December 1 = Independence Day

To say that I am happy would be a complete understatement. I have been riding high on Cloud 9 pretty much since I put my unit on hold, and officially since I signed my lease! Above is a property photo of the complex via facebook. I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE my new apartment. First of all, it's HUGE. It's over 1100 s.f. and boasts huge windows, large closets, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen with modern fixtures...I could go on and on. My unit is different that the original floor plan I toured in that mine is an end unit, so I have an extra window in the master bedroom, as well as a window in my bathroom. If there is a "con" about my new place, it's the lack of immediate outdoor space. I have a "juliette balcony". But, I don't mind it..it's enough space to go out and see what the temperature's like. It's only been 1.5 days but I'm all unpacked (minus a couple of "office" bins in the spare closet that i need to unpack). The move was quick too...loaded in about 2.5 hours and unloaded in the less than 2 hours. It feels SO good to be back on my feet again and no longer living with my folks. Not that the past 2.5+ years were all that bad or anything (as far as living with the parentals goes), but it feels so much better to be back out on my own. It feels like I've "got it all"...a great job, a fabulous apartment, a wonderful man....All that's missing now is a new furry friend to cuddle with. All in due time.... :)

I'll be back, whenever I get internet up and running at my new place, to confess my goals for the final month of 2012.

things to do in november

It's been a LONG time since I made any monthly goals, let alone blogged about 'em, so I figured it was time to get back in the saddle.

- 11/2 Community Campfire, Butner NC
- 11/3 ECU/Houston football game with the boyfriend
- 11/6 VOTE!
- 11/9-11/13 Boyfriend's parents in town
- Apartment hunt...Top 3 Selected!
- Pre-move process continues- Church @ Summit- Commit more time/energy to my small group
- Pay at least 50% of LLCC
- Return to the "Primal Way"
- Exercise --> I've committed to a 50 for 50 Push Up Challenge
  (50 Push Ups/Day for 50 days; I made it 100 for 50 by adding 50 Sit Ups/Day for 50 days)- 11/22 Thanksgiving with the family + boyfriend- Move? --> Moving day = Dec. 1
- Christmas gift shopping --> will have to wait til December & Pay Day

yesterday, after the boyfriend and i went apartment hunting (for me), he came over and we carved our pumpkins we picked out on saturday. i think they turned out really well, so i thought i'd share them with you.

mine:

his:


happy (early) halloween!

NEWS! as i mentioned in my previous post, my boyfriend was interviewing for a job in michigan. well, they liked him enough to invite him for a second interview. he has asked me to come with him, to check out the area and see if it is somewhere i could potentially see myself living one day. my parents, particularly my father, are opposed to the idea of me going. it's an important decision not to be taken lightly. after all, i am in my first month at my new job. i was extremely apprehensive at the idea of having to ask for time off so soon, particularly if he does get the offer and accepts because that would mean future trips to michigan, for which i would need time off from work. so that was the compromise: i would leave later on friday so that i would not have to use a whole day and will return on the evening flight on sunday, to give me almost two whole days up there to explore and see what the area is like.

the decision was heavy because i kept asking him what would happen if i didn't go up with him for the interview. his response was that it would make the decision harder for him in that he wouldn't want to accept the job when i'd never been there. ..even though i told him that my feelings for him were not based on geography. when you love someone, you love the person not where they live (although that can sometimes be a huge bonus depending on the location). he said if i didn't go, he would consider not taking the job. which is a huge incentive not to go; however, i would feel guilty for him to give up such an awesome opportunity. it's romantic that he would consider not going because of me. for that reason, how could i not go? it's not like if he got the job and moved that i would all of a sudden just move to michigan. that's not my style. i would never move anywhere for a guy unless we were engaged and/or married. so, if how i feel is legit, then potentially, he is THE one. i can totally see it.

so, next friday is the day. i'll leave work a couple hours early then fly up to detroit, then onto the final destination.

i hope it's worth it.

