My New Year's "Resolutions" v.2011

   

Last year I made a list of "resolutions" that was pretty lame and, for the most part, unrealistic. I'm not a huge fan of the idea of "resolutions", nor do I necessarily like the definition of the word resolution. Therefore, let's call these my goals of 2011 instead, shall we?

OBG's Goals for 2011

1. Gain Weight. I know what you're thinking. Any resolutions or goals made in regards to weight are just about guaranteed to fail right out of the gate. This is a risky goal. I get it, but with enough determination, I know I can accomplish this goal. Sure, I might slip a few times throughout the year and actually end up losing weight, but I'm pretty sure that with the right diet and the right balance of exercising and loafing, gaining weight is a very attainable goal this year.
2. Try New Things. I've got this one in the bag! In fact, I've already started. Today I tried soy milk for the first time (I'm not a fan). I am positive that in 2011 I will be able to try new things all the time, making this one of the smartest goals I could probably set for myself.
3. Buy New Clothes. How can I not achieve this goal, what with the changing seasons and my anticipated success with goal #1? Plus, my wardrobe is still, primarily, geared for life in NY. It's time to switch over to a VA wardrobe.
4. Meet New People. Again, a very doable goal, especially considering where I live and what I do for a living. In fact, I received an email just before winter break to inform me about new students entering the schools I teach in. That counts.
5. Play More Games. And not the bad kind (mind games). The good kind. The ones that people play for enjoyment. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm going to jump on my Kindle sometime this afternoon and play a word game.
6. Decorate the House. Boy does it need it. Although we're off to an okay start, this place really needs some more personality. We're talking curtains, wall decor, areas rugs, lighting... Heck, we're here until at least October. Might as well make it feel like home, right? (For the record, because we move around A LOT, we have a hard time settling into any place we live and making it feel like a comfy, cozy, welcoming home. We've decided to make an effort to do it with our current place of residence, especially since we really like it.)
7. Revamp the Blog. I'm bored. Again. And when I get bored with something I decided to change it up quite a bit. Assuming I'll be able to find the time to do so this year, you can expect this little 'ole blog to go through some changes.
8. Disappoint Family Members. This is pretty much a given for any year, so why not actually make it a goal? That way I can feel good about disappointing my family (you know, because I've accomplished a goal) instead of just miserable and guilty about it.

I think that's a decent enough list. I don't want to put too much on that list. Got to set the bar low. I tend to be an unambitious procrastinator, so the less I have to put off doing, the better.

What are your resolutions/goals this year?

I'd like to start a petition to extend the year by an extra month. At the least.

   
Just for fun, I decided to check out the New Year's "Resolutions" I made in January to see how I'm doing with them. I don't really predict good things because, well, like everyone who makes resolutions in January, I forgot about them. Let's take a look and see, shall we? (my comments on the resolution are italicized)

1. do a better job of keeping up on world news Um... I know there were some earth quakes, and... some trapped miners, and... um... I'm sure somebody died, right? There were probably some elections too... In other words... FAIL

2. be more adventurous I moved to a new state, so that was pretty adventurous. And I've been exploring new bars and restaurants, and you know that's adventurous. I suppose I could use to step it up a bit with my activities' level of adventure.

3. catch up on tv and movies I've missed Actually, I'm kind of proud that I haven't done this one. It means I've actually had shit going on in my life more important and exciting than sitting in front of the boob tube.

4. listen to more music Yes

5. COMMUNICATE No

6. get in touch with old friends and maintain better contact with family (as in on the phone or in-person, NOT via facebook, email or texting) EPIC FAILURE! If anything I've fallen more out of touch with friends and family. I'm sure they no longer know what I look like nor could they recognize the sound of my voice if I were to call.

7. see people more often (at least once a month) See above

8. get my butt back into the gym I went to the gym. Once. No, wait! Twice.

9. eat more fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables Ugh. Major fail.

10. drink more water I'm trying. That counts, right?

