Category: Healthy Living

Lockdown Life: Staying Alive

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It’s been over a month since quarantine began, and people have started to protest and demand that life return to normal. I feel so terrible for the people who have lost their jobs since this started. What’s wild is that the protesters I’ve seen have been demanding people return to work so they can get their hair done, go to restaurants, and socialize again. I don’t see anyone protesting to say they miss their jobs and their paychecks. It feels very privileged. I feel like people don’t realize that people are dying from this thing.

Speaking of privileged, my life hasn’t changed much since the outbreak. As a result, as much as I miss the normalities of being with friends and going to Disney, I’m in a chill bubble and content to sit and wait this out until it’s safe to visit my grandma again. A lot of people are in the same situation for me but are not taking this experience… well.

Rather than talk about my favorite things this month, I want to dedicate this post to the things that are keeping me sane during this quarantine. I am keeping my cool and feeling happy thanks to the following things:

1. Deleted scenes of “The Office.” If it weren’t obvious, my favorite television show of all time is “The Office.” It ended seven years ago (wow), but it’s probably the most watched television series on Netflix. I have probably seen it a hundred times by now, and yes, hundreds seems like a small number, but if I’ve watched the show almost every day for ten years… excuse me, it’s time for me to do math.

Okay, if I’ve watched the show 350 days out of the year, for an hour a day, for ten years, I have watched 3,500 hours of “The Office.” Yikes. But not yikes, because it makes me happy!

As a result, I still love it, but I know the episodes practically by heart. In the past month, particularly in the past week, I’ve found compilations of deleted scenes from the show. It’s like watching the show for the first time all over again! It just brings a smile on my face.

2. Baking. It’s not exactly helping my goal to be healthy, but I’ve been taking the whole “studies say baking relieves stress” theory to heart. I’ve made incredible chocolate chip cookies, dulce de leche cookies, and today, I made fried Oreos! I have plans to make “slutty” brownies (I hate that name. Why did we call them that? You could bring these to your bake sale and then your step-grandparent is all “Wow, these are great! What do you call these?” What do you say to that) this Friday, and when they run out I am making M&M cookies. I feel inspired.

3. “Crazy Ex Girlfriend.” Did I start watching this only three days ago? Yes. Do I want to forsake all other forms of entertainment until I finish it? Yes. This show has everything: musical numbers, Jewish moms, that one Disney prince who CANNOT BE TRUSTED. It’s truly remarkable and funny and I love it and I don’t wanna go to sleep until I finish this season. Unless it ends with a cliffhanger. Gosh I hope it doesn’t end with a cliffhanger.

4. “Couch to 5K.” I am “fittish,” which means I work out a lot and would probably be unstoppable if I cared enough to change my diet to match my healthy tastes. I like to walk the treadmill and get cardio from the elliptical and this “gazelle” machine that’s like a stairmaster/elliptical hybrid. What do those things have in common? They’re cardio machines. I don’t have access to such equipment. To get in my cardio, I started jogging with “Couch to 5K.” It’s about thirty minutes, three times a week, of fresh air and exercise. I get to listen to music and think about everything and nothing. I gotta be honest, it feels great!

5. Writing. Between journaling and “escapril,” I feel so creatively channeled into my mind. I’m being honest without being dark. It’s refreshing!

I feel very lucky to be in a situation where I still have my job (which has been busy as of late), my health, and almost 8 years’ worth of long-distance friendshipping. As the Nutella topping, I have Aaron. Getting to have lunch with him and give him hugs throughout the day makes everything even better. I am feeling so grateful to have him through all of this. I have great people in my life. Them, plus these distractions, are making my life livable.

I hope that people respect the current quarantine limitations. I want everyone to return to their normal, but the more we don’t take the rules seriously, the more exposed we will be to COVID-19, and then we will be in lockdown for months. WAY more months than need be. I hope people find better ways to pass the time than yelling at the doctors treating the patients. Or at least, some self-esteem. The most photographed protesters are people with ugly hair (objectively ugly, like too long or natural roots). Hair isn’t everything. Stay safe, love yourself, and please, stay inside.

Because if anyone messes with my “Hamilton” tickets or my end-of-year cruise I will be forced to riot.

Falling Not Failing: My 2020 Resolutions

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I am feeling quite disappointed in myself today. It is March 31st, with a new month on the horizon, and I REALLY missed the mark on my 2020 resolutions this month. I’d love to blame it on the lockdown and social distancing, but as Brit Hume once said, “Winners take responsibility. Losers blame others.”

