tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36512468645007723332024-03-13T05:31:21.930-04:00Healthy, Happy, VibrantIn which a sarcastic, perpetually hungry, fitness-addicted, shamelessly US Weekly-reading 30-something Colorado gal navigates a quarter-life crisis, living with Celiac Disease, and life in DC. The goal: get healthy, be happy, find that "I've got my ish together" vibrant & glowy motif.Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-67952790877893240132013-02-18T09:53:00.001-05:002013-02-18T09:53:20.409-05:00A Shiny New Home<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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This was a wee bit buried in my last post, so I wanted to toss it up front here: in keeping with our recent move into a new (and much nicer) home, my blog has decided to follow suit and move to its own shiny, new, and much nicer home. (Because obviously it's a sentient being with the ability to do stuff like that.)<br />
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I'll now be writing at <a href="http://seizethelatte.com/">Seize the Latté</a>- feel free to stop by!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-11877886687420668822013-02-18T09:28:00.002-05:002013-02-18T09:28:29.643-05:00Marvelous in My Monday: Big News!Guess what: I'm not dead! Despite an extended absence from the blogosphere, I'm very much alive and kicking. It was an incredibly busy week, which means this long weekend is very, very welcome in my life.<br />
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With thanks to the lovely Katie over at <a href="http://www.healthydivaeats.com/">Healthy Diva Eats</a> for hosting Marvelous in My Monday, I gotta say: the most marvelous thing about today is that I don't have to be in the office. Days off are the best thing ever. <br />
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The other marvelous thing -- and the big news alluded to in the title -- is that I've decided to move my blog to a legit website! I also decided to change the title and URL; I'd originally started this blog to be exclusively a health and wellness blog, but it's evolved into something muuuuuch bigger and more complex than that. I want to write about all the bajillion things I'm interested in, so I decided to change the title to something a bit more general.<br />
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Sooooo...I'm excited to introduce my new <strike>baby</strike> blog, <a href="http://seizethelatte.com/">Seize the Latté</a>!</div>
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Feel free to stop on by the new site for my random ramblings on food, international intrigue, fitness, women's empowerment/human rights, life as a thirty-something, interviews, and, hopefully a dash or two of inspiration.<br />
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Oh, and caffeine. Lots and lots of caffeine.Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-49294330294211217862013-02-11T21:10:00.000-05:002013-02-11T21:10:23.259-05:00More Rest For This Cowgirl<br />
Normally I'd be all about it being Monday night -- after all, once you clear the hurdle of the Monday 9-5 grind, it all gets better from there -- but I woke up this morning with a huuuuuuuuuuge migraine. Like, we're talking icepick-to-my-skull territory. 'Twas bad, people.<br />
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I wound up staying home from work in an effort to soothe the Trotsky headache (history geek moment: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/trotsky_leon.shtml">Leon Trotsky</a>, Joseph Stalin's rival, was killed by an icepick to the head -- so I've started referring to my migraines as Trotsky headaches). Happily, it seems to have worked: after spending all day with this beast, the headache is mostly gone now, and I suspect I'll be in good condition tomorrow.<br />
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That means my Marvelous in My Monday contribution consists of two things: rest and the headache trifecta cure (Tylenol, some coffee, and a couple of ice packs). It ain't fancy, but these things are what made my day bearable!<br />
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Truth be told, I'm not all that surprised that I wound up feeling so punky this morning: the weekend was uber-busy, and it involved lots of time spent cleaning the old apartment (which, for the record, is definitely not fun), shuttling stuff back and forth between the old place and our happy new home, and more errands than we normally cram into a month. So, I'm not horribly surprised that my brain decided to ambush me with a Trotsky headache of epic proportions.<br />
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After spending today on the couch with the ice packs and painkiller, I'm hopeful that I'll be back in the gym tomorrow morning with the remainder of last week's rom-com.<br />
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Tonight, however, Imma do some yoga before turning early in hopes that I'll be able to give the ol' bod the rest it needs. I'll be back tomorrow with a much more lively post, I promise! :)Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-80509355283150502142013-02-08T07:34:00.003-05:002013-02-08T07:34:46.366-05:00It's Time for a Rest DayWhen I woke up this morning, I had only one discernible thought: "uuuuuuuuugh."<br />
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I find that by the time Friday rolls around, I'm desperate for rest of all kinds: rest from the gym, rest from doing my hair (I have a ton of hair, so the process of trying to make it look normal is the cosmetic equivalent of the Bataan Death March), rest from cooking dinner...basically, I want nothing to do with my normal weekday routine. For me, a perfect Friday involves as low-maintenance of a day as humanly possible. If I could do absolutely nothing, that'd be even better.<br />
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Alas, I still have to go to work and earn my salary, so doing nothing isn't in the cards for me. But a rest day totally is.<br />
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So, instead of sweating it out at the gym right now, I'm giving my body a break and reading celeb gossip and perusing Facebook. Instead of my post-workout green smoothie, I'm having an egg white sandwich with my coffee. And I absolutely refuse to do much of anything to my hair. <br />
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Oh, and I sincerely hope that tonight can involve Thai food delivery.<br />
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This weekend is going to be jam-packed: we have to clean out the old apartment, which could quite possibly be an epic task. When we're not scrubbing baseboards in our old place, we've got dinner plans, movie plans, brunch plans...how did it come to pass that my weekends are so busy?! I think this is one of the things about adult life generally -- but the "real world" of 9-5 jobs specifically -- that really throws me for a loop.<br />
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Back in grad school, I could walk down the block at any time of day or night in order to spend time with my friends. The same was true when I was in Israel (one of my closest friends lived three doors down the hall in the grad student dorm), and even when I was working at a real-world 9-5 job in DC after college, I had a gaggle of friends at work (and a gaggle of roommates, some of whom are my close friends). Basically, friends were almost always available for hanging out, movie night, coffee breaks, or, when the weather got summery, margaritas on the porch.<br />
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Now, however, it takes a lot of planning and strategizing -- sometimes even weeks in advance -- before I'm able to see my friends. It's insane, and it kind of bums me out. Other elements of adult life don't bug me *nearly* as much as this does.<br />
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I do think, though, that this is one of the reasons I enjoyed our wedding as much as I did. A huuuuuuge portion of our friends made the trip out to Colorado, and as soon as the reception got underway, it was basically a big party with some of our favorite people. Brandon and I have said, on more than one occasion, that we wish we could have a repeat of our wedding reception just so we could have all our friends in one place again.<br />
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Failing that, though, I'll gladly take a busy weekend and weeks of advance planning so I can see these wonderful people. Hopefully I can get some extra R&R tonight so I'm back at it and ready to roll tomorrow. White noise app, I'm lookin' at you.<br />
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In the meantime, happy Friday -- I hope everyone has a fabulous day!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-9183027171416135842013-02-07T21:07:00.002-05:002013-02-07T21:08:40.997-05:00Jealous of BostonAs a Colorado gal, I have to say: I love me a good snowstorm.<br />
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It's been ages since DC had anything in the way of accumulating snow (officially, we've had a <i>total </i>of exactly 1.5 inches this year...this makes me sad), I find myself looking back on <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/snowmageddon-when-three-years-ago-seems-like-an-eternity/2013/02/05/4e6f2bc0-6fa3-11e2-8b8d-e0b59a1b8e2a_blog.html">Snowmageddon</a> with what basically amounts to overwhelming nostalgia.<br />
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Brandon and I had only been dating for a few months, but we were more or less living together at that point. Knowing that the snowstorm was going to pretty much cripple DC, we hunkered down in his apartment, grilled ribs and steak on the deck amidst blizzard conditions, and I think I read at least two books in short order.<br />
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Oh, and I played in the snow like a little kid. Because, as I may have mentioned before, I'm basically a four-year-old trapped in an adult's body.<br />
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Sigh. I miss it.<br />
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This, of course, makes me immensely jealous of Boston, which is supposed to get slammed with an epic snowstorm tomorrow. If there are any Bostonians out there reading this, please go frolic through a snowdrift for me!<br />
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Anyways, I might not be on the business end of an historic blizzard, but I've still had an awesome week. This week has featured a handful of things that have either improved my quality of life by, like, a bajillion orders of magnitude, or have just generally made me really happy.<br />
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And, since it's Thursday, it's time for...Thankful Thursday! Thanks, as always, to Jessie over at <a href="http://jessielovestorun.wordpress.com/">Jessie Loves to Run</a> for hosting.<br />
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<b>...The white noise app I discovered on my phone.</b> As you may recall from last week, I was having a really hard time sleeping through the night -- random noises kept waking me up, and it was driving me slowly insane. Then I found the white noise app, and I've been sleeping like the dead ever since I put it to use. Epic win.<br />
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<b>...The bus.</b> I've relied on the Metro during my daily commute for the past four years, and it was infuriating. This week I finally got out of the house (and the office) early enough to take a bus, and...HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. The bus is amazing, people. My commuting time has been cut in half, I don't have to walk a half mile on crowded, narrow sidewalks filled with chain smokers (so. Effing. Gross.), I usually get a seat, I'm not crammed into a small space with a ton of angry people, and I can actually see the sun instead of being stuck underground while breathing noxious fumes that smell like burning electrical equipment and are probably loaded with carcinogenic junk. I've gone from hating my commute to loving it -- and as anyone who reads my Facebook feed can tell you, this is a really, <i>really </i>big deal.<br />
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<b>...The idea to watch movies on my Kindle while I'm at the gym.</b> I no longer feel like I'm slogging through my cardio, *and* I get to watch all the crappy rom-coms that I've been wanting to see for ages. It's such a win-win! After finishing <i>Pitch Perfect</i>, I realized there are some free rentals available since I'm a member of Amazon Prime, so I've moved on to <i>No Strings Attached</i>. Natalie Portman + Ashton Kutcher = good times.<br />