11. do things for ME! *hanging head*

12. do things for OTHERS! (at least once a month) DON'T LOOK AT ME! I'm too embarrassed by my lack of selflessness right now

13. embrace my decisions and commit to making them work for me, even the not-so-good ones I have accomplished this one

14. NO LIQUOR (unless I am in the safety of my own home) HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

15. get in touch with my inner girlieness more often Inner whosit now?

16. continue to improve myself, career-wise (because a Master's just doesn't cut it) YES! I have a job now, and I'm learning all sorts of new things.

17. ask for (and accept) help when I really need it Um... still working on this one

So in conclusion, I have two months to tackle this list. Fuck.

Mountain Girl, meet City Girl

"Well, I guess you're the city girl."

Or so says my mom, the last time I spoke to her.

I guess she's right.

I couldn't imagine returning to my hometown for any extensive length of time. A weekend is fine, a night is better, but anything more than that is just unbearable.

I grew up in a small town in the Adirondacks in Northern NY. As in, two hours north of Albany (yes, NY State continues beyond Albany, and I'm not talking about Buffalo either). I suppose it could have been worse. I mean, if we're talking crime, well, crime was pretty much non-existent in my hometown. A picturesque town boasting a population of 1,250 (2008), my hometown is one of the most serene and non-threatening places you could raise a family. Of course, it's also one of the most boring, uneventful and seriously lacking in opportunity towns to grow up in. It's no surprise that very few young residents stick around after graduation. In fact, as soon as I graduated, I cut out of there as fast as I could.

 My hometown. Yes, this is actually a picture of the town I grew up in. Believe it or not. 

In case you're wondering, my homes (yes, plural) were miles away from here. In the mountains.

Ever since I left, I've been trying to find my place in the world. So far, that journey has taken me to five different regions in NY state. It seems the closer I get to large, metropolitan areas, the happier I am. Despite my introverted tendencies. I'm pretty positive I was born to be a city girl. I blame the ADD in me. I crave activity and nightlife and excitement and chaos and attention and sushi at 10 pm and pizza at 3 am. I want it all. I need it all. That wasn't always the case, however.

I am a born-and-raised, true-blue, mountain girl. I spent my summers barefoot. I swam in mountain lakes and rode four-wheelers down mountain roads. I picked blackberries with my sisters, while keeping an eye out for bears. I can drive a stick-shift, and I know how to drive in the snow, ice and rain. I know what it's like to have to hike up the driveway because it's too muddy/icy to drive up. I've seen deer gutted, skinned and hanging from the rafters of a garage. I know what poutine, Red Hots and Michigans are and I know where to get the best of both.

The house my dad built. Literally. I lived here for a majority of the first 15 years of my life. 
My dad used to own over 100 acres of the surrounding forests.

I've partied in the woods, around a bonfire, with mosquitoes nipping at my ankles. I've partied on the Lake while middle-aged women parade around in their obscenely small bikinis. I've partied in run-down bars in the middle of nowhere featuring strippers who were missing their teeth (a story for another day). I've partied in bars with rednecks, hicks and townies. I've partied at pig roasts. I've partied in fields with guitar-playing, bongo-pounding hippies. I've partied with the band. I've partied with the cooks. I partied on the Swastika (there's a story behind this). I've partied in the snow, the rain, the sun, the sleet and the mud. I've partied in tents, in trailers, in trucks and in back-woods camps. Oh yes, I have partied in the mountains.

In the mountains, function comes before fashion. In the mountains, sometimes you have to bathe in the lake when your well has dried up during a particularly dry summer. In the mountains, you know how to live with no power for a week when there's an ice storm. In the mountains, you can't get cable, high-speed internet or cell phone coverage. In the mountains, your neighborhood is the woods.

Growing up, my sisters and I spent hours playing in the woods. I loved the smell of the woods, and I loved to wander through them and imagine that I was in some other country or fantasy land. The woods were my refuge when I was sad, angry or lonely. Being so surrounded by nature was calming and peaceful. Of course, it was also very isolating and restricting.

