New Years Eve Resolutions

I have this amazing email that comes to me every day of the week and sends positive thoughts my way (The Universe - www.tut.com). When I was thinking about my New Years Resolution I was wondering what I should be thinking about changing for 2011 or what more I could really want that I didn't have in 2010. Then, I read my email....

It said to "Give thanks that life is...just as it is (and that its been...just as its been).

There is no need to make a resolution or a wish for something you don't have in the new year. Just give thanks that you have what you have in this present moment and that you are so lucky to be here and have the friends and family that you do.

Happy New Year Everyone!

The Shopping Van

I hope that everyone had a lovely holiday. One of my favorite things to do over this time of year is go shopping (I enjoy it every other time of year too but that is besides the point). A few days after Christmas, I got to go antique shopping in Pennsylvania. Since we like to buy a lot of things, we need a large vehicle in which to haul around, well, our haul. The pictures below show a van, that has been raised up quite high, to jump over parking medians and go off-roading if the store ends up being somewhere off of the beaten path. This is the Shopping Van. This is the most amazing van that I have ever seen.

** Note the step stool needed to get into the Shopping Van.

**Also note, the humongous tires.

This Shopping Van was originally intended for hunting wild animals. Does hunting antique dishes and furniture count? I think so.

Happy Holidays!

I arrived home last night to be thrown into the holiday festivities within just half an hour. Since returning to Pennsylvania, I have had wine, cookies, wrapped gifts, and even "helped" with the Who Ham. By "helped" I mean taste tested... same with the cookies.

I WISH ALL OF YOU A SPARKLY, JOYFUL, AND GLORIOUS HOLIDAY SEASON FILLED WITH GOOD LAUGHS, GREAT FUN, AND WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Chasing Shoes

This entire weekend I have been shopping. I have been looking for gifts all over the city. As I do every year, I decided that it was time to get a gift for myself. I have worked hard this year. I got a promotion. I spent enough on everyone but myself - selfish, yes. I decided that the perfect gift for myself was a pair of beautiful navy silk platform shoes by Steve Madden that were on sale at Macy's. Unfortunately, they didn't have my size in any of their stores. Thankfully, they had a sale and the woman behind the counter told me that I could exchange at any other Steve Madden store in the city...she was wrong.

I went to the store uptown with receipt in hand and asked to exchange the size. The woman behind the counter acted as if I was about to rob her as she screamed out their policy. I left with my head hung prepared to return the shoes to Macy's. Then an amazing thought popped into my head. These new shoes were a gift, to myself yes, but a gift none the less. I got out my phone and called 3 other Steve Madden stores in the city before I found the shoe in the correct size. I walked to the store downtown and presented my case with a smile hoping that the lady behind the counter would be nicer than the first. When she asked for my receipt I said "These were a gift" with the biggest smile (my mother always said to kill 'em with kindness). It worked! She exchanged the shoes for my correct size and I walked out of the store a happy girl.

Exercise TV

I have heard about this myth for quite some time now. Exercise classes through the television? Whenever you want? For as long as you want? No need to go to an actual class or step out in the cold to listen to an annoying teacher and be embarrassed by all of the gym class addicts that make you look like you have been sitting on the couch for 20 years? Sign me up!

In the past when I had heard about this channel, I searched through my entire TV lineup with no luck. I had even called the cable company. No luck. Finally, tonight, I stumbled upon this magical channel. Never ever have I been so excited for a show before (with the exception of any of the Real Housewife Reunion shows).

10 minute abs and 10 minute butt has already been completed tonight. The only sad part about those shows is that I am exhausted already and I almost kicked my "Christmas tree" over by accident. I can't wait for tomorrow when I wake up and begin my day with a little yoga. Let's hope the tree makes it through the rest of the week.

Pre and Post Date Jitters

This weekend I had one of the best dates ever. It spanned the entire day and was truly amazing, however, there were definitely nerves involved on my end. Before the date officially starts and throughout it, there are a few things that run through a girls head...this is what was running through mine. Crazy, I know.

