I think I love running now...

As you know, I've been on a major health/fitness/weight loss kick since January of this year. My workout routine has had a lot of variation over the months to accommodate my hectic school and work schedule as well as my abilities, but I've basically been trying to work out for 30 mins to an hour a day, 3-5 days a week. My strength training routine hasn't changed much in 2 years, but I've been experimenting with different forms of cardio to keep things interesting and figure out what I like. I started off with some amateur hip hop workout videos on youtube, moved on to more intense aerobics/dance videos, got really excited about everything Deanne Berry did for a while, and now I'm on to running with the very popular Couch to 5k program- and through some miracle, running has become my favorite.

I have never, EVER been a runner. In middle school and high school I absolutely dreaded the days that we had to run the mile and would always "run the straights, walk the curves" because i knew there was no way I'd get through it otherwise. I would see the cross country team running after school and question why on earth anyone would put themselves through that willingly while secretly marveling at their ability to run for more than a few minutes. I did begin going to the gym in high school/throughout college and could run fairly successfully on the treadmill, but I openly detested running outside. It was so much harder than running in an air-conditioned gym with your own little tv screen, and you couldn't just step off and quit whenever you wanted- you'd have to walk back to where you started.

There was always a part of me, though, that wished I could be a real runner- one of those people that is not only able to run outside for long periods of time but actually enjoys it. I decided to try couch to 5k simply because a bunch of people I follow on tumblr were talking about it, and I think it was one of the best fitness-related decisions I ever made. I'm not all the way there yet, but I'm actually on my way to becoming a real runner! I look forward to every workout, my endurance and stamina has increased exponentially in just the 5 weeks I've been with the program, and I think/talk about running and how much I like it pretty much all the time.

If any small part of you has any desire whatsoever to get into running, I seriously cannot recommend this program (and the smart phone app which is incredibly useful and only a couple bucks) enough. At the risk of sounding like every single other person who used this program and wrote or talked about it online: if I could do it and end up LOVING running, anyone can have the same results.

I'm halfway through the 9 week program right now, so I still have a few more weeks left but here is what I can tell you about the program and the first few weeks:

From what I can gather, the program is divided into three 3-week segments. The first 3 weeks are designed to basically just get your body used to the act of running without concentrating very much on endurance. The running segments are very short, but if (like me) you aren't used to running at all, they are still difficult. Not difficult enough to be overwhelming, but definitely enough to feel like a valid and challenging workout. The second 3-week segment is designed to transition you from running short periods to being able to run for longer periods. While the first three weeks were focused on getting your body into running-mode, I feel like the second three weeks are much more focused on getting your mind into running mode. By week 4, you are already capable of running but it may still feel difficult and mentally exhausting to push yourself to keep going. I definitely had to spend entire jogging segments during the fourth week convincing myself that I could do it and that I shouldn't quit. Right now I am on the fifth week, which has also been called the hump week or the "oh shit" week. My next run will be a full 20 minute jog that for the first time will not be broken up with walking segments- many people have felt that this week/jog is the big mental challenge of the program and once you are able to complete it the final weeks will feel relatively easy. The final three weeks are designed to simply extend the amount of time you are running (without any walking) until you reach 30 minutes and ideally 3.1 miles.

I'm not going to lie, I did not love running right from the first workout. I enjoyed completing the workouts because I felt like I was making progress and got a huge boost of endorphins each time, but the running itself felt like hell for the first few weeks. To make it easier, I would try to mentally trick myself by thinking over and over, "I love this! This feels soo great, I'm so glad I'm doing this!" while feeling like I was going to throw up and die. Around the beginning of the fourth week, though, something shifted and I no longer felt exhausted a minute or two into each run. I started feeling as though I could keep going at the end of each section and was able to get into a 'zone' where I didn't even think about the fact that I was running, I just ran and let my mind wander. And that's when the real excitement set in- I was running, I wasn't hating it, and I was actually kind of good at it! SO- that is all to say: if you try this program and have trouble pushing through each workout in the beginning like I did, just keep pushing and trying your best and eventually you will experience the same mental switch and begin to feel exhilarated instead of exhausted!