I think today I want to look at my resolutions and reflect on why I didn’t meet my goals. This hurts me more than it hurts you, dangit!
1. Read 52 books – I started two books this month, and finished none. I decided to make all my books this month to be about women, by women, for women. I feel like a bad feminist for not getting this done.

via GIPHY. Saturday Night Live. “Weekend Update.” 2017. Performances by Tina Fey, Michael Che, and Colin Jost. Produced by Lorne Michaels.
2. Do pull ups – I spent the first half of this month tackling this head on, but then COVID happened, and my gym closed. Unfortunately, all my doors are too tall for me to place a pull-up bar in the doorway. I’ve been working my arms, back and shoulders doing home workouts to split the difference, but I’m not sure how effective it is.
3. Spend LESS. TIME. SCROLLING – This got SO much worse! You’d think with all the time at home I’d spend more time that I now have on more creative endeavors. No. BIG swing and a miss.
4. Write 104 blog posts – I managed to keep this one going!
5. Romantic trip with Aaron from Dec. 26 2020 – Jan. 2 2021 – Assuming this lockdown doesn’t last until December, all is still well here.
6. Stop engaging in schadenfreude – While there weren’t any intense rabbit holes, I definitely poked my head in more than once.
7. Take better care of my skin – My skin looks good! The skincare I have seems to be working for now.
8. Go stargazing – Haven’t gone yet. Too cold. COVID curfew.
9. Get a new job – In the beginning of the month, I churned out applications to each job I mildly had the ability to do well. I need to keep this up, but I think my timeframe isn’t as realistic with the whole world in a big freeze.
10. Do a handstand – I hope I can keep working on my upper body strength to pull this off, but I’ve also found a new way to work up to this goal.
11. Go see two of my favorite performers – Broadway shows are on hold during the lockdown. If we’re not out by July, and I miss my Hamilton date, I will riot.
12. Lose weight – No change at all, between me doing well and then cancelling it out with bad habits.
13. Give Aaron a great 26th birthday – My brain has hatched a few ideas for this.
14. Be a better friend, wife, sister, daughter, and granddaughter – I made a lot of effort towards this goal. I am adjusting pretty well to this lockdown, but a lot of my friends are going stir crazy and anxious. I think I’ve done a good job of being present for them. I went home and surprised my family with a visit this past weekend and I think that made a big difference! I’ve been working to strike a balance of being there for my friends who need it, while also giving Aaron quality time. However, I only called my grandfather once in the past two weeks. He and my grandmother don’t have company with them right now at all because none of us want to accidentally give them the sickness, and I can’t believe that I didn’t make more time to call them or write them or something.
15. Be happy – In general, this month was okay, but I definitely feel crummy today. I had a rough start to my morning and things didn’t get much better from there.

I know I will feel better when I’ve accomplished my goals. I feel so tired at the end of the day that I just want to do nothing. I just stare at my phone until I get up and go to bed. I hate feeling so numb to the world, and I know that when I have kids I’ll have to spend that time in the evening checking homework and doing carpool and providing my kids with love and attention, while still being a good supportive wife and sharing some of that time to just be with Aaron.

I want to take this as a learning opportunity to shift towards a more promising way to get past these bigger missteps:

  1. Read 52 books. I will read these books. I bought them and I will finish them. To that effect, I will have something to write about as far as my monthly reads for March. Coming soon! In April, I will be focusing mainly on poetry. Poetry collections aren’t really three hundred pages of tiny type, they’re more nuanced but shorter. When I finish my four books this month, I hope I can revisit at least one of these books.
  2. Spend LESS. TIME. SCROLLING. I need to enable a rule about this. Maybe a few. Here’s a challenge: I can only scroll from sunrise to sunset. No more spending hours in bed scrolling!
  3. Stop engaging in schadenfreude. In my bouts of schadenfreude, I never felt satisfied. I recognized (and then stopped) in the moment, “Hang on a second, this isn’t making me happy.” I felt frustrated or angry. I need to let it go.
  4. Lose weight – I am at an unhealthy weight. Forget looks, I don’t feel good. I feel sluggish and weak. I need to put more stock into what I eat and how I keep active.
  5. Be a better friend, wife, sister, daughter, and granddaughter – I will contact them twice a week every week in April.

I am a big believer in “there is no failure, only failure to try.” I have not abandoned my resolutions, even if I haven’t done as well with them as I would like. I will fall seven times, but stand up eight!

Will Do I Got This GIF by The New Celebrity Apprentice - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

Updated Morning Routine (of my dreams)

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The COVID-19 lockdown continues! While the governor of my sunshine state has yet to implement a full-on statewide shutdown, mayors of major cities have implemented similar policies like curfews and closing all non-essential businesses. As I’ve stated a few times now, my office is remote until mid-April. That’s assuming this lasts only as long as they think it will.

officecovid
Image from Reddit, based off “Dinner Party”. The Office. NBC. 10 April 2008.

The remote work enables me to have a new lifestyle for the foreseeable future. I used to wake up at 5AM to workout and look presentable before leaving for work at 6:55 in the morning. Nowadays I’m rolling out of my bed at 7:57 to start my 8AM workday in my PJs.

I don’t want that, though. I want to take the time to have a concrete morning and more sleep.

