More TV Talk…

Ok, so here is my TV driven rant today…why on earth don’t people just pay these TV shows to advertise their products????  Seriously, it is not a “slanket,” it is a snuggie and we all know it.  I get that they are probably not supposed to say a specific product on air, but really this is getting ridiculous.  They even showed a picture of the snuggie on NCIS last night, but they called it a slanket…a SLANKET really???  (side note:  I just Googled “slanket,” and it turns out it is just a knock off of the snuggie.  I’m still not OK with this haha)  Oh, and just in case you didn’t get enough of the snuggie during the holidays, they are now offering a double slanket as a gift for Valentine’s Day.  Oh yes people, you heard me right, a blanket, choir robe looking thing that now hooks you to someone like a siamese twin.  PLEASE, can someone buy one of these and take a picture?!?

Oh, and my other favorite is “facespace.”  That’s television’s verion of a social networking website, but it doesn’t exist!!  If you don’t want to say Facebook or Myspace, then simply say social networking website.  I would believe that over facespace anyday.  I know, I know, this really isn’t that important, but it is a little annoying to be enjoying a show and lost in the story, then they say something that completely jolts you back to reality. 

Does anyone know why they won’t say the real names?  I see actors using iPhone’s all the time, so obviously they can advertise specific products.  Anyway, this is me asking Facebook to at least pay for advertising on Law and Order SVU, because the facespace thing is really getting old.

It’s almost February…

…and you know that that means, SWEEPS!  Yes, I will admit that I am a bit of a TV junkie, and I get very excited every February and November for sweeps.  You can always tell when it is that time of the year as story lines heat up and the excitement builds.  Last night, Stone Cold Steve Austin showed up on Chuch, Renee pulled a total Jack on 24 and things started to heat up between Kate and Richard on Castle.  All in all, a good start to sweeps if you ask me! 

So, if you are looking for me, you can find me on my new, comfy couch enjoying one of my favorite times of the year.  Also, you will usually find me with a laptop firmly placed in my lap, as I am beginning the final stretch of my thesis project.  I can’t believe I have reached this point.  It has been 3 years in the making.  The first three chapters are nearing final approval, I am finalizing the research and will begin to write the results section shortly.  My last 3 years in school have brought me to this point.  To me, it is one of those things that you never really think you will finish, but then one day you wake up and realize it’s almost finished. 

I feel like so many parts of my life are coming together and moving forward.  When I take the time to look at my life and where I was 4 years ago, it is almost impossible to really see how far I have come.  Who knows what the next step will be?  I sure don’t, but I am ready to find out!

PBR in Baltimore

It’s that time of year again…time for the PBR Invitational in Baltimore.  It was a great day, and the rides were all fantastic.  Enjoy these pictures!!

P90X Lean – Day 2 and 3

Ok, so I actually got up at 6 AM and did the cardio craziness workout yesterday.  I woke up this morning to do my workout, and I literally couldn’t move.  I’m totally not kidding…I literally can’t move.  Parts of my body hurt that I am pretty sure I’ve never actually used before.  So, I am allowing myself the day off in the hopes that I can keep this up.  The good part about the pain is that I can really feel that I am working and have no doubt that I will see pretty amazing results.  Does anyone have any recovery ideas besides large amounts of Advil??

P90X Lean – Day 1

Let me first start by saying that this workout (core synergistics) makes me want to punch Tony Horton in his perky, perfectly chiseled face!  Day one started off with a lot of fear and very little motivation.  After getting started, I must admit, I started staring and that little countdown clock more than anything else.  My first “oh yeah right” moment happened when I started the bow to boat move.  This requires you to basically go from a pretzel on your stomach to a something out of Cirque de Soleil on your back.  I must say by about the fifth rep, I had it down! 

I learned a very valuable thing today…I can’t do a pushup.  Not a normal one, or a running one or some crazy reach up to the sky and shake it all about one.  Basically, I have to work on my pushups.  Any thoughts?  Do I just keep trying until one day I can do them?  I sure hope so.

Anyway, that’s about all I’ve got for today.  Oh wait, that Dreya chick should be shot.  Her little roll on the ground on speed thing is absolutely ridiculous.  I finally got up on my feet for one of them, thank heavens.  Needless to say, I haven’t even begun to get through an entire one of these workouts, but I have faith that I will!! 

On a side note, I am really happy that only Sterling (my dog) can see me doing this workout.  I have no doubt that I look like some kind of sweaty, red faced fish with muscle control issues.  Day 2 – Cardio X…here I come!