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<b>...Libraries.</b> I'm a voracious reader, and now that I'm done with my IIN schoolwork, I once again have time to do lots of leisure reading. Of course, the list of books that I want to read is as long as your average cruise ship: <i>Mockingjay </i>by Suzanne Collins, <i>The Bungalow</i> by Sarah Jio, <i>Mindset </i>by Carol Dweck, <i>Song of Achilles</i> by Madeleine Miller, <i>In the Garden of Beasts</i> by Erik Larson...the list goes on. And on. And on and on and on. I don't want to buy all these books, though -- we're trying to save money, and a book-buying binge won't help us on that front. Between the Kindle lending library and the public library, though, I'm all set. I can get most of them on my Kindle, and those that I can't read electronically I'll gladly read in hard cover. The only downside is that there's a good chance I won't come up for air for the next six months.<br />
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Lastly, the biggest and most exciting thing I'm thankful for this week (!!) is...drum roll please...the fact that my first article for Girls Gone Sporty has been published! (*Does happy dance*) You can check it out <a href="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/articles/nutrition/heart-health-tips-how-fiber-helps-your-heart#.URMz9WexlOm=">here</a>, and feel free to distribute far and wide. This aspiring writer is practically verklempt with happiness!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-24053327760491942552013-02-06T09:38:00.000-05:002013-02-06T09:44:23.937-05:00What I Ate WednesdayOk, so I have to say: my rom-com and cardio plan is going swimmingly thus far.<br />
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After growing reeeeeeeaaaaallly tired of my workout playlist, deciding to rent a shamelessly girly movie that Brandon would never, ever, ever watch has proven to be a brilliant plan. I've always loved working out, and the fact that I was starting to dread the monotony of the elliptical was freaking me out more than a little bit -- but now I'm all excited to watch the next segment of my chick flick.<br />
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Workout win!<br />
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Today I did 30 minutes on the elliptical while finishing <i>Pitch Perfect</i> (which is fabulous) and then did a quick circuit training routine (repeated a second time for maximum muscle-y benefit):<br />
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10 push-ups<br />
15 squats (+10 pounds total)<br />
50 reverse crunches<br />
15 chest press (+10 pounds each side)<br />
10 forward lunges<br />
10 backward lunges<br />
10 tricep extensions (+ 8 pounds each side)<br />
50 crunches<br />
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Now that my daily sweat session is in the bag, it's time for What I Ate Wednesday - many thanks to Jenn over at <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/">Peas & Crayons</a> for hosting!<br />
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I started off with a pre-workout cawffee to help me power through the early-morning gym session:<br />
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After getting my sweat on, I had an egg white sammich on gluten-free toast (one of my absolute faves -- and I have to say, Rudi's GF Multigrain Bread is some of the best GF bread I've ever had) as well as a green smoothie made with kale, banana, frozen strawberries, and frozen mango:<br />
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Snacks du jour included an apple, a banana, cantaloupe, celery with peanut butter, and non-fat Greek yogurt with berries and GF granola:<br />
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Lunch was a particular point of excitement for me: I made sweet potato, apple, and lentil soup after being inspired by a faaaaaaaaabulous soup served at a restaurant this past weekend. I did lots of research in order to hunt down what I thought could be a good recipe, combined elements of the two recipes I liked the most, and...voila! A delicious, warming lunch creation:<br />
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By the time Brandon and I both got home, we were both zonked out. We reserve one night a week for what we refer to as "F*ck it" night: a night when we don't want to cook and would rather say "F*ck it, let's go out for dinner" so other people can cook and do dishes. On nights like that, we just don't have to do any work. And since it's only one night a week, it keeps expenditures to a minimum. Brandon had cheeseburgers on the brain, so we went to Fuddruckers -- and they just happen to have a lovely salad (Napa Valley Salad, sans blue cheese and toast) that I really enjoy.<br />
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For dessert, I basically inhaled some chocolate frozen yogurt -- that stuff is amazing. Benjamin Franklin once famously said that "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy," but I think he got that wrong: the proof isn't beer, it's chocolate fro yo. :)<br />
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Hope everyone is having a fabulous Wednesday!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-28021644311404268062013-02-05T15:37:00.000-05:002013-02-05T15:37:37.932-05:00An Ode to Old Running ShoesI don't know about you guys, but some of my best thinking is done while
running. I’ve organized countless research papers, analyzed countless boy
problems (all pre-Brandon, obvi), and had countless epiphanies – all while hitting the pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On more than one
occasion, I’ve been struck by some key realization or insight that helped me
nurse a broken heart back to health or make an important decision about my
future.<br />
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As a result of all this, I don’t see old pairs of running
shoes as products that have served their purpose and been worn out. Instead, I
see what those shoes represent. </div>
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For example, my 2004 Mizunos propelled me
through my first real job in DC (it was a "pay your dues" kind of gig, and it wound up being a particularly rough experience), cushioned my feetsies during long runs that helped me feel better after a
bad breakup (the kind wherein, out of the blue, the guy you've been dating for two years says he doesn't love you anymore), and pushed me through a critical period when I was torn between
going to grad school or moving overseas (I chose to go overseas, which I never would've done had the aforementioned boy not dropped the aforementioned "I don't love you anymore" bomb - so I'm actually really grateful that he did). </div>
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My 2005 Adidas trail shoes were broken
in on the red clay trails in my beloved Colorado, and they traveled with me
throughout the Middle East. I wore them on the runs that helped me survive
hours of language immersion (Hebrew and Arabic are effing <i>hard</i>, people), and really, these shoes deserve their own passport: I wore them as I hiked
to the monastery in Petra, hiked though the Golan Heights, and trekked though
Egypt. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can't see them, but those shoes were awesome for climbing large rocks in Jordan.</i></td></tr>
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Once I was back Stateside, I wore them when I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to hike up a fourteener with some grad school friends, which in and of itself was a huge accomplishment.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIJfGqLXlaY/SHGIN7Fw7DI/AAAAAAAACrI/FKMMOxzRCPQ/s1600/IMG_0214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIJfGqLXlaY/SHGIN7Fw7DI/AAAAAAAACrI/FKMMOxzRCPQ/s320/IMG_0214.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chillin', and being chilled, at the summit of Mt. Bierstadt. Note the kicks.</i></td></tr>
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I stopped running in grad school due to the arthritis in my feet, but I started again when I found shoes that make my feet and knees happy - so my pair of 2010 Brooks Adrenalines were with me as I dipped my toes back into running and eventually ran my first 5K since 2002.</div>
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I realized the other day that because of what they
represent, my running shoes feel like old friends. They’re familiar, comfortable, and
broken-in – for example, with each pair, there’s a hole on the top of right
shoe where my big toe has pushed through
the fabric. (I apparently flex the hell out of
my big toe when I run.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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My logical side says I should throw out a pair or two to make room for
my work shoes. However, the very idea of throwing out any of these ratty old things
sparks a visceral response, and I have to fight the urge to say “Absolutely not!” out
loud. It would be like throwing out a friend because he or she got old. </div>
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These shoes, albeit old and dirty and falling apart, are
part of who I am. They’re far too important to toss out with a week’s worth of
banana peels. So, instead, I’ve decided that some day when I have the money and
the living space I’ll bronze them and use them as book ends. </div>
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That said, if any of you lovely people have ideas for how to re-purpose ratty old running shoes, I'd gladly take suggestions/ideas!</div>
Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-76301725849037382212013-02-04T16:28:00.000-05:002013-02-04T16:28:12.763-05:00Marvelous In M Monday: A Perfect Weekend<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">The hardest day of the week is almost over -- huzzah! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Mondays are tough for me, for the obvious reason that going back to work after a lovely weekend just generally sucks, but this morning was particularly tough. Staying up late to watch the Super Bowl? Fun on Sunday night, but decidedly not fun when the alarm goes off before 6 a.m. on Monday morning.</span><div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Blergh.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Despite the painful wake-up, this morning's workout was made much easier by the fact that I decided to rent a movie to watch on my Kindle Fire while I commune with the elliptical. So, because a certain husband of mine doesn't want to watch rom-coms with his wife (but really, he's a dude's dude - who could blame him for not wanting to watch girl movies?), now that I've discovered this entertainment source I'm totally going to indulge my love of chick flicks while churning out some cardio at the gym.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">First up? Pitch Perfect. It was an awesome partner to keep me company through my 45 minutes of ellpiticizing -- I'm not the least bit bored during my long stretches on the machine, and my workout went muuuuuuch faster today than it has ever before. Also, this movie is hysterical. It'll carry me through two more days of cardio, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stoked about it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXXGMCoYCRpRvT2tLWeJcw3gzFC_jJdaX_hjWJfsl-TR_p7IPuJA" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Adding to the excitement of new and awesome gym entertainment (gymtainment?), this weekend was fabulous. Before I go further into that, though, I'll take a brief interlude to thank Katie over at <a href="http://www.healthydivaeats.com/">Healthy Diva Eats</a> for hosting Marvelous in my Monday. To say the least, just about everything from my weekend was marvelous -- so, without further ado:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img src="http://www.healthydivaeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/thehealthydiva.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Marvelous is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>...Weekend naps.</b> I zonked out early on Friday night -- and even after a full night of rest, I still managed to take a nap on Saturday afternoon. Now, a word on me and naps: I never take them. Like, <i>ever</i>. My mom reports that I started ditching naptime when I was about one year old, and that trend has continued for the last 31 years. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Except for Saturday afternoon, which found me very much asleep. It was delicious.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQz-t8mXx9EakOB34AIAm0cov6FeOOoqhY4O6VfXidoVS98dshZ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I also apologize to my Mom, who endured my many napless afternoons. </i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Reunions with old friends.</b> On Saturday night we went to dinner with one of my buddies from grad school who was in town from New York. I haven't seen him in four years, and it was awesome to catch up with him and another Denver homie. I miss my grad school crew -- they were a huge part of why I loved grad school so much -- so it was fantastic to get together. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">(Seriously, though, I think we should all just live within a few blocks of each other, just like we did from 2006-2008! We'll all hang out and drink home-made margaritas/cheap boxed wine while complaining about obnoxious international political economy books and "that guy" who always asks annoying and absurdly complicated questions 30 seconds before class ends! Just like old times! IT'LL BE GREAT!)</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTjTjM_Z_gf1OjGthAxDgD2nMU6EpJupgS61cPwTIV3eVPoxfWdLA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Except with less hand-to-hand combat and more movie nights. </i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Coffee and bargain hunting with a dear friend.</b> Sunday started off with a bang when I met up with my friend Holly -- one of my favorite people here in DC -- for coffee, followed by a trip to Marshall's. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Now, here's the thing about me and shopping: I hate regular shopping. I can't stand going to malls, and I absolutely loathe paying full price for clothes or accessories. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">However, it dawned on me this weekend that I loooooove bargian/discount shopping. Omigod, people, it's <i>thrilling</i>. Being able to get something I like for a reasonable price is freaking awesome. Marshalls? Yes please. Nordstrom Rack? Yes please. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTDiONMJdgGs4Xqhn_0tPhvfWyLATxQREauSKghYkBnCctepaD" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Reporting for duty. (<a href="http://www.frugalgirls.com/">Image source</a>)</i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I did a lot of browsing, but not a lot of buying -- I got one cute pair of workout pants for $14, which is a total steal for such things (take <i>that</i>, Lululemon! Booyah!) -- because I wanted to avoid spending much money. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Now, I'm generally trying to spend less money overall, but this weekend I was doing so for a special cause: after months of crappy reception, memory failures, and overall lameness, it was finally time to replace my phone. I was due for an upgrade on our contract anyway, and after much research, I decided to go for it and get a long-coveted iPhone 5.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">HOLY MOSES, YOU GUYS, THIS THING IS AMAZING. (*Hyperventilates*) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I'd had a smartphone before I got this, but this is approximately 8 bajllion times better than my old HTC. I'm in wuv.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">(*Falls on floor from aforementioned hyperventilation*)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQD0mnaeye8VOTpvZ3pTLkK1GSiOYAQmR-T36307Mvy1CQDcLr1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You are mine now! Muuuhahahahaha!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Soooo, as you can tell, my weekend was quite marvelous -- here's to what will hopefully be a marvelous week ahead!</span></div>
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Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-8688055790520067742013-02-01T08:29:00.000-05:002013-02-01T08:29:42.014-05:00Smoky BBQ Turkey Chili<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">It's a cold and snowy morning here in DC, and I have to admit: I feel like someone has attached lead weights to my feet. I didn't sleep well last night; as it turns out, I'm a reeeeeaaaaaaally light sleeper, and the slightest noise will wake me up at 0300. I think it's time to invest in a white noise machine, if only so I can make it through the night without groggily looking around the room while thinking "What on <i>earth </i>is that noise? And why can't I <i>sleep</i>? <span style="font-size: small;">This is so <i>lame</i>!</span>"<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">I suspec<span style="font-size: small;">t </span></span>that in addition to a white noise machine, I'm going to need one of these babies today:</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="Photo: This would be a great birthday gift for you!" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="200" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.0.299.299/p403x403/484713_10152437702510411_963367886_n.jpg" width="200" /> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">My workout this morning was similarly dragging. I did one 9:05 mile on the treadmill before opting for 10 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes on the bike -- it's not the most hard-core of workouts, but I hope to get some lifting in tonight when I get home. I figure there's no harm in taking a day to go slow when I need it, or to break up my workouts into manageable chunks when I'm short on rest<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">In response to the generally frigid weather, I've also been eating a lot of hearty soups and stews. I</span> love chili, but the last few times I've tried to make it, my stomach has voiced its strong dissent. My mother-in-law used a recipe that I loved when I was in Texas (and it didn't instigate any backtalk from the estomago!), and I had big plans to whip some up for our first real meal in the new place -- until, that is, I realized that we didn't have the right spices.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If my life were a movie, this would be the part where we'd flash to a scene of me shaking my fist at the spice cabinet. I'd also probably bust out some Medieval term like "Fie upon you, spice cabinet! A pox on your house!"</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://gifsoup.com/view/127912/barrowman-shakes-fist.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=127912&t=o" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I digress.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Failing the ability to get the needed spices (the food was already cooking away, so I'd reached the point of no return...or no leaving the apartment, as the case may be), I decided to improvise with some BBQ sauce. Brandon and I both love BBQ, and I particularly love Sweet Baby Ray's sauce.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is apostasy in our home, since Sweet Baby Ray's isn't legit Texas BBQ sauce -- but it's still damn good.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As luck would have it, I loooooooved this chili. It has just the right amount of smoky and spicy flavor, and it's loaded with protein and veggies. For a vegetarian version, you can leave out the turkey and add a second can of black beans.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a side note: I was also ludicrously excited to use the gorgeous soup/chili mugs Brandon's mom made for us for Christmas. She created the pattern for these mugs, knowing that we have a Moroccan/Middle Eastern theme to our decor -- to say that I'm basically in love with these things would be a huge understatement. Expect to see these in many a food photoshoot in the future! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Smoky BBQ Turkey Chili</u></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey breast</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 onion, diced</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 green pepper (preferably organic), diced</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 red pepper (preferably organic), diced</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cans Muir Glen organic fire-roasted tomatoes</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cans Bush's chili beans (we used one mild and one medium)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 small can green chiles</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 can black beans (preferably organic), drained and rinsed</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 teaspoon chili powder</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cloves garlic, minced</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup BBQ sauce (I recommend Sweet Baby Ray's)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saute the onions, garlic, and turkey until the turkey is cooked through. Transfer to a stock pot, and add the other ingredients (yup, all of 'em in at once!). Simmer on low-medium heat for 30 minutes, then serve.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can top this with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro -- the list goes on, but it'll be delicious and warming no matter what!</span></span></span><br />
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Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-73160292868693487582013-01-31T21:20:00.000-05:002013-01-31T21:29:44.378-05:00Thankful ThursdayAck, I'm posting ridiculously late in the day! I forgot to set my alarm
last night, which meant I overslept like woah and didn't wake up until 7
-- which, for me, is absurdly late. Egads!<br />
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While it definitely threw me off schedule this morning, I suspect
it was a good thing in the long run. We didn't get home until late, and I know myself well enough to know that, had my alarm gone off at its usual hour, I would've dragged myself out of bed despite knowing that I didn't get enough sleep.</div>
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So, in the end, the AWOL alarm clock probably did me a big favor.</div>
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Since the unintended late wake-up threw things into a bit of chaos for the remainder of the day, tonight's post is going to be short and sweet! </div>
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The lovely Jessie from <a href="http://jessielovestorun.wordpress.com/">Jessie Loves to Run</a> hosts a weekly link-up party called Thankful Thursdays, and it's one of my favorite times of the week. Being able to take a moment to reflect on the things I'm grateful for -- especially on a night like tonight, when I'm a wee bit cranky (thank you, PMS) and irritated after a few days of things like forgetting my keys, being late for work, dinner taking twice as long to prepare as I'd anticipated, feeling like there's not enough time in the day to get everything done, and other admittedly first-world problems -- is a wonderful respite from all the hustle and bustle of daily life.</div>
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So, with that...</div>
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...Costco. No joke, people: they have such awesome stuff, and for insanely reasonable prices! I got three bottles of Nivea CoQ10 lotion for $11 (one bottle costs that much at Target), two loaves of Rudi's GF multi-grain bread for $6 (one loaf costs that much at Whole Foods), and a package of 16 individually-portioned organic, GF hummus for $5. (Hummus, as it turns out, is basically my life force. I freaking love hummus. I use it even more prolifically than the folks in Don't Mess With the Zohan, which is really saying something.)</div>
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...Writing. I've always wanted to write -- it's one of my greatest joys -- and I used to write all the time when I was younger, but I think I internalized all the "Writing isn't a practical career path/under no circumstance should you become a writer unless you want to wind up waiting tables while praying someone discovers you" messages I heard, so I just...stopped. Since I've started writing again, though, I've found that it continues to make me incredibly happy. I'm so, so grateful to be writing this blog and finding other venues where I can write to my heart's content.<br />
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...All the wonderfully kind comments from you lovely people on my blog posts this week! You ladies rock my world, and I can't thank you enough.</div>
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...All the birthday love I received from friends and family yesterday. I feel incredibly lucky to come from such a wonderful family and to have such amazing friends. Warm fuzzies ensue!</div>
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Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-32196162295859295722013-01-30T06:22:00.001-05:002013-01-30T06:22:43.958-05:00WIAW: The Birthday EditionGood morning, and happy Wednesday!<br />
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It's a good day around here: today is my birthday, which I'm pretty stoked about. I'm getting a massage after work, which will be followed by dinner with Brandon at our favorite steak restaurant (it's a pricey venue, so we only go for special occasions). Adding to which, I have a good feeling about this year -- and, in the interest of full disclosure, let's call it like it is: I'm turning 32, not going for a perpetual repeat of 29. <br />
