Five little updates on July

Well hello there, July 16th. Where have the last two weeks gone? Been busy soaking up the sun that finally came to Seattle – and as my GChat status says, “The summer sun makes me irresponsible.” Less time for blogging and computer playing, more time for outdoors, friends and barbecues. The best time of the year!

Life has been trucking along quite nicely these days – I’ve got a few little updates for you.

I finished my 30-day challenge – you can read my somewhat wrap-up thoughts here since they were the same for the last two weeks of the challenge. I was a couple days shy of the complete 30 days. It was tough to make it to class every day the last two weeks cause I became super burnt out. But for the most part, I did it! So, I’m back to boot camp a couple days a week, and hot yoga a couple days a week. I’m also walking to work now that the weather is nice! Two miles – 45 minutes of walking a day – so it’s been a great addition to my workouts.

Me putting the last star on the challenge board

My Fourth of July holiday weekend was one of the best ever. Choosing Lake Chelan over Seattle turned out to be the best decision I could have made since Seattle gifted everyone with grey skies and rain for the holiday. Meanwhile, I hung out in my bathing suit, drank BLs on the beach all day and finished the evening up with a crazy dance party boat ride to watch the Chelan city fireworks. Lots of funny pictures and memories of the weekend that, unfortunately, don’t belong on the Internet. Good times were had by all.

Left: All the girls at the beach. Center: Boating it. Right: Wine tasting on our way back.

My summer garden is rockin’ and rollin’. I had to upgrade my basil plant because I used it so much, I dried the first one out and killed it. So, I purchased a bigger and better one. I have basil for days! My favorite summertime dinner meal these days has been some whole wheat pasta tossed with olive oil, garlic, fresh mozerella, tomatoes and basil from my garden – finished with salt and pepper. Mmm. Someone told me our summers in Seattle don’t usually last long enough for peppers or strawberry plants, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed there. And I have a couple tiny green tomatoes that I’m watching with much love!

Caprese pasta - my summertime staple!

Turns out my work is sending me to New York City for the BlogHer 10 conference the first weekend of August. I’m super, duper excited and geeked out to meet so many bloggers and make some (hopefully) lifelong connections. I’ll get to hang out with Doniree for the first time, which I’m fantastically excited about. I feel like I’m the only 20-something blogger left in this world that doesn’t know her personally. I’ll also be hosting a fun Sex and the City walk through the city with a Kindle giveaway at the end. I think it’s going to be a fabulous, successful event, so that pushes my excitement that much further. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job? By the way – this will be the first time I’ll have visited NYC while 21 and over. Trouble to be had! NEW YORK…. These streets will make you feel brand new…Big lights will inspire you…Let’s hear it for New York, New York, NEW YORK.

Can you think of a better event?! Excited!

I’m heading over the mountain pass again this weekend for a bachelorette party for one of my high school girl friends – lots of longtime girls of mine will be there. I hang out with all 10 of them about twice a year, so this should be interesting and fun. We’re starting off with a night out in the tiny town our cabin is in, wearing ugly bridesmaid dresses. (Thank you, Goodwill, for mine). We’re also floating a river Saturday in intertubes and then heading back out in matching tie-dyed tank tops with nicknames on the back. Mine? G-Spot Je-Spot. Yeah. That’s right. High school nickname I can’t seem to freakin’ get ride of. (For no other reason than my name being Je Anna). Should have some fun stories and pictures to share with all of you. Happy weekend!

Currently Feeling: A little bit of a nervous belly.
Currently Anticipating: Relaxing this weekend in the sun before a SUPER busy work week next week. Time to recharge!
Currently Loving: The new Eminem CD. Seriously – it’s so good. He amazes me, and brings me back to memories in high school when I used to listen to his first CD, all at the same time.

Te amo, amigos

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

/From my 28th “Mustaches & Sombrero” birthday party

I wish you all the tacos, burritos, cervezas and cheese dip in your future.

Currently Feeling: A little burnt out after two bootcamps, Zoomba (which I’ll elaborate on later) and kickball in two days.
Currently Anticipating: Heading to the neighborhood Mexican joint tonight, but first – a TweetUp my company is co-sponsoring at a jewelry store.
Currently Needing: A new crush.

Here we go again *fingers crossed*

Wow, hey, hello… I officially took a little six month blogcation. How did that happen?

If you haven’t noticed already, I’ve totally revamped the blog. During my little blogcation, I thought a lot about what this blog meant to me. What it was. What it’s become since I started it at age 24. I’m not going to spend all this time getting introspective and emo like here and here, but I will say my blog started to feel like it didn’t “fit” anymore, which has been one of the couple reasons you haven’t heard much from me. So I crossed it over to WordPress (the cool kids platform). I’m opening it up to be more of a “Google me and find it” or “Link it from important things like email signatures,” which I’ve never really had the balls to do until now. (Pardon my French.) And even still, it scares me. (The Google and out of the closet blog thing, not the balls.)

