My Love of the Brownie Pan

Why do they call them Brownie pans anyway? That makes them so one-sided. Like hey, I'm a Brownie Pan. I only hold gooey, delicious brownies. Full of chocolate and slightly undone centers. Warm squares of chocolatey goodness.

I've had this so called Brownie pan for a while now, and I've pretty much only made brownies in it since I got it.

But recently I had this brilliant idea to bake some BBQ chicken in it. And that turned out delicious.

And you know what else?

It was the most perfect portion size for just little ole me.

So I did something crazy. I made lasagna in my "brownie pan."

Oh, the horror it must have felt when it was full of cheesy, saucy noodley goodness instead of danity chocolate squares.

And again. Perfect portion sizes. I didn't have to eat lasagna for 65 days.

This is huge, people. And please don't tell me one of you, who is smarter than me, figured this out long ago. Shame on you for not sharing with your fellow single people or two person homes.

Total casserole game changer.

So long to my "brownie pan." And hello to my new I'm-gonna-use-this-for-everything pan. I think my next creation will be poppy seed chicken.

Fun Day Friday

• My mom got this little running girl sticker for me when she went to St. Louis. I think she's precious, and her purple headband is the best. I love purple. I think running stick girl goes nicely with my run sticker I got in New Orleans.
• Speaking of stickers, I'm saving the other side of my back window for my 13.1 sticker. As of December 1, I will have one of those beauties on my car. And I get to check something off my bucket list.
• I've decided my only distractions I'll have from working from home will be unlimited access to my refrigerator and the ability to make endless cups of coffee.
• I am thinking it's time to break out my top 5 Christmas movies. Asher's been quoting Christmas Vacation for weeks now, and it's starting to get to me. I'm trying to hold out until Thanksgiving, but let's be honest....you and I both know I'll cave before then.
• Mark it down. October 26. The first time I mention Christmas on the blog this year. Two months away....I can't believe it didn't happen sooner.
• Boom Kinetic is playing two nights in a row here in Little Rock. I've waited years for such goodness to happen. There's rumors of a guest list for tomorrow night. Trying to figure out how to get on it. It would just add to the goodness.
• I'm in the market for some chunky sweaters and smoking loafers. Any suggestions on where I should go to get these items? I need something trendy in my wardrobe right now. Maybe a sweater with elbow patches. And definitely some leopard print smoking loafers.
• Once Upon a Time and Pretty Little Liars has taken over my free time. Netflix has been good to me recently. I think it's trying to make up for the time it took away The Biggest Loser without my knowledge. And don't judge me for Pretty Little Liars. It's a good show. I think I'm in love with Ezra Fitz. He's cute in that nerdy smart guy kinda way.
• I picked my 13-year-old cousin up from the junior high the other day. And then I kidnapped her and made her help me recycle some magazines. She tries to pretend like I'm not cool anymore, but deep down I know she loved it. Am I cool enough to make recycling fun? It's questions like that that keep me up at night.
• I need to get the new Mumford and Sons and the new Taylor Swift. My musical life is suffering. I am behind. I feel bad about it. And you can hate T. Swift all you want, but she means it when she sings. She means it. (My love of Mumford should help me keep some cool points, right?)
• Who says cool points? I need to be slapped.

Have a great Friday. Rock on!

Fun Day Friday: Funnies

Every time I write a blog post, I e-mail pictures from my phone to myself so I can post them. In the subject line, I just type random letters so I don't get the dreaded there-is-no-subject-do-you-want-to-send-it pop-up. And sometimes the random letters are autocorrected into something awesome.

That was the case today. kdhaldjhdl turned into Highballing. #perfect

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I went on a winter squash buying rampage yesterday. And I have to tell you I had a butternut squash before I got all this. It's fall, y'all. Get some squash. Roast it and love it.

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I stole this photo from Arkansas Outside. I laughed a lot when I saw it so I had to share it.

I also found this on Pinterest and sent it to the roommate.

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I'm prepping to see Needtobreathe next Tuesday. We all know how much I love them. And they are coming to Little Rock to play a show. We have fourth row tickets. HOLLLLLLAAAAA!!!!

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While eating burrito bowls on the patio of Chipotle's, a little girl, no more than two years old, tried numerous times to climb the metal fence and run out in the street. Her parents were trying to eat dinner while her older sister was shaking the umbrella attached to the table.