P90X Lean – T minus 4 days and Counting

So, I am notorious for giving up on workout programs pretty much as soon as I start them.   Exhibit A – I was supposed to start this program on Monday of this week, but I twisted my knee at work, and decided immediately to put it on hold.  Now I am making a valiant effort to find a way to hold myself accountable, so here goes!  For the next 90 days (or longer if I keep going), I am going to blog about my P90X experience.  Since I want to focus more on cardio, I have decided to start with the “lean” program.  Basically, it just takes out a few of the weight lifting days.  I am not going crazy with this people.  No diet changes or anything else…just the workout. 

Here are a few problems I forsee in the very near future….1) I am NOT a morning person, but I know that I will benefit more from the program if I try and fit it in when I wake up.  I have full intentions of sleeping in my workout clothes to allow for at least 5 extra minutes of sleep.  No seriously, I’m not kidding.  2)  I ALWAY end up hurting myself within the first few weeks, and poof workout program ended.  Any ideas for this part?  Maybe a recovery drink or something…I really have no idea.  3) Working out for me is pretty much a form of torture.  I am hoping that with this blog and your support, I can make it through at least the first 90 days, and with any luck, make exercise a part of my everyday life. 

So, please indulge me over the next three months.  I hope I can at least make you laugh as I stumble through this program.  I may even post pictures of my progress if I can get the nerve.  Well, if @mandysroka takes them I might haha…just kidding.  4 days and counting people…wish me luck!

I’m back to let you know…

Well, just that I’m back!  I have missed all of my blog buddies recently.  Most of my writing energy has been spent TRYING to pull together my thesis.  Thank goodness it is the last requirement before I graduate from Hopkins.  M.A. here I come!! 

I thought I would start back with all of you by sharing the fun details of my amazing trip to Cedar Pointe!  Yep, I spent the weekend in Sandusky, OH riding the tallest rollercoasters in the U.S. and laughing with friends until I cried.  It was just what I needed! Unfortunately, my camera died over the weekend, so I only have a few pictures that I snapped with my phone to share with everyone. 

Well, we only started the day two hours late due to a bit of  a late riser…no worries…we ragged on him mercilessly the entire day and made him buy everyone lunch.  So mean   As I’m sure most of you know, road trips can be a blast or a disaster.  I am happy to report that our trip was ridiculous!  It is the most fun I have had in a long time.  All of us laughed until our stomachs hurt.  I made the valiant effort to bring yummy and healthy snacks, but of course, at the first rest stop, I snatched a bag of doritos haha.  Other amazing combinations included Full Throttle, chocolate milk and dortitos (all at once) and sour cream and cheddar potato chips + slim jim…wow…I have no words.  We drove the entire 6.5 hours with the windows down and the music up!

It got a little windy...

Finally, we arrived in Ohio and checked into the Residence Inn in Independence.  The rooms were really nice, but the people were a little slow .  We dropped off our bags, grabbed a few showers and headed out for the night.  The night started with a great little tribute band and curb side popcorn.  We all sang along to some of our favorites and plugged our ears for a few missed notes.  All in all, it was a great start.  A little cold, a lot hungry and even more sleepy, we grabbed our things and headed over to the Rib, White and Blue festival in the city.  Can you say fun?!?  At least ten different vendors all selling award winning BBQ and frosty birch beer.  It was a little slice of Ohio heaven…to say nothing of the people watching.  WOW! 

Saturday morning we grabbed a yummy hot breakfast at the hotel and got on the road to Cedar Pointe.  It was the perfect day for an amusement park.  Around 70 degrees, light breeze and sparkling sunshine.  We couldn’t have asked for more.  First stop…the Raptor!

Waiting in line...

And on and on it went…I think we rode every coaster in the park almost.  We stopped at a cute little saloon for BBQ, beer and “Got Country.”  It was a fun western themed show with a lot of patriotism thrown in.  So much fun!  Needless to say, night fell and we were still going strong.  We strolled, wide-eyed, through the starlight express light display and bundled up in sweatshirts for a cool Ohio evening.  The highlight of the day came when we all hopped on a coaster right when the fireworks began.  We were shot 415 feet into the air and right into the middle of the fireworks (well OK, not RIGHT in the middle, but you get the idea.)  It was amazing!  After I recovered from the fear and shock of that coaster ride….yep you guessed it…I rode it again!!!

Sunday morning, we headed out to Lake Erie and a cute little lake town.  We stopped off at an adorable coffee shop for some frozen coffee and belly laughs.  “If that had happened in Maryland, the popcorn machine would have been up on cinder blocks”  :):).  I stuck my little feet in Lake Erie and collected a few beautiful stones.  It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  After a yummy assortment of hotdogs, burgers and macaroni salad, we all hopped in the car to head home. 