it's 3 weeks into my new job and i still love it. :) i REALLY like my new boss. i think we're a lot alike, which helps. so far, so good. the first week, ritchie bros held their grand opening auction. i tagged along and man! was that cool! it was quite exciting to watch them drive the equipment up the "stage" so people could see what they'd be bidding on...there were people from all over the world on site, as well as it being held online. they did about 22$ million on the first day! the town gets the sales tax, minus exempt equipment and online sales. i heard we hauled in about 40k. they'll hold auctions about 4 times a year, so the town will get an added boost of nearly 100k in sales tax each year!
last week, i attended my first town council meeting. i got to meet the remaining members of the council. on friday, one of the churches (the one the mayor attends) had a fundraiser lunch and bizzare. the food was tasty and the bizarre mostly had baked goods. one cute thing i saw was a carry-all for crayons and coloring books. it had individual stitched slots for single crayons. so cute..but i, of course, have no need for any such thing. ;)

tuesday, i tagged along to attend the promotional ceremony for our new bps chief. it was held at the fire/public safety house. i had met him previously, so it was nice to see him officially sworn in. i got some more exposure in the community and caught my eye on a couple of the public safety officers. nice to know there are some attractive young people hanging around town..because i hadn't seen any previously. :P not that i'm on the market or anything.

speaking of the boyfriend...we are still doing well. i posted on facebook: "honesty. sincerety. intentional pursuit. what i always hoped to find in someone and myself." that's how i would describe the evolution of our relationship. he is a really nice guy..probably one of, if not the, nicest guys i've ever known. quite frankly, one aspect that is unique to this relationship versus all others is that i am all in, and pretty much have been from the start (not from the 1st date, but you know what i mean). we had met a couple years ago. i thought he was too nerdy (mostly because i had eyes for someone else at the time) and he was busy with grad school, so it never really went anywhere..we maybe went out twice?. and then sometime at the end of last year/january, he reached out via facebook and asked if i wanted to get together sometime. why not?, i thought. i'd finally gotten rid of the douche bag (the one i had eyes for who turned out to be a real twerp), my priorities had changed (both in life and relationships), and he was cute. so, why not? well...we picked up where we'd left off. we started dating in february, getting together every couple of weekends. then it evolved to every weekend and sometimes mid-week too. four months later, in june, i cooked for him for the first time and he asked if i wanted to be his girlfriend. of course, i said "yes." now, here we are four months later...it's been a wonderful past 8 months. in some ways it feels like it's flown by, but in others, like time has stood still. we've taken it slow..intentionally slow. previous relationships, it always felt rushed. like we had to get there first, and then figure out the rest. which of course, never worked out. we're not there yet, which is perfectly alright with me. kinda makes things better if you ask me. but, we're on the brink now.
at his parents' urging, he applied for a job back home. and he's been selected for an interview. it's on monday. so, even though at this point it's all hypothetical, we've definitely had some serious discussions. my heart is heavy..because i want him to stay but i don't want to keep him from pursuing a great opportunity..even if that opportunity is far away. his parents are upset that he would even consider not taking the job. my parents are sad because they really like him and don't want me to move away (which i wouldn't, unless there was a lifetime committment). i'll end this post with what i've been telling him and my parents....

"we'll see."

God is good...ALL the time!I disappeared from the blogosphere since losing my best friend. Now, I have the news that I was waiting to be able to share with her, give her a big ol' hug and smooch between her eyes: "I got a job! We can move out of Grandma and Grandpa's!" (Although I don't know if she'd have been too excited about the later..lol.) He opened the door.

After nearly 2.75 years, I was offered a full-time, salaried planning position. FINALLY! Someone finally said, "Yes! We want you!" :D It is a great opportunity and I feel quite blessed. It took much longer than I anticipated, but the wait was definitely worth it. I always said that God had a plan, I just wished I knew what it was..well, He certainly did. I was "promoted" at my part-time job to be the one to process shipments (what I had wanted to do since I started there in March) but less than 2 weeks later, I was offered this planning job. It was almost like God was saying, "No, you are meant to do more..to be more."

