Long Time No Blog

Hey there kids, it's been a loooong time since I've blogged! I am proud to report that I did actually graduate... never thought I'd see that day! Now I am just doing my best to find a job, which is hard to do in this economy, but I have landed some interviews and am hoping for good results. Anyway, that's a boring topic, so let's move on to the pictures:

I am so suave in my fancy hat. 

I was a little short for the glorified trash bag gown that
I ordered. 

Posing with one of many bouquets.

So. many. flowers.

Zach was a good sport and put up with
a million pictures.

My physical therapy was going well, but then I was left high and dry and without a gym membership when I graduated (favorite thing about college = free awesome gym access), so I am kind of in an exercise rut. My normal workout routine has been replaced with cupcakes and playing fetch with the dog. Oh well... could be worse. I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day Weekend! 

Finals Week

Man, where have I been? Oh yes, I have been working my little butt off to get all of my lab reports/ tests/ finals complete. I graduate on the 12th, so I will definitely have a graduation recap ready after that. Until then, have a nice couple of weeks! May you not be as stressed as I am.

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Whiny Wednesday

1. It has been pouring here since yesterday. I am not sure where our beautiful 70-degree blue skies weather went, but it has been replaced with 40-degree monsoon season. It is really helping me with  my horrible case of senioritis. Really. Anyway, I was walking back from class when this nice gentleman in a giant pickup truck drove through a puddle next to me going 50 miles per hour. I ended up looking about like this:

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And yes, I did look just as beautiful as that cat there.

2. My physical therapist retired this week...I didn't even know he was retiring until he told me my session yesterday would be my last with him. It made me irrationally sad. I guess when you trust someone with your recovery and then they disappear, it makes your recovery feel much farther away and less definite. I haven't run in 3 months now, and I am going crazy.

3. Speaking of physical therapy, yesterday I was allowed to do the walking machine for 10 minutes and then the bike for 10, but something apparently didn't go over well with my knees because they were both extremely swollen last night... as swollen as they were three months ago. Once again, really feeling like recovery is not going so great.

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4. Okay, onto more interesting topics... like this guy who decided to take on the TSA by...getting naked? I mean, granted, that is pretty much what they do to you. But still.

"When interviewed about his actions, Mr. Brennan stated he flies (sic) a lot and had disrobed as a form of protest against TSA screeners who he felt were harassing him." Read more...

 I guess that's one way to stick it to the man. And get arrested and categorized as a sex offender for the rest of your life.

5. This is not whining, but I think for graduation we are all going to decorate our hats as elements of the periodic table. Mine will naturally be Ag (silver) for my initials. Also, I really like silver (hint hint, Zach).

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It even weighs the same as I do... except that minor discrepancy in the units. See? Me and silver have a lot in common. We both also have the same number of valence electrons (okay, now I am just making things up).

But enough of the nerd-talk. In all reality, I am just super excited to be graduating, even if it is very likely that I will face plant trying to walk across the stage in heels. And possibly fall off the stage, depending on how lucky I am. Be prepared for copious amounts of cap and gown pictures in a few weeks.


If you were an element, what would you be? And for those of you that aren't total nerds, did you decorate your graduation caps too? 

Flynn's Girlfriend

Just three weeks left of school, and then a week of exams and I'm done! I haven't really had time to think about it though because I have been so busy. There are exams, lab reports, and finals to worry about, on top of trying to find a job and figure out where I am moving when I graduate. Yikes!

Unfortunately, I guess because of all the stress, I managed to get sick this week which left me really behind in the workout department. I am a firm believer that when you get sick, it is best to just let yourself recover and not push yourself to try to work out (I am also lazy, which might contribute to that theory). Also, eating mass amounts of sugar will really help with your recovery.

Weekly Workouts: 
Monday: off
Tuesday: circuit workout
Wednesday: 1 hour pilates class
Thursday: sick
Friday: sick
Saturday: sick
Sunday: sick

I am feeling better today, so hopefully I'll be 100% back to myself by tomorrow. I also made sure to pick up lots of healthy options at the grocery store to boost my immune system.