I want my morning routine to have the following:

  • Water
  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Workout
  • Skin Routine
  • Shower
  • SOME makeup

So let’s pretend this is my every day routine:

I wake up at 6am and immediately brush my teeth and put on workout clothes. I go downstairs and drink a glass of water, then stretch my legs and meditate for five to ten minutes. After that I do my workout (which is about thirty minutes of work), then feed the cats at 7am. Until 7:30 I either walk my kitchen (gotta get my steps!) or do some yoga. I’ll have another glass of water and then pop in the shower. When I get out of the shower I wash my face and put on the bare minimum makeup (eyebrows, mascara, liner if I intend to leave my house later, and chapstick). It takes about ten minutes to straighten my hair, so I’ll straighten my hair and then put on something cute but cozy. I’ll head downstairs at 7:55 to turn on my computer and have one more glass of water prior to logging on to start my workday!

An intention’s been set. Now to execute!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COVID-19: An International Reality

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Last Sunday I hopped online to document the latest information/thoughts on COVID-19, or the “Coronavirus.” Cases in America are rising, though things seem to be deescalating in other countries. That said, things are deescalating because countries are shutting down everything non-essential. Trade from other countries has essentially ceased. Movie theatres are closed until further notice. Everyone is focused on containment. America is doing their best, but there are still plenty of people partying it up down here for Spring Break. Meanwhile, my company is going full-remote, with only the absolute essentials working in office, until April 17.

Image from Giphy. Forgetting Sarah Marshall . Directed by Nicholas Stoller. Performances by Kristin Bell, Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, and Russell Brand. Apatow Productions and Universal Pictures, 2008.

I’m one of the lucky ones, as some people are out of work and headed to the unemployment line so they can keep their lives afloat while their non-essential jobs are placed on hold. It’s overwhelming to think about at times. I don’t know what’s happening with teachers, as public schools are shut down until things clear up more (though some schools are staying open as a shelter and providing food to students in need). It is a truly scary time.

The nation is working hard to keep things moving: the CDC is working ’round the clock to get enough tests and vaccine trials. Money is being injected into the economy to help things from collapsing too much. Local governments are implementing total lockdowns to keep people safe. My own county has a sunrise/sunset curfew, with all restaurants being take out and delivery only.

The masses are reacting in their own way: yelling at people for going outdoors and living life normally (the main exception seems to be that it’s okay to go get takeout from your local small business). Celebrities are having hit-or-miss moments of “doing their part” online.

The hits: John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, among others, are doing livestream concerts. Jimmy Fallon has been doing his late-night show, to the best of his ability, from his house. Josh Gad (Olaf from “Frozen”) has been reading children’s books on his Instagram. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, among others, have donated millions to food banks in both the United States and Canada. Though not technically “celebrity,” companies like Disney and NBCUniversal are releasing their movies on Digital Demand and streaming so people can actually enjoy them. Is it probably just a way to not miss out on their box office boons? Sure. And yet, I will benefit. They put “Frozen 2” and “The Invisible Man” on streaming. I’m set.

The misses: Evangeline Lily posted that she dropped her kids off at their extracurriculars and carrying on with her life, because she “values her freedom.” Many people thought that was selfish (to the point that Sansa Stark herself, Sophie Turner, hopped on Instagram live to encourage people to not be selfish and to follow the rules to stay indoors, with a sly dig at Evangeline’s “freedom” values). As well, both Sam Smith and Ellen DeGeneres received criticism this week for sharing their frustrations on social media, essentially saying “We’re all in this together, I’m miserable and feeling trapped too.” I’m pretty sure it’s a lot easier to be trapped in your house when your house is a 7 million dollar mansion with a pool, fitness center, and movie theatre. Simultaneously, much to my dismay, Gal Gadot released an Instagram video of an a capella rendition of “Imagine” (by John Lennon), sung by her and a few other celebrities. Kind of hard to hear “Imagine no possessions” from a multi-millionaire. That’s the kind of thing that led Lennon to be assassinated. My gentle sweet Wonder Woman, no. I know of all things you believe in love, but God bless, this was not it. Still looking forward to “Wonder Woman: 1984.” Love you.

Image from Giphy. “Cooperative Calligraphy.” Community. NBC. 11 November 2010. TV.

A notable phenomenon has been the hypothetical situations that people have posed during this required quarantime. There are two options: you will either emerge having been productive, written that novel, dieted while saving money on your food rations, or eat all your quarantine snacks three days in and spend your time watching Netflix and Hulu, emerging looking like you’re straight out of Wall-E.

I personally want to find my happy medium. I have finished the first season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and I’m slated to watch “Stranger Things” tomorrow with a friend. A happy plus: Google Chrome has an extension called “Netflix Party,” where you can share screens and watch movies together. I watched “Confirmed Kills” with two friends yesterday, and have scheduled another “movie night” for next Friday. Fun fun!

That said, I am, again, one of the lucky ones who still has work. I will be spending eight hours a day at work, like normal. That said, things have slowed down somewhat. I can use lulls to read, write, and walk laps around my kitchen. I wish I had a treadmill.

I want to emerge with a tight hair and makeup routine, and know how to add individual lashes. I also kind of want to learn French finally. Polish my Spanish, learn French, basic Italian. I know it sounds ambitious, but they’re saying this quarantine could last until July. That’s over three months! I’m also hoping to get better at home workouts, which have never been my strong suit. I don’t want to live off processed food and lose any healthy habits I actually have.