As they were getting ready to leave, the pregnant mother was carousing the umbrella shaker and the dad was going after the fence climber. I made a comment to the dad about how she was trying to break out of jail.

He said, "Don't have kids til you get a Taser." I, of course, laughed out loud. Then he threw in "...and ear plugs." as an afterthought.

Best advice ever. Taser and ear plugs.

Fun Day Friday: Quick List Edition

I've got about 20 minutes to write this since I'm going to a big networking meeting today! Still on the job hunting wagon, but I'm hoping not much longer. So I can't be late. But I wanted to write because...let's face it...I always want to write.

So here it goes: My random thoughts on this Friday.

• 5K tomorrow. There is a possibility I will have make-up on since I put my "full face" on today for this meeting. But let me clarify...It will be the slept in make-up that makes an appearance at the 5K. Slept in, not fresh faced.
• I'm in the Baggo Throwdown this weekend, too. The 5K will be a cake walk compared to the baggo tournament. It doesn't seem like throwing bean bags would be difficult. And in reality, it's very easy to throw one. But I find it terribly hard to get my bean bags where I want them to go. This comes from years of watching boys play, and said boys would not let us girls play because we are girls. Dumbest thing ever. My partner has never played before. And we don't really know the rules. We are going out in the first round. Whatev.
• Foam rolling hurts like a bitch. There is no other way to get around saying that word because that is the only way to explain it. I will dedicate a whole post to foam rolling in the near future. But just so we're clear...It hurts like a bitch. And I've almost cried several times while foam rolling my quads.
• Did I say we are practicing for the baggo tournament tonight? Because we are. Don't ask me why (see two bullets above for explanation.) we are practicing. But I feel good about it. Maybe we will get some beginners luck.
• I need a haircut. The horse tail is out of control. Out of control. I'm teetering on the line of hippy. Really on the edge.
• My favorite month starts on Monday. OCTOBER is almost here. I love October. That's when the leaves start changing colors, and running outside is the most enjoyable.
• #FlashbackFriday: College Edition

This was taken right at the end of us singing "I'm on a Boat" at the top of our lungs. You're welcome.

Happy Friday!!!

Fun Day Friday: Random Thoughts

First thing: Boulevard Bread Company has the best chocolate brioche, breakfast sandwiches and lattes on the planet. I was on breakfast duty this morning so I brought Susan a good spread of yummy treats.

When the Bit asked what I brought I told her chocolate brioche. She said, "Eewww, yuck. I don't want to eat chocolate britches."

I didn't even try to correct her. There is no sense in it. Plus it was funny. So I just went with it. Susan and I halved the chocolate britches.

Second thing: My oldest and dearest friend is coming to the Big City. I can't wait to see her and spend some quality time with her.

 



Good ole Shannon is coming to the city for a dental conference. And after that we are going to paint the town red. Or go out to eat somewhere. And maybe rent a movie. Because we're cool like that.

 

Third thing: I want tacos and guacamole again. These tacos and guacamole to be exact.



 

I dream about these tacos and guacamole all the time. I can't even describe how much I love them. Chipotle has figured it out. The winning combination. I would push someone down for this meal.

 

Fourth thing: The ole weather app on my phone has lightning bolts for the next three days. I have a five mile long run to do this weekend. And if it rains, I'm not sure I'll do a long run on a treadmill that only stays on for 20 minutes at a time. It just shuts off after 20 minutes. I will have to re-start it three to four times to get that long run finished. That will be interesting.

 

Fifth and final thing: Bit got a donor bone. And we are so thankful. There will be a post dedicated to this topic in the next few days. So hold your breath and wait patiently....I can't wait to tell you all about it. But the kid got a bone so we are totally kicking this cancer business. 



Fun Day Friday: Random Thoughts

• I heard once if you walk instead of run in the rain you get less wet. I practiced that theory yesterday during the steady pelting rain of Hurricane Issac. I maybe walked 50 feet (let's be honest...I have no sense to judge distances...so don't take that to heart.) from the door of the hospital across the parking lot to my car, and I was completely soaked. So here's a new theory: Really steady rain drops falling from the sky will make you resemble a wet dog regardless of walking or running. Point of this: It absolutely doesn't matter. Good. Glad we cleared that up. We can all sleep better tonight knowing it doesn't really matter.