The most amazing thing about the program is the way it is designed really, really works. Many weeks I was so doubtful looking ahead to the next workouts, unsure I would be able to complete them. The first two weeks only have you running 60-90 seconds which sounds like nothing but actually feel exhausting in the beginning! I was terrified of week three, when I would be running 3 minute segments, and even more terrified for week 4 when I would be running 5 minutes at a time. Miraculously, though, the program really does prepare you in advance for each level of difficulty and yesterday I ran two 8 minute segments and barely felt winded! That's a far cry from week three, when I had to seriously struggle to get past the two minute mark.

SO now that I've rambled on for several hundred words about this amazing program, I want to finish by saying that out of all the benefits that running offers- weight loss, muscle tone, stamina, energy, a healthy heart and lungs- the most valuable thing I have received through running and in particular couch to 5k is an amazing amount of confidence. I never thought I would be able to run for 3 minutes at a time without stopping, let alone 20-30 minutes and yet this program helped me prove to myself that I can and that it will be fun, too. It has made me feel physically energized and toned and mentally motivated and strong-willed. If you don't want to run for the physical benefits, the mental benefits are more than enough reason to get started!

Ok, so there's my massive endorsement of the couch to 5k program. If you are at all intrigued by the idea of running, you should absolutely start out with this! Maybe in the next couple weeks I'll do a post about my favorite running/fitness clothes/gear which have made running that much more comfortable and fun :)

<3 Em

Homemade Summer: Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

A few weeks ago in a post I mentioned that I wanted to do something I dubbed "homemade summer", where every week or two I would make, photograph, and write about something that is typically bought pre-made but is possible to make in a home kitchen. In our world of prepackaged and processed foods, many people don't even realize it's possible- let alone fairly easy- to make things like marshmallows, condiments, yogurt, etc at home. But it is possible, and the results are often so, sooo much better than what you would get at the store.

I thought marshmallows would be a fun way to kick off this project since they are pretty simple, delicious, and arguably the most important part of the quintessential summer treat- the s'more. I made a pretty big batch and gave some to my dad for his birthday. This recipe is really easy (I whipped it together in about an hour before I went to work on my birthday) and uses ingredients you likely already have on hand. The result is a soft, spongy, marshmallow that acts just the way a marshmallow should: it roasts over a fire, melts in hot cocoa, and squishes nicely between a couple graham crackers. It also tastes just like a store bought marshmallow, only better! The vanilla flavor is more present and it tastes sugary and fresh instead of processed. If you're so inclined, I'd definitely recommend whipping up a bag of these to take on your next camping trip instead of opting for the store-bought stuff!

I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe for marshmallows, only I decreased the gelatin slightly as I only had 3 envelopes on hand.

Ingredients
Confectioners sugar for dusting/tossing marshmallows
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups cane sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites
1 scraped vanilla bean (I also added about 1/4 tsp vanilla to up the vanilla flavor, as my vanilla bean was a bit old and dried out)

Oil the sides and bottom of a 9 by 13 square baking dish. I own only one ceramic rectangular casserole dish which I have used for just about every recipe that requires a casserole dish on this website... so I made do with that. Something with sharp edges, like a sheet cake pan, would be much better though.

Dust the dish with powdered sugar

Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until they just form stiff peaks. Reserve in a separate bowl for later.

 Place the gelatin in the (cleaned) bowl of the mixer. Pour half a cup of the cold water over the gelatin to allow it to set.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup water over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. When the mixture has become clear, raise the temperature to medium and allow the mixture to boil without stirring until it has reached a temperature of 240 degrees F. I do not own a candy thermometer, but Deb says this will take about 12 minutes so I set my timer to that and it seemed to be the right amount of time :)

Remove pan from heat and pour directly over gelatin in the mixer bowl, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With the whisk attachment, beat the gelatin/sugar mixture until it is thick, white, and tripled in volume (about 6-10 mins). It will look a lot like marshmallow fluff, and it's just as gooey and delicious!

 Add the whipped egg whites back into the mixer bowl along with the vanilla bean scrapings and/or any other flavorings you'd like to use.

