The “Weekend”
So this is what having a weekend feels like? Today is my first of two consecutive days off in 21 days and oh. my. goodness. I slept for 11 hours last night. After waking up around my normal time I promptly ate breakfast and slept for two more hours. Those were two very necessary hours, I finally feel rested and might be able to fight off this cold! (The airport is going to help me build an entirely new immune system)!
Breakfast this morning was delicious!
Steel cut oats with canned peaches cooked stove top with vanilla and cinnamon. I added a bit of protein with an egg white and some good fats with a scoop of almond butter. It kept me full for about 5 hours (two of which I slept through…haha).
After a beautiful walk in the sun, some iced coffee, and a trip to Target I came home to lay in the sun. By this time it was almost 3:00pm and I couldn’t believe I’d slept through half the day!
From Target for the new hair!
I snacked on some Nutterbutters, tuna and carrots in a wrap, and Starbucks refresher before heading off to a potluck. I’d played a competitive game of scrabble and was ready for some friendly conversation after such a close match.
A hard fought battle
I brought smoked salmon and my friends contributed pasta, homemade chili, and homemade sweet potato fries. All delicious and so filling! We relaxed chatted and bid farewell until our next “weekly” potluck.
A few episodes of How I Met Your Mother later I snacked on a Clif-Z bar over a nearly identical bowl of oats as my breakfast as an after dinner treat. I am now about ready to call it a day with a rested and full belly.
Water Spritzer and tv time from an earlier afternoon.
Post Grad
Hi Friends,
Oh my! Saying life has been crazy since graduation would be an understatement! I graduated with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Business barely 3 weeks ago and I have been going non-stop since that Sunday.
The day after graduation I started training for my Customer Service (ticket counter) position at Alaska Airlines. I’ve been commuting 2 hours a day and working or training the other eight hours (whoever said work is hard wasn’t lying!) I’ve met great people through my training and at the SeaTac station and will begin my own unsupervised shift on Saturday!
The past three weeks have also been filled with visits to Seattle, house hunting with my roommates, meal planning, minimal workouts, happy hours, and adjusted sleep schedules.
KAO Family
Housemates
Last week my shift began at 5am and I was off by 1:30 pm and was home by 2:30 pm to enjoy the sun! Unfortunately, a 5am shift means a 3:15 am wake up call and 9pm bedtime (at the latest), and going to sleep while the sun is still brightly shining makes that early bedtime difficult. Next week I start a permanent night shift and will reverse my schedule (1:00pm-9:30pm) and will no longer be rising before the sun ( and the majority of the city).
No matter the crazy hours I am enjoying having a schedule again! College has been an amazing experience, but I think the bit of structure a job brings is already bringing some needed consistency to my life!
In other news, I recently cut 13 inches off my hair and donated 11 to Locks of Love! This is the second time I have donated, I am loving the ease of short hair.
Here are a few other random pictures, I hope to find time to keep you all updated on my happenings.
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- Training day 3
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- First day after work with the new hair!
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- Gibson’s Fro-yo with friends
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- Seattle Folk Festival
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- After work happy hour with friends
Just For Today
*This was read throughout Yoga today.
Just for today
I will try to live through this day only,
and not tackle all my problems at once.
I can do something for twelve hours that
would appall me if I felt that I had to
keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today: I will be happy. This
assume to be true what Abraham Lincoln said,
*Most folks are as happy as they make up their
minds to be.*
Just for today: I will adjust myself to what is,
and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will
Take my *luck* as it comes, and fit myself into it
Just for today:I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study.
I will not be a mental loafer.
I will read something that requires effort.
Thought and concentration.
Just for today: I will exercise my soul
in three ways: it will do somebody a good turn
and not get found out; if anybody know of it, it
will not count. I will do at least two things I
don’t want to do– just for exercise. I will
not show anyone that my feelings are hurt: they may
be hurt but today I will not show it.
Just for today: I will be agreeable. I will
look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice
low,be courteous,criticize not one bit. I won’t find
fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate
anybody else but myself.
Just for today: I will have a program.
I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it.
I will save myself from two pests: Hurry and Indecision’s.
Just for today: I will have a quiet half
hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour,
sometime I will try to get a better perspective of
my life.
Just for today: I will be un-afraid.
Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what
is beautiful,and to believe that as I give to the
world, so the world will give back to me.
Happy Holidays
Not meant to be
Goooood Morning Bloggers,
The past two posts I have written have magically disappeared in the black hole that is cyberspace, I guess it was a sign it was not meant to be posted. Today, I am killing time as my friend takes a calculus exam. Yesterday, we spent the day roaming around Golden Gate Park and exploring the California Museum of Sciences. The science museum caters to all ages and is not your typical museum that is exciting for kids, but adults are bored. The museum is full of interactive elements, the most exciting exhibit for ourselves was the four story indoor rainforest. The rainforest is contained with in a spherical dome with a temperature of 82-85 degrees and 75% humidity. Believe me when you walk into the dome you feel the change in climate. Shorts and a lightweight shirt are the way to go when visiting. Over 1,600 live animals live in this dome, the most obvious of these creatures are the free flying birds and butterflies. We wandered through Costa Rica, Madagascar, Boreno, and the Amazon. The frogs were my favorite and would have taken pictures of the little guys for hours.
We also wandered over to the Japanese Tea Garden and enjoyed authentic afternoon tea and cakes.