Now, I am the new Planner for a small town north of Durham. My commute is currently under 30 minutes each way (heaven!). They are giving me my time of service for CabCo in vacation time, so I came in with nearly 2 weeks of vacation. Salary had never really been an issue for me in my job search since most positions were advertised in similar ranges..I just wanted to make around what my final salary had been at CabCo. Lo and behold, I'm actually making MORE than I was then..although now, I was coming with an extra internship on my resume. Plus, when I come to the end of my 6 months' probation and they still want me, I get a 5% raise. Awesome! Oh, and on the 31st day of employment, I'll get health benefits. So, I will no longer have to pay +$300/month for health insurance. That's a HUGE weight off my shoulders.

I come into this new chapter with a better head on my shoulders, and a firmer grasp on my financials. I have learned from my previous money woes and became much more frugal while unemployed and having to really count my pennies (because sometimes it really did come down to pennies). I vow not to make the same financial choices/mistakes. I'm actually going to make enough to cover my bills/expenses/fun stuff to be able to start a rainy day fund (aka fund to repay my parents). That is exciting! Maybe the most exciting besides finally having a full-time job again?! Being able to move out of my parents house. When I moved back to Raleigh, I thought I'd be there for maybe 6 months. I'm still there after nearly 3. BUT, now with this new position, I gotta be really selective about where I choose to move because I don't want to have a hefty commute!

More fun posts to come, but this FANTASTIC news shall have to be enough for now! :D

I'M STILL HERE!

if i reflect, my emotional health/life stalled following bella's passing. i still think about her, love her, talk to her (box of ashes on the mantle) and wish i could just love on her. there is definitely a hole in my heart. i miss my baby girl. *last week (8-8-12) would have been our 4 year anniversary.*

but, life goes on. i had to move on.  and i have. i have a (part-time) job that i enjoy, a boyfriend (haven't had a "labeled" relationship basically since college), supportive & loving parents, etc. 

i'm still checkin' in on your blogs and i will update soon...but, not yet. :)

~ Bella Bean G. May 8, 2008-June 7, 2012 ~

it is with a heavy heart that i write this post. my sweet, sweet girl has gone off to doggy heaven to run free and chase as many deer and squirrels as she wants. :*(

i took her to the vet saturday morning with what i thought was a bladder infection. she wet her pen both thursday and friday nights. but, after they ran some tests, they told me she needed a blood transfusion and they were referring us to the veternairy specialty hospital. my mom met me at the hospital and we were told she had "immune-mediated hemolytic anemia" and it was serious. basically, her immune system was attacking her red and white blood cells and that when drawn, the red blood cells were clumping together. her RBC levels were way down and a transfusion was the only solution. with serious consideration, we let them take her. i had to work sunday and my dad called me around 1pm to say the hospital called and things were not looking good. we went and visited her that afternoon, and in between that call and us getting there, her body had compensated and her levels were back up to 16%. still not great, but better (a healthy range is between 35-55%). she was perky and seemed more like herself..not so lethargic. she had an ultrasound monday, which revealed no cancer...but still no reason as to why this was happening. :( tuesday morning, i got a call at 2:30 am and her levels dropped back down to 13% and they wanted to do another transfusion. my parents and i talked briefly and told them to go ahead with the transfusion. her levels went back up to about 15%. they put her on some new medication, to help with the clotting. i visited her wednesday morning, in the ICU. my dad met me there. she was still wagging her tail (thumped it like crazy when she saw her grandpa!). the doctor said the medicine was starting to help with the clotting...a glimmer of hope. but that a 3rd transfusion would be the only chance of giving the medicine enough time to really work. i wanted to give it one more shot, so we approved the 3rd and final transfusion. we went to see her last night, but the hospital was slammed with about 5 criticals so we couldn't see her.
early this morning, around 4:30, i got the call. her breathing rate was dangerously high and this was it. the transfusion did what it was supposed to - brought her levels up to 17% - but was throwing clots into her lungs, making it hard for her to breathe. i rushed to the hospital, closely followed by my parents, then my sister and brother-in-law. she held on so everyone could get there...a considerate pal to the end. we took some time to say our goodbyes and then the doctor came in. she went quickly.