• I baked these deep dark chocolate cookies for Susan's birthday. I'm still absolutely sure that this one recipe alone is enough reason for me to open a bakery. I'm serious. They are that good.

• I've been spending more and more time in Conway recently. For those of you who don't know, it's my old stomping ground. My college alma mater. Go Bears Go! I have a deep love for this city and this restaurant. We went the other night before Elevation. I didn't get to eat anything. Because I have to save my money. So I can pay the bills. Bummer. Big bummer.

• The newest issue of the Arkansas Times came out yesterday. I picked it up because why not. They always do an amazing job writing and/or promoting Arkansas history. And this issue talks about a new Roy Reed book coming out in October. My inner nerd swooned over this new book because it's going to be such an asset to my thesis.
• Speaking of the thesis, the frequency of my library visits is about to increase so much so that I should take a cot and set up camp. Must. Finish. The. Mammoth. Thesis. Must. Set. Myself. Free. Seriously, ask me everyday what I did to work on the thesis. Accountability is the key to my success and freedom from library sleepovers. Is there such a thing as library sleepovers? I feel like there should be...for us people who would be interested/desperate for that kind of thing. Don't judge me...



• Had a nice talk with a wonderful lady about my future job situation. Got some contacts. Made some progress. Someday I will have bylines again. I will. Even if it takes me two years of getting coffee and answering phones. I will write. I will be published. I will have bylines. I will.
• Tomorrow is September 1. As of tomorrow I am in training. I will be a machine. Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. I'm terrified. I think I've said that before, but now I'm about to start living the fear. Run. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.
• I've recently realized I have an affinity for index cards. It use to be Post-It notes. Not anymore. Index cards everywhere. My desk is covered with them. This is not really relevant to your day, just wanted to share. Sharing is fun. Try it.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

First thing first, I have a recipe to share with you. But not before I tell you some things I've learned this past week.

Gatorade comes in a can. And it will change your life. So cold. Where did I discover such greatness you might ask? Arkansas Children's Hospital has refrigerators full of this stuff. Like hospital gold. Since the mindblowing discovery, I have googled canned Gatorade upteen times with no luck as to how to get it. Any ideas? Please comment below if you know of how to get your hands on this.

Kind bars. Almond and coconut Kind bars. So freaking good. And there is only 10 grams of sugar per bar. A-mazing! There are lots of flavors. I will be trying them all. Not even kidding. Go. Get. Some. Today. I got mine at Kroger in the Natural Foods section.

The guy who wrote this book is a journalist. I am digging this book, even though it's from a guy's perspective. Not all things apply to me, but it's been very interesting. If I could go back in time and tell my 18-year-old self to double major in Journalism and Nutrition, I totally would. I could write a book like this. Maybe I will...Would you read it?

Now on to the main event. The recipe you've been waiting patiently for...or you skipped the beginning of this to get here. Whatever. Just make it. And love it.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

What you will need:
1 lb (or package) of ground chicken (you can use beef or pork or whatever)
3 poblano peppers (also known as passilla peppers)
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 uncooked brown rice
1 15 oz. can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 package of taco seasoning (I made up my own taco seasoning to cut out some of the sodium.)

Put the rice in a pot with one cup of water, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook 35-40 minutes. Brown rice takes longer to cook, but you can get other stuff ready while it does its thing.

Cut the peppers in half, vertically. Scoop out the insides. Open the can of diced tomatoes and pour into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. You might not have to use the whole can, but if you like it more juicy go for it.

In a saute pan, brown the ground chicken with half the pouch of taco seasoning. By then, the rice should get close to done. Add the cooked rice, rinsed and drained pinto beans and half of the can of tomato sauce. Stir in the rest of the taco seasoning. Things should be smelling good.

Fill the pepper halves and place them in the pan with the diced tomatoes. Just put any remaining filling on top of the peppers. It doesn't have to look fancy.

I forgot to tell you to pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees....So do that before so you don't have to wait around for it. Put the peppers in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Make sure to cover the peppers with some foil.

At the 45 minute mark, remove the foil and cover the peppers with your favorite cheese. I used cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered so the cheese will melt and the pepper will continue to soften.