In other news, I am now able to use the stationary bike for 5-10 minutes at a time, which is a big step in my physical therapy... I am hoping to be able to use the elliptical by the time I graduate (wishful thinking) and maybe running by sometime mid-summer? Maybe. I hope. Pretty please?

Aside from doing homework, eating junk, and laying around, I didn't do a whole lot this weekend. We spent some time at Zach's parent's house, and our dog Flynn found himself a new girlfriend.

Zach had to pick her up so that they would
stop playing long enough for me to get a
picture. 

It is a little black poodle puppy. I love her haircut... she looks like a little black sheep. She and Flynn were obsessed with each other and just played and played. They were both devastated when we had to take Flynn home. He didn't even like it when Zach was holding the poodle in this picture. See the jealousy?

Obviously this is a typical Romeo and Juliet story. They are from different households, and different breeds... she is betrothed to another poodle. It's tragic, really. Although it didn't take him long to get over her once we took him home and he found things to chew on (my socks and a pencil) and trouble to get into. Typical boy.

Well, I guess that Molecular Biology exam isn't going to study for itself. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

If you are out of college, do you ever miss it? Did it take you long to find a job? 

Easter Weekend

Weekly Workouts:
Monday: Jillian Michaels yoga meltdown part I (modified)
Tuesday: 500m swim + kickboard work
Wednesday: 30 min pilates + 2.75 mile walk
Thursday: 500m swim techniques (freestyle, kickboard, paddles) + 15 minute aqua jog
Saturday: 1.5 mile walk & digging a trench (that counts as exercise)

My Easter weekend was pretty awesome. Zach and I have been very productive, and while he used the weed-eater to cut the grass, I dug a giant trench to plant lilies in. It was probably 5 feet long, 1 foot deep, and 8 inches wide, because apparently they need an insane amount of room to grow (those stupid things better bloom, or I will be pissed). Then, we washed both of our cars. Obviously, my boyfriend only keeps me around so that I can do yard work and other manual labor...and also probably so that I can cook for him, because he gets tired of his microwave pizzas sometimes.

Zach is going to kill me for posting this picture.
But I look good, so that's all that matters. Credit
for the picture goes to Tiffany, his sister.

Easter Sunday was fun... except for the whole sunrise service part that involved getting up at 5am and standing in the cold for 30 minutes. The breakfast afterwards made it all worth it, though, and then I rushed home to bake my gluten-free Cinnabon cake, which used this recipe with the substitution for gluten-free flour, and no nuts.

It was probably the most delicious gluten-free thing I have made (doesn't it look yummy?!)... which had nothing to do with the 2.5 sticks of butter and 6 cups of sugar in it. Obviously, it was just so good because of my amazing ability to mix things in a bowl and stick them in the oven. After eating about 1/4 of the cake, I took a sugar-coma-nap. That is what I call a good Easter Sunday.

Today has been less awesome. I have a big Inorganic Chemistry exam this week that is consuming my life from now until Thursday, so I've spent all day studying for that.

Whiny Wednesday

In this edition of Whiny Wednesday, I am going to talk about one good thing that happened for each thing that I whine about, because life is all about balance (and I need to practice my not-whining, because I don't seem to be very good at that).

1. Last night at 3 am, a very drunk couple woke me up because they were having a very loud break-up in the apartment parking lot below my window. I commend them on their intelligence in deciding: 1. To break up while extremely drunk, and 2. To do it in the most public, loud place possible in the entire apartment complex. Good job, guys... I am really glad that I lost an hour of sleep to hear your very dramatic breakup that you won't remember tomorrow.

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2. Speaking of apartments, my roommate and I finally got ours subleased! Like officially, there was paperwork to sign and everything. Considering how much money this will save me over the summer, it is hard not to be happy about it, but at the same time if I don't get a job before I graduate, I will have nowhere to go. I will have to take up residence in swanky new cardboard box.

Just like this. Source

3. Sometime last year, the hinge on the side of my Lenovo computer broke. I called the company to ask about it, and they said it had been recalled, but apparently I hadn't gotten the notice. However, because I missed the "recall date", I had to pay full price to have it fixed (about $300). Well, less than a year later, the same exact part has broken on it.