 The areas of NYS that I've lived in. See how I've been making my way down the state? 
Obviously the city has been calling to me for years and drawing me closer and closer.

I fell in love with big cities after my first trip to NYC. It only took two more trips to NYC and a trip to Philadelphia to solidify my desire to live in a metropolitan area. In a couple of days I'll be moving to the outskirts of DC. While in my heart I will always be a mountain girl, I'm super excited to become a city girl. I can't wait to explore the DC area and discover new things. And hopefully find a job along the way as well. Call me crazy, but I love the idea of walking everywhere and riding public transportation (I'm sure that novelty will wear off pretty quickly).

Over the past eight or nine months, I have made several trips to NOVA and the DC area, and I'm psyched to become a part of the city lifestyle. While I have some reservations about my move, these reservations are limited to the personal aspects of my life. I have no reservations about living in NOVA/DC. The food, the nightlife, the hustle and bustle and excitement of it all (and hopefully better job prospects)... I can't wait!

Me, in the mountains. Some of you might remember this picture from my first ever blog header. 
Or was it my second?

Of course, my change in lifestyle will inevitably affect my blog. While I hope to maintain a constant presence in the blogging community, I can't guarantee that I will be able to follow through with that. That being said, here's what I anticipate for my blog down the road:

• I hope to make "Previously on the OBG" a regular feature on Mondays, but those posts are a lot of work and not always worth it, but I anticipate my weekends to be more fun and exciting, so I'll probably have more to write about. Eh, let's see how this one goes.
• Random Shit Tuesday will stay. I always have random shit to say.
• I expect to dedicate my infrequent weekend posts to the shit that I like. For example, my I ♥ Etsy posts and other things that are more for me as a way to document me and my style preferences. No one reads blogs on the weekends anyways, right?
• As for the rest of the week, I expect to still bring you the intelligent, insightful, clever writing that I've been bringing to you all along. Wait, what? Yeah, you heard me. I'm insightful, intelligent and clever. And you will be hearing from me. I just can't guarantee it will be every day. Like I said, we'll see how it goes.

I'm sure I'll have lots of tales to tell and experiences to report upon. Maybe I'll find myself a job and regale you all with work-related posts. Or maybe I'll make tons of new friends and share my wild times with you. Or maybe I'll just bitch about the horrors of moving and starting over. Or maybe I'll become one of those bloggers who talks about my personal relationships. No I won't. Don't worry, I'll never be that person (not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not for me). 

In the meantime, if anyone has any NOVA/DC advice or suggestions, I would love to hear them. I'm talking about good places to live. Good places to eat. Good places to go on the weekends. Good places to shop. How to survive the Metro. And so on and so on.

I hope I'm making the right decision with this move. This Mountain Girl is about to become a City Girl. Wish me luck!

Retro-Cool

      

I have concluded that I want an all-white kitchen with splashes of color. You know, when I finally decide to settle in somewhere. I think a white kitchen would be the perfect canvas for someone like me. Someone who constantly yearns for change. I'm currently obsessed with three VERY retro colors, and I'm dying to put them in my (future) kitchen...

AVOCADO!!!

I have these bowls, but one is busted. So sad.

(Source)

TURQUOISE!!!

(Source)

RED-ORANGE!!!

(Source)

I'm imagining something like this (but with a splash of red-orange)...

(Source)

And I ♥ the idea of painting the interior of the kitchen cabinets. Like this...

(Source) discovered via

And I absolutely, positively HAVE to have these in my kitchen. I realize this would be a pretty big commitment, but I cannot express how much I want these...

They're available in many, awesome, retro colors. I'm not entirely sold on the avocado; the color possibilities are endless! Sweet!

(Source)

(I think my ceramic ducks would fit in perfectly!)

(Ooh! And my ceramic Lincoln Logs too! I'm super-psyched!)

Earlier today... (or, The post that took ten hours to write)

    

It's Sunday morning. I'm internet-less as well as cable-less. It's wet and nasty outside. What's a "multitasking" girl to do? Well, hey! Why not catch up on my iTunes podcasts and play Spider Solitaire? Great idea!