Remove from oven. Put on a plate. Savor the smell. And try not to burn the roof of your mouth. These peppers are seriously delicious. And you can stuff them however you want.

Feel free to modify this recipe to make it your own. But promise me you will try the poblanos. There is something about them that just kick regular bell peppers to the curb.

I'm Thankful For...

• This day the Lord has made. Let's all rejoice and be glad in it. 
• My family. 
• My friends.
• The possible thunder storms headed this way. 
• My co-worker Stephanie for getting me this awesome bracelet.

• Coffee. Always thankful for coffee.
• The ability to run again. After nearly a month break, I'm back in the saddle so to speak. It's nice to be running again, although I can tell I lost some of my fitness I had built up from April's 10K. 
• The new John Mayer album "Born and Raised." I love it more than words can say. Country twangs and all. 
• Aloe Vera. First sunburn of the summer has been pretty rough. Aloe has been my friend.
• Getting to meet a whole lot of new people. All this stuff with Asher has allowed me to meet and interact with a ton of people, and I love it. My blue-orange self loves talking and interacting. Plus it's all for a sweet little girl. I'll take it. 
• Boulevard Bread's double chocolate vegan cookie. If you haven't had one, go get one. It will change your life. (I've had two this week...don't judge.)

What are you thankful for today?

Something to Tide You Over

• The Boyfriend fell asleep while we were talking on the phone last night. One minute we were talking, the next he was out. Clearly we were having a scintillating conversation. It's actually pretty funny when I think about it...now.
• My guest post for Arkansas Women Bloggers' Foodie Friday comes out Friday. So exciting. I can't wait for everyone to have access to the Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bake.
• I'm running 5 miles with my mom tomorrow. Pretty excited about getting to spend the day with her. There has been talk of a sushi lunch date, which sounds like the best idea ever. 
• This is just a reminder of what the roommate does sometimes. Let's all never forget this.  

• Still reading the Arkansas Politics and Government book....Still pretty close to the beginning. Yikes.
• Mad Men is the greatest show ever invented. I love the 60s. Yes, I'm a nerd. 
• I read yesterday that the Little Rock National Airport was renamed the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. I mean dang, I know Arkansas is proud and all, but did we really need to rename the airport? I'm sure I will never not call it the Little Rock National Airport. 
• I've. Got. To. Register. To. Vote.
• I'm going to a hot yoga class tonight. I'm pretty much thrilled about it. It's amazing how many poses you can do that you never thought you'd be able to do. It's the only time I ever feel a tad bit flexible.
• I'm going to make these stuffed mushrooms for dinner tonight. You should, too. 

What are you plans this weekend? (Yes, I know it's only Wednesday...but it's my Friday.)

Middle of March

Dudes, can you even believe it's the middle of March? What the crap have we been doing?

Let me fill you in on a few things.

• Breakfast this morning looked like this:

Whole wheat meets fruit and peanut bar. Absolutely delicious. The first time I had a Larabar I didn't know what to expect. It looked nothing like I thought it would, but it was so good. Naturally good. Not full of artificial sweeteners and crap that's bad for you. Just fruit and nuts. Peanut Butter Cookie is my favorite, but Key Lime Pie comes in a close second. 

• Still sickly. Coughing less, but not better yet. My head hurt so bad last night that I could feel my pulse on the left side of the bridge of my nose. It. Was. Awful. The worst headache I've had in a long time. 
• I'm running a 5K on Saturday morning. And I'm pretty excited about it. 
• My friend Logan (you remember Logan from the summer running stuff, right?) ran 4 miles yesterday without stopping. 4 miles in 43 minutes at a 10:50-ish pace. What a bad ass she is. 
• I've had my nose stuck in a Arkansas Politics and Government book since Tuesday. Clearly I'm the most interesting person to talk to right now. 
• I haven't watched TV at night for the past three days...See the above point as to why that is.
• My outfit today is reminiscent of the early 1960s. Makes me feel like I could be part of the cast of Mad Men. 

Now it's your turn to tell me something. Give me your best shot. Ready. Go. 

End of the Week Rants

1. Today's high is 77 degrees. In February. The month of the worst weather Arkansas ever gets.

Seriously. I don't understand it, but I love it.