it's hard because it came on so quickly. just about a week ago she was fine. and now, she's gone. but, she wasn't in any pain and didn't show any signs of distress until the final hours of her life. we did everything we could to save her, but her little body just couldn't take it. she just turned 4 last month. i will miss her very much and loved her so very much. she was the best dog, friend, companion and furry daughter a girl could ask for. she never met a stranger and was loved by many.

take care sweet Bella. mama loves you and is so very thankful for the 4 years we had together. <3

run for our heroes

on saturday, april 28, 2012, i will be running a 5k. it's my first race in 10 years! i'm running in the recreational division (as opposed to competitive) and hope to complete it in 30 minutes or less. i'm not running 7 minute miles these days, so my expectations are low. :) i just want to let my feet hit the pavement and complete it in a decent time! i am the only athlete from oak city crossfit participating, but there will be lots of familiar faces as many athletes from forged fitness will be there (although most are in the competitive division). if you're in the raleigh area, come support the raleigh police department and all the runners! you can visit the website for more information. or if you'd like to participate, registration starts at 7:30am.

Christ is risen indeed!

Why Easter is Good News for Everyone

A friend of mine once expressed frustration in his inability to believe the story of Jesus' resurrection, the story of Easter. He saw his non-belief as some kind of final rejection of God. But he didn't want it perceived that way or for God to take it personally; he just struggled to believe Jesus rose from the dead. I told him I believed the story of Easter is good news for Christians and non-Christians like. In fact, I'm convinced it is a day for which everyone can be grateful, regardless of what they believe.

First, Christians have been celebrating this good news for nearly two thousand years. indeed, it is the central proclamation of the faith. But why celebrate it as "good news"? The "good" part is simply this: Jesus' resurrection shows that death is not the last word. That God intervened in history, in real time and space by raising his son from the dead, makes it "news" in a journalistic sense. Through this historical event we learn that God gave life to his son in part to show that he wants to give life - real, substantial and unending life - to us all. This was his intention in the first place. One might even begin to fancy that God can't live without us. At least that might go some way toward explaining Good Friday.

The Easter event also shows more clearly than anything else that God is already in the process of setting this broken world right. So it is then, according to Christian tradition, that the first Easter morning was the dawn of a new creation; it was "In the beginning" all over again on that first day of the week in the garden. And since this work was set into motion, Christians await the denouement while working toward its fulfillment. Thy kingdom come, we pray.

In this work also, death has been utterly vanquished, dealt a death-blow, if you will. Perhaps it was crushed under the weight of that stone which rolled from the tomb. Thus we need not live in fear, toiling in desperation, worrying that an inescapable, meaningless end awaits us, that the seeming non-existence before our birth merely foreshadowed the time after our death. Nor need we live fenetic, harried lives, simply attempting to repress thoughts about the inevitable. Instead, we ought to own up to this fact: we all die. Denial here creates quite a hangover at some point. Easter, however, provides the opportunity to slow down, to be grateful for what truly matters and for what God has done in Christ. This good news fills the hearts of Christians today.

But what about those who can't put their trust in some pie-in-the-sky delusion? What about those who read the preceeding paragraph and say, "talk about denial"? Can the store be good news for them?

If nothing else, Easter can be understood as a powerful mythic story, one that schools us in the power of hope. Doesn't the story teach that if Jesus can begin again, having been rejected by his own people, abandoned by his disciples and murdered by imperialist overlords, so can the rest of us?