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Although I know it's not normal for women to like anything about the aging process, I have to say: I'm actually a big fan of getting older.<br />
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Now, there are definitely some things I don't enjoy, like those blasted wrinkles (if I'm going to be old enough to get wrinkles I at least want to be old enough to stop getting zits, m'kay?) and the occasional gray hair. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I didn't own at least one bottle of anti-aging wrinkle cream, and I've totally searched my scalp for silvery strands (and carried out strategic strike hair-pulling operations) on more than one occasion.<br />
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But whenever stuff like that really gets to me, I have two counter-arguments that shut it down faster than Katniss Everdeen would be able to shoot a lame, morbidly obese rhinoceros with her bow and arrow:<br />
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First and foremost, I think it's important to have a sense of perspective. Here in the developed world, we're taught to fear aging -- but if you contrast the life expectancy in the U.S. to the life expectancy in countries like Swaziland (where it's an astoundingly low 31.88 years), one thing becomes clear: when compared to places where it's normal to die of AIDS before you're 30, where it's standard for children to succumb to preventable diseases before their fifth birthday, and where young women are routinely killed by pregnancy complications and a lack of access to emergency obstetric care, it's a privilege to get older.<br />
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Sign me up for the wrinkles.<br />
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Secondly, one thing I like about getting older is the feeling that I'm really progressing in my life. When I <a href="http://healthyhappyvibrant.blogspot.com/2013/01/letter-to-my-younger-self.html">look back on the last 10 years</a> (I published that post yesterday, and it's easily my favorite blog post thus far), I'm struck by how much I've done, experienced, and learned...and that's just in the last decade. Who knows what else I will have done and learned by the time I'm 42, 52, and beyond?<br />
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I've always loved the idea of the wise, kind, well-lived older woman -- women like Madeleine Albright, Helen Mirren, and a long list of similarly amazing role models -- and I hope to grow into that role someday. At this stage in my life, I love learning and experiencing as much as I can -- but it's something that can only be done if one is, y'know, <i>alive </i>and thus growing older.<br />
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So when people ask how old I am today, I'll proudly say that I'm 32. No perpetual 29's for me: it's onward and upward for this cowgirl.<br />
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Aaaaaaand with all that being said (my apologies for the Tolstoy-esque intro here), it's time for What I Ate Wednesday, as hosted by the lovely Jenn over at <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/">Peas & Crayons</a>!<br />
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I started my birthday off with toast and coffee, per the usual -- seriously, coffee is the nectar of the gods. Whoever came up with the idea of drinking it needs to be canonized, or given a monument, or <i>something </i>to commemorate their awesomeness.<br />
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After my workout, I slurped down a green smoothie made with kale, a frozen banana, frozen mango, and non-fat kefir:<br />
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Snacks du jour included a soy hazelnut latte (thank you, Starbucks, for the free birthday drink -- or, in LOL-speak, MOAR KOFEEZ), blueberries with Greek yogurt and granola, an apple, and carrots with hummus.<br />
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Lunch? Soup! After this weekend's <a href="http://healthyhappyvibrant.blogspot.com/2013/01/thankful-thursday-big-day-is-almost-here.html">moving bedlam</a>, I wasn't about to attempt something wildly over-achieving like making a soup from scratch for the week. I normally do that on the weekends, but I'm a big fan of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good -- or in this case, not letting my usual drive to be uber-healthy keep me from being pretty darn healthy -- so I decided that it'd be perfectly acceptable to rely on pre-made soups this week. I combined a can of Progresso lentil soup with some French onion soup, and voila: three days' worth of lunches.<br />
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Dinner: We're going out to our favorite steak house for my birthday dinner, and since we won't be back until late, I figure I'll post a picture of our first legit meal in the new apartment: smoky BBQ turkey chili. It was delicious, and it was the perfect meal for a rainy, gross Monday. I'll post the recipe later this week, so check back if you'd like to get the recipe hook-up.<br />
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In the meantime, I hope everyone has a fabulous Wednesday! Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-49155760393938701662013-01-29T19:22:00.000-05:002013-01-29T19:22:34.598-05:00Letter to My Younger Self<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b>A few years ago, I was browsing around Anthropologie (and not buying anything, since their offerings are all waaaaaaay beyond the confines of my budget) when I stumbled across <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Know-Now-Letters-Younger/dp/0767917901" style="color: #1155cc;">What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self,</a> by Ellyn Spragins. The timing couldn't have been better: I was newly graduated from college, unemployed, and scared out of my mind about the future.</b></i><br />
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<i><b>I've thought of that book often over the last 10 years, and so, on the eve of my 32nd birthday, I decided that I want to write a letter to the 22-year-old Lillian who stood mesmerized while reading in the back of an Anthropologie store in Philadelphia.</b></i></div>
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Darling girl (yes, I'm giving you a term of endearment),</div>
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Happy 22nd birthday! As you know, you're on the cusp of some big stuff. Graduation is looming, and I know you're scared out of your mind about the future.</div>
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First and foremost, I want you to know that everything's going to be fine. You're not going to wind up living in a refrigerator box on the banks of the Potomac, and you're going to do and experience some awesome things over the course of the next ten years.</div>
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You also will learn a lot, which is to be expected in the turbulent decade between 22 and 32. Here are some key lessons to bear in mind as you venture out into the real world:</div>
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<li>Remember the time at Girl Scout Camp when Susie basically begged you to stop being so mean to yourself all the time? She was totally right: you don't deserve such harsh treatment. One of your biggest challenges has been loving yourself, and it's high time that you show yourself as much love, compassion, and kindness as you show everyone else. You deserve it. It's your birthright.</li>
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<li>Trust your instincts. Always, always, <i>always </i>do this. They've never led you astray, despite what your brain so ardently tries to tell you. Trust your instincts on when to go, when to stay, and with whom you spend your time.</li>
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<li>There are going to be some challenging experiences over the next few years. There will be times when you feel crushed by the stress of your job or the pain of a breakup, but I promise that each one of these experiences has a purpose. More specifically, each one sets you up for something better. With each of these cases, you'll eventually find your footing and launch yourself into bigger and better things, but the challenge is a necessary prerequisite. Each of these difficult experiences forces you to grow -- which, in turn, will enable you to achieve some of your biggest life goals and dreams. </li>
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<li>Frances Hodgson Burnett, the English author who wrote The Secret Garden, once said "Hang in there. It is astonishing how short a time it can take for very wonderful things to happen," and it's absolutely true. When things look unrelentingly bad, remember this. You'll see this very phenomenon play out time and again.</li>
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<li>A word or two on boys: stop trying to mold your life to accommodate their plans. You'll be tempted to do this more than once, but remember that the right guy won't require such accommodation. Build the life you want, and trust that the right one will fit seamlessly into your plans. He will move forward with you, not hold you back.</li>
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<li>Spoiler alert: in the interest of saving you hours of heartache and worry, you should know that yes, the right guy does exist. You'll find him and marry him.</li>
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<li>Fitting in is overrated.</li>
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<li>For that matter, so is perfection. It's unattainable, no matter how perfect some people may seem -- so stop comparing yourself to them. Do the things that make you feel happy, alive, and edified, and do them to the best of your ability. Don't worry about whether you're keeping up with the seemingly perfect people, because running around that particular track is a recipe for misery. </li>
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<li>You have a purpose. You're not sure right now what that purpose is, and it'll take a while before you really figure it out -- but I promise that, much like the right guy, it's out there and you will find it. </li>
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<li>Finally, the best piece of advice I can give you comes from someone else. Ten years from now, you'll read this quote on <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/11/world/gallery/international-day-of-the-girl/index.html?hpt=hp_c2" style="color: #1155cc;">CNN</a> and feel like it was written specifically for you:</li>
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<i>I have bad news for you: you're not clairvoyant. Not even a little. You have no idea how the future will unfold. But it will unfold, slowly and quickly, and slowly again, in ways that you cannot now begin to imagine. So stop trying to guess what's coming next. All the effort you put into trying to figure out what will happen, all the scenarios you play out in your mind -- they're useless. And that's a good thing. </i><br />
<i>Relax and allow the future to arrive on its own time and in its own way. </i><br />
<i>Allow yourself to be astonished.</i></div>
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<i>~ Robin Bernstein, Historian at Harvard University, as quoted for the International Day of the Girl</i></div>
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Take good care of yourself over the next ten years, and enjoy the ride!</div>
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With love,</div>
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Your Older Self<br />
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Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-37995844157884024332013-01-29T06:47:00.000-05:002013-01-29T06:47:13.413-05:00Awesomeness EnsuesGood morning and happy Tuesday, lovelies!<br />
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I have to say: I'm beyond excited right now. We're finally, <i>finally </i>on the other side of our move -- moving day went about as smoothly as a move can possibly go, and we're making serious headway on unpacking and getting set up in our new abode.<br />
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And I have to be honest: I loooooooove our new apartment. It's a bit smaller than our old place, but it's much, much nicer; I keep looking at all the upgraded amenities and, for a moment, getting nervous about whether or not we can afford it...before remembering that we're actually saving money by living here. Score!<br />