Beautiful Lake Erie

Well, the ride home was just as fun as the ride in.  We danced in our seats, cracked jokes and had our fill of junk food.  We even had a guest performance by Little D, the Kia hamster stand in…it was hilarious. 

Little D doing the Kia head bop

All in all, it was a great weekend with great friends!!!  I can’t wait for the next one…

All This Craziness…

I am coming up on week three of being out of work…can we say stir crazy?  After enduring every test in the book including three MRI’s, a million blood tests, ultrasounds…basically you name it.  Tomorrow, I will head to the ENT for some crazy physical therapy procedures that may or may not work.  Pretty much, I am done!  The constant vertigo and nausea is just awful.  Sorry if this is not so interesting to my regular readers, but I just needed to get it all out. 

I can’t even begin to tell you how loved I have felt through all of this.  My friends and family have held my hand and supported me with prayers while I just struggled to keep myself together.  I truly hope life is going to return to normal soon. 

On the other hand, I kind of feel like God has been spring cleaning my life.  It has been easy to let people go who add stress to my life and basically offer me a one sided friendship, or claim to offer love and have no idea of the actual concept of love.  I guess we all have to grow up sometime.  This weekend, my two bestests are making the trek up from DC to just keep me company on my mushy basement couches, watch chick flicks and partake in my cooking.  It is such a wonderful thing to realize that genuine love exists in people  and in the world.  You know that one person you can text anytime and they always respond.  Or  that person you can call and they never hit the ignore button.  Or that person that loves you no matter how screwed up and mixed up you are.  I really hope that the people in my life can say that I love them the way they have made me feel loved over the last 3 months. 

Aside from the amazing people in my life, I’m learning to enjoy the small things.  I watched the movie “Last Holiday” yesterday and Queen Latifah’s character was starting up at a gorgeous ceiling.  She said, “has that ceiling ever made you just want to cry.”  I sort of feel that way about a lot of things these days.  My little nephew has been super sick and just seeing his little, perfect smile look up at me made me cry.  His little voice saying I love you is pretty much the most perfect moment ever.  We only get one time around at this crazy thing called life and sometimes we just forget to stop and see our life happening each day.  Wow, I really do sound like a huge dork.  I guess I was just hoping to share all the wonderful blessings God has given me during the horrible struggle in my life.  Feel free to share the little gifts you have in your life right now!

Lots Of Love

Well, it is coming up on February 15 and another Valentine’s Day has come and gone.  It has been so amazing…surprisingly so.  I officially have the greatest friends.  My phone was buzzing all day with happy texts and lots of love.  It is such a blessing to realize all the love you have in your life.  So, this is a little thank you to all the wonderful people in my life who fill my heart with love.

New Nickname

Good Morning All,

After a funny Facebooking experience, I have been coined with a new nickname, Passionista.  I must say…I love it.  As many of you know, my mothership is basically Neiman Marcus, so fashionista often follows my name as a descriptor, however, recently I have realized that I live my life full of passion for everything I do.  Hence, the new nickname.  What is life without passion?  Boring for one and possibly pointless for another.  You often hear people say they live life to the fullest or are passionate about life.  I beg to differ.  When is the last time you were truly passionate about something in your life? 

I stumbled across a blog this morning that really caught my eye.  I love what she says, “My passion for life propels my feet forward and out of bed each morning in search of the next image I must put down in paint and the next laugh to be had.”  What gets you out of bed in the morning (especially on these very cold days)? 

Recently, I have found myself “wishing” my life away.  I daydream about that next step in life whether it is a new job down the road or a new apartment or just that next pair of amazing “on sale” shoes.  Either way, that next big thing constantly occupies my mind.  I find that sometimes I miss the great little thing that is happening right now.  For instance, I joined a new gym closer to my house and within the first week, most of the trainers know me by name.  Admittedly, I spend a ridiculous amount of time there now, but still.  It is so nice to walk into a room and have people smile at you and know your name.  Wow, I sound like I want to be on an episode of Cheers .  I guess what I am getting at through all of this mumbo jumbo is that passion can take many forms and sometimes it shows itself in the simple pleasures of life. 

In other news, Steve Jobs is sick and leaving Apple in a pickle.  Meanwhile, his announcement to take a leave of absence has cost Apple quite a few BILLION dollars.  How crazy is that?  I mean really people…he is leaving the same COO in charge that has always been there.  I think we all need to relax just a little.