Doesn't nature teach the same lesson? Spring itself - especially in New England - is a welcome reminder that life returns to barren, dormant trees. And so, after a time of deathly cold, the warmth of life can return to our living deaths as well. The sun always comes around again. We can begin again therefore and flourish. We don't need to live life bound to destructive patterns of behavior or like we're simply the sum total of our negative baggage because a new, vibrant life remains a possibility. Truth be told, that new live begins with hope.

So the story of Easter teaches everyone to hope, to hope that life can conquer death. And if hope is a first step towards faith, who knows where this journey will lead? Is not humankind's infinite capacity to hold on, even when in the darkest times, muffled evidence itself of Easter's basic truth? To what, or better perhaps, to Whom shall we give credit for this innate and uniquely human strength?

Whether taken as historical fact, one which changes everything, or as mythic fiction, one which symbolizes the truth that hope springs eternal, the resurrection of Jesus is good news indeed.

by Dr. Hunt

tasty treats of primal eating

following the primal way of eating for the occf 30 day nutrition challenge provided me with the opportunity to eat some really delicious food combinations (and some not so tasty ones). here are some photos of just a few of the yummy foods i consumed during that time, as well as today!

(From 30DNC: Broccoli Quiche, Zucchini Carbonara and Roasted Grape & Onion Pork Chops. From Sunday 3.25: Breakfast Burrito (Filling & Rolled Up), Jambalaya)

and the winner is...

ME!

i won the nutrition challenge. :D when i thought about doing the challenge, i wasn't going to be a paid participant, i was just gonna follow the diet and see what happened. paige talked me into being a full participant and now, i'm certainly glad i did! i never thought i would win though...i just wanted to change the way i ate and see how it would affect my workouts and how i felt. it changed everything for me and it has certainly changed the way i look at food and at life in general.

i have already, but i sincerely thank everyone (coaches, fellow athletes, my family, friends, etc.) for their love and support. i couldn't have done it (nor have stuck with it) without them. i'm gonna do it again in 30-day increments until it becomes second nature for me. :) i'm looking to see what the next 30 days will hold and what the results may be.

oh, btw, i won the pot. 440$. i sure could use that right now. :)

13.2 lbs...boom!

the 30 day nutrition challenge is complete! i made it 30 days without a sunkist, potato chips, bojangles, etc. it actually wasn't that hard because most of what i was making and eating was actually really delicious! i promised to post pictures and i will...in the near future. for the remainder of the week, i am vegging. i had bojangles for dinner last night, i am drinking sunkist (although i'm not over-indulging)...i actually even almost forgot about my girl scout cookies.

as for my results: in the scope of body composition, i moved up in bmi brackets from moderate to good. awesome! with regard to weight loss, i lost 13.2 lbs. amazing! of that 13.2 lbs, 7.6 was fat mass and 5.6 was fat-free mass (which is not great, but is contributed to variables like calorie intake, dehydration at time of testing, etc.). in terms of measurements, i lost inches everywhere (chest, waist, hips, thigh, biceps), with the greatest change being at my hips with a difference of 1.75". in the photos, there wasn't a huge difference (at least to me) from the front, but definitely from the side.

in more tangible results...after swapping my winter wardrobe for spring/summer duds, i found 3 pairs of jeans that i've held onto. the first pair i pulled out was a size 2 long from gap. my reaction, "when was i ever a size 2?!" just for kicks, i tried them on - zipped and buttoned. my response, "TODAY!". WHAT?! a size 2? holy moly! today, i tried on pants at ATL after my shift. my next purchase will be black pique crop pants with zipper detail..in a size 4. the size 6 was just too big. weird!

so, i'm taking a few days off my "diet" (also to include celebrating my irishness on saturday) before i get back into it next week. i'm gonna do another 30 day challenge, go get another body composition test/have paige measure me and compare my results. i am SUPER close to my goal weight...about 3-10 pounds left.

the moral of this challenge: what you consume makes a HUGE difference in how you feel, how your body reacts, how you look. couple diet with working out (i prefer crossfit) and changes happen, baby!

whirlwind

whew! what a whirlwind! after closing the door on my internship with apex, a window opened. a part-time gig at a little ol' place called ann taylor loft. :) yep, that's right...i'm working and getting paid (albeit about half of what i was receiving in unemployment assistance)! it's super fun and a nice change of pace. everyone's super nice and it's great not having to be in the car for 40-45 min. one way. my commute is about that..round trip. awesome! :) i'm loving it so far...it's been 3 days. ;)

oh, and i have another interview opportunity for a planning position. this time, i'll be traveling to se virginia (3 hour drive) next monday, 3.19. :) wish me luck!

with regret...