Iasip Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia GIF from Iasip GIFs

Image from Tenor. “Frank’s Pretty Woman.” It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia . FX. 15 September 2011. TV. 

During this time of isolation, I have no excuse to not indulge in some personal growth and mental development. I should not emerge in a thick wave of cheeto-dust. No matter how tempting that sounds. To quote Thomas Paine, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” To quote Shakespeare’s Richard III, “Now is the winter of our discontent”. To quote Salvador Dali, “Whoa, things are getting so weird that it looks like those clocks are melting.”

Woman Crush Wednesday Part 2: The Second One

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Today is Wednesday, March 18, and COVID-19 has led to the shutdown and lockdown of major cities and public businesses. People across the world are encouraged to stay in their homes and away from crowds. My office is remote for the rest of the week and will likely stay that way until the end of next week. Schools are closing nationwide. Restaurants are serving at half-capacity with a strong preference for delivery and pickup. I went for a quick grocery trip today and the store was clear of paper products, rice, and frozen waffles. Also someone took all the good vegan food, which I think was pretty rude.

That said, one of the biggest patterns we’re seeing is that fitness centers are either at limited hours or completely closed. My gym, for example, is shut down for the rest of the month. I’m getting over being sick, so I haven’t worked out at all since Sunday. That said, I’m ready to get back in the game.

Keeping with the spirit of Women’s History Month, I follow a few fitness/healthy lifestyle influencers that are (or at least, appear to be, I’ve never met them) fun, optimistic, and yes, very much in shape. I’ve seen a few of them release a few “at-home” workouts to keep the spirits (and gains) high. Lack of access to the gym shouldn’t get in the way of your goals!

Here’s a few of my favorite workout women (and a link to a workout that will whoop some butt)!

    • Whitney Simmons. This cutie patootie has been at the top of my list for a WHILE. She has been open about every aspect of her fitness journey, from her life as a high school athlete turned cut from the college team. When I first found her videos she had recently quit her job to pursue Youtube and fitness full-time. She’s since partnered with Gymshark, one of the leading athletic wear companies in the Western hemisphere, including a limited edition line that sold out in minutes, and kickstarted 2020 with the launch of her own fitness app. She is super optimistic and a great role model! She’s also VERY good at makeup, I wish I could do my eyebrows as well as she does.

 

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  • Nikki Blacketter. I first discovered Nikki in my Pinterest account. I thought she looked like the actress who plays Jordan on “Scrubs,” (Christa Miller), and I thought “Wow, how old is this photo?! She’s pretty in “Scrubs” but WOW! Isn’t she in her fifties?! She looks incredible!!” It wasn’t her, but it was Nikki! I fell down a rabbit hole of her videos, and not only is she super fit, but she once competed in weight lifting competitions! She’s also partnered with Gymshark (and considers Whitney a best friend), and is a pretty avid gamer. She also has a fluffy white cat named Max. He seems like a good boy.

 

  • Keltie O’Conner. Oh, Canada! Keltie has played every sport from here to Ontario, and has taken on every fitness challenge out there on Youtube. She wound up on trending after sharing a video of a crazy transformation following Tom Brady’s crazy intense diet (Tom Brady, the football player… married to model turned advocate, Gisele Bundchen. FORESHADOWING). She is a Golden lab in human form, and even when talking about serious topics like mental health, she always has a smile. She ends all her videos with “Go pet a dog!” She spoke recently about feeling crazy anxiety when she first started out on Youtube. Now she’s modeled in Nike ads. A glow up if ever there was one.

 

  • Alexis Ren. They used to call Gisele Bundchen “The Body.” Gisele will forever be the queen, but I would argue that if Gisele is the body of the early 2000s, then Alexis Ren is the body of the mid 2010s. She gained popularity on Tumblr and Instagram, and her popularity exploded when her then-boyfriend Jay Alvarrez shared videos of their desirable travel diaries across the world. Think skydiving, backflips off of cliffs, and yes, blue-ass water. Alexis has since gone on to compete in “Dancing with the Stars,” along with landing the cover of “Maxim” and “Rookie of the Year” award from “Sport’s Illustrated.” She spends most of her time (when not working) traveling and advocating for green environmental causes. Beautiful soul to match the bod!

 

As an added bonus: Allie Michelle, one of the Woman Crush Wednesday of last week’s entry, is offering free classes on meditation and breath-work for the masses trapped at home! Mind and spirit counts just as much as the physical body!

People are concerned about going stir-crazy and getting flabby on the lockdown snacks (it’s me. I’m people. I baked massive cookies last night). These ladies are keeping calm and carrying on, and so should we all!

 

And then the Plague came…

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Earlier this year there were, as they say, “rumblings.” A virus had developed in China, a common cold that seemed more serious than the sniffles. At first people shrugged it off, but not for long. Tourists began arriving from the affected areas into the US and Europe, and soon, COVID-19, or “Coronavirus,” began to present itself across Italy, the UK, and eventually, the US.