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I'm also super excited (as Brandon said, "If you were a puppy, your tail would be wagging vigorously right now") about the fact that I'm soon going to be a contributing writer for <a href="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/">Girls Gone Sporty</a>! I'm a huge fan of GGS, and I'm thrilled to be able to a) contribute to their mission, and b) do some writing. Ever since I decided to focus on writing, I've had all sorts of ideas for how I can do that -- and as soon as the GGS opportunity arrived, the little voice in the back of my head practically screamed "Yes! Do this! This is awesome!"<br />
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It's also the day before my birthday, which I always get excited about (who needs to worry about aging when there are presents and steak dinners involved?!). I have a pre-birthday retrospective post that I've been working on for a long time -- I'll put it up later today, so check back this evening!<br />
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In the meantime, I hope everyone has an awesome day! <br />
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<br />Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-4563165490525422162013-01-24T06:34:00.000-05:002013-01-24T06:34:09.302-05:00Thankful Thursday: The Big Day Is Almost HereGood morning, loves - Happy Thursday!<br />
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For this week's
Thankful Thursday (many thanks to Jessie from <a href="http://jessielovestorun.wordpress.com/">Jessie Loves to Run</a> for
hosting), I have one key point of gratitude to focus on: the fact that
the big move is almost upon us.<br />
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Full disclosure? Sweet fancy Moses, am I ever ready
for this move to be over. I'm sick and tired of packing boxes. I want to
be on the other side of this gig, stat. I miss all my kitchen supplies,
which have been packed up for the last few days. I miss my stuff.<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is what I see when I walk in the door each night. Blergh.</i></td></tr>
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Now, I know everybody talks about the
importance of owning less. I've lost count of the number of times I've
heard people carry on about this. The more stuff you own, the more your
stuff owns you. Roger that.</div>
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(Insert other pithy Zen-like phrases here.)</div>
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But
the fact is, we moved a lot when I was growing up, and the one thing
that remained constant for me was my stuff. My belongings -- my art
posters, my books, my pictures, my bedspread -- were the only things
that helped me stay grounded whenever there was a lot of upheaval in my
life. They provided stability and a sense of continuity, which was
comforting when faced with a new school (or, in the case of our move to
Pennsylvania when I was 16, a new town that I'd never even heard of
before we moved there).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I swear, we're not alcoholics - liquor stores are a great source of free boxes!</i></td></tr>
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As a result, I'm the total opposite of all those Zenned-out minimalists. I'm very, <i>very </i>attached to my stuff. I feel terribly unmoored -- and ridiculously agitated -- when I can't have access to my belongings.</div>
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This also means I'm totally neurotic about unpacking
once I move into a new place. On more than one occasion, I've forgone
sleep just so I can get everything unpacked, organized, put away, and
decorated within the first 48 hours of moving. If it takes longer than
that to re-gain access to my belongings, I start getting twitchy.</div>
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With all that in mind, I'm incredibly glad that this
process of migration is nearing its end. 48 hours from now, we'll be
loading up the truck, and I'll be a very relieved cowgirl. :)Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-88723854324490470222013-01-23T07:05:00.001-05:002013-01-23T07:05:18.715-05:00What I Ate Wednesday: It's Frickin' Freezing!Ok, so I have to take a moment to kvetch about the weather: It is so. Effing. Cold. Frigid, if you will.<br />
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Today's high is 25, and the wind chill is going to dip well into the single digits. This is what I keep re-enacting, over and over and over again:<br />
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At times like this, the only things that keeps me going are hot drinks and hot soup. In fact, during my walk to work from the Metro yesterday, I spent the entire 10 minutes trying to distract myself from my frozen face by mentally chanting "Hot beverage, hot beverage, hot beverage" and dreaming of the electric tea kettle in my office.<br />
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So, as you can imagine, today's What I Ate Wednesday (with many thanks to Jenn over at <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/">Peas & Crayons</a> for hosting) offerings are all based on one objective: stay warm. <br />
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I started my day with the customary cuppa joe, a banana, and 2 slices of gluten-free toast before heading to the gym. (Post-flu and bronchitis workout update: I'm back up to 2 miles at a 9:04 pace, which I'm incredibly happy about -- heal, lungs, heal!)<br />
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My snacks du jour included Greek yogurt with blueberries, a Kind bar (nuts + dark chocolate + sea salt = heaven), an apple, a grapefruit, and some carrots. Lunch, which I got reeeaaaaaalllly excited about (I was starving, and the idea of a big bowl of hot soup was insanely appealing - I was sitting in an important meeting while my stomach growled loudly, which added a nice ambiance to the whole experience), featured chicken and rice soup with carrots and spinach:<br />
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And, of course, tea. Lots and lots - okay, craploads - of tea. Green tea, chai, red tea, herbal tea: it's all happening here, folks. Me and my electric kettle are besties for life.<br />
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Dinner featured herb-roasted chicken with salad and - surprise! - more tea. (Humor me and pretend like you're shocked by the news that I drank my 8th cup of hot tea after wolfing down dinner.)<br />
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I hope everyone is having a fabulous Wednesday - stay warm! (Now, can someone please change the rules regarding the impropriety of wearing sweats at work? Because I'd really be a lot more comfy if I could be sporting my favorite sweats, a hoodie, and three pairs of socks. Someone needs to get on this, stat.)Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-77814698237901658432013-01-22T08:41:00.000-05:002013-01-22T08:41:12.887-05:00Everything I Need to Know I Learned When I Was 17<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A few months ago, I was having a momentary freak-out about, well, some trivial thing that I don't remember, when suddenly I realized: I was a lot more confident when I was in high school.</span><br />
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Now, it's more than a little weird for a huge nerd like me -- especially one who was decidedly not popular -- to have had more self-confidence at age 17 than at age 31. That's not to say that I loved every minute of high school (I definitely didn't), but I suddenly realized that had a lot more confidence and chutzpah circa 1998.</div>
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When I was 17, I knew what I was interested in, and I knew I wanted to pursue something combining health/medicine and international affairs. I knew that this combination was bewildering to most people, but I didn't especially care. It made sense to me, and I loved both fields and knew they could be combined in innovative and satisfying ways.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm the one on the right, hangin' with my high school besties circa 1998</span></i></td></tr>
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When I was 17, I went on a date with the guy who would wind up being my first "real" boyfriend and, while I looked nice, I kept my hair in a ponytail and my makeup to a minimum. I wore jeans and a sweater (and my Doc Martens...hey, it was the 90s). When my parents asked why I was wearing the same clothes, hairstyle, and makeup that I'd worn to school, I replied that if this guy was going to date me, he needed to like me for me -- and that involved seeing me in my normal state.</div>
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Somehow, between 1998 and 2012, all that changed.</div>
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I'm not sure how that change happened, but I think it had a lot to do with both a handful of painful rejections and an increasing desire to fit in. I'd never really fit in anywhere: I'm way too Colorado to be East Coast, but a wee bit too East Coast to be 100% Colorado; a self-designed major in psychology and international affairs who, because she was both, could be in the honors societies and clubs for neither; too nerdy to roll with the popular crowd, but too social to roll with the nerds; the sort of gal who is bawdy yet sensitive; who equally loves both football and fierce shoes, science and international affairs, high-brow entertainment like art museums and low-brow entertainment like slapstick comedy movies and the Twilight books. (Yes, I read them and liked them. Don't hate.)<br />
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Basically, I'm the sort of gal who balances on the cusp of a bajillion categories but doesn't fit neatly into any of them. <br />
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<img alt="Comparison is the Thief of Joy, Teddy Roosevelt" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/219972763020179191_wGh5jwox_b.jpg" style="height: 270px;" /></div>
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For whatever reason, this really bothered me. I felt like I really needed to fit in, find a niche, be classifiable into at least some of the clearly defined categories that seem to suit so many people. Looking back, I have no idea why I felt like this, but I can tell that it eroded the confident, self-assured, "I'm not afraid to do things my way" young woman I used to be.</div>
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Once I realized this, I started thinking about the whole issue of fitting in. Suddenly it hit me: I'll never fit in, and not only is there nothing wrong with not fitting into an either/or dichotomy, but it's actually a really good thing!</div>
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My interests always have been, and always will be, varied. I'll always love both medicine and international affairs. I'll always love both the girly world of fashion, shoes, and celeb gossip and the guy-centered world of wildly inappropriate comedy movies (Tropic Thunder and Ted are among my favorites) and full-contact sports. </div>
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Furthermore, I realized that I knew at 17 what I wanted my dream career to look like: I knew I wanted it to involve both medicine and IR, and I knew I wanted to be helping people through whatever work I wound up doing.</div>
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Basically, it took me the better part of my post-college adulthood to re-realize what I knew almost 15 years ago. That knowledge and wisdom was there all along -- it just got buried beneath the muck of trying to fit in and make people like me. <br />
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<img alt="Believe in You" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/149744756329612807_ga6XC44A_b.jpg" /></div>
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In the last year, I've really started excavating that inner knowledge, and it makes me incredibly happy to rediscover the things that, deep down, I've known all along. Two things have played huge roles in that process: my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and blogging. As far as the latter is concerned, I want to thank you all for a) reading my ramblings in the first place, and b) your insightful, kind, and generally wonderful comments. I feel incredibly lucky to have such awesome friends and readers, and I want you all to know that you mean the world to me. </div>
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Thank you for being you, and big hugs to you all!</div>
Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-73728942834907005422013-01-21T09:58:00.002-05:002013-01-21T09:58:30.043-05:00Weekend Recap: New Shoes, New Pants, Boxes Galore, and Banana-Chocolate Chip MuffinsGood morning, everyone!<br />