1) What to wear - Many girls worry about this. I had the distinct challenge of making my outfit work from afternoon to night while still being comfortable and trying to remain warm. Thankfully, the weather cooperated and I wasn't completely freezing which allowed me to wear something a little cuter. A silky top and black pants did the trick perfectly. My mother suggested that I wear my new fur coat. It was too warm out for it but wearing a fur on a first date might be a bit much. It might scream High Maintenance.

2) What shoes to wear - Once you have figured out your outfit, or even before the outfit, the shoes need to be decided upon. I needed something that would be comfortable but also a little sexy. I love high heels but they aren't really practical for walking around the city all day. I wore my suede heeled boots that also conveniently have Dr. Scholl's inserts in them to make sure they are extra squishy for the long city blocks.

3) How to wait patiently - After you have cleaned your apartment from top to bottom, done all of your laundry, and finished your makeup all there is to do is wait. He rings the buzzer and you frantically decide that you need to look busy, not so buttoned up. You don't think until after that he probably doesn't notice at all, but you rush around to find something "to do" quickly. In a pinch, I opened up my computer to pretend to check my emails. The first email that I clicked on was a forward about God and religion. Ohh shit... I heard footsteps at the door. I couldn't throw a religious email up because you can't say "Hello, I was just checking my email and ohh yeah, what are your religious views and beliefs by the way?" I decided just to click on an email from a girlfriend about holiday planning. Again, he didn't notice nor did he care and my nerves went right out of the window once he stepped in the door...until....

4) What to eat for lunch - If you are nervous, your stomach can get a little funny, at least mine does. I hadn't eaten breakfast and then we go to lunch and I wasn't really even hungry then. What to order was quite difficult if it is bar food and you sometimes get sick from it. It is difficult to order a salad from a bar unless you want to look like a crazy dieter. So I stuck with the suggestion of sharing the meal since he mentioned that he wasn't super hungry either - maybe he was nervous too.

5) What to do when you run into mutual friends on the street that don't know the two of you are talking - Go with the flow. Join them for a drink and catch up. It will end up being fun.

6) What to do when you realize you really actually like this guy - Don't fuck it up.

Celebrate You And Me

For the past few days and for a few more throughout the weekend, I have been and will be in celebration mode. There has truly been so many great things that deserve attention in the past few days and weeks that a party must be had.

1) Promotion Celebration - This week, I got promoted. Finally. This is something that has been in the works for such a long time that when it finally happened, it didn't even seem like a real accomplishment. Thankfully, my friends saw it another way. They celebrated with an impromptu bottle of champagne and a mini get together with friends. It was something that made me immediately grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life. These people make sure that you are appreciated even if you are feeling a little less than underwhelmed by your own hard work and determination finally paying off. I should have been toasting them!

2) Holiday Celebration - Since we are officially in the full swing of the holiday season, there had to be a party to celebrate the holidays with the people that I work with. We went out last night and had ourselves a very merry blast. Unfortunately, we didn't get to celebrate the year before, however, we made up for missing last years with quite a few drinks and a lot of crazy dancing. Another mini celebration also happened during the holiday party...

2.5) Food Celebration - Last week I was on a cleanse and I continued it through out this week, until last night that is. We went to the Heartland Brewery on 34th and 5th...they are known for great fried food. I was craving and loving every second of this greasy fatty food that I forgot that I hadn't really had major carbs for a solid week. While having a beer, I started to feel so full and a little queasy due to all of the grease that the food celebration ended abruptly.

3) Love Celebration - Tomorrow, I am celebrating my friend's new found man friend. I will not say "boyfriend" until it is official, however, it could be any day now. I am meeting him for the first time and I cannot wait. She lights up when she gets a text message from him and I haven't seen her do this with anyone in a really long time. I am celebrating love and friendship tomorrow (along with a few cocktails) because there should be so much more of it to go around for everyone!

Cleanse Day 4 of 3

Yes, silly right? Why waste all of that hard work for an entire weekend and blow it on a Monday - of all days. I slightly continued my cleanse by just having fruit in the morning and then a salad for lunch. Thankfully, I was busy at work again today so I didn't really have a lot of time to sit around and think about snacking.

I had a bowl of soup when I got home and then cheated a little with 2 small Dove Dark Chocolates....man, that's what I have been missing for the past 4 days. It is funny how amazing chocolate tastes after you haven't been allowed to eat it. I bet that bread and wine are going to be fantastic!

