrade to a twin for space reasons...quelle dommage!), I bought a king sized memory foam pad that I am planning on cutting in half to fit on my bed. Essentially, I got twice the amount of foam for the same price! Awesome.

You can even balance a glass of wine on it!

4. This Target cereal bowl: I cannot wait to eat soup, cereal, and ice cream (and whatever else) from this San Francisco themed bowl. So urban!

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5. Harry Potter: I always love Harry Potter, but the final movie this month was indescribable. I teared up and (attempted) to lead the audience in applause multiple times. If I ever muster up enough moxie to get a Harry Potter tattoo, you will all be the first to know.

I love you. Thank you for creating Harry.

6. Jello: 10 calories per cup. Antioxidants. Good and good.

I am the creep who appreciates the texture of jello.

7. Edinburgh, Scotland: My friend is currently studying abroad here, and I truly cherish reading her emails about this magical city. My dad and older brother have been here a few times to golf, and I think I'm falling in love with this city I have never even been to before.

I want to live here.

8. Being one month closer to fall: Confession- I HATE THE SUMMER. I liked the summer when I was little and it meant no school and no responsibilities, but as a young woman, it's become my least favorite season of all. I hate the heat. I hate humidity. I hate sweating and hair frizzing. The sun gives me a headache. I prefer autumn/winter clothes. I realize I sound like a depressing person. I'm okay with that.

Ellie loves playing in the leaves.