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Hopefully most of you have a holiday today, and hopefully those of you with a day off have fun plans! With all the inauguration bedlam going on in DC today, Brandon and I intend to stay as close to home as humanly possible. We briefly went into the District yesterday, only to get caught in a series of blocked roads and massive traffic jams -- so our game plan is to avoid the city at all costs. Gargantuan crowds, traffic, and standing in the cold for hours are a recipe for my own personal hell, and (surprise!) I just don't want to put myself through that. Whoda thunk, right?<br />
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Inauguration traffic aside, this weekend has been hectic (and is going to continue being that way, since we're now T-minus 5 days until the big move), but still fun: the big news (!!!!) is that I finally, <i>finally </i>felt well enough to go for a run yesterday. It was glorious, people! The sun was shining, I got some vitamin D, and I got to break in my new Garmin, new running shoes (the exact same model as my old ones, but still exciting), and a new pair of pants from pv.Body. I'm kind of enamored by these pants -- I love the cropped look, the fold-down waist has an asymmetric hemline (<i>so fabulous</i>), and the waist is lavender (one of my favorite colors: <i>so, <b>so</b>, fabulous</i>). Adding to which, they're super comfy. I loved running in them!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>New kicks! New pantaloons! Excitement ensues!</i></td></tr>
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I knew I was going to need to keep this workout short and easy, since three weeks of illness-induced exile from exercise means that I'm definitely out of shape. I also knew I was probably going to struggle mightily, since the flu and bronchitis involve all sorts of respiratory misery that have left my lungs in pretty rough condition.<br />
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Knowing all that, I decided to not worry about my pace. I only ran 2.5 miles and I needed an embarrassing number of walking breaks, but that's to be expected at this stage. I know I'll eventually work back up to where I was before I got sick, both in terms of pace and distance, but I'm going to give myself time to gradually improve. To that end, I loved getting to use the Garmin that Brandon got me for Christmas -- instead of clocking my pace, I was able to watch my distance and know exactly when to turn around and head home. This thing is freakin' awesome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I lurve this thing. Have I mentioned that my husband is the best?</i></td></tr>
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Meanwhile, amidst the packing, organizing, and the glorious return to running, I decided to, y'know, get insanely ambitious and add a few things to my plate. Namely, baking.<br />
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Now, each person has their own way of dealing with stress. My coping mechanisms usually involve exercise, yoga, reading, and, occasionally, bawling my eyes out in the shower. Over the course of the last year, though, baking has become one of my go-to stress relief activities. There's something comforting about the way a baking project comes together from a gaggle of ingredients, and I've noticed that whenever I'm stressed out, I get back from running/the gym and immediately start eyeballing the Kitchen Aid. I have no idea why I'm suddenly channeling June Cleaver, but hey, it's better than bawling my eyes out in the shower!<br />
<br />
I found <a href="http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2012/09/vegan-gluten-free-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-banana-bread/">this recipe</a> for gluten-free vegan banana bread with chocolate chips from Monique at <a href="http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/">Ambitious Kitchen</a>, and I decided to turn it into muffins. (This way I can take them to work, which helps ensure that I don't wind up eating all the baked goods.) I made some small modifications to the recipe -- I added 1/8 cup agave nectar and one tablespoon of flax seed mixed with 1 tablespoon water -- but the muffins turned out beautifully.<br />
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Of course, I had to test one to make sure they tasted as good as they smelled when they were baking. It's a hard job -- really, my selflessness knows no bounds -- but somebody's got to do it. (Insert excessive whining about how hard my life is here.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I know, I know: you feel sorry for me. Look at the awful things I have to do.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now I'm off to do more packing -- I hope everyone has a fantastic day!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-11655411591898118132013-01-18T16:47:00.002-05:002013-01-18T16:47:27.282-05:00Spaghetti Squash With Bolognese SauceTGIF, people!<br />
<br />
Time to celebrate the long weekend - hopefully everyone has something fun planned for the holiday. In addition to the packing/moving prep, I hope to find time to go see Zero Dark Thirty - I've been wanting to see it for ages (like, since I first started seeing previews in the theater for it, soooo...six months?), and I'm practically bouncing around in my seat at the very idea of getting to see it this weekend.<br />
<br />
(Because I'm four.)<br />
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Also cause for celebration and bouncing around in my chair? One of my favorite dishes: spaghetti squash with Bolognese sauce. This stuff is perfect for a cold winter's night, and it's easy to make.<br />
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I like to try and provide vegetarian and vegan options for most of the dishes I post here, simply because I know a lot of people are plant-based -- and hey, I'm all about supporting people in their individual journeys to health!<br />
<br />
A great way to make this a veg-friendly dish is to substitute the ground beef with 2 cans of cannellini beans. These little guys are an <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/401335-nutritional-facts-on-white-kidney-beans/">awesome source</a> of plant-based protein, fiber, iron, and calcium, and they'll make this dish even more filling.<br />
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<b><i>Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese Sauce</i></b><br />
<br />
<u>What you'll need:</u><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 onion, chopped</li>
<li>3 red peppers (preferably organic), chopped</li>
<li>2 tbs olive oil</li>
<li>1 tsp fennel seeds</li>
<li>7 cloves garlic, minced (I love garlic, so I used a lot - but if garlic isn't your thing, you can scale this back to suit your tastes)</li>
<li>1 jar marinara sauce</li>
<li>1 tbs fresh chopped rosemary</li>
<li>2 tbs fresh chopped basil</li>
<li>1 lb. extra lean ground beef (I used 96% lean from Trader Joe's) <b><i>OR </i></b>2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li>1 spaghetti squash</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<u>How to cook it up:</u><br />
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1) Pre-heat oven to 350.<br />
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2) Prep the spaghetti squash: cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and set each half face-down in a casserole pan in about an inch of water. <br />
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3) In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, saute the peppers, onions, and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the fennel seeds and stir regularly until the peppers are soft and the onions are transluscent.<br />
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4) At the same time, if you're using ground beef, brown the beef in a separate pan.<br />
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5) Add the marinara sauce, rosemary, and basil to the peppers and onions. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.<br />
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6) <b>If using beef:</b> Once the beef has been fully cooked, add it to the marinara sauce. <b>If using cannellini beans:</b> Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the sauce. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.<br />
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7) Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven - you'll know it's ready when you can easily puncture the exterior with a fork.<br />
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8) Using a fork, remove the stringy, spaghetti-like flesh from the inside of the squash, and plate 'er up.<br />
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9) Top with sauce and, optionally, parmesan cheese. Enjoy, and stay warm!<br />
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<br />Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-22694711263751245922013-01-17T20:05:00.000-05:002013-01-17T20:05:02.471-05:00Thankful Thursday: Tea, Time, and Ralph Waldo EmersonSo. I had big plans to post the recipe for spaghetti squash with Bolognese sauce today, but a certain someone (cough cough, me, cough cough) was up late last night in a cleaning and packing frenzy (due in large part to the fact that we finally jettisoned our dried up Christmas tree, which left a trail of needles deeper and wider than the Mississippi River) and has been dragging throughout the day.<br />
<br />
Adding to which, I totally thought it was Friday when I woke up this morning, so the
fact that it's Thursday felt...slightly cruel.<br />
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It was an "I need another cup of chai" day, but that statement was repeated approximately eleventy bajillion times over the course of the last 12 hours. It was the kind of evening when, once I learned I'd be on my own for dinner, I scrapped my plans to make turkey burgers and instead chose to eat an inappropriate amount of cinnamon Chex.<br />
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And now I just don't have it in me to put together a recipe post. Tomorrow, however, it'll happen!<br />
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<img alt="Tomorrow" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/87609155221553380_aRqsGD1r_b.jpg" style="height: 189px;" /></div>
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And! The fact remains that the long weekend is in sight, which in and of itself is cause for celebration. And! Speaking of cause for celebration, it's officially time for Thankful Thursday, hosted by the delightful Jessie from <a href="http://jessielovestorun.wordpress.com/">Jessie Loves to Run</a>. I always enjoy taking time out of my week to be grateful for all the things that are going well; it can be really easy (too easy) to focus on the things that are aggravating, so re-directing my attention to the positive things in life is a welcome activity. :) </div>
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<br />
...The fact that we don't move into our new place for another week. I'm chomping at the bit to get into our new home, but -- as I may have mentioned a time or forty -- there's a lot of stuff to do to get ready, and I'm glad we have a bit more time to get it done.<br />
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...The upcoming long weekend. I love, love, love long weekends (who doesn't?), especially when they coincide with a time when my to-do list seems as long as an adult brontosaurus. Things feel a lot less overwhelming when you have an extra day off.<br />
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...An upcoming visit from my aunt and cousin this weekend. They're going to be visiting DC for the inauguration, and I can't wait to see them!<br />
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...Tea. I know, I know: this is seriously mundane, but it's seriously fabulous. I love tea in all its forms, and nothing warms my soul like a hot cup of herbal tea on a cold winter's night. <br />
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<img alt=" " class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/280067670548179353_D8njd6DI_b.jpg" style="height: 171px;" /></div>
...Quotes from authors whom I love. This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is part of a prayer that we used to say before dinner each night when I was growing up, and it perfectly sums up all the things for which I'm immensely grateful:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="for each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything thy goodness sends. - Ralph Waldo Emerson" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/262616221990684671_R3EboZxT_b.jpg" style="height: 268px;" /></div>
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<br />Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-79069098763721645252013-01-16T07:58:00.002-05:002013-01-16T07:58:59.094-05:00What I Ate Wednesday: The Rain, Rain, Go Away EditionGood morning, and happy Wednesday!<br />