Whip until combined, and then dump the whole mixture into the oiled, dusted baking dish. Don't worry too much about getting every last bit in there, as this stuff is really sticky and gooey and hard to work with without making a mess! Dust the top with a generous amount of powdered sugar.

Let the marshmallows set, uncovered in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Once the marsh have set, run a thin knife along the edges of the dish and then use your fingers to slowly pry the giant marshmallow from the dish. Working on a counter dusted with plenty of powdered sugar, cut the marshmallow mat into strips and then 1 inch squares

Toss the marshmallows with even more powdered sugar to keep the sticky cut sides from holding them together. And that's all there is to it! Fresh, homemade marshmallows perfect for your next camping trip or hot cocoa mug (or even a cup of coffee in the morning!)

<3 Em

I'm Feelin' Twenty-Two

As much as I find myself wanting to resist liking Taylor Swift or any of her impossibly catchy songs, I can't help but secretly sing along to every one that comes on the radio while I'm alone in my car. Girl just tells it like it is, you know? Anyways they've been playing '22' on the station I listen to non-stop these days, and it's been constantly stuck in my head. This is partially due to the fact that I myself have just turned 22, and I get a small amount of glee every time I can accurately shout, "I don't know about you, but I'm feelin' twenty-two!" at the chorus. It's the little things.

My birthday was just two days after the last day of my spring semester, so everything happened in a blur of activity and excitement. I had to work on my actual birthday, but the next day Colton and I left for Prescott to spend time with my parents for my dad's birthday and Mother's day. After that, we took off on a week long trip to California which was awesome! We went to Disneyland/California Adventure and then spent several days in San Diego hanging out on the beach and eating lots and lots of food. The trip was part of Colton's birthday gift to me as well as my own gift to myself and the chance to take a week off work, spend a day at the Disney parks, and just relax and do whatever was sooooo nice.

Hopefully now that we are back I can get back into the swing of blogging fairly regularly. I am enrolled in a couple online summer classes this semester which have already proven themselves to be very intense! Last night I stayed up till 4 am working on my midterm and was able to turn it in with less than a minute (of the three hour time limit) to spare. It's a lot of work! But it will be worth it to have an easier course load this fall. That will be taking up some of my time though, and on top of that I am once again cooking for the Mendocino Sufi Youth Retreat in July. That means another week of meals to design and test followed by a lot of grocery shopping and finally 5 days of intense work from pretty much 6am to midnight. It's takes a LOT of planning and work but I really enjoy doing it :)

Other than that, I'm hoping to spend this summer continuing my regimen of healthy eating and fitness (I am 5 weeks into the couch to 5k plan right now. Have you heard of it? I think I'll do another post on just that later!) while also squeezing in time for the activities I really enjoy, like cooking and crafting. It would be ideal if I had enough extra time to really invest in my Etsy shop this summer and get it off the ground, but with so much else on my plate that might have to take the back burner. We'll see! Regardless, it's looking to be a fun and exciting last summer in college!

SO, that's what's been going on in my world the past few weeks and what's on the horizon. Before I go, here are a few pics from my birthday/vacation:

 Colton made breakfast for us both in the morning, which we ate outside in our little yard next to the cactus garden. Delicious blueberries and strawberries wrapped in crepes and topped with whipped cream with a side of center cut bacon- which is only 25 calories a slice! My kind of bacon.

I took my birthday as an opportunity to update my measurements since I hadn't done so since the 20 lb loss mark. I posted this picture on instagram with the caption that (as of my bday) I had lost 35.6 pounds and a total of 36.5 inches, which is the length I'm showing with the tape measure. I'm so proud of what I've accomplished by returning to a healthy lifestyle this year! I am now at about about a 38 lb overall loss and looking forward to hitting the 40 lb mark!

Colton had me pick out a necklace that I wanted on Etsy for my birthday and this is the one I chose- it is a Doctor Who reference which appeals to my nerdy side and love for that show, but it's also really beautiful and pairs well with my style.

Though it's probably not very safe, when Clementine rides in the car she doesn't want to sit anywhere but on my lap. She prefers to put her head right in the crook of my elbow while I drive as well, even if that means she has to sit up to do so. She's a super weirdo. Luckily she's small and light enough that it barely makes a difference while I drive. Colton took this picture on our way from Tucson to Prescott the day after my birthday and Clem just looks so very pleased with the world. She should have her own talk show with that smile.