Millennials did what we do best: made memes and took advantage of quickly dropping in price international flights. Places that are typically packed with tourists soon became ghost towns.

coronavirusmeme
Taken from KnownYourMeme. Twitter user DijahSB.

Things escalated quickly as more and more cases began appearing in America. The president went from “This is just a more aggressive common cold” to “this is a national emergency and we’re shutting down the borders.”

Over the course of the past three days, companies have put employees on remote work, emptying out offices until further notice. Disney, Universal Studios, and Seaworld are closed until the end of the month. Schools have closed. Hospitals are on high alert. Experts are declaring “social distancing,” IE, everyone stay indoors and don’t interact with anyone until this all ends.

Pharmacies, grocery stores, and anywhere else you can think of are depleted of water, frozen foods, and hand sanitizer. Oh, and toilet paper. For some reason people got into fistfights over toilet paper. I blame Chuck.

supernaturalisthisthefirstgifofsupernaturalonthisbloghowisthatpossible
Image from Giphy. “The End.” Supernatural. The WB/CW. 1 October 2009. TV.

It’s gotten to the point that most of digital society is saying “Take advantage of those shows that you’ve been meaning to watch on Netflix. Don’t go to bars because of the lack of crowds. Don’t risk infecting people.” Jerks like me are only too happy to oblige. That said, it makes me think about all the things I want to enjoy when the “social distance” period ends. I want to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. I want to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I want to visit the Riverwalk with Aaron. I can’t wait to go and enjoy public places with people I love. I was one of the people who contemplated “Wait. Buy a cheap flight. Go see ‘Mean Girls’ on Broadway.” or “Go fly to Boston and hang with the girls.” It didn’t last, because I’ve since fallen ill to the actual common cold.

In times like these, I will be nursing myself back to health and expressing gratitude for the fact that I am healthy and able-bodied. People like me will likely recover from coronavirus if infected by treating ourselves to cold medicine and bedrest like any other common cold. Those with heart, lung, or compromised immune system issues do not fare so well. It’s heartbreaking and scary. I am staying indoors and away from the gym until I feel 100% and even when I feel better, I will be sticking to the treadmill until the COVID-19 virus settles.

I am personally looking forward to watching the following:

  • Big Little Lies
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Stranger Things
  • Elite

I will also be finishing up the years of paperwork I need to do, from finishing my Thank You notes, my name-change paperwork, and (ugh) my taxes. I can’t wait.

If you’re reading this, wash your hands, air-hug, and stay indoors. Don’t panic. If everyone does their part, we will all emerge from this wiser and healthy.

wereallgonnadieatlantis
Image from Tumblr. Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, performances by Florence Stanley, Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Cree Summer, Don Novello, and Phil Morris. Walt Disney/Buena Vista Pictures, 2001.

February Wrap-Up: How we doin?

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Happy Fat Tuesday! Or is it “National Pancake Day?” Maybe it’s both. Either way, it’s the last Tuesday of the month. Time for a full month’s reflection!

  1. Read 52 books – I am on book 3 of the month, and I think I will have it finished by tonight! I am very excited about my progress. I’ll discuss my books later, but for now, I’ll just say that this month’s reads felt a bit lighter.

    via GIPHY

  2. Do pull ups – I had Aaron “spot” me at the gym to help me improve my form. According to him, I’m very close to getting it! I’ve been using my muscles the wrong way, so I’ve started adding lat pull-downs to my workout. I feel like I’m still using the wrong muscles, but I’ll keep trying.
  3. Spend LESS. TIME. SCROLLING.  – Not great Bob. I really need to focus on this one in the new month. I think that my phone is straight up a crutch. I need to leave it at home.
  4. Write 104 Blog Posts – I think I’m doing well with this! I like writing, it keeps me focused.
  5. Romantic Trip with Aaron from Dec. 26 – Jan. 2 – Should I keep writing about this one if I’ve already completed it? Mission accomplished? I think I’ll skip this one moving forward unless something happens and our trip gets cancelled (and therefore need to reschedule/get a new trip).
  6. Stop engaging in schadenfreude – I think I’m doing better with this one! I can’t remember the last “scandalous” or “gossip” video I watched. I may have fallen down one or two twitter threads, but that’s not bad considering how long I used to scroll comments and Reddit forums of passive aggression. I’ve been trying to flip my mindset in general to be focused more on when people do something nice. I think that helps, too!
  7. Take better care of my skin – This is going well! I signed up for a facial membership and got new products. I’ve started using a Neutrogena scrub on my back because for some reason my body has decided now, at 25, is a good time for me to get crazy bad bacne. Lord, beer me strength. I’m using the skincare my facialist provided me on my face and chest, but the Neutrogena scrub on my back and shoulders. I’m going to be rigorous with both and see which side of me looks better. If all else fails and I don’t see results after 3 months, I’ll go to a dermatologist. I got invited to a wedding in December and I’ve got a dress that would look great if I lose the bacne and do well with resolution 12.

    kourtneyskin
    Image from Google Results. It’s Kourtney Kardashian.