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I'm stoked that we're reaching the halfway point in the week -- I'm ready for the long weekend, especially since the big move is coming up and there's still a lot to do.<br />
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I somehow managed to seriously underestimate the amount of effort it would take to move us into our new apartment. (For the record, the amount of effort it takes can only be described as ridiculous; if it were quantifiable, it'd probably be a metric ton.) As it turns out, there's an <i>insane </i>amount of stuff to do!<br />
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I realized today that the metric ton of tasks is due to the fact that this is my first time moving as part of a couple. Yes, up until this point I repeatedly surveyed the landscape of boxes, scratched my head, and thought, <i>Why is this move so much harder than all the other times I've moved? It's taking forever to get ready for this!</i> Cue the light bulb going on over my head.<br />
<br />
When Brandon and I moved in here, we were combining my stuff with his stuff -- and although it took a lot of work, we were still coming from separate apartments. I packed up my little studio apartment, and that was that. (*Brushes off hands, pats self on the back, has a margarita to congratulate self on a job well done.*)<br />
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All my other moves had been from single rooms (during college and before living overseas) or studio apartments (during grad school and when I first moved back to DC) -- and in a fact that will shock everyone, it turns out I had a lot less stuff then than I do now.<br />
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You're stunned, I'm sure.<br />
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Other stunning facts: apparently two people own more stuff than one person does. Also, weddings and wedding registries apparently ensure that you and your spouse wind up owning a lot more stuff than you did before you got married. And in other news, the sky is blue.<br />
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Life lessons, folks. <br />
<br />
Anyways, enough with my kvetching about moving processes. It's time for What I Ate Wednesday, hosted by the lovely Jenn from <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/">Peas & Crayons</a>!<br />
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Upon stumbling out of bed, I had my customary cup of java. I've been loving every sip of the Almond Joy coffee I bought in Texas, and it just keeps getting better. It's like sorcery in my coffee cup, people!<br />
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Breakfast consisted of GF toast, which didn't make the photoshoot on account of the fact that I gobbled it up before I could even contemplate taking a picture of it. Sorry, toast.<br />
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Snacks? You know I love me some snacks. I had an apple with almond butter, a banana, Greek yogurt with blueberries, a clementine, and carrots with fat-free poppyseed dressing.<br />
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Lunch consisted of some luuuuuurvely Moroccan lentil soup, which kept my my estomago warm and made my insides happy, as well as canteloupe and kombucha.<br />
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Dinner: In the interest of keeping things warm and toasty to counteract the plunging temperatures outside (not to mention the rain...the relentless, miserable, freezing cold, and generally despicable <i>rain</i>), I whipped up one
of my favorite recipes for dinner: spaghetti squash with bolognese
sauce. <br />
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<div>
It's a cakewalk to cook this dish, and it can also
be easily made into a vegan/vegetarian entree by substituting cannellini
beans in place of the ground beef. Either way you make it, it's filled
with veggies, vitamins, and protein -- and it helps soothe the
winter-weary soul. I'll post the recipe later today!</div>
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Hope you're all having a fabulous Wednesday - here's to the weekend being within reach!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-4362500715180534582013-01-15T22:16:00.003-05:002013-01-15T22:16:58.482-05:00Rain and Random Ramblings (Ooooh, Alliteration!)You know it's going to be a "I want to stay inside at all costs" sort of day when your local forecast starts off with this:<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',times,serif; font-size: 12px;">Our relentless dreary, dense, overcast overhang dominates today and much of tomorrow, with frequent rain shower chances too.</span><br />
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Gross. Just gross.</div>
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Adding to the grossness (apologies for the TMI), it's "that time of the month," if you will, and I'm a hurtin' cowgirl. </div>
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All this calls for some TLC. </div>
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In
an effort to cheer things up a bit, I invested in two of my favorite
things this morning: Kiss My Face bodywash (in the uber-delightful Early to Rise
variety) and some clementines. Clementines are in season just as things
get unbearably cold, and they're one of my favorite mid-winter
pick-me-ups.</div>
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The Early to Rise bodywash is something I only pick
up in January -- I'm not down with routinely paying $12 for body wash,
so this once-a-year treat is my way of fending off the "SWEET FANCY MOSES, IT'S SO
COLD AND DREARY OUT AND I JUST WANT IT TO BE SPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNG"
blues.</div>
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Because Brandon is awesome, he was willing to go pick up Thai food - my favorite - while I caught up on the Golden Globes special for Fashion Police. I love my husband. :)</div>
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The good news? It's supposed to get a bit nicer this weekend before
becoming frickin' frigid all next week, so I'm hoping (like, really,
really, <i>really </i>hoping) that I'll be well enough by Saturday to go
for a run outside. I paid a visit to my doctor yesterday, who diagnosed
me with a sinus infection and the beginnings of bronchitis -- so I was
promptly given antibiotics, which are already starting to help. </div>
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Seriously, I love modern medicine. It's the awesomest.</div>
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Hope you all are having a lovely evening - hooray for tomorrow being Wednesday!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-34262551014200150082013-01-14T18:44:00.000-05:002013-01-14T18:44:37.029-05:00Thirty-One: A Retrospective<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">With my birthday just around the corner, I've reached the time of year
when I tend to be extra introspective. There's something about my
birthday, especially since it follows just on the tail of the New Year,
that makes me take stock of what I've been up to and where I'm going.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thirty-one has been a wild ride for me. On one hand, there have been some wonderful moments and accomplishments. Some highlights:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
I joined Weight Watchers the day after my birthday, I never imagined
that I'd be down to a size 6. This has been a huge deal for me, and
after almost 20 years of struggling with my weight, I'm finally able to
say that I'm at peace with both the scale and my body. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Going to the <span style="font-size: small;">UK for the <span style="font-size: small;">end of the Olympics (Brandon was there for work, so I played the role of the dutiful, ever-sacrificing wife and flew over <span style="font-size: small;">for two weeks o<span style="font-size: small;">f vacation. <span style="font-size: small;">I</span></span></span>t was ard<span style="font-size: small;">uous, let me tell you<span style="font-size: small;">) was amazing! <span style="font-size: small;">The whole experienc<span style="font-size: small;">e was in<span style="font-size: small;">credible, especially watching the U<span style="font-size: small;">.S. Women's National Team beat Japan for the gold medal in s<span style="font-size: small;">occer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZPxlJ9nuV0/UPNlCrYD0nI/AAAAAAAAHvM/Zi4m_34PIJk/s1600/P8100015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZPxlJ9nuV0/UPNlCrYD0nI/AAAAAAAAHvM/Zi4m_34PIJk/s320/P8100015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Proudly displaying my Team USA shirt after we won the gold!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In late September, I ran my first 5K since I was 21
-- after a 10-year hiatus due to arthritis in my feet, it felt wonderful
to be running again. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the other hand,
though, a good portion of this year was spent being consumed by my
existential crisis/quarter-life crisis/whatever you call it. Starting in
mid-2011, I
found myself growing increasingly unhappy with my career in
international security. It's what I'd trained for throughout college
and grad school, and yet I was miserable. As time went on, it only got
worse -- and the beginning of 2012 saw me plumbing the depths of my
unhappiest moments.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was especially unhappy because, in the midst of trying to figure
out what, exactly, I want to do with my life, I managed to give myself
quite a lot of flak for the fact that my life wasn't turning out as I'd
planned.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
spent a lot of time kicking myself -- ok, it'd be more accurate to say
that I was actually berating myself in the most vicious of ways -- for
deviating from my carefully-constructed life plan. I felt like I'd
amounted to a whole lot of nothing, and that I'd been a total waste:
wasted educational investment, wasted effort, everything. An epic fail.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
April and May, I could feel myself slipping into a particularly dark
place. I was deriding myself almost constantly, I had no idea what I
wanted to do with my life, and I was abjectly miserable. I felt like I
was a complete failure, and I believed that I deserved nothing good in
life as retribution for my failure to make something of myself. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like I said, it was a really dark place.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thankfully,
things began to turn around a bit this summer. I realized I didn't
deserve any of my self-inflicted derision or disdain, and I started to
treat myself with compassion and kindness. Instead of calling myself a
waste, I told myself what I knew I'd tell a friend if they were in my
shoes: it's okay. You haven't made mistakes, because you're learning
from all these experiences. You couldn't have known how things would
turn out -- no one does -- and it's totally fine to change course as you
go along. </span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><img alt="life plan" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/104849497546158889_ZoxnJahm_b.jpg" /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once
I was no longer expending so much energy on kicking myself, I could
focus more on figuring out what I want to do and where I want to go from
here.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
many sleepless nights, numerous long runs spent contemplating the
situation, and a bajillion looooong journal entries, I realized: while
international security focuses on preventing bad things from happening,
my greatest joys and most edifying moments come from facilitating and
catalyzing good things in peoples' lives.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
then realized that there are two key ways I want to make this the focus
of my professional life going forward: first, knowing that my day job
is likely going to remain my main source of income for the forseeable
future, I started working to make a <a href="http://healthyhappyvibrant.blogspot.com/2012/11/thankful-thursday-november-challenge.html">transition from international security into global women's issues</a>. Through that, I hope to get
involved in efforts supporting women's health, education, and economic
empowerment in developing countries. </span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><img alt=""Women hold up half the sky." -Mao Tse Tung" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/211739619951323302_1ZBWRVhp_b.jpg" style="height: 192px;" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
second is the reason I started this blog: I love writing, and I've long