Tea and Cake at the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park
Before we headed to dinner we spent time taking pictures by the fountain outside the museum. The same fountain featured in The Wedding Planner (of course we streamed the film from Netflix that night) and sat by a statue watching families and tourists walk/run and cycle through the park. Dinner was at a Ramen house that can be easily missed if you blink. The only thing that distinguishes the establishment from other store fronts is a lit lantern by the door; the restaurant has a sign the size of 5×7 index card, but the lantern is the real distinguishing element.
Greeted by the amicable staff as we entered, took seats at the bar and ordered the one of two options. Pork or Vegetarian Ramen. Famished, we awaited our bowls of veggie ramen and were not disappointed when it arrived.
Large and in charge. We dove into the bowls.
Ken-Ken Ramen. Bursting with flavor vegetarian ramen; Soft egg and Squash to garnish.
A slightly sweet not too salty bowl of noodles. Seaweed, sprouts and bok choy are also hiding within the broth; a perfect way to cap the day.
Today holds more exciting adventures in the city.
Blogger Love and Mine!
Thunder Storm
Happy Saturday Friends!
I’m off to sell some decadent (healthy) Museli at the Saturday Market!
Yesterday, in T-town we had a thunderstorm that started in Bellingham many hours earlier and finally arriving here late evening. The flashes from lightning lit up the sky every few moments and the thunder rumbled across town sending the T-locals to hibernate in their homes (not much different than when the winter rain arrives). It was an enjoyable diversion from the books and movies at home. My housemates and walked to the store while this storm threatened to worsen and enjoyed the show from mother nature.
Image Source: Komo News
Today the plan after work is an at home “Happy Hour” with friends, a quick WOD, and possibly a three mile walk or yoga!
-Blogger Love
WIAW: Sno-Cones Vs. Homemade Ice Cream
It’s WIAW somewhere in the blogosphere!(Thanks Jen!) I have not been taking consistent pictures of my lovely eats because I have not planned on any WIAW posts; but, today I am procrastinating my finance studying and adding a post seemed the perfect “productive” procrastination tool. It has been hot outside finally and because I worked this Wednesday (rare), a smoothie was the fastest breakfast to go that I could eat drink at ease.
Breakfast: My smoothie consisted of blueberries, raspberries, vanilla protein powder, the remnants of my greek yogurt container and ice cubes! Throughout the morning I also snacked on a Peanut buddy bar and a handful of Apple Jacks (the best cereal ever with vanilla coconut milk…try it, you’ll have no regrets.)
A different, yet, equally delicious smoothie.
Fitness: I headed straight to the gym and got my #eatcleansweatdirty on with a 3.2mi hill run and then headed home to refuel with a snack plate.
Lunch: Cucumbers, tortilla chips, Sabra Garden Hummus (the greatest mix to date), carrots, and TJ’s teriyaki tofu filled my plate tupperware container lid. [And camera shy almonds/dried cherries/chocolate chips]
Enjoyed on the lawn in the sunshine.
Dinner: Currently, it’s undecided but yams, tilapia and mango salsa, cauliflower are waiting to be used…or an omelet..similar to this. Anything with avocado is heaven!
Creamy guac spread, yumm
No, this isn’t dinner, but how can anyone dislike Washington with a sunset like this?
Dessert: (It’s necessary) Dreyer’s Mud Pie is lurking in my freezer…Working at the farmer’s market and smelling fresh made waffle cones at the homemade ice cream stand all I’ve thought about is ice cream the past couple of days. I make sno-cones and the competition is tough, I know I would buy the ice cream before sno-cones if I was a visitor.
At my “Polar Ice” booth.
Next week I’m off to San Francisco and am incredibly excited to see friends and my brother! I have never been to the Bay Area and this will be the perfect trip. Already on the itinerary is Golden Gate Bride Walk, Alcatraz, the Japanese Gardens, and Fisherman’s Wharf.
I’ll be back later with my answers to a few July Question Challenge!
Do you have any dining suggestions for eating out in SF?
Back to the Grind
Discombobulated…
If a term were chosen to convey how I felt all day, that word would sum up my feelings quite accurately. Arriving back to T-town on a Thursday night set me up for a Monday feeling, yet it was Friday and I work tomorrow…I thought I’d use today’s post to recap the status of my July Goals.
- Go to yoga? x3–Almost, one video session and one in class session. But an A for effort because of the amount of travel that occurred this week.
- Finance homework?–Set-up the tutoring schedule and will be on track for my goals, but not quite 3 hours a day…it was a vacation week. C-
- Spend less money?–I bought sugar-free vanilla flavoring..totally unnecessary, but will last! The only splurge as of late…a solid B
- In bed by midnight?– Very close to this goal! I have 15 minutes tonight…B+
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I rediscovered this recipe..it’s on the menu for this weekend!
Today’s challenge topic: If you could spend 15 minutes with any celebrity who would it be and why?
I would have to pick Julie Andrews or Judy Garland. Both women I have admired since I was young, but if I can only choose one I’d love to meet Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews is eloquent, intelligent, and appears to be a genuine person. I would love to pick her brain about her years in the industry, her childhood, her singing and writing career, and thoughts on balancing entertainment with her other life goals.
–I sound like a stereotypical soon-to-be graduate…tell me everything about your life and how you got there..I need a plan. It’d be funny if it weren’t true…
As for Eat Clean and Sweat Dirty, the balance has been pretty good! Today began with pre cycling class snack of 1/2 apple and PB and refueled with a delicious egg/Turkey bacon/cheese sandwich. The rest of the day included a trip to Trader Joes to restock the kitchen, finance, cleaning, decorating, and a Cosmo with a friend.
Today I’m selling Mountain Museli at the Farmer’s Market, hitting the gym with a friend, and meeting up with a friend back from abroad.
What are your weekend plans?