  8. Go stargazing – Not yet, but it’s still cold outside at night! March and April will hopefully be warmer but not sticky, so I can enjoy it more!
  9. Get a new job – I have a projected timeline of being out by this summer. Hopefully by the end of next month I can say “I’m out cub scout!”
  10. Do a handstand –  I had Aaron “spot” me with this one too! He recommended I practice getting closer to the wall to build up my strength. I’ve hit a mental wall because when I get off the wall, my shoes scuff the paint. No one’s saying anything but even if I wipe the wall I just wipe off the paint. You can see the streaks of my shoes if you look at the wall. I think if I press my luck more I will get caught and have to pay for the wall to get repainted. IN MY DEFENSE THAT WALL HAS BEEN BLUE FOR THE PAST HOWEVER MANY MONTHS. WHY IS PAINT COMING OFF WHEN I WIPE THE WALL WITH A SINGLE CLOROX WIPE.
  11. Go see two of my favorite performers – The performers previously mentioned are still not on tour. John Mulaney added dates for a venue in Canada, but I think that’s for taping a live show/Netflix special. The rest are still MIA (save, again, for Billie’s tour next month that would be too expensive). I decided to commit to my January suggestion and aim to see “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Hamilton.” And… mission accomplished! I’m seeing “Dear Evan Hansen” in April and “Hamilton” on Broadway in July! I can’t believe it! I’m finally seeing the two shows I’ve been dying to see for years! I can’t wait! I’m so happy!

    schuylersisters
    Hamilton: An American Musical. By Lin-Manuel Miranda, directed by Thomas Kail, 21 Apr. 2016, Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York, NY. Performance.

  12. Lose weight – Words cannot describe how much I’m tanking this one. I’m still eating too much sugar (and not the good sugar from fruit, like.. handfuls of chocolate chips from the bag), and my body just REALLY doesn’t care that my brain wants me to be healthier. I hope that I can say I’ve made more progress by this time next month. I’m really embarrassed by my lack of progress here.
  13. Give Aaron a great 26th birthday – Aaron and I haven’t fully discussed his birthday yet. I’ve been determining better weekends for me to go up to Boston to see my friends and see my family in New York, and I’ve set aside both the weekend before and after his birthday (his birthday is a WEDNESDAY) to make sure we have a nice time. I think he’d like going to St. Augustine or maybe even Sarasota, but I am not sure he even knows what he wants. I’m taking down random gift ideas he has (basically every time he wants something I write it down somewhere) so I can at least get him a good gift.
  14. Be a better friend, wife, sister, daughter, and granddaughter – I sent my grandpa a nice email yesterday catching him up on life. He doesn’t answer the phone much but I know he checks his email. I saw my dad last week and we talked about the current political climate and his life. I think he’s not taking good enough care of himself because he has chronic back pain. He says his doctor says all he can do is medicate and then when he can’t take it anymore, do a very risky surgery. I refuse to believe that is all “Big Pharma” has to offer. My dad assures me that he knows what he’s doing and he’s doing great for someone his age. I don’t know if I believe him.

    caringloudlyatme
    Image from Giphy. “Pilot”. Parks and Recreation . NBC. 9 April 2009.

    I’ve done a better job of checking in with my brother, but my sister went through kind of a rough patch and rather than keeping in touch with her, I gave her space. She told me that disappointed her and I felt awful about it. I know now when I need to be present and when I need to give her time to herself. In this context, I decided to go home in two weeks to be with both her and my mom for a “Girls’ Weekend.” I think that’ll be really good for us! As far as Aaron is concerned, I feel like our relationship gets better and better with each day that we’re together. He’s working really hard and I’m sharing my encouragement and support regularly. I love him and I ask him regularly how to be better. He doesn’t have many complaints, lucky me 🙂 I’ve made time for each of my friends this month, too! Between birthday parties and future travel plans, I think everyone knows I love and appreciate them. At least, I hope they do!

  15. Be happy – I had a really great month. I wish I were making more solid progress on items nine and twelve. I think if I make steadfast progress on both next month, I’ll be really solid on this resolution!

I think this helps me confirm what my focus should be in March: lose weight and get that end-date! Again, my actual weight right now is NO ONE’S BUSINESS, but it is a goal. I HAVE SPOKEN.

gamesetmatchlinetti
Image from Pinterest. “The Apartment.”Brooklyn Nine-Nine . FOX/NBC. 25 February 2014.

Wake Up Well: My Morning Routine

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Today was a lovely day! I slept in and snuggled with the kittens and Aaron before meeting my friends at the Farmer’s Market for her birthday. It was my first time there and I am so going back next weekend! All these artisans and gourmet foods with live music, all in one place. I cannot believe I had never gone before today!