2. I still feel like death. This dang cough won't go away. I'm pretty sure my chest is broken from coughing so much. I tried take a teaspoon of honey as a cough suppressant, and it worked pretty well. Good ole home remedies do the trick, although I fear nothing will get rid of this cough any time soon.

3. I went to bed at 9:30 last night. And I work up at midnight, 2 A.M. and 4 A.M. Then my alarm went off at 7 this morning, and I instantly wanted to pull the covers over my head and ignore it. All I wanted was a good night's sleep. Sigh. I'll try again tonight.

4. Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday, March 11. Keep in mind that is three weeks away. Crazy how time flies. It seems like we were just falling back.

5. Grad school is stupid. And I'm trying really hard for it not to take over my whole life. These past few weeks has felt like I can't get caught up, even though everything gets done. Girl can't get ahead to save her life.

6. Easter candy is out. Dove dark chocolate eggs have won my heart. Need I say more.

7. I'm currently obsessing over these two songs by Ben Rector.

"White Dress"
I was actually there to hear this exact version.

"She Is"
And it's just piano. I swoon.

8. Reason 948279878797923429123 for why I love Needtobreathe.

And this.

And that's all I have to say about that.

I hope everyone has a safe and merry weekend. I'll be seeing you on the flip side. Now go outside and scream.

Blue - Orange

Happy Thursday (which is my Friday) Friends!!!

I have a few things to share with you this morning. And I'm going to try to practice brevity with my writing today since I've written two extremely long posts this week. So on we go...

Got my new shoes yesterday. They are beautiful and fit like a glove. I have a feeling they will play a vital role in my upcoming outfit selection. Yay for neutrals.

Today marks the second day of me using my redneck coffee travel mug. Still not ashamed.

My Valentine's Day flowers are starting to open up and become even more beautiful. I need to say yet again that the man who got them for did an amazing job.

Scored a free lunch today. Nuff said.

I took the True Colors Personality test this morning. And I'm mystified that my colors were completely right now. BLUE-ORANGE and proud of it. If you haven't taken the true colors test and want to, please let me know. I took some extra copies of all the materials, and I have access to a fancy copier at my office. I would be more than happy to give you the test.

I find the color test completely fascinating. I can't wait to get more people I know to take it and see what colors they are. The first lucky victim with more than likely be the roommate since she lives with me. I have my predictions about what colors she will be, but I'm not gonna say until she completes the test.

I hope you guys have a fabulous weekend. Big things are happening for me this weekend. I will regale you with said story on Tuesday...or sooner if it's that horrendous.

Have you taken the True Colors Test? If so, what colors are you?

What are you doing this weekend?

What I've Learned in the Past 24 Hours

Christmas light-up pens are the bomb.com.

It snowed last night. And this morning.

I ran yesterday in the 30 degree weather. I basically put everything I had in my closet on my body.

My alma mater UCA was featured in Self magazine for its leading health experts.

Ginuwine's "Pony" was written in 1996. And it's still as crazy good as I remember it. A little old school hip hop for you to enjoy today.

And after I rediscovered my love for 1996 Ginuwine. I found this.

Now this takes me back to 10th grade in my silver Alero bumping up and down Main Street in the Sugtown. #straightgangsta #istillloveit

What songs take you back to the "Golden Years" of high school and/or college?

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Good morning! Sorry for all the silence. I've been sick. Sick and busy. Work has been crazy the past week, and all I can think about right now is Thanksgiving dinner, which is good because I didn't want to eat for five days due to the sickness.

Let's catch up, shall we?

• I was sick. And now I'm better. Not 100% yet, but I'm on the way.
• I haven't ran in over a week due to the sickness. When you have fever off and on for 4 days and it rains like it does in London, a girl can't run.
• I have not ran 5.5 miles.
• I got my official confirmation e-mail for my race on Saturday. Yikes. See above bullet for minor freak out.
• I found this awesome wreath on Pinterest.

• So I made one for my front door and one for my mom.