March 1 2012. The day I was able to find the right words to express what is abundantly clear. The unpaid planning internship with the TOA is no longer the right place for me. This is a decision I wanted and had to make. I did not want this decision to be made for me. It is a great opportunity so it is with deep regret that I must walk away...

For the past two years, I have felt like I have been in a constant state of limbo. April 1 2010, I moved home, prepared for it to only last maybe 6 months. It's been nearly 2 years. That's a huge pill to swallow in and of itself. March 2011, I began what I had hoped would be a short-term internship with the TOA Planning Department. After 6 months, things changed. I became more distant, unwilling and uninterested in the work that I was tasked with undertaking. The blue spells became more frequent and seemed neverending. Being unemployed at 28 is not something I had planned on, never expected. I have been on dozens upon dozens of interviews all over North Carolina and beyond with barely a nibble. Not knowing what the future holds is extraordinarily frustrating and a feeling I have mostly been internalizing (not healthy).

I sat down with my parents earlier this week to have pretty much the same conversation (and tears) we've had off-and-on over the past two years. It's a harsh reality knowing that not only does no one seem to want me (Why not? I'm awesome!) and I'm disappointed with myself, but I feel like my parents are disappointed in me as well. It's not like I haven't been trying HARD for two YEARS to find a new job!

The search has been an on-going process, but it's official that I am no longer focused on finding a planning position. It's definitely still my first choice, but I need something that's going to, if nothing else, pay my bills when my unemployment benefits cease to exist (which is soon).

So, please, if you know of any leads either in/around Raleigh, or elsewhere, please send them my way. I would surely appreciate any and all that may come through. More importantly, prayers and kind thoughts are always appreciated. Pray for my emotional health, that the blue spells would become less frequent and lengthy. Pray for people I encounter, that they will be able to see just how awesome I am and that they will want me as a member of their company/organization/etc. Pray for my family, as we continue to work through this tough time. Pray for me, that I will continue to seek God's guidance above all and do all that I can to pull through and FINALLY get a job.

i won't lie. the first two days were rough as i was hit with the worst caffeine headache. but, once the first two days passed, so did the headache. it's been a lot of fun trying different recipes, finding what works and what doesn't. if i had to pick my favorite dishes? broccoli quiche, zucchini carbonara, pizza frittata were by far the best! and i've been drinking SO MUCH water! all i drink is water (although i am allowed 100% fruit juice, minimally).

i must say that a great diet coupled with doing crossfit 4 days/week is working wonders on my body already. for the first time in years, i can feel my abs without having to suck it in! and i'm stronger AND from when i last weighed myself before the challenge and now, i've dropped at least 5 lbs. AWESOME!

at the end of the challenge, i'll post pictures of what i've been eating so you can see what delicious and not-so-delicious things i've been eating lately look like! :)

week two (m 2.20 - s 2.26)

breakfast: pizza frittata (delicious!), attempted crepes (too many yokes in my whites!), fruit

lunch: cranberry tun salad

dinner: zucchini carbonara, salad with pear, sweet potatoes, kabob meat, taco salad (small group food night), steaks with romesco sauce

snacks/desserts: blueberry muffins, peach clafouti

water: 24 (16.9 fl oz bottles)

week three (m 2.27 - s 3.4)

breakfast: zucchini egg bake, coconut pancakes, fruit

lunch: cranberry tuna salad, blta chicken breast sandwich

dinner: fish tacos with citrus dressing (maybe with shrimp?), pork chop, sweet potatoes, asparagus

snacks/desserts: pumpkin nut muffins, nutty blueberry protein balls

source: crossfit impulse

on tuesday, february 13, i will embark on a new adventure: a 30 day nutrition challenge through oak city crossfit. 30 days of no sunkist, no orange juice, no potato chips or lean cuisines..basically, 90% of my current way of eating is eliminated. awesome.