Walking from our hotel to the parks on the morning of our Disney day!

Nearing the castle! Gosh, is there anything more fun than disneyland? We had the best time. It was hot (over 100), but the lines weren't too long anywhere and we zipped back and forth between the two parks half a dozen times, experiencing everything. We rode space mountain 3 times (it was the first and last ride we did as well) and California Screamin' twice, and those were definitely our favorites. Through some miracle neither of us got too cranky, hungry, hot, or tired and we just had a blast from open to close!

Indiana Jones line selfie...

Instead of spending lots of money on food inside the parks, we brought our lunch in and stored it in the lockers inside Disneyland. Bagel sandwiches, sliced veggies, trail mix, and chips... without waiting in long lines or forking over tons of cash. Definitely recommended! Although, we did split a sundae from the ice cream parlor later that afternoon :)

I wish I had taken more pictures but as usual I got caught up in actually having the experiences and didn't stop to photograph them! Colton has more pictures on his phone of our ride pictures, san diego, etc which I will put in a later post. Hope your week is coming to a nice close!

<3 Em

What's been happening and what's coming up next:

It's that time of the semester! Final papers/projects/tests that were so safely in the distant future for the first few months of the year suddenly have very real, very quickly approaching due dates. It always seems to happen so suddenly. It's a whirlwind of work and stress and freaking out feeling like I'll never get it all done and then, abruptly, it's all over and I have the whole summer ahead of me. I'm not quite at that part yet but I am very close.

So yeah, my presence here on this blog has been limited because of that and probably will continue to be for at least the next week as I finish things up. I had a 5 page paper due this past Monday, another one yesterday, an assignment due this evening, and a couple little short papers to do this weekend... then a quick presentation next wednesday, and then 2 finals and one more 5 page paper between May 6th-8th. Shouldn't be too horrible, but enough keep me busy and remind me that it's not summer, not yet.

There's a lot to look forward to when the semester finally is over, though! My 22nd birthday is on May 10th, and although I'll actually be working and doing pretty much nothing interesting on that day, Colton and I are going to leave the next day for a vacation in honor of my birthday. There's nothing in particular that I really want, so a trip instead of presents is my kind of birthday celebration. We'll be spending some time in Prescott for Mother's Day and my dad's birthday, which is the day after mine, and then heading to LA to go to Disneyland and California Adventure! After that we are spending a couple days in San Diego where we'll hit up the beach, maybe go to a baseball game, and just relax. Should be a lot of fun :) It will be the best way to end the school year and kick off the summer!

Speaking of summer, I'm planning on doing a little weekly feature here on my blog for about 15 weeks through my summer vacation. It's going to be called "homemade summer"- every week I'm going to try to cook and blog about something that one would typically just buy already made at the store. A blog I read called Macheesmo does something like this that he calls the homemade trials, where he tries to deduce whether it's better to buy something premade versus making it yourself at home based on cost, time, taste, and nutrition. I'm not going to be trying to figure out if/convince you that making something at home is better, I'm just going to be doing it to a. see if I can, b. have fun, and c. appreciate the differences!

Here are a few things I'm thinking of trying to make: Ricotta, mozzarella, marshmallows, pickles, corned beef, butter, bagels, yogurt, chocolate, nutella, mustard, and many other things. If you have any ideas for things that are possible to make at home but that most people just buy at the store, let me know!

Alright, I'm off to work on a couple assignments before I go to work tonight. Have a nice weekend!

20 in my 20th: Make and record music with the people I love.

20. Make and record music with the people I love.

Some of my favorite memories of 2011 are of sitting in the "band room" or later, Kris' room at the house on Rosser where all my friends lived playing music together. A lot of the time it was less "playing music" and more everyone simultaneously singing/messing around on different instruments making up obscure harmonies while Linn made up hilarious lyrics. Sometimes there was a whole bunch of us, sometimes just a couple. Often we had had a bit to drink before hand which made it all the more ridiculous. Wonderwall was definitely played about 5 million times. There's video evidence of all of this on facebook and watching it again while writing this post made my heart feel like it was going to burst.