• My fingers are now bruised and have slight burns from my hot glue gun. Awesome.
• I made a 96% on my third section of my PR plan. Holla.
• I have not looked or thought about school stuff since I turned that part of the plan in last week.
• Today is my last day of work for the week. I'm going home this afternoon.
• Thanksgiving food happens in a mere two days. I can't wait to gorge on delicious eats and treats until it comes out my ears. Yes I plan to be that full.
• After the 10K on Saturday, I will have reached another running goal I set a little over a month ago. What's next? Ideas? Half-marathon?
• I just had a mini panic attack when I typed half-marathon. Oh look, there is goes again. Heart palpitations everywhere. Deep breaths. Ok. I'm good.

What's new with you?

What kind of Thanksgiving traditions does your family do each year?
 My mom and I put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. I also put up my cousin Ashley's Christmas tree. In case you didn't know, I have a true gift for decorating Christmas trees. Like seriously, it should be my profession. I could really make a lot of people very happy with my Christmas creations.



All That is Important

I ran 4.5 miles this weekend with my mom and some of her super awesome running buddies Kerri and Lisa. I got to wear my new long sleeved running shirt. I felt legit.

The downside to legitness came when the run was over, and I took off my fleece headband thingy to evaluate my hair.

In my defense, that is not all sweat. It was very foggy that morning so condensation played a big part in the making of this rat's nest.

The fog was so thick it didn't really lift after the sun came up. (Yes, I said when the sun came up...meaning that I got up before the sun to go run in the freezing cold.)

Fog is super creepy. All I could think about was someone jumping out of the fog and chasing us. Clearly I have a problem. My brain works too hard when it comes to thinking up crazy scary senarios. I still blame Criminal Minds.
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My friend Jodi has the cutest baby in the history of all the babies.

It's crazy to me how five months ago we were all waiting to see that cute little face. I lub her so much it's a little stupid.
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I ran again yesterday. Still preparing for my upcoming 10K. I've got two weekends left for long runs. (BTW--anything longer than 3 miles is a long run to me at this point.)

Distance: 3.0 miles
Time: 37:38
Best Pace: 10:29
Average Pace: 12:33
Calories: 317

This weekend I will run my first 5 miles since the last one. Next weekend I will run 5.5 miles. And then next weekend is the race. And I will run 6.2 miles...a personal record for me. So it's getting down the wire with it all. But I'm excited.
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I made soup last night. I'm pretty sure it's the best soup in the world. Thank you Clean Eating Chelsey for creating something so wonderful.

Broccoli, potato and white bean soup is probably my favorite soup this season. I have a feeling the roommate and I will be eating lots of soup this fall/winter.
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Kroger had my most favorite flower in bulk. So I had to get some to brighten my house.

Tulips are the most beautiful and happiest flowers. I love all the different colors, but I'm a true sucker for red tulips with the yellow centers. I swoon.

Did I leave anything out?

How was your weekend?

How To Do Things You Should Already Know Wednesday

What up everybody? Hope you have been having a fantastic day.

Today's Things You Should Know Lesson is:

How to Tie a Tie

Now it seems easy, but I feel like it will be tricky. But we ladies need to know how to tie a tie because 1.) our man candy of choice may need a neck tie tied before he starts his new desk job and 2.) it's just plain impressive.

So I'm gonna get to perfecting that little tidbit of information and file it back for future reference. And I'd think it'd be good for you to do the same.

For the other HTDTYSAKW, look here and here.

In other news:

I got my new tooth. (Sounds so depressing to be excited about that...YAY New Tooth Day! *cough cough...lame* but now I can eat my breakfast, lunch and dinner like a normal human instead of crazed horse...ok it wasn't that bad. But I can now use the left side of my mouth to consume cakes, cookies, pies, chips, Cheez-Itz, broccoli, pasta, etc. etc....You get it.)

I have yet to start the thesis proposal, but it will happen today. And by start I mean organizing the research would be a step up from where I am which is nothing. Hopefully writing the dang thing can start over the weekend.

***Content more relevant to your everyday lives will be coming your way in the near future...So you are welcome. You are welcome. (I'm not ashamed. Learning to tie a tie is important, as is my new tooth.)***

A List of Rando Things

1. Today is Logan's birthday. She is 24. It sounds really official, and I guess it is since it's her special day. Don't worry Logan. Give me 4 months and I'll be right there with you. Not really sure, but somehow we've aged. But really, on a true life note: I hope you have the best day ever. You deserve it! Heart you.