So, I'm listening to Iron & Wine on an NPR: Live Songs from All Things Considered Podcast podcast when it occurs to me that most of my musical education has occurred at the hands of men. (A good friend of mine was recently shocked to discover that I was unaware of Iron & Wine. I was also under this assumption as I am no good at names or titles. Low and behold, I opened up iTunes and discovered that I was, in fact, already acquainted with them. I'll have to remember to tell him.)

My first recollection of being introduced to music, outside of Strawberry Shortcake and Raffi, was on a car trip with my dad to my maternal grandmother's house. He had just picked up Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet album. My sisters and I happily, and innocently, sang "Livin' Underwear" during our 6-ish hour long car ride to Long Island. I don't think my grandmother, a very prim and proper lady, was all that impressed when we excitedly told her about it. My dad's music collection also included The Doors, The Stones and Led Zeppelin, to name a few. (Now that I think about it, I believe my dad was also responsible for my introduction to the horror movie genre, but that's a tale for another day.)

 

My grandma (and half of my face, and a plant)

Before I continue with my masculine musical influences, I should point out that many female figures in my life introduced me to music as well. My mom was a fan of folksy soft rock like The Carpenters and Carly Simon (decidedly NOT my thing). With my step-mother, it was Top 40 tunes (aka Pop music, yuck). My oldest sister, a true 80s child, introduced me to some rockin' 80s tunes (when her musical tastes crossed over to country, I didn't go with her). My twin sister added Tori Amos and Jewel to my musical repertoire (she has since crossed that country line as well), and my younger sister, a real true tree-hugging hippie, introduced me to Ani DiFranco (we still share the most similar musical tastes. My youngest sister's last opportunity to be musically influential over me was when she was five. To this day, I cannot stand big, purple, singing dinosaurs.). My friends were all madly in love with NKOTB, which I loathed but pretended to like because in elementary school, the last thing you wanted to do was tell your friends you don't like something they LOVE (I never trusted their musical tastes after that).

Back to the men. As a young and naive teenager, my music tastes tended towards the tastes of my current crushes and boyfriends. There was the basketball player who loved Bruce Springsteen, the hockey player and the Smashing Pumpkins, the soccer player and Garth Brooks (my ONLY foray into country music), the other basketball player and Dave Matthew's Band, the musician and The Police... Blues Traveler, Bob Dylan, Cake, CCR, The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Silverchair, Steve Miller Band, STP... all music that I once claimed to love but only listened to because of some boy (I do really like Nirvana though, and they have the honor of still being in heavy rotation).

In college and into my late-twenties, a long-term boyfriend introduced me to Against Me!, the Beatles, Ben Harper, Bob Marley, Dropkick Murphys, Franz Ferdinand, G. Love, Gorillaz, Grateful Dawg, The Grateful Dead, Incubus, Jack Johnson, Matisyahu, OAR, Phish, Rusted Root, Stringcheese Incident and Sublime, to name a few. Yeah, I liked most of this music, but enough to say it defines my musical preferences? Nah.

During my journey of self-reflection, I've set a goal to discover the music that I like because I like it and not because some man in my life liked it. I write down any artist I hear that affects me and is worthy of exploration. My self-led musical education has unearthed some old favorites that I had previously tossed aside (Fiona Apple, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Candlebox...) and opened my eyes to some new faves (Adele, A Fine Frenzy, The Antlers, The Killers, She & Him, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ingrid Michaelson, you know, it would be easier if you just looked this up yourself. Scroll back up, on the right of the screen, and read Music I Can't Get Enough Of. It's not a complete list, but, whatever). 

I'm gaining a better understanding of who I am through my musical tastes. I've met two really good friends in grad school who I consider to be my soul-mates in friend form (and yes, one is a male, whom I previously mentioned) who have contributed to my current musical discoveries (Holly Miranda, Wolf Parade, TV on the Radio, Grizzly Bear...). They point me in a direction, and I'll either head down that path and like what I find, or I see where the path branches off, and I find my own way to somewhere else.

