WIAW: Enjoy life. Shut up and eat what they make you.

Enjoy life. That's my motto right now and I hope forever.

I was having a conversation with a friend from North Carolina and realized I haven't felt free since 2009-2010. I wasn't free of food or exercise - I tried to be perfect and controlled everything I could, but it all ended up controlling me. I stopped having a social life altogether for almost 3 years! So as I talk about and post pictures of all the fun, I'm reminded that the fun loving person inside never went away and she's a lot of fun too.

I've made big changes this summer similar to Heather and Lindsay. I can't say I'm 100% done yet, but here are some accomplishments in two big realms of my life.

• I stopped counting calories but only because I'm so good at it, I don't need to anymore. 
• I've worked out much less but become faster and stronger.

WIAW has become tougher though because I don't put as much thought into my food as I once did. I eat random food at home and then I eat out so you are treated with some of those pretty pictures.


I tried the small Immunizer from Juice It Up was way to expensive. It's the typical price for a 16 oz anywhere else!

Spotted and purchased at Ralph's: coconut Chobani! Though good, it's not my favorite! That title still goes to lemon and strawberry-banana.

Vanilla Shakeology everyday. This one has cherries, half a banana, and lots of ice.

Also on rotation: Sweat the Sweet Stuff's s'mores French toast, minus the marshmallow, which I replaced with whipped cottage cheese and with chocolate protein powder mixed with water to drizzle.

With my day off, I slept 11 hours, did very little homework, and then ventured out. My options were pretty much the same, just with different people: movies and someone making me dinner.

I ended up watching the latest episode of "Dexter," "The Conjuring," and "After Earth" for 6 hours! Boy was I tired, but...

...and then I bailed to do a quick workout. Seriously, I was so antsy!

Monday night's dinner: eggs & bacon. Someone, not me, forgot to put oil in the pan before putting in the eggs, but I really shouldn't complain because A) it's at least Paleo, B) it tasted good, and C) a guy attempted to cook. Though usually, my male friends are better cooks than I am.

Tuesday was surprisingly more exciting. I woke up a tad earlier, ran the 1.1 mile to the gym in about 8:30 (woohoo), warmed up on the elliptical for 10 minutes, and took BodyPump with one of my favorite instructors. I cooled down with a walk home in the sunshine. :)

There was no time to make food as the kitchen was taken over. I tried the "wangs" lite salad at Greenleaf Chopshop, which I ate all of at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Had to get some kombucha to help me digest.

What are your favorite ways to calm down? I love yoga after work and slow walks to soak up some Vitamin D.

Summer songs & fantastic memories

A week ago, I was looking at my legs. I don't wear shorts and if I do, they're short... not because I want to wear booty shorts but because my stubby legs look even more awkward otherwise. Everyone has a thing and this is mine, except this girl definitely has acceptable legs.

Okay and now for the real post. It's about music, which should surprise you because I'm not a diehard. However, summer songs are my favorites. They come attached with fantastic memories that I've decided to recall.

I picked my favorites or most memorable from the last 10+ years. *Bolded are my all-time favorites.

2012
"Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jespen because we made a parody video with my co-workers
Honorable mention: "Whistle" Flo Rida

2011
Didn't like any of them

2010
"California Girls" Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
"Cooler Than Me" Mike Posner when I fell in love with this guy (the artist)

2009
"Knock You Down" Keri Hilson ft. Kanye West was constantly played at the gym

2008
"Dangerous" Kardinal Offishall is still one of my favorite songs!

2007
"Party Like A Rockstar" Shop Boyz when I met a cute guy, who I just looked up on facebook... and he's not looking so good and he's getting married. Whoa.
"Beautiful Girls" Sean Kingston was on all the time

2006
"Promiscuous" Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland
"Me & U" Cassie which we heard recently while dancing and some girl decided to mimic the video

2005
"We Belong Together" Mariah Carey

2004
"Sunshine" Lil Flip I remember listening to this on MTV or BET in high school

2003
"Crazy In Love" Beyonce ft. Jay-Z
"Right Thurr" Chingy

2002
"Hot in Herre" Nelly
"Dilemma" Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland

"I Need A Girl (Part 2)" P. Diddy but what was better was "Trade It All"


2001
"Peaches & Cream" 112 which we dance and sang to in middle school
"Where the Party At" Jagged Edge
"Fallin" Alicia Keys

What is your favorite summer song thus far?
What memories do any of the songs conjure up?

MIMM: Recap of last week

Happy August! Can you believe it?

I just woke up after a marathon 11 hours of sleep... and I could have slept more!

Here's a recap of last week:

MARVELOUS Monday dinner and hang out with co-workers at Pizzeria Mozza

Tried bone marrow but wasn't a fan

Nancy's Chopped Salad, which was pretty disappointing

Tuesday: worked/watched people set up new tables and did homework

Reminds me of the Outer Banks trip of 2010 with Yancey and Drew. MARVELOUS. Paradise.

MARVELOUS vintage airline pieces

Wednesday: worked, napped maybe, happy hour and karaoke

Yoga after work is MARVELOUSLY calming

Crossroads at House of Blues - Ness was so good singing The Beatles' "Oh Darling"

Becca & I sang Grease's MARVELOUS "Summer Nights" with Lawrence

MARVELOUS girls' night

Thursday: went to work, worked out, watched 4 MARVELOUS episodes of "Dexter" with a new friend :)

Friday: worked, went to the fair (which is work) with friends and on a semi set up, tried to hang out with other friends who also went to the fair but failed to find them, went to a small gathering, and then chatted philosophically until 3 A.M.

Saturday: worked a busy day filled with 840 cupcakes on 3.5 hours of sleep, cancelled plans for other plans, those other plans changed, did homework instead which is probably what I should've been doing

No more cupcakes after this

Christy made me a MARVELOUS bouquet of coffee filter peonies... and they won't die!

Sunday: work, take my not so MARVELOUS midterm (non-negotiable because it's due!)

Sadly, my Monday will be filled with no-so-MARVELOUS errands and homework, as I've put them aside long enough. :(