2. It's October, and I haven't started writing my thesis proposal. I tell myself it's pay back to UALR for the last year of hell, but in reality I'm just making myself a new hell by putting it off. Seriously, it's gotten out of hand. Someone please help me.

3. We got a completely unnecessary Coke machine at work. How is it that we are building programs promoting healthy lifestyle choices for children and youth and yet provide them with a highway to sugary, carbonated beverages? Seriously something is wrong with that. Oh hey kids, drink water. And there is no water in the Coke machine. WTF?

4. I get to see Needtobreathe again tomorrow night. I think you all know how I feel about that.

5. I haven't run in a week. Because it's fall and the trees are shedding their acorns and leaves, there is a much larger chance that I could run and slip on a shiny leaf with an acorn under it and go face first into the pavement. I already have one cracked tooth. I don't need another.

6. On the note of the cracked tooth, my dental anxiety came back in full force last night when I went to bed. The obsessive thought I keep having is the tooth will disintegrate, and I will have to rock a Hillbilly smile because I don't have $4,000 to get a new tooth. Please pray for my insane dental anxiety and the sanity of my mother who has to hear my rants about losing my tooth forever.

7. I woke up with a massive headache this morning. It's gonna be one of those days where no amount of Advil and caffeine can fix.

8. I need a haircut. When it gets caught in the window that was just rolled up, hung up in the seatbelt and/or the bangs become random hanging strands of hair, something needs to be done. My ponytail's been looking like a well taken care of horse tail. And by that I mean I brush and wash it daily. But something's gotta give. Time. For. A. Haircut.

9. I'm out of things to add to this list. So I'm gonna call it day. I hope you guys have an awesome day.

Unexpected Break of Blogging

First of all, let me start off by saying please don't hate me. Last week I was super busy at work. Every day something new exploded, and I had little time to blog...or no time to blog. But this unexpected blogging break does not mean that I'm quitting or cutting back. It's just something that happens sometimes. So will you forgive me?!

Ok. I'm going to take that as a yes. So let's move on. I've got lots of topics to fill you in on, and the best way I can think to organize it at this moment in time is random order with sections addressing each subject.

Running
Got some bad news....My mom took back the running watch. Nobody thought it would cause such distress in my running life, but it's like a death. I run the trail not knowing how fast I'm going or how far I went. It's a problem.

Last night I went back to Two Rivers Park. It was the first time since I divorced it in the Spring. It was nice, especially since the opening of the new pedestrian bridge. It's like a mini-Big Dam Bridge but without the dam or the big.

I ran the trail to the new bridge, went over and came all the way back in under 40 minutes. Now knowing my times on 3.1 miles is around 47 minutes, I think I was a little under the milage, but what's a girl to do. Anyone want to give me a Garmin Forerunner 305?

This is truly a problem since I decided to run a 10K in November. I have to know the 4 mile mark and the 5 mile mark so I can train myself. Otherwise, I'll just quit when I think I'm there, which really means I'll quit before then because my brain tells my body to quit moving. Such constant struggles.

Macaroni and Cheese
The cravings that I have for Panera's macaroni and cheese have gotten OUT OF CONTROL. Nuff said.

Homeworking
Yesterday was spent in the nook writing a bogus PR stragetic plan. I'm pretty sure I spent more time shuffling papers around and "organizing" than I did writing. What do you think?

Everything has its place...right? Ha. You can laugh. It's ok. I know what it looks like. The first part of the project is due Thursday. So I will be working on this during the day....meaning at work. Time is of the essence people. And I've thrown caution to the wind and said to hell with school this semester....And then that saying is biting me in the booty this week for realz.

It's crunch time. Gotta get it done.

Groceries
Somehow I went to the store and left with no food. Yet I spent the same amount I would have if I had bought food. Does this make sense? Not at all. Not sure what to do about it so I'll probably just wing it, which means eating out and fulfilling the mac and cheese craving mentioned above. I have a problem.

The Roommate
The Roommate's phone has been broken. When I send her texts, she doesn't respond. Then I found out it's not broken and that she was just "too busy" to text back. So to keep my ego from being wounded, I tell myself it's broken. Some would call this a blatant disregard of the truth. I call it self-help.

Tell me something good.

What did you do this weekend?