I like my music and for the first time in my life, I'm not ashamed of my musical tastes because they are a part of me and a reflection of me, and I'm starting to really like me again.

Dear computer...

Dear Computer:

I know we've been through a lot over the years, and you're not getting any younger. You've been dropped more times than I'd like too admit, and we just recently survived your first virus. I know as you age you're getting cranky, dirty, and the daily wear and tear I subject you to is deplorable. Your hinges aren't as tight as they once were, and your casing is beginning to fall apart at the seams. I force you to work with half-broken, sub-standard power cords and yet you still push through. Although you're not as quick on your feet as you once were, your perseverance is quite admirable. Your dedication and commitment to my career and education are deeply appreciated. I force you to suffer through six hours of tedious Word, Excel and Publisher work while we navigate the headaches of working in a state institute and deal with the incompetence of people every day. At night, I take you home only to subject you to six more hours of Word, Adobe, Blackboard, Facebook, email, endless web surfing and Lost episodes as we attempt to survive the grad school experience.

Computer, I beg of you (and you know how I hate to do that), please, please, please just bear with me for, oh, about three more months. If we can make it through these last three months of grad school, I promise to treat you to an early summer vacation. I won't keep you up into the wee hours of the morning, typing away at the overdue homework I've been putting off. I won't force you to deal with the nightmares of Blackboard and the headaches of incompatible Adobe files. In fact, I won't even force you to struggle through my Netflix fixes and musical Pandora adventures; I know how taxing they are on you.

This is all I ask of you, Computer. Just three more months. Three more months! And then you will be looking at the finest days of retirement any computer would dream of. Thank you.

Truly yours,

Me

There Go the Eggs! -or- Oh Crap!

As we all know, I just turned thirty this month. I was feelin' pretty freakin' fantastic about it until I saw this fabulous feature on GMA this morning:

Women and Falling Fertility: Women Lose 90 Percent of Eggs by Age 30 - ABC News

90%!!! Well, sonofabitch, way to ruin my day. Here I was, innocently watching the "news" while eating my breakfast and drinking my coffee thinking I've finally gotten my life figured out; I know what I want and how I'm gonna go about getting it, and then bam! Robin Roberts goes and throws me this curve ball. Damn it! What does this mean!?! I was all set to finish my Masters... find myself a job.... slowly stroll into the whole motherhood thing. Now it seems I better tie on my running shoes and get ready to sprint because by age forty only 3% of my little, miraculous, life-creating orbs will be left.

2000-2009 (a.k.a. my 3rd decade of life)

I’m currently living with a handful of girls in their early 20s, who are all cute little bubbly nuggets of amusement. I especially enjoy listening to them ponder and contemplate their extensive lives and experiences. They’re so worldly, so self-actualized, and their goals are so realistic. Puh-lease! Their lives haven’t even begun yet. I listen to their idealistic aspirations and ideas about the world, and I chuckle inside because, as a highly intelligent woman in her thirties, I am so much more experienced in life than they are. I’ve been slapped (hard) in the face by reality (I think around my 25th birthday), and I’ve come out on the other side a much smarter, more aware, more realistic… more bitter… more defeated… woman. Huh. Maybe I’m not so better off in my thirties. What was I like when I was their age? What was it like to be so bright-eyed and optimistic? I barely remember my twenties. What the hoo-ha did I do in my twenties…? Let’s see…