how it works: 1. pay the 40$ buy in; 2. take photos and measurements and add them to the body composition information from last month; 3. declare which diet you will follow: whole30, paleo, primal, or zone; 4. at the end of 30 days, have another body composition test done. if i've lost (+)10% of my FAT MASS (not overall body fat percentage!), i'll get 20$ back. the rest goes towards the prize money for the winner. the winner is the person who has the biggest decrease in fat mass (as a %).

the program i have elected to follow is primal. one of the main differences between paleo and primal is that a primal diet allows for some dairy. basically, it's the philosophy that it's more important to eat, move and live according to how humans were designed and not according to society's artificial developments of the last 100 years.

i toyed with the idea of participating in the challenge without the financial obligation. but, i figured it's better to take the risk and go all in. and believe me, i'm in. plus, the financial incentive is enticing. ;)

this week's meals/snacks

breakfast

- broccoli quiche

lunch

- arugula & blueberry salad with raspberry vinaigrette

- cranberry tuna salad

dinner

- zucchini carbonara

- curry coconut meatballs

snacks

- nutty blueberry protein balls

- tropical avocado and shrimp

- chicken egg drop soup

wish me luck!! :D

february

- church @ summit

- monthly offering (29$)

- occf (3-4 days/week)

- 30 day nutrition challenge starts 2.13

- occf goals (pull ups & double unders)

- deliver painting

- massage

- build/paint/install fc surround/desk

- sort tubs/etc. in bonus room

- bag/tag/deliveries for goodwill, blbc, nrmcts

- paintings for spring birthdays

- quit

- occf ladies' night @ wine & design, 2.9

- dogsit/housesit 2.2-2.7

- get a p/t job

- occf weightlifting clinic - back squat, 2.18

- job search continues...

church @ summit

+ monthly offering

+ join a small group done-wednesdays @ 7

+ meet new people

spend more time in the Word

oak city crossfit

+ bmi testing 1/16 done but i'm not telling!

+ 6 wk goals: double unders and pull ups

change my diet/lifestyle (paleo, primal, caveman, etc.)

+ cut out processed (junk) foods

+ cut down & ultimately eliminate (daily) consumption of soda/sunkist

run in at least one 5-10k race

+ run for our heroes race in april

quit

read at least 4 books (aka watch less tv)

read & return lauren's book (not included in the 4)

complete projects in bonus room

+ file cabinet surround/desk project for dad's birthday

+ big tv/cabinet placement

+ art storage unit(s)

+ sort/etc. my stuff that lives there (outside storage unit??)

+ organize ikea cabinets

sort/organize/purge/donate/etc.

massage

JOB (search continues...)

finish touchups in bathroom/bedroom

take Bella to a dog park at least 1x/month

obtain a credit report (it's gotta be better by now!)

goals for january

-church @ summit done!

-monthly offering done!

-join a small group done!

-OCCF 3-4 days/week done!

-BMI Testing @ OCCF 1/16 done & i'm not telling!

-work on my goals at OCCF (6 week program to work on my pull ups and sequential double unders)

- deliver Wofford painting

-massage

-build/paint/stain file cabinet surround/table for bonus room

-sort/organize/purge/donate

-art box/toolbox

-start paintings for spring birthdays

-read more/watch less tv

-QUIT (i got 9 days over Christmas; now, doing it quickly makes me vomit. literally.)

-be a better intern at Apex trying!

-car insurance payment due 1/9 paid!

-job search continues

-monthly review with des for benefit continuation 1/26