If you ever get stuck on one craving, what is it? Is it always the same, or does it change?
I've been stuck on Mac and Cheese from Panera and pizza for a long time now.

Go, Go, Go

You know those kind of days where you wake up and have no energy or motivation to do anything? Yeah, I had one of those yesterday. Work crawled by. I swear all the clocks were broken. But once I got out of there, things seemed to start looking up.

I met the roommate and Casondra at my favorite Starbucks. Thank you Starbucks for bringing back the Pumpkin Spice Latte. This little gesture means that my most favorite coffee treat, the Caramel Brulee Latte, will be re-introduced very soon. Ah, Starbucks Christmas coffee favorites. My heart's aflutter just thinking about that.

After the coffee stop, I went home to eat some dinner and read some chapters from my dreaded PR books. Dinner last night was leftovers from a meal I had when I went home to the Sugtown.

My mother made homemade beef tips and rice. Now for those of you who don't know my mother, eating at our house is a very special thing. That woman can cook like nobody's business. And this is one of my favorite things she makes. 

Roast beef cooked in a crockpot with red wine, beef broth, big chunks of onions and sliced mushrooms. It was delish when I ate it the other day, but the leftovers were yummy. I ate everything you see. Even the table runner, vase and parts of the table top. Just kidding. But I did eat the peach for dessert.

After dinner, I did some more reading and a little watching of The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan. Why don't they ever play the classic verison of that movie? I mean it is just as good, if not better. But I'm partial to the classic version because I watched it a lot as a child.

Then the mother of this little lady came to stay the night at the house last night.

I'd post a picture of her momma, but they look just alike, although Jodi has hair and Aubrey has baby hair. Look how cute she is.

Jodi is in graduate school at my alma mater. She is trying to finish up. She has a night class on Tuesdays and an early morning class on Wednesdays. So it makes perfect sense for her to crash at the house so she doesn't have to drive three hours in a very short time span.

We stayed up way too late talking about everything we've been meaning to catch up on. And I didn't get to bed until midnight. But it was worth it. Quality friend time is important people. Very important.

The midnight bedtime made the morning come all too soon. Nobody wants to get up when it is still dark outside. WTF?

On a pleasant note, it feels wonderful outside today.

Running tonight should be cake after those heat runs we suffered through earlier in the summer. After my 5 mile run, the roommate is thinking of trying her hand at a 5-miler. I'll let you know how things go.

Have a fab Wednesday!

Let's Play Catch Up

After our run last night, I was blessed to see this sight. Pictures don't do it justice, but it is still really beautiful.

How is it on the hottest day of the year so far we decided to run? Not kidding it was hot. My phone said one thing, but Todd said another.

Yeah you read that right. 106 in Little Rock yesterday with a heat index of 120. HOT as H. It was so hot that we changed our running routine from this

To this.

But it was perfect. Hot, but perfect. Not too much to handle in the blazing heat. Logan, the roommate and I had a lot of good conversation since we had a very entertaining weekend.

A weekend consisting of a very late night out, an insanely d-baggish of a boy throwing around weird phrasing that included "raging" (whatever that means) and a detrimental phone number exchange. But that is a whole other blog post. (Don't worry...It's coming soon with all its gory details.)

On a different note, I finally got my madre's Garmin running watch. That thing is the bomb.com for realz. We used it when we did the 10.3.10 run, and here are some of the roommate and my stats.

33:00 minute run. 2.37 miles. 11:30 - 13:00 pace. Hot as H. It told me a lot of other stuff I just can't remember what it said. But I loved not having to hold anything while running. I usually carry my iPhone with me so we can listen to Todd (the voice on my Couch to 5K app...Yes I named him Todd.) tell us when to run and walk.

But with Todd becoming less frequent of a character during our runs (since we barely walk anymore), I loved having my hands free to keep sweat from stinging my eyes.

But before we ran with the Garmin, the roommate and I ran the Big Dam Bridge for the first time since we started this whole thing.

We ran all the way to the other side and then some.

Then we ran back.

And on a really random note, we saw the Griswolds' station wagon in the Heights neighborhood while trying to find an easier way to the Big Dam Bridge on the Little Rock side.

I think that makes for a pretty good day. Or I should say past couple of days. Or weekend. Whatever.

Hope y'all have a Happy Happy Wednesday.