been passionate about health, fitness, and cooking. I love finding
healthy recipes for friends and family to try out. I love encouraging
people to work out, and I love helping them achieve their goals. I
decided to start writing about fitness, healthy recipes, wellness, and
self-acceptance -- as well as all the changes I'm going through as I try
to align my career with my core values. My hope is that by writing
about my experiences with fitness, food, and being true to myself,
readers will find a resource for healthy living and following their
dreams.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Q-rU4ej7oA/UPNw1PvxXPI/AAAAAAAAHvc/aDpGp-diVfc/s1600/Bethlehem+on+Christmas+Eve+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Q-rU4ej7oA/UPNw1PvxXPI/AAAAAAAAHvc/aDpGp-diVfc/s400/Bethlehem+on+Christmas+Eve+001.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Please disregard the fact that I'm totally not cooking healthy food in this picture.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not
surprisingly, once I realized that my calling in life involves <a href="http://healthyhappyvibrant.blogspot.com/2012/12/epiphanies-and-decisions.html">specific passions I've always had and always loved</a> -- writing, international
women's issues, and wellness -- things really started to look up.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now,
as I bid adieu to 31 and welcome 32, I can finally say that I have a
good idea of where I want to go and what I want to do. It took me a long
time -- and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears -- to get to this point,
but after over a year of feeling stuck, miserable, and scared, I'm ready
to welcome the future with open arms.</span></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've decided that this is my theme song for <span style="font-size: small;">how <span style="font-size: small;">I feel these days<span style="font-size: small;"> (and <span style="font-size: small;">I might be listening to this on constant loop on my i<span style="font-size: small;">Pod):</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HEValZuFYRU" width="560"></iframe>
Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-75127929788739184182013-01-13T22:10:00.001-05:002013-01-13T22:10:28.272-05:00Weekend RecapHappy Sunday evening, everyone! I don't know about you, but Sunday nights are rough for me. I'm really not ready for the weekend to be over, it's supposed to rain cats and dogs tomorrow, and...<i>ugh</i>. I don't <i>wanna </i>go to work tomorrow. I don't <i>wanna </i>walk to work in the rain. Wah, wah, wah.<br />
<br />
Sundays are usually when I prepare for the week ahead: I do laundry, prepare and pre-package fruits and veggies for my lunches, and generally try to squeeze in some downtime. With our move coming up in two weeks, though (!!!!), there isn't much resting to be had.<br />
<br />
On Saturday, we spent the morning packing before going to do a walk-through of the apartment so we could take measurements of the walls and plan how we're going to arrange everything. I can't even tell you how excited I am about this place! Aaaaaahhhhh!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlHrZGSJkGo/UPN0M2s4flI/AAAAAAAAHvw/3Y5IuuiEqW0/s1600/DSC00622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlHrZGSJkGo/UPN0M2s4flI/AAAAAAAAHvw/3Y5IuuiEqW0/s400/DSC00622.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>To my new kitchen: you complete me.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm incredibly happy about living here. The gym is awesome, it's right near a phenomenal running/biking trail, and it's not filled with frat-tastic bros who puke on our door. (Oh yes, friends: that happened in our current place. I woke up early to go get groceries one Sunday morning, only to find a pile of vomit on our door. It was <i>supremely </i>unpleasant.)<br /><br />
Speaking of supremely unpleasant things, my sickness seems to be making a comeback. (*Shakes fist angrily at the flu*) I was feeling much better on Friday, which means I got alllllll super excited and went to the gym. I practically bounded up there, not unlike a walk-hungry dog whose owner has just pulled out the leash, put in 30 minutes on the elliptical (I decided to take it easy for my first day back), and happily bounded downstairs again...only to wake up with a horrible sore throat on Saturday and again this morning. And my cough is getting worse.<br />
<br />
This irritates me so. Effing. Much.<br />
<br />
I want so badly to go running. I want so badly to be active. I want so badly to feel like myself again, and I hate the fact that it's taking so long for me to get better. It's now been 14 days since the initial onset, and I think it's time to consult my doctor. Sigh. Hopefully she can help me kick this nastiness to the curb for good!<br />
<br />Anyways, I hope you all had wonderful weekends!Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-12793687420587562972013-01-11T06:18:00.000-05:002013-01-11T06:18:23.806-05:00Gluten-Free Spinach, Turkey, and Cheddar QuicheOne of my all-time favorite things in life is having brunch on the weekends. Even if my brunch companions consist of me, myself, and I (and an obscene amount of HGTV, Fashion Police, or What Not to Wear), brunch lends itself to all sorts of fabulousness.<br />
<br />
As part of any brunchy awesomeness, I also love to make quiche. Now, here's the thing: I love eggs (from my head down to my legs). But, as I learned in Weight Watchers, it'd be easy to blow a ton of my daily points on a quiche -- even if it's of the crustless, gluten-free variety.<br />
<br />
However, now that I've been in Weight Watchers for almost one year, I've amassed a decent bag of tricks when it comes to lightening up my favorite recipes to make them WW-friendly. This GF crustless quiche recipe has become a go-to dish for me over the last few months -- it's protein-packed, delicious, and incredibly easy to prepare. Credit goes to my friend Sara for originally introducing me to lightened up quiches, since she brought two of her creations to brunch back in July and instantly had me hooked for life on these things.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ycvGnL6_mUY/UNmqMTg0TYI/AAAAAAAAHsM/BnjhBJTDLww/s1600/DSC00582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ycvGnL6_mUY/UNmqMTg0TYI/AAAAAAAAHsM/BnjhBJTDLww/s400/DSC00582.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I also like cooking one on the weekend and then taking slices to work with me during the week for a quick and easy mid-morning snack. (I have the world's most insane protein cravings right around 10:30 each morning, and a slice of quiche satisfies that need right away.)<br />
<br />
Cook this up if you're looking for a lightened-up brunch dish!<br />
<br />
<b>What you'll need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/3 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid</li>
<li>1/2 onion, chopped</li>
<li>1/4 cup fat free half and half</li>
<li>1/3 cup diced low-fat cheddar cheese (or Swiss, or Gouda, or any low-fat cheese of your choice)</li>
<li>1/4 cup diced deli turkey (I like Applegate Farms' herbed turkey breast)</li>
<li>1 12-ounce container Egg Beaters</li>
<li>1 tablespoon dried oregano</li>
<li>1 teaspoon dried garlic granules</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krT5g6ZH8UM/UNmqLKkF6ZI/AAAAAAAAHr0/QEGHdjdbw3w/s1600/DSC00574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krT5g6ZH8UM/UNmqLKkF6ZI/AAAAAAAAHr0/QEGHdjdbw3w/s400/DSC00574.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>How to do it: </b><br />
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat oven to 350. </li>
<li>Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, and mix 'em up.</li>
<li>Pour into a pie dish (or casserole dish) pre-treated with Pam non-stick spray</li>
<li>Bake for 35 minutes at 350, or until the top of the quiche is starting to get a lovely golden, crispy look to it</li>
<li>Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes</li>
</ol>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9oVR083zCCc/UNmqLfc1G4I/AAAAAAAAHr8/-F1l3s5ypXk/s1600/DSC00576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9oVR083zCCc/UNmqLfc1G4I/AAAAAAAAHr8/-F1l3s5ypXk/s400/DSC00576.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 3: Before cooking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_begj8Jtg0o/UNmqL_XAvzI/AAAAAAAAHsE/h2PBDpxy7TU/s1600/DSC00578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_begj8Jtg0o/UNmqL_XAvzI/AAAAAAAAHsE/h2PBDpxy7TU/s400/DSC00578.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 5: Chillin'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3651246864500772333.post-59121308920438297322013-01-09T12:48:00.000-05:002013-01-09T12:48:19.842-05:00Now That's What I'm Talkin' AboutHello, DC: I'm baaaa-ack!<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We got in late last night, after an hour-long flight delay and the oh-so-fun realization when we got to the airport parking garage that our car battery was dead. That was the bad part, but the good news is that I'm happy to be getting back into my routine and back to blogging. I missed this like woah!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Brandon and I are also finally <a href="http://healthyhappyvibrant.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-good-bad-and-ugly.html">recovering from the flu</a>, which is a huge relief. It turns out that Texas is home to a particularly virulent strain of the flu virus - which is apparently too hardcore to be deterred by the flu shot - and we're pretty certain that this is what felled us. I'm still totally wiped out, but I'm definitely on the upswing, and breathing is getting easier by the day. Progress!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Since I'm not yet back at 100%, I decided to continue resting and recovering instead of getting up early to hit the gym. I originally set my alarm for my usual 0530 wake-up and sweat session, but as I finally crawled into bed at 11:15 last night, the wise, quiet voice in the back of my mind spoke up: <i>Self, what on Earth are you doing setting your alarm for that hour? You're still getting over this ridiculous sickness, you still have a cough, and you know your body is going to be really unhappy if you only get 6 hours of sleep. Turn off the alarm. There will be plenty of other days for your early morning workouts once you're healthy. But tomorrow is not that day. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR4L1ggzoQ9QKnD5Lr2dL9HugI0Jo_S6u5Nht5dSCVlV9F0xANUGg" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And so, I heeded my own advice (something I'm trying to be better about) and switched off the alarm. As it turns out, I really needed the extra rest. (This comes as a huge shock, I know.) I'm hopeful that I'll be able to make it to the gym tomorrow, but even if I need to wait another day, that's okay too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Contributing to my recovery (or at least making me feel more upbeat, even if they're not kicking the flu's butt for me) are two awesome pieces of news I got earlier this week: I've been accepted as an ambassador for both <a href="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/">Girls Gone Sporty</a> and <a href="http://greatist.com/">Greatist</a>! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
*Does happy dance*</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm incredibly excited to be part of these two amazing organizations. They each have areas of focus that I admire and want to be a part of: <a href="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/about">Girls Gone Sporty</a> is an amazing fitness, healthy living, fashion, and beauty resource for us gals who love to get out there and get our sweat on, and I love GGS's emphasis on fun and adventure. (After all: what's life without a good dose of both?!) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Girls Gone Sporty" src="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/sites/all/themes/ggs/logo.png" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://greatist.com/about/">Greatist's mission</a> - to help make healthy choices easier for those who want to live healthier, happier lives - is equally fantastic. People need resources in order to help steer them towards healthier choices both big and small, and Greatist happily steps into that role. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://greatist.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Greatist-Health-and-Fitness-Manifesto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://greatist.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Greatist-Health-and-Fitness-Manifesto.png" width="299" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I can't wait to do whatever I can to help contribute to their respective missions!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Lillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02323007378096117002noreply@blogger.com3