• I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Studio Art and became a certified K-12 art teacher, which some might argue isn’t much of an accomplishment, but hey, at least I did it in only 4 years (and if you know the people I know, you would realize that that is a rarity).
• I accepted the ever-expanding world of technology. Cell phones, iPods, laptops, the internet, Wi-Fi, social-networking…
• I reconnected with my dad after 6 years of not speaking, but then we became disconnected again, and then we reconnected. We are, once again, disconnected.
• I became best friends with my twin sister after years of not being her biggest fan for a good chunk of our childhood.
• I lost my last living grandparent to a very unfortunate accident.
• I realized my parents and step-parents are aging as they dealt with a hysterectomy, breast cancer, and intestinal cancer.
• I learned to eat again which leads me to…
• I gained 30+ pounds, however…
• I lost 30+ pounds.
• I resided in 11 different bedrooms in 7 different towns in 2 different states, but none of them felt like home.
• I discovered a love for wine, quality whiskey and micro brewed beer, on the other hand…
• I discovered that tequila, vodka and California car bombs are not my friends, which probably explains why….
• I was in my first (and only) wet t-shirt contest, and probably also explains why…
• I kissed way too many people I shouldn’t have, and we’ll leave it at that.
• I had my WORST YEAR EVER in 2005, and the first part of 2006 wasn’t so great either.
• I was employed in 12 different jobs, quit 9 of them, was laid off from 2, but at least I still have 1.
• I went off the drug, went on a couple more, but eventually went off those too.
• I acquired my first sex toy as well as my first self-defense weapon (to clarify, these are two separate items).
• I discovered my own personal style.
• I broke a few hearts and had my heart broken.
• I met a lot of great people that I no longer see, but still think of quite frequently.
• I learned to accept myself, well, for the most part.
• I started flossing again.
• I visited NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Orlando and DC, which, for this mountain girl, were all great adventures.
• I made art with kids and had a blast doing it.
• I had 28 different roommates/housemates of the male, female and canine varieties.
• I applied to, was accepted to and completed a majority of grad school.

Well, not exactly the greatest list of experiences and accomplishments. Glad to know I didn’t drift through the entire decade. Apparently I’ve also wandered quite a bit as well. Maybe I am afraid of commitment, as someone so kindly brought to my attention once, but I lived, and I loved, and I learned, and maybe there’s still some room left for a little bright-eyed optimism.

The big 3-0...

So, last Sunday I celebrated my 30th {gasp} birthday. We started the celebration by ringing in the BIG day with some good beer and some good music at Brittany's Restaurant & Sports Bar. The bar was smokey, the crowd was, uh, interesting, so-to-speak (think middle aged, redneck women out for a night on the town and the men who like that sort of thing), but the music was good. Furious George, a pretty decent cover band, was definitely slumming it that evening. I'm sure they can, and do, play at much better venues. Their set was damn good though, and they managed to play quite a few of my favs while avoiding all the cliche cover band tunes.

On the evening of my actual b'day we had some ice cream cake before heading out to enjoy a yummy sushi dinner at the Ichiban Sushi House. (Incidentally, I was dismayed to discover that ice cream cake doesn't involve any cake. I'd never had it before, or at least not to my recollection, and was rather disappointed. However, considering my egg allergy and the fact that I had pancakes for breakfast, it was probably a good thing.) After stuffing ourselves with raw fish (well, I was stuffed) we hit up the Irish pub, Murphy's, for some beer, football (it was Sunday after all) and some good old fashioned Irish drinking songs. Despite the festive atmosphere we soon bailed because, quite frankly, the service sucked. We wandered over to the Columbia Firehouse for some quiet conversation and, of course, more beer (and considerably better service). The Firehouse offers a nice selection of regional beers, and I wish I could remember which one it was that I drank for the rest of the evening because it was quite good, but alas, I cannot.

We took Monday off (it was a holiday, after all) and headed out on Tuesday to the mountains of West Virginia for some skiing. Yes, I said West Virginia. Why? Lord only knows, but I don't think that's a trip I'll be making again anytime soon. I have to admit though, some of the scenery we drove through was quite impressive, like the Seneca Rocks and the area of the Smoke Hole Caverns, but when we arrived in Davis, WV, I wondered if we had made a very bad decision. Despite the isolation and backwardness look to the place, we did manage to find a really enjoyable place to eat, Sirianni's Cafe. The atmosphere was rustic and comfortable, the service was friendly and attentive, and their attitude was surprisingly liberal and anti-country. The only downside to this place was that they only accept cash or checks, and seeing as we only had about $24 on us, we settled on a pepperoni pizza. It was good, in fact it was so yummy I ate four slices.