Also, you will notice the power cord covered in tape. That would be because it split apart recently and started shooting sparks out at me. Anyway, I wasn't going to pay $300 more dollars to get it to last another 6 months, when I could buy a brand new computer for that much. So my mom and her husband agreed to get one for me as an early graduation present of sorts. My new one is an Acer. Thanks, Mom! 

It looks something like this. Source

I am kind of afraid to use it for fear of breaking it. I keep putting it back into its little protective shipping sleeve when I'm done with it, and I keep the plastic screen cover on. I imagine this is how I would treat a newborn...well, I wouldn't put plastic over it, but you know what I mean. With obsessive amounts of care.

4. We have a four day weekend this week for Easter. I plan to spend it alternating between studying for my giant Inorganic chemistry test next week and eating my weight in jelly beans and chocolate rabbits. Mass amounts of sugar help with studying, right?

5. I don't really have a fifth point, other than that I am going to Pilates class now. I hope you all have a splendid week.

EDIT: Also, this made me laugh.  At least I now know what to do, should I ever fall on my face while racing. 

What kind of computer do you have? Do you like it? 

Workouts This Week

I went back to the knee doctor this week and made a 50 minute drive both ways for a five minute appointment during which he told me that I "still have a lot of work to do" and "don't run". That was about all I got from that...really? It just cost me a $25 copay for 2 minutes of your time, during which you say nothing I didn't already know? No wonder doctors have so much money.

I am not going to lie... it has been incredibly hard to get motivated to work out at all lately. I hate not being able to run, and I am really limited in strength training...and really, you can only do so much swimming, pilates, and walking before you are just sick of it.

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Anyways, here it is:
Monday: 3.75 mile walk
Tuesday: 600m swim
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 2 mile walk with the dog
Friday: 2.25 mile walk
Saturday: off
Sunday: 1 mile walk with the dog and a circuit workout

I had to skip my normal Pilates class last week because I had to go pick up my interview suit (now I just need some interviews to go to), so hopefully I will get back to that this week. I am also hoping to swim twice this week...we'll see how that goes.

What do you do when you are in an exercise rut (besides switch up your workouts... I can't do that)?

Playing Fetch

I have been such a bad blogger lately. Speaking of Blogger... do those of you who use it have the new layout? Whatcha think? I don't like it...but then again, I can be extremely resistant to change when it comes to social media sites.

I have to warn you guys that I won't be on here a ton, because school is becoming a MADhouse towards the end of the semester (five more weeks until freedom), but I will try to update at least weekly, so please don't forget about me, okay?

Just to make sure you keep coming back, I have enclosed a really adorable video of my dog playing fetch. And yes, that is me talking to him like an absolute nutjob in the background.

Edit:  I just realized this video title includes my first and last name... I know, I know, I have a great last name. You don't have to tell me.

That is one happy dog. It cracks me up how his ears flop everywhere when he runs. After this video was taken, we let him off the leash...surprisingly, he didn't make a bee-line for the nearest road or dangerous object. He just kept on playing fetch, probably because he has an extremely one-track mind, particularly when there is a tennis ball around (or food). 

I hope you guys had a great weekend! What is one fun thing you like to do with your pet?

Hunger Games and Harrah's Casino

I know, it has been a while since I have blogged. And so now I have a really long blog post for you all. I would like to personally thank all of you who read this whole thing.

First order of business: The Hunger Games

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I thought that the movie was amazing. It was everything I had hoped it would be. I was sad that they couldn't have made it about five hours long and fit in every little detail and emotion, but I guess that's a little impractical.  I came into the theater pumped, and I left the theater pumped, which is a sign of a good movie. I felt they did a really great job maintaining the integrity of the story. Although apparently some people had a problem with the color of Rue's skin. Really? Really? It clearly stated the color of her skin in the book. Learn to read, kiddos.

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I don't care what shade her skin is, you have to admit that child is adorable. And totally tear-worthy. You better believe I cried. Also, I think the comparisons to Twilight have been fully debunked. For starters, there was real acting. But I will not dwell on that. Basically, it was awesome. Go see it! 