It took me a month to transfer everything over and scan 660 posts (!!!) for the details I’d rather actually keep private from all the Interwebs, which is apparently 191. You know, part of starting a blog at 24, right after getting your first job out of college (read: expendable income) and moving to your first apartment in the city (read: expendable income + 30 bars in walking distance), is that a number of things were a tit bit inappropriate for what I care to share now. For all you early adopters of my blog, you’ve read details and stories that no one visiting here will ever see again. Lucky you! (If there’s even any of you left since I totally botched transferring my feed and lost 3/4 of my readers! ACK!) Now I really am starting over.

Never fear – I’m not planning a total snooze fest. But, my life have transitioned to be a little less about writing about drinking and dating (although I’m single again), to a bit more about hobbies (cooking, reading, working out, city events) and my profession (tech and social media).

The short of it – expect a bit more geekery.

So here I go again… trying really hard to get back into the swing of my blog. I’ve bought a fun little book to get me sharing my life and thoughts again in the easy manner I was once akin to. I’m feeling a bit rusty since I’ve been gone so long.

AND, I also bought myself a little gift to supplement the time I have to spend blogging – a pink Asus Eee PC netbook! (No, not an iPad). The thought is I’ll have some bus time to blog, but I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been feeling a bit awkward busting it out on the bus, (Like – oh hey, look at me and my PINK, tiny computer) so hopefully that’ll get a little easier.

I can’t promise fireworks and unicorns, but I can honestly say that I miss writing and desperately want to get back to the place I was at. If there’s one thing that reading through 660 posts will teach you – it’s that cataloging my life has been an amazing, eye-opening journey. I read things I don’t remember thinking and laughed about memories I haven’t thought about in awhile. I have spent a lot of time and energy creating a digital record of my life, which is really, really cool when you think about it.

Maybe I’ll have a tiny six-month hole when I look back in the years moving forward, but six months is better than forever, I suppose.

Currently Feeling: Ready to embrace a week of Sassy Fit, and healthy eating – I’m going to Miami in two weeks biatches!
Currently Loving: Spring being just around the corner – already thinking of skirts, sandals, Pike Place market in the sun during lunch, camping and trips. It’s going to be a fun, single spring and summer!
Currently Reading: “Stolen Lives” by Malika Oufkir.

Switching it up

I’m transferring over my blog to a WordPress site and making some design/content changes throughout this week. Some things aren’t working properly, or look a little silly. Thanks for your patience as I get this up and running. I’ll explain the transition soon.

Stay tuned!

Get me out of this damn castle now, Mario

I was talking last night to one of my girl friends about how sometimes Halloweens are more trouble than they’re worth – it takes you forever to pick out a costume, and there doesn’t seem to be a single Halloween party worth going to (or one that you’re invited to at least).

But not this year – this year I had my costume picked out well in advance, and the Halloween parties were lined up left and right. It seems everyone was in the Halloween spirit this year, and my weekend was a tiring, awesomely fun two days filled with keg cups, beer-filled Mario mustaches, pizza, bathroom lines, an itchy wig, wine, dancing, lots and lots of laughter, great costumes and most importantly, great company in my old friends, new friends and lover.

Once again, my dear madre came to my costume rescue, with only a week’s notice this time. The Thursday before Halloween, I spent six hours in my mom’s company, getting fitted and sewn up into the wee hours of the night. (She even cooked me my absolute favorite homemade dish of all time, Hamburger Gravy). Now if that isn’t true motherly love, I don’t know what is… so here I am, Princess Peach with my Mario, finally rescued from the castle.

You can catch full photos and details on my Halloween in my Whrrl story here.

Currently Feeling: A little back ache coming on – what is with desk chairs? I’m switching to a ball.
Currently Anticipating: A week with virtually ZERO events! I need to catch up.
Currently Loving: Catching up with a high school girl friend last night. It was a three hour chat that we desperately needed!

Catching a breath

Well hello there, Fall. You’re everywhere already, and I’ve barely had a chance to catch a breath of your air. October has been a whirlwind – an upward slope on the new job hill that has left my weeks a blur. And then I was out of town for the first three weekends of October. First – to Leavenworth for Oktoberfest, second to Washington State University for my little sister’s 21st birthday (where I partied it up with a house full of 20-year-olds – complete with Brass Monkeys like the old days), then off to Vegas for four days with work.