After filling up our bellies and picking up some beer, we trekked back to our room at the Canaan Valley Resort. I really wish I had something good to say about our room, but it had to be the must run-down hotel room I have ever stayed in. From the mildewy tub to the water stained toilet and sink to the dysfunctional heater. Let's not forget the total 70s decor, which I'm pretty sure is the last time that bathroom was ever cleaned (seriously, there were spiders hiding in the corners of the shower). The Hickory Dining room was at least attractive enough, the food was okay and the service was decent. After filling up on another pancake breakfast Wednesday morning, we hit the slopes where I was finally able to try out my new ski boots (they were a birthday present for my last birthday). I only get to ski about once a year, so it takes me a few runs before I get the hang of it again (this time it took me about four). I should have avoided the midday break for beer and loaded fries at the bar though. I could only make it down the slopes two more times before I came this close to losing those fries all over the side of the mountain. Overall, the skiing was good. It was midweek so the mountain was pretty empty and the lines at the lifts were nonexistent.

So, how do I feel about turning 30? Well, ever since I turned 29 I've been getting all sorts of reactions whenever I admit my age. Some people responded with groans and asked me if I dreaded turning 30. Others expressed to me that my 30s would be my BEST DECADE EVER. Some even laughed because they just had their BIG day and were estatic to see someone else hit the mark. Me, I have mixed feelings about it. For one, I had expected to be much further along in accomplishing some big life goals. On the other hand, I see turning 30 as a fresh start. Turning 29 felt far much worse. As I have explained numerous times since the BIG day, 29 felt like the end of something, while 30 feels like the beginning. I have goals, I have aspirations and more importantly, I know what I want in life, and I will settle for no less. Most importantly, I realize that if my life is not what I want or expected, I have no one to blame but myself. I have the power, and I have the control to make myself happy, and I feel damn good about that. (Plus, I'm pretty sure I don't look 30 yet. see photo above)

Quick food budget challenge update...

So far I've been able to stretch my $60 worth of groceries over 11 days, averaging about $4.15/day. I'll be hitting the grocery store again tomorrow, and I have my menu all planned out for the next two weeks. Hopefully I will have just as much success this time. I still have food left over from my last shopping trip that I intend on using in my upcoming menus. Here is what's left:

2/3 pkg. English muffins
1/4 tub organic yogurt
1 12 oz. bag frozen corn
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach
1/2 box organic chicken stock
1/2 container quick-cook organic oatmeal

Unfortunately, I could have gotten at least another day out of my $60 shopping trip before hitting the grocery store again, but one of my housemates got pretty overzealous while cleaning out the fridge and pantry and tossed some of my leftovers and a grapefruit. Last shopping trip seemed to be all about skillet meals. This time I'm feeling like some Mexican might be in order.

My food budget challenge...

In an attempt to eat better and more economically, I am inspired to shop and meal plan more wisely by one of my favorite foodie bloggers, Poor Girl Eats Well (a blog I have been following for almost a year now). PGEW is well known for her $25 Shopping Cart, and while I applaud and admire her ability to exit a grocery store having spent only $25-ish, I am by no means delusional enough to think that I can accomplish the same mind-boggling feat. I, instead, will be working with a $60 shopping cart (which does include a $15 case of beer, a purchase that is entirely necessary as I continue to work on my Master's thesis). I'm not entirely clear on how many meals PGEW manages to create from her $25 trips, but I imagine her pantry is much more well-stocked than mine, thus resulting in fewer necessary purchases. My mission now is to see how far I can stretch my $60 worth of food. Here's what I managed to purchase:

12-pack of Rising Moon - $14.99
2 pkgs. English muffins (one for the freezer) - $5.00
1 32 oz. tub organic yogurt - $3.59
1 12 oz. bag frozen green beans - $1.67
1 12 oz. bag frozen corn - $1.67
2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen spinach - $2.00
1 16 oz. bag frozen sliced peaches - $2.50
1 box microwave popcorn (another thesis-writing necessity) - $3.49
1 15.5 oz. can black beans - $0.89
1 32 oz. box organic chicken stock - $2.59
1 18 oz. container quick-cook organic oatmeal - $2.50
1 14.5 oz. can diced organic tomatoes - $1.50
1 13.25 oz. box organic whole wheat penne - $1.67
1 pkg. chicken sausage - $3.99
1.27 lbs. ground turkey - $3.09
5 grapefruit - $2.99
3 apples - $2.34
1 red onion - $1.04
3 tomatoes - $2.81

It's been five days since my shopping trip, and I have to say I am quite proud of my ability to create quick, tasty, and most importantly, cheap and filling meals. I'm a little over a third of the way through my supply of food (and the beer) and I am quite happy to report that I have been eating very well every day for an average of $5 a day (I already had couscous and farfalle on hand and did not include these in my cost calculations)! I was also able to whip up a batch of my favorite Black Bean Chili (a whopping $1.28/serving!) and freeze 2/3 of it for a rainy day (or more likely a snowy one). At this rate, I estimate my shopping cart to last me at least another five days! Hooray for me!

I am quite enjoying this challenge and since I don't intend on having any kind of livable income for at least another 7 months, I imagine this type of meal-planning and budgeting will be something I continue with down the road.

My New Year's "Resolutions" v.2010

Typically, I'm not the type of person who makes New Year's resolutions. I don't believe that New Years can magically make people more motivated, ambitious or dedicated. I think everyone becomes those things when the time is right for them. That being said, it just so happens that the time is right for me, sort of. Over the years I have come to many different crossroads in my life where it becomes necessary to reevaluate my priorities and reexamine myself as a person. As I enter my last semester of graduate school, I am faced with numerous decisions about what path my life will take. (It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge that my birthday this month, the big 3-0 gasp!, is also playing a role in my recent self-reflection.) What goals do I have for this year? What are my career goals? My relationship goals? My life goals? Where, as a 30-year old woman, do I see myself? And how on earth do I manage to find the time this semester to work, complete my research, write my thesis, spend time with my family, maintain my relationship and keep up with the last season of LOST?

Discovering the answers to these questions inevitably leads me to more unanswered questions and bigger life issues to consider. With my head swarming with possibilities and overwhelming feelings of panic I decided to step back a bit, slow down and consider what is most important to me right now. I started making a list of the "little things" I wanted to accomplish and focus on. By no means does this bring me closer to answering those pressing life questions, but it made me feel better to compile this list of goals I can realistically tackle:

1. do a better job of keeping up on world news

2. be more adventurous

3. catch up on tv and movies I've missed

4. listen to more music

5. COMMUNICATE

6. get in touch with old friends and maintain better contact with family (as in on the phone or in-person, NOT via facebook, email or texting)

7. see people more often (at least once a month)

8. get my butt back into the gym

9. eat more fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables

10. drink more water

11. do things for ME!

12. do things for OTHERS! (at least once a month)

13. embrace my decisions and commit to making them work for me, even the not-so-good ones

14. NO LIQUOR (unless I am in the safety of my own home)

15. get in touch with my inner girlieness more often

16. continue to improve myself, career-wise (because a Master's just doesn't cut it)

17. ask for (and accept) help when I really need it

As a Capricorn, it is in my nature to be a strict planner and a highly organized individual. I have, however, over the years discovered that this doesn't necessarily apply to every aspect of my life. There are moments when I am more than content just letting life lead me wherever it chooses without considering the long-lasting consequences. Inevitably though, the controlling goat in me always rears it's stubborn head and insists I take back some control over my life. I'm sure over the next five months I'll manage to solidfy my long-term goals and move in a direction that will allow me to accomplish them... or not. As for right now, I'm going to continue to work on what makes me happy, try to figure out how to balance my immediate priorities and hopefully manage to keep my Tuesday nights free.