One of the reasons that I didn't blog much this weekend was that Zach and I went with his parents to Harrah's Casino for his grandmother's birthday. She wanted to eat at the restaurant there. Zach's parents gambled while he and I spent 4 hours just aimlessly walking around the hotel. It was super fun.

This hotel was all kinds of swanky.

There was a little balcony overlooking the casino where creepers like me could stand and watch/take pictures of all the gamblers. 

We ate at Paula Deen's Kitchen.... definitely not gluten-free-friendly, just so you know. 

There was a nice view of the casino across the river.

Zach and I spent some time looking at an otter that was swimming around (he was trying to go upstream against the current...rather unsuccessfully). It was the first time I have ever seen an otter in the wild. They are funny little creatures. Then I made Zach pose for a picture:

It was a pretty cool place. Maybe one day if I ever have lots of money to lose, I'll go back and hit up the casino. The hotel itself was nice but there were only so many times you could walk around the lobby before it got boring. 

Okay, last part, I promise (have you fallen asleep yet?). I started off my week really strong on the workout front, and then this weekend it just kind of fell apart. I had hoped to go for some walks, but it was rainy and nasty, and the sub-par netflix yoga video just didn't sound fun.

Weekly Workouts:
Monday: 3.5 mile walk
Tuesday: 30 minute yoga video
Wednesday: 1 hour pilates class
Thursday: 2 mile walk
Friday: off
Saturday: uhh... walking around a hotel for 4 hours?
Sunday: off

Hopefully I will do better this week. I am off to a good start with a 3.7 mile walk today! Can't beat the weather right now.

Have you seen the Hunger Games? Did you love it? Did you wish you had a night in a cave with Peeta?

Blueberry Smoothie

Lately I have been completely obsessed with a blueberry smoothie I've been making. I could eat this thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I figured I ought to share the recipe, because it is just too delicious to keep to myself!

Blueberry Oatmeal Protein Smoothie
serves: 1
-1/2 cup of ice
-1/3 cup frozen blueberries
-1/2 of a blueberry greek yogurt cup
-1/2 to 3/4 cup of vanilla almond milk (depending on how thick you want it)
-1/8 cup vanilla protein powder
-just under 1/4 cup of oats
-1/2 tbsp honey
-1/2 banana, sliced

Blend, and enjoy!!!

I don't have a picture, but this is more
or less what it looks like. Source.

Just Keep Walking

I think I forgot to mention in my last post that I went to see the physical therapist Friday, and he said I am improving a ton and that I might be able to start doing some light biking next week! I have never been so excited about biking. You really forget how much you enjoy exercise until you can't do it anymore, and I am just plain sick of pilates and swimming by now.

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Anyway, speaking of exercise and lack of motivation, I have done pretty much none of it this week. Oh, except eating. Building jaw muscles... you know the drill. I have been counting walks with the dog as exercise...because that's about all I've done.

Weekly Workouts:
Monday: off
Tuesday: circuit workout
Wednesday: 2 mile walk with the dog
Thursday: 30 minute pilates video
Friday: 1 mile walk with the dog
Saturday: 30 minute yoga video
Sunday: off

I have extreme ants in my pants at this point, and I don't think I'll be able to get back to swimming until later this week, if not next week (more on that later). So I am cardio-less. Ugh. Want to go for a walk, anyone? 

Walking the Dog

I'm sure that all of you are dying to see more pictures of the dog. Because I don't have nearly enough of him on the blog already, and I totally have done way more than just walk the dog over these past few days...definitely.

So, without further ado, here you go:

He seriously has to smell every. little. thing. on our walks. No clump of grass, large leaf, or rock goes un-smelled.

At one point, Zach and I decided to let him off the leash to see what he did. He ran around like he had just gotten out of jail or something. 

And then he ran away... see that speck in the distance? 

We had to chase him down and put him back on probation (the leash). I am going to enroll him in training classes soon so that he can learn to not take off like a bat out of hell every time we let him off the leash. Also, it'd be nice if he wouldn't bark and growl at everyone he meets. It tends to scare away visitors.

Good thing I still love him. 

Luckily, all of this walking has tired him out, and he has actually been sleeping all night, rather than waking up at random intervals to chew on my face and lick my ears. Or it could be the fact that I've been threatening to have him fixed if he doesn't calm down... who knows.