Right now, I’m binge watching episodes of “Broad City” while waiting for my laundry to finish. My goal for tonight is to have my laundry washed, dried, and hung up before 8PM (it’s 5PM now), and have my hair washed and a fresh manicure done, too! I like to be in bed and asleep by 10PM. It gives me about seven hours of sleep before my 5AM wakeup! I like referring to it as my “call-time,” like I’m a model or an actress, and my wake-up time is the time I’m supposed to be on set and ready. Typically, my biggest task when I wake up is to get to the gym, and then to work on-time. That said, there’s a certain schedule I follow to maximize my time and get in the best frame of mind before I begin my 9-5 office job. Here’s my current morning routine:

  • 5:00 – 5:05: Brush teeth… among other things. A girl’s gotta go when a girl’s gotta go! Clean my pearly whites and put in my contact lenses to ACTIVATE MY VISION.
  • 5:05 – 5:15: This is when I’ll stretch and clear my mind. I’ll turn on some calming music to meditate. I can shake off any nightmares, or jump-start my brain and body for my workout!
  • 5:15 – 5:20: Gym clothes change! Ditch the jammies and put on my workout clothes. I’ll always take my clothes out the night before to save time!
  • 5:25 – 5:30: Hydrate and walk to the gym! I’m not great about drinking water, but I’ll always try to get in one glass at the very least first thing in the morning. I’m one song’s walk away from my gym, too!
  • 5:30 – 6:15: Workout! I do strength training in the mornings, more often than not. It’s when I work on my handstands and pull-ups!
  • 6:15 – 6:30: Cooldown and rinse. I’ll walk home and jump in the shower to get clean for my workday! I’ll pause occasionally to turn on the coffee machine for Aaron, have another glass of water, and as of late, grab a can of cat food for the kids to have for breakfast!
  • 6:30 – 6:55: Makeup, hair and dress! Depending on the day, I’ll curl my hair or straighten it, and put on enough makeup to look alert for the day. I’ve been experimenting with my timing to add a bit more detail to my makeup!
  • 6:55 – 7:05: Wake-up call and walkout. By the time I’m dressed and ready for work, I’ll wake up Aaron (if the cats haven’t already), feed the cats, and roll out for the day!

On my best days, I’m out before 7AM and at my office by 7:40. I like showing up early to my office so I can turn on my computer, fill up my water bottle if I need to, or answer a text from my mom if she’s sent one. And yes, I like closing out work tasks before phone calls come in and things get busy!

What are your favorite ways to wake up in the morning?

via GIPHY

5 Ways to Be Perfect

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Something that I’ve seen discussed more and more in the past year is the concept of the “Imposter Syndrome.” For those who are scratching their heads, it’s a phenomenon in which you experience self-doubt in the extreme. You feel like you are unworthy of your accomplishments, and that every achievement you’ve made is an undeserved victory.

I think plenty of people can relate to this feeling! I can’t imagine how powerful we would be if we believed in ourselves. It’s hard to feel like you’re doing your best, like who you are is good enough, when we see people online who are miles ahead. You have people like Malala Yousafzai, who is a Nobel Prize laureate/advocate at 22, and then you have people like Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who are billionaires at 33. What’s a girl in her mid-twenties to do?

I’m currently watching America’s Next Top Model reruns with a cat on her shoulder, after stealing a few handfuls of chocolate chips from the jumbo bag. Suffice it to say, I’m not exactly the girl “who has it all together”! That said, I have a couple of different ways to help me feel like I am one of those people who has it all together. Here’s a few ways to put the “star” in “Impostar”!

  1. Wake up early. Benjamin Franklin once said “Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy and wise.” Okay, technically it’s “makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” But, as icon Cher once said, “Mom, I am a rich man.” I set my alarm for 5am each weekday, so I can wake up and BE awake before I go to the gym in the morning. I don’t set that alarm on the weekends, but I tend to wake up organically at 7 on the weekends! “Sleep is for the weak” is outdated these days. You know what’s the sign of a real champion? Getting your ish done, with seven hours!
  2. Look put together. It’s not about having the best clothes or the fanciest makeup! What matters is showing up and looking your best. Step one: look clean (three-day old eyeliner rings = not cute. I speak it from experience). Step two: look alert (find a five minute makeup look). Step three: know your style! My go-to outfit is a pair of jeans, a simple tee, and a long cardigan. It’s comfortable, but can be dressed up with the right accessories!
  3. Take 5… for EVERYTHING. Clean your space for five minutes. Go for a five minute walk. Meditate. If there’s things you want to get done, but can’t find the energy/time, do it for five minute. If you can get lost on Instagram for thirty minutes, you can get those dirty clothes off the floor and into your hamper.
  4. Read. Fun fact: All those successful people you admire? They all read. Find what you like and turn the page! You may learn something about others’ experiences, and you could learn something about yourself!
  5. Smile through it. Good days, bad days, when you want to cry, scream, set a cleansing fire, just smile. A positive attitude makes a world of difference! When accomplishing any goal, perseverance is everything!

I leave you with the words of my main man Kenneth Parcell:

A Masterpost: Part Two

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A few months ago, I put together a database of life hacks that models, actresses, and the everyday beautiful person uses to be attractive. It was arduous and took hours of research to put together this manifesto of hotness.

