A Lot on the Mind…

We made it to Friday!

Here’s to the weekend and the short work week ahead of us!  YES!

Look at all the exclamation points.  Clearly I feel much better than I did last Friday…

Probably because I didn’t do a thing last night.  I had done the Shred again in the morning and planned to keep it a low key night.  Which I did.  I even had time to read before my Thursday night line-up.  And that never happens…We can talk about my latest obsession with Michael Ian Black later.  And yeah, that’s tuna from a can.  I like tuna, but (and I may have mentioned this before) I have issues when it comes to preparing fish.  It intimidates me.  Add that to my list of other things that intimidate me in the kitchen.  So now it’s fish, using yeast, and full-sized potatoes. 

And yes- I KNOW you can do potatoes in the microwave.  Punch a few holes in them and let them go.  Yada yada yada.  I’ve tried.  Over and over.  It just doesn’t work for me.  Ah baked potato… you win!

Anyways, so I use tuna in a can.  I’m also a real snot when it come to what kind of tuna I use.  I go to Trader Joe’s and use their Albacore.  Why, you ask?  Well I used to go for the cheaper stuff.  Or whatever was on sale at the grocery store.  Light tuna is sometimes under 70 cents a can- crazy right? Anyways, it happened more than once (so I think my fear is legit), to where I’ve bitten into something hard and crunchy before.  

I repeat- it was crunchy and shouldn’t have been there.  So I did the classy thing and pull it with my mouth full of food.  I don’t know if it was a scale or something- don’t care to know either way.  I do know I’ve started only buying it at TJ’s (after a hiatus from tuna altogether) and am happy to report I have not had any instances since.  Yuck.

But I have things of greater importance to worry about other than tuna in a can. Or at least I think so.

I’m baking two things (possibly three) next week.  I want them to be as fresh as possible on Thursday, need one done by Wednesday, and am going out Wednesday night.  Both things require multiple steps.  I feel like I made need some paper and a schedule for this. Possibly some highlighters.  Or email alerts.  Either way, it’s going to be hectic.

What am I getting myself into?

Thank God I never paid attention long enough to be able to offer to make the turkey…

I’ve also got my race to think about.  I’m not worried about the mileage.  It’s four miles.  I do it often enough.  I even did it this morning at an 8:30 pace (exactly).  Yeah- I actually made it outside of my apartment to get to the workout room this morning.  It was dark.  And cold.  And quiet- I was the only one there.  But the workout is done for the day and it makes me happy. 

And finally, holiday shopping is starting to enter the brain. 

Yeah.  I said it.  I’m bringing up holiday shopping.  Has anyone started?  Or even better- does anyone participate in Black Friday?

I never have.  As a retail worker in college, I’ve experienced it from the other side.  And it… is… terrifying.  For two years I worked in the lingerie department of a big department store.  I wasn’t there for the actual opening, but two hours later, people were still running through the store.  Underwear everywhere.  Kids running around unsupervised, pulling down the panties on all the mannequins.  Cash register lines wrapped around the store.

Even the seasoned retail worker would have been tempted to cry in the corner behind a rack of clothes.

Some people are INTENSE.

My friend Danielle is one of those people.  She is a chick with a plan.  And after asking nicely, she agreed to share her secrets with everyone by doing a guest post for me.  So look for that later today. 

At first I was nervous she was going to be like this chick:

I showed her this video.  And she said no way- she could take this chick.

I have awesome friends.

Happy Friday!

Keeping Busy

Aaaahhh… sleep.  You’re just so illusive, aren’t you?

I’m catching up slowly.  A lot of yesterday was spent with some seriously droopy eyes.  Which was a bit annoying because I was extremely busy.

With what you ask (besides work of course)?

Well… I finished Love the One You’re With by Emily Griffin over lunch.  This was the first Emily Griffin book I’ve read (I hear she’s quite popular).  I really liked it.  Even though the main character entertains the idea of having an affair (tsk tsk), you really feel for her and the dilemna she’s faced with.  Oooohhhhhh… drama!  Anyone else have any thoughts to add on this one?

I also had cross training to get in.  Which proved to be difficult since I didn’t get done running errands and back to my place ready to work out  until 7:30.    I really hate going that late (because I didn’t get done until 8:45), but I wanted to go!  I don’t think it messed with me too bad last night (I was THAT tired), but sometimes working out that close to bed time will keep me from sleeping.  Oh how times have changed- I used to be the late night gym rat while I was still in college at Mizzou.  Often, my roommates and I wouldn’t even get to the gym until 9:30 or 10:00.  But to be fair, I didn’t go to bed until closer to 1:00 or 1:30 every night, either.  No wonder I refused to sign up for classes that started before 9:30 in the morning…

Does anyone ever work out that late?  Or late-ish?  Do you like it?  Do you find it affects your sleep?  Do you think I could ask any more questions right now?    I’m just curious in case I ever start doing longer training during the week…

I was also busy cleaning out some leftovers from the refrigerator:I guess you would call this bbq nachos?  I took some leftover chips, baked bbq chicken, corn, and mozzarella to make a mean post-workout meal.  Late night dining at it’s finest.  Clearly.

I’ve been revisiting the steel cut oats again.The trick really is to soak them overnight.  Like overnight oats.  But not eaten cold.  I can only do hot oatmeal.  So I have to warm them up and cook them for a few minutes.  Any other way just gives me the heebie jeebies.  *shudder*

Yes, I’m weird.

But I prefer to call it quirky.

Well, Tuesday is here and is going to start getting away from me if I don’t keep this short and get on it!  It’s another day that I need to be productive, so let’s hope it goes by quickly…