After Linn died there was less music, as he seemed to be the center around which the rest of us formed our parts. One day though, my best friend Kris and I decided to try singing some songs together while he played guitar. That turned into us attempting to record one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies ("got my list" from Dakota Skye) pretty much every night for quite a while until we finally managed to get through a recording without messing up, forgetting lyrics, laughing, getting distracted... yeah we sang that song a LOT. I think it was a way for both of us to express ourselves creatively in a time that we were both feeling pretty numb and uninspired, and I really cherish those hours (and hours and hours) spent singing and laughing in the middle of the night, probably annoying the hell out of our other roommates.

Here's what we ended up with:

Free Electronic Press Kits from ReverbNation.com

My favorite part is probably at the end where we finish the song, there's a few seconds of silence, and then Kris strums the guitar and I say "ahhh we did it!" and Kris says "We kinda sorta did it." It seriously took us forever to get through a recording.

I'm so happy for the videos on facebook of Linn singing nonsense into a fake microphone or making up rhythms on the drums while Kris plays the keyboard and the rest of us attempt harmonies or pick up other instruments.His essence is so incredibly alive and present in those videos, I can feel it when I watch them and it makes me want to cry and laugh and shout.

And I'm so, so, so happy for the time that Kris and I spent attempting and occasionally succeeding to make music together. It's like a wonderful, shiny happy memory that floats above an otherwise wholly dark and bleak time in my life and I am so unbelievably thankful for that. Love you Kris, thanks for letting me post this on here ;)

<3

Spring in the Desert

 Arizona has a reputation for being a hot and dusty desert state full of tanned people exclaiming "it's a dry heat!" while they eat Mexican food and pass outrageously bigoted laws. But that is simply not the case. Arizona has a variety of terrain and climates, from the sweltering desert floor to chilly snow-covered mountains and pine forests. Also a lot of people in Arizona are very liberal minded and shake their heads in confusion and awe with the rest of the country at the few right winged extremists bringing the state into the headlines. We do have/eat a lot of really good Mexican food though.

Where I grew up, in Prescott, spring is very much like spring most places: budding leaves and flowers, fickle weather that can go from lovely to snowy in a matter of hours, and a slow, gentle and steady transition from the frigid winter to the glorious days of summer. I never really was much of a fan of spring, aside from my birthday occurring during it- the flowers and slightly warmer temperatures were nice but for the most part the weather was way too windy and unpredictable, the first half still felt wholly like winter, and the second half coincided with the stress and pressure of the final weeks of school.

Down here in Tucson though, spring is a bit different- with temps that hang around the 70s and 80s and sometimes peak in the 90s it feels more like summer starts in February. It's constantly the perfect temperature out with the occasional light breeze, only slightly chilly nights, and the scent of blooming flowers in the air all the time. By the middle of may and certainly by june it will be too hot to sleep with more than a sheet or walk more than 20 feet to your car, but the blissful months of february, march, and april are probably Tucson at its best.

We have a very small cactus garden in our very small yard, which I really really like. We moved in last August, so we didn't get a chance to see it bloom for spring. This year I'm loving seeing the changes every few weeks as new flowers show up, cactus fruits start to get plump, and things that were dried and wilted by the time we got here last year shoot up fresh and new. In the desert, just like everywhere else, spring is full of new life and plenty of colorful, fragrant blossoms :)

By summer, the old dead flowers will have fallen off the tops and the fruit will turn into gorgeous, wax-like pink and yellow flowers.

It's still the last few weeks of school, but the wonderful weather lessens the pain a little bit. When I first moved to Tucson, I was quick to complain about the heat and the grime- but over the almost 3 years that I've lived here, I've really come to appreciate so much about this cultured little city. It is really so beautiful and full of natural life and history! Plus, I love how you're never more than a short drive away from hiking trails, campsites, swimming holes, even skiing! As anxious as I am to graduate and continue on to some place new for the next chapter in my life, I'm going to miss Tucson... and I'll definitely miss the perfect Tucson Springtime!

Slowcooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Food and cooking are pretty high on my list of priorities. It's really important to me to be aware of what I'm eating and to do my best to make sure that I make it myself from wholesome, healthy ingredients. Sometimes I'm a little TOO obsessive actually- I have a tiny panic attack whenever Colton wants to go out for lunch or I'm attending an event where I'm not in control of (and thus don't know the calories/ingredients of) the food. Still working on loosening up with that, but it's really just because I care very much about what fuels my body!

A lot of times though, spending 30 mins- an hour cooking, as much as I LOVE it, is not what I want to do or have time for in between working and going to school. I only end up cooking 4 dinners a week (the nights I don't work) and try to use up the leftovers for the other 3 nights and lunches throughout the week. Usually at least 1 and often 2 of the days that I cook, I use my crockpot to cut down even more on prep time.

I loooove my crockpot. Colton bought it for me this last Christmas and it has gotten a ton of use since then. There is so much you can use it for! My favorite thing to make in it is some variation of shredded chicken and sauce. We've done buffalo chicken sandwiches, bbq chicken sandwiches, asian glazed chicken, salsa chicken, and this really yummy chicken tikka masala, among other things.

One thing I DON'T like about crockpot recipes is that often they are paired with other "shortcuts" that totally ruin the nutritional value of the food and thus the point of cooking at home! I hate and NEVER use crockpot recipes that tell you to use cream-of-anything soup (full of fat and sodium), seasoning packets (like ranch, italian dressing, gravy, etc- they are all full of chemicals and sodium and are an expensive and unhealthy stand in for real, better tasting spices), or whole bottles of preservative-laden chemically sauces when it's easy to just make your own. In my crockpot recipes, I try to break the bond between 'easy' and 'unhealthy/processed/as-few-ingredients-as-possible'. This meal is tossed into the crockpot in 10 minutes using all natural ingredients and is super delicious!

Chicken tikka masala is everybody's favorite Indian dish that isn't really an Indian dish ;) creamy, tangy, spicy, and over a scoop of rice it's a delicious and filling meal! It tastes decadent but this recipe, which uses fat free greek yogurt and just a smidge of half and half is only 181 calories per serving of chicken. With rice and parsley or green onions on top, the total is only 353 calories per serving. This is based off of 3/4 cup of chicken with sauce and 1/4 cup DRY rice which is usually between 1/2-1 cup cooked rice.

For my personal favorite Indian dish that happens to be a vegetarian version of this recipe, check out my recipe for Paneer Masala! It's a bit more complicated and probably a bit more heavy on the calories but it's just as delicious!

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4

1 chicken breast (raw=31 cals/oz- this recipe based on a 13 oz raw breast)

¼ yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

½ tbsp. fresh ginger

1 cup tomato puree

½ cup greek yogurt

½ tbsp. garam masala

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cracked black pepper

½ tsp cayenne

1 bay leaf

¼ cup half and half

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp parsley or green onions

1 cup dry brown rice 

 

 Finely dice 1/4 of a yellow onion and toss into your crockpot.

 Peel the ginger and garlic, mince them up, and throw them in with the onions.

 Get together all your spices. You can just measure them right into the crockpot or make a spice mix separately and add it in a bit at a time to taste. I used all the spices called for, I just wanted to take a picture of them :)

 Add the tomato puree, greek yogurt, and spices to the crockpot and stir to combine. This is when you could adjust the spices to your preferences if you'd like. Toss in the bay leaf once everything is all mixed up.

 Grab a chicken breast- frozen, thawed, whatever- and add it to the pot. Spoon some sauce over the top to coat it. When I buy chicken breast (usually in packs of 5) I put them all in individual ziplock bags and freeze them so that I can just grab one whenever I need without having to defrost the whole bunch.

 Put the lid on the crockpot, turn it to 'low' and let cook 4-6 hours. Since there is only one chicken breast, it doesn't take too long (I don't know why crockpot recipes are always designed to serve 5 million people). Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred it right in the sauce. You also have the option of using a thawed chicken breast initially and cutting it into bite sized pieces before you cook it. I never remember to thaw chicken over night and I don't like defrosting in the microwave... and I prefer the texture of shredded chicken so I usually just go with that :)

 Combine the half and half and corn starch and then add to the crock pot and stir to combine. Let cook for about 30 more minutes with the lid off to thicken slightly. During this time you can cook the rice and chop up your desired garnish.