I don’t know why I decided to do a part two. This watered-down, more simplified version also took hours (admittedly, less hours, but hours nonetheless), and I will be putting myself to sleep immediately after I share what I have learned.

In the past few months, while my face has gotten consistently less problematic, I have much more noticeable acne on my back and chest. Granted, no one really sees the “bacne,” and I have never felt like the boob-appreciators in my office spend their conversations with me ogling my chest, but if you were to casually look down from my face in a conversation or catch me in a blouse that is loose-fitting around my shoulders, you’d see little breakouts or big red marks. It’s unbecoming and quite frankly, at twenty-five, embarrassing. I’m a relatively clean person (I’m known to occasionally leave dirty laundry on the floor), and for my skin to show something other than what I want to present makes me feel so insecure.

Thus commencing a deep-dive into what Google has to say about “bacne” and “chestne” (yes, even the terminology sounds gross). I found about thirteen articles (I didn’t even plan for it to be thirteen, my favorite number, but I guess I got lucky) detailing what will help with this problem. I condensed all thirteen articles into one top ten list, based on the items I saw in almost every single list.

Do you have acne in places only you can see, like me? Try out these ten tips and see if they help!

1. Shower after a workout (or at least wipe yourself down if you can’t immediately shower, and rinse when you get home. I live about ~300 steps from my gym, so I shower after my morning workout. That said, after a 30-minute treadmill walk at work, I regularly just change back into my work clothes and get back to my desk. I should wipe down more post-treadmill walk.

2. Use a fragrance free, benzoyl peroxide cleanser with salicylic acid. The generic scented soap you’re using? Chuck it. Benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria that causes acne, and salicylic acid, which exfoliates the skin.

3. Exfoliate twice a week. Use a chemical exfoliate, as physical ones can be a bit abrasive. A gentle scrub will slough off dead skin cells, which can clog pores and cause breakouts.

4. Keep your hair off your back. All those heavy mask products and conditioners can stay on your neck, shoulders and back, clogging your pores. Thankfully, my hair falls at the nape of my neck and I don’t want it to get much longer than that this year, but I did notice I poured out a big dose of conditioner today, suitable for a person with much longer hair than me. I think I could halve the conditioner I’ve been using!

5. Avoid tight fitting clothing and straps (like backpacks, handbags, and bra straps). I have noticed, for the past year, angry red marks on my shoulders and across my ribs when I take my bra off at the end of the day, and I don’t know what to make of it. At first I thought my bras were too tight, but they slide down my body every day, so I think I just need better bras. I also would love to spend this season in loose flowing shirts so my body wouldn’t feel so uncomfortable in every way!

6. Choose the right sunscreen (avoid oily products). I don’t put sunscreen anywhere except my face most days; when I leave for a day at Disney in the summer, I use a skincare-approved sunscreen. I don’t worry too much about this one! That said, the sun can darken your skin, including acne scars. So keep that in mind the next time you slather on SPF 5 tanning oil instead of sunscreen!

7. Use a medicated spray on hard-to-reach places. Have a spot in a place you can’t reach? Grab a spray and spray behind your back. No matter what, you will HIT your spot with the spray. This probably works, but I won’t be buying one. I saw spot treatments recommended a few times (re: three bad spots vs. a back full of breakouts), and Aaron has applied them on me a few times where I can’t reach. If you don’t have someone who loves you enough to put on your hard-to-reach pimples, then yes, absolutely get a spray.

8. Avoid hyper-glycemic foods. White rice? Milk? White sugar? White flour? GET IT OUTTA THERE. Added sugars and dairy can trigger certain hormones, causing breakouts. Wow, eating healthy to have better skin? Improving inside to help your outside get better?

9. STOP. PICKING. Your fingers are disgusting and your chest and back skin scar easily. LEAVE IT ALONE.

10. When all else fails, talk to a doctor. A dermatologist can provide you with oral medication, prescription medication, and even stronger medications like a birth control or Accutane. Try the first steps first, because this shouldn’t be your first step!

 

Here are the sources I used, where you can find these tips in depth, as well as other tips and recommended products:
1. How to Prevent and Treat Chest Acne Fast
2. How to Get Rid of Bacne: 8 Bacne Products from Dermatologists
3. How to Get Rid of Chest Acne
4. Chest Acne: What Causes it and How to Get Rid of It 
5. Why You’re Getting Acne on Your Chest and What You Can Do to Get Rid of It 
6. How to Get Rid of Back Acne
7. Back Acne: How to See Clearer Skin
8. How to Get Rid of Back Acne
9. How to Treat Back Acne and Body Acne
10. How to Get Rid of Bacne – 15 Dermatologist Approved Tips
11. How to Treat Back Acne
12. How to Get Rid of Back Acne As Approved by Pro Dermatologists 
13. These Body Acne Products Will Get Rid of Back and Chest Acne Forever

Here’s hoping that, by following these steps, I will have skin so clear that people will wonder how I got an Instagram filter to flatter me in real life.