Now that trip was nearly an out-of-body experience. I love Vegas and all, but the best part about it is when you can rest your weary hungover bones next to the swimming pool in the desert heat until it’s time to go out and start drinking again. I’ve never been to Vegas where you’re expected to “network” all night, then work at a conference all day. Hello exhausted after repeating that pattern for four days! In a blink of an eye, I found myself flying out of the 90-degree weather of Vegas and back into the golds, yellows, reds and brrr of Seattle’s fall. October has left me feeling a little discombobulated, to say the least.

Then after Vegas, it was BAM – only two weeks till Halloween. Luckily I’ve had my Halloween costume idea planned out for a couple months; I just needed to gather the pieces. The BF and I are doing a super fabulous duo this year, but mums the word. I’ve decided to share it with you via pics after Halloween… but I can promise you it’ll be another fabulous homemade costume, courtesy of my mother who also did my flapper costume last year and my Jem costume the year before. I know you’re beside yourselves with anticipation.

Anyhoo, in the last week or so, in the spirit of my favorite holiday, I’ve managed to squeeze in some Halloween-time activities. Everything about this time of year makes me smile. If there is a higher being, I feel like he/she certainly knew what they were doing when they had fall follow summer – the colors of the leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything, heat, blankets and slippers for the first time in months, fabulous fall boots and sweaters in fuzzy materials, Halloween, scary movies in the theaters and all things ghost…it all makes it a little easier to swallow the idea that the sun has left Seattle for at least seven months.

I’ve tried to squeeze it all in the last week – a ghost tour, a scary movie that left me feeling like I was going to have a heart attack, ghostly TV shows…all leading up to Halloween party time on Friday and Saturday in my SUPER cute costume that I can’t wait to put on! Yippee!

Currently Feeling: Bummed I haven’t been able to squeeze in much working out with all this job stuff. I need to get back in a routine!
Currently Anticipating: Some one-on-one time with Bestie Amanda tomorrow. It’s been awhile.
Currently Loving: Safeway’s root-beer float bars – only 110 calories! But if I eat one, I kinda want to eat three, so that might defeat the purpose.

Closet blanket with sleeves wearer without the sleeves

Me: i don’t like the sleeve concept
they make me feel restricted
i use the snuggie without the sleeves. lol
then it’s just a big dumb blanket made out of cheap fleece

Friend: i just had a great idea. i’m going to put my fleece jacket on backwards and market it as a waist high only snuggie. those cost more cause they’re specialized. i’ll make a fortune.

Friend:
then i’ll take a t-shirt, but it open on the front and put it on backwards. I’ll market that as a waist high, short sleeved, summer snuggie made of lighter fabric.

Too bad he didn’t protect his chats! I’m totally stealing his idea, and I’m going to make a FORTUNE from it! Summer Snuggies made from T-Shirts! Waist-high-only Snuggies!!

She’s ALLIIIIVVEE.

I have a SUPER exciting blog post update that I haven’t been able to get out… it’s been in draft form for two weeks! Yowza.

Today is a very good day

I feel like my dopamine levels are through the roof right now.

It’s only noon, and I’ve:

• Rocked my training run this A.M., pushing through my “walk” portion and running the last little bit. It felt great!
• Took the first of my (FREE) 10-week digital photography class, and it was totally awesome. I’m super excited for what the next nine weeks will hold!
• Painted my toenails in a sparkly hot pink.

On the agenda for the rest of my day:

• Pick up a Seahawks T-shirt to wear to my very first game tomorrow. (Excited to tailgate)!
• Buy ingredients for an orange-miso glazed tofu recipe I found in this month’s Self magazine.
• Head to my parents’ house for dinner and chatting (they’re awesome)!

I hope you’re having a fabulous day too!

Currently Feeling: Starving for lunch… I think I’ll make a Flatout pizza today!
Currently Anticipating: Receiving my pedometer watch in the mail. I hate waiting for packages and checking the mail every day.
Currently Wanting: This special ice tea brewing pitcher! I need!

And the lucky jam-lover is…

… Whit from Whit’s Getting Fit!

I plugged all TWELVE of you (must be some people scared to receive homemade items over the Internet. Can’t imagine why. Ha) from my mini giveaway for a jar of Easy Peasy 10-Step Blackberry Jam into Random.org and here was the result:

(The first of 12 comments). I think this is only fitting because Whit has a foodie type blog about eating healthy and working out, so the au naturel blackberry jam should fit well into her repertoire. (Plus, I love her).

Congrats Whit! Send me an e-mail with your address, and I’ll ship the blackberry jam off to you this week!
Currently Feeling: Stressed about all the stuff I need to check off my to-do list this week.
Currently Anticipating: Suite tickets for the Mariner’s game tonight and getting my hair did (for free) tomorrow because Bestie Amanda needs a hair model.
Currently Loving: The pedometer watch I bought today. It counts calories, tracks your heart rate and body fat, and counts your steps! Skinny minnie, here I come!