Cleanse Day 3 of 3

Today wasn't as awful as the past 2 days....and even those weren't that horrible. I only had one shake today and then the salmon, salad, and broccoli dinner around 6 pm. I am not telling you all the time by time synopsis of my day since I don't want anyone to judge me based on the time I got my lazy ass out of bed. Hey, if I slept longer, I wouldn't have to think about another of those shakes!

Yesterday, I didn't really notice that much of a change. Today, however, upon closer examination, I thought I started to see my turkey belly reside and my Thanksgiving thighs slim down just a little. What great results for only 3 days of having to watch what I was putting into my mouth. I might continue parts of the cleanse just for awhile. No more shakes for me, but the salad I can do. The lack of bread will have to be deeply considered (unless of course it is warm and flaky, then no thought is needed).

The one thing that I really did miss on this lovely weekend was, I am ashamed to say, red wine. It isn't because of the alcohol portion, at least I think so, but because of how great it makes any book that I am reading. Just the glass in my hand makes me feel calm and interesting...it also makes the words flow quite nicely together along the pages. I will have to be sure to have a little bit of substantial food before I have my next glass of wine though. Having any sort of a sip of wine on a partially empty stomach is just a bad idea. Or it might end up being a really fun idea :) Thank goodness its over!

Cleanse Day 2 of 3

The second day of this cleanse has gone a little better. Maybe it is because it is Saturday :)

9:00am - Woke up and realized that I would have to have that crappy shake. Went back to bed

10:00am - Cooked the egg whites and had the berries on the side and didn't blend it all together. A much better idea and much tastier.

10:30am - 2:00pm - Holiday shopping. Found all of my gifts and didn't even yell at the woman who so rudely ran into me and didn't say "sorry." That is New York for ya.

2:30pm - Bought a shake from Equinox, the gym. They made it exactly how I wanted, minus the egg whites.

3:00pm - Gift wrapping with Christmas music was lovely.

4:00pm-6:00pm - Reading and naptime. All of that wrapping wore me out.

7:00pm - Made the salmon, broccoli, and the salad. Lots of green isn't it?

Cleanse Day 1 of 3

After realizing that I ate Thanksgiving dinner more than 5 times, I decided that it was time to do something other than eat. A cleanse was in order. Today I started Dr. Perricone's Metabolic Diet. Why did I choose this one? I can still eat a little :)

Day 1:

7:30am - Found out that my blender wasn't working as nicely as I had hoped. This lead to chunky fruit in my not so smooth smoothie.

8:00am - Smoothie not so bad. Wish there was more of it.

8:30am - Already hungry... drinking water to fill my stomach.

9:00am - A coworker brought in apple pie. I considered eating a piece since apples are technically fruit. I decided that I wouldn't go down so fast and I declined the buttery sugary goodness of a pie.

11:00am - Got super angry at the messenger service who made me go up and downstairs 3 times to give him a coat. Why would they think I would go around the corner to hand it to him when he could enter the building and wait in the nice warm lobby. I swear I didn't get angry because I was hungry.

11:30am - Cannot wait to have my 2nd smoothie... having tea while I wait for "Lunch".

12:30pm - Drinking my not so smooth smoothie #2 for the day. Tasting a little gross now. The raw egg whites just got to me.

1:00 - Downing a glass of water. Maybe it will take away the eggy taste. Also note, that a full berry shake needs to be followed with toothpaste since it stains your teeth and leaves fruit bits all over the place.

1:00-4:00 - Thankfully busy at work and running around that I forgot how hungry I was. Also thankful that I didn't get angry with anyone.

6:30 - Dinner time. Trying to time the salmon and the salad and the broccoli to all be ready at the same time in a tiny kitchen was almost disastrous. I dropped a tiny piece of broccoli on the floor and thought about throwing it back into the pot of water. I am hungry, just not that hungry.

7:00 - Pure Heaven. Full and Happy.

8:00 - Wishing this diet had snacks.

8:05 - Really wishing this diet had snacks.

Tomorrow is a new day. A new day with very very little food.