Serve a heaping 3/4 cup of chicken over 1/4 of the cooked (1 cup dry) rice and garnish with parsley or green onions. Yum! 

Calories:
Total recipe (chicken):725.5
1 cup dry brown rice: 680
1/4 serving chicken (about 3/4 cup): 181
1/4 serving total (chicken, rice, and garnish): 353    

Good things are happening!

Clemenoodles cuddles ALWAYS boost my mood!

After a week or two of feeling pretty exhausted, stressed, unmotivated, and generally 'meh', some really great stuff happened these past few days which has really boosted my mood.

First, this:

"Thank you for submitting your petition to the General Petitions Committee.  Your petition has been read by the doctor at Campus Health who has seen all of the materials, has carefully weighed your specific circumstances, and has voted on your petition.
We are happy to inform you that your petition, requesting a complete retroactive withdrawal from Spring semester, 2012, has been approved."
 
Then I got a 98 % on a Roman literature test I was about 99% sure I got a C or B- on. Don't know how I pulled that one off but I'll take it.

Then I stopped by the fine arts graduation services offices and got my degree check to GRADUATE IN DECEMBER! Still a couple things I have to do for that but no problems popped up with the initial check so I should be good to go. Something felt so freaking satisfying about filling out a form with all my degree information and letting them know how to spell my full name to go on my diploma. gahh :)

And finally, I've lost 30 lbs in exactly 12 weeks and I'm feeling great about it! 10 more will put me about at what I was in high school, but I didn't really work out in high school so hopefully I will be much more toned at that weight now.

This quote has always seemed kind of dumb to me since everyone loses weight at different paces and there's no way of knowing what effect a certain amount of time and effort will have on your body...

 ...BUT, in the past week a couple people have asked me if I've lost weight or told me I look skinny which is really awesome to hear. I think anyone who has tried to lose weight knows how meaningful it is to have the hard work manifest itself on your body and to have other people take notice. Very rewarding.

So things are going really well right now, which is great because I was feeling really overworked and a bit down over the past couple weeks. I'm still a bit exhausted and stressed from work and school but knowing summer is just around the corner is a bit of a relief- and knowing that by the end of 2013 I'll have a degree and an even stronger, healthier body is enough to motivate me through the rest of the year!

Sorry for this rather braggy-bordering-on-gloaty blog post. I know sometimes it's looked down upon (especially in the land of the internet) to get really excited about yourself. But oh well, blogging and social media is narcissistic by nature :) and (because apparently I'm really feeling the inspirational quotes plastered all over the internet today):

 <3  

Work makes me too tired to blog :(

So here are some pictures of my dog. Sorry.

Today is my last day of work, though it's also my first day of school. School doesn't wear down my everything quite as much as work though, so I'll be able to get a few blogs up in the next few days before it starts all over again on Friday.

<3

This week, on the Internet...

Here's just a few things I've been finding and loving online lately:

This Etsy Shop, which is full of the most awesome movie posters. They're a mix of original art, images from the film, and awesome collages/juxtaposition/editing. I want the Harold and Maude one, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Breathless... to name a few.

 This 2013 Academy Award nominated video, which is the shortest film ever to be nominated for an Oscar. I don't know why it fascinates me so much but it does!


Anything and Everything Doctor Who. I'm not sure when my feelings for Doctor Who went from casual viewer to obsessed fangirl because I mostly just had it on while I worked out or cooked or did other things, but I watched like 10 hours of it in the past 2 days, pretty much just glued to the screen. Good stuff. And then I realized David Tennant also played Barty Crouch Jr in HP4 and was like ZOMG nerdgasm. I already blogged this on my tumblr but I think it's just a hoot.

This dog comic, which describes clem pretty well since she must constantly be cuddling. She always fits herself into little spaces where she can get the most cuddle coverage.

Deanne Berry's Clubland workout videos which combine toning, aerobics, dance, and combat. Kind of silly but really fun haha. Available on amazon.co.uk or in sections on youtube