Spring Break

I have been the ultimate lazy bum this spring break. Most of my friends went to various beaches for parties. What did I do? I took my cat to the vet, and went to a dermatology appointment. Oh, and bought an interview suit. I am really living it up my senior year.

Truthfully, though, it has been really great to just chill out and be lazy for a week. After my visit to Charlotte, I drove up to Zach's house. He is not on spring break, so it has just been me and the dog for the past few days. We have filled our time with walks, tv shows, and playing fetch.

Can't say no to that face...

We have also really been enjoying the sunshine. 

Anyway, I guess one of these days I'll have to accept that I have to go back to school and actually have homework to do, but today is not that day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have lounging to do.

Visiting Charlotte

I came back home for a visit to Charlotte to kick off my spring break. It is so warm here! I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for my customary pre-rush hour traffic fuel on the way in.

I love the cinnamon swirl flavor. After spending what felt like forever stuck in traffic (Charlotte is full of absolutely crazy people on the roads), I got home and was greeted by my mom's obese cat, Chloe. 

She is a little on the large side. I think she may have a thyroid problem. Anyway, the weekend has been pretty fun. Yesterday, we spent all day at the mall, shopping for an interview suit. Apparently, no one my size wears suits, because nothing fit. Finally we found a really nice (read: expensive) suit that actually fit me. I will still have to get it tailored, but at least I don't look like I'm wearing clown pants in this one. Once I have the finished product, I will get pictures! 

Workouts this Week: 
Monday: off
Tuesday: aqua jogging, 40 minutes
Wednesday: 1 hour Pilates class
Thursday: 3 mile walk
Friday: off
Saturday: off (unless you count hours of walking around the mall)
Sunday: circuit workout + 1.5 mile walk 

My mom and I took Dudley (her boston terrier) for a walk today since it was so gorgeous outside. Dudley loved it. He flips if he even hears the word "walk". 

There is a big power line trail behind the house which makes for a good walking trail. The soft ground was also way easier on my knees.

Tomorrow I have a really exciting dermatologist appointment, and then I am meeting a friend for coffee. Hope everyone has had a great weekend!

Snow Day

The weather up here has been bipolar lately. I was in shorts last week, and then yesterday, I had the pleasure of walking to classes in this mess:

Gotta love snow storms. Today, it was back up to 50 degrees and sunny again, so who knows.

My knees were killing me today. I don't know if it is the weather or the heavy snow boots I had to wear or what, but they hurt. I went to the pool and did about 35 minutes of pool jogging, and that was my work out for the day. 

Have any of you read "The Hunger Games"? I am SO excited for the movie! Just a few more weeks!
Trailer:

You should all go see it so that I have people to talk about how good it was with. Or Zach will have to listen to me talk about it for weeks. I hope that it is just as good as the book (I know, I know... unrealistic expectations). So far, though, from the trailers, it looks really accurate, and just how I pictured it!

Anyway, off to study some Inorganic Chemistry.

Masquerade!

This past week as well as this next week are CRAZY busy. The weeks leading up to spring break are always a nightmare, but this has been especially bad. Anyway, even in the middle of the craziness, I have still had some fun, and some exercise.

This week's workouts: 
Monday: off
Tuesday: 750m swim
Wednesday: Pilates
Thursday: swimming techniques (kickboard, paddles, etc)
Friday: off
Saturday: dancing!
Sunday: Pilates

So, you might wonder what the dancing was all about? Well, Zach and I went to the masquerade ball! Here are a few pictures: 

me hanging out.

myself and my handsome date. 

my dress. It is not actually as bright red as it looks in
these pictures. 

A picture with my cell phone. Better idea of
how bright my dress really is. 

Obviously I had to be careful with the dancing part because of my knees, but we had fun! It was great to get to go out and spend some quality time with Zach, too. It seems most of our activities lately involve him watching me write lab reports or study.

Next week is spring break. I am halfway through the last semester of my undergraduate career. I am so excited. Not that I am anxious to leave my friends and college life, but I am just ready for the next part of my life to start. Which will hopefully begin with finding a job that I love!