I would say that blogging and 30-day challenges are not really my forte.

On the plus side, today I ran 5km without stopping!!!!! It was so awesome. I've been working so long for that one. I have another 5km race on Sunday too :)

We also bought a mobile... not on my list, but should've been. So my life is now full of painting and laying floors and thinking about how to interior decorate. And schoolwork. So, so much schoolwork.

And so I am now going to go get a shower and do some schoolwork so that hopefully I will have some time to paint tonight!

Oh yeah, I want to change my do a 30-day challenge goal to use cue cards for daily goal setting. Like a daily to-do list kind of thing in a better format than my current one (white board), as I can save them and check my progress if I ever want to.

Love.

Day O3 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.

This one is tricky. I don't really know what I have to forgive myself for. I guess I still need to forgive myself for settling for 2.5 long years.. but at the same time, I am glad I did that or else I might have missed out on what I have now. I really believe that everything works out just how it should in the end, and I don't believe in skipping steps. Everything that I did got me to where I am right now, and I am very happy with life right now.

One thing though - once when I worked at a daycare, a child was crying and very upset and a co-worker told me to leave her and ignore her. This was a child that cried frequently, and I did what I was told, but it really bothered me. Later, my mom told me that this child hadn't been crying to be annoying, but she was crying because she was genuinely upset. And I just left her there alone. So now I try and be an advocate for kids that others want to ignore and give up on, and I try and give kids a chance when no one else will. But I still feel really bad for Delaney.

Day O2 → Something you love about yourself

I love how reasonable I am... I really am quite reasonable and rational and level-headed. I can think through almost anything. I am also exceedingly patient, most of the time.
I also made a huge post before about all the things I love about me, so you can go read that one if you want to know more about what I love about myself ;)

Day O1 → Something you hate about yourself

Something I hate about myself -

I am willpowerless, basically. Hence the inability to lose weight, eat well, exercise enough. Keep my house clean. Do the dishes and make my bed daily. Or maybe I just don't enough enough motivation? I always start out great but never stick with anything. I just miss having drive and determination!

I would say I hate my bum too, but I know that it's my own fault and not something that I couldn't change if I was driven enough to do it.

One month later....

Food journal was clearly a fail. Might try again soon.. I have been weirdly sick and eating is very difficult for me. So I guess a food journal would be really easy for me now, but it would completely defeat the purpose!

Since tomorrow is a new month, I am going to attempt a 30 day challenge (which is one of my 1001's). I say attempt because we MAY hopefully be moving this much so I imagine I will be a pretty busy girl. Plus I actually have mountains of homework.

I finished a couple more things on the list... re-read the last Harry Potter (finally), watched The Little Mermaid and went to a Farmer's market and bought something (a rose!). I also went to another concert this weekend; one more (which I will be attending November 7th) and that goal is finito! I am also halfway through attempted crosswords and volunteering.

This is the challenge I will be trying:

Day O1 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day O2 → Something you love about yourself.
Day O3 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day O4 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day O5 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day O6 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day O7 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day O8 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day O9 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 1O → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 2O → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

Food journal - Day 3

8:30am - Some cereal, sans milk. It wasn't very much, I might cook up 2 pieces of bacon just for some protein. I also want some hot chocolate, I am so so tired and it wakes me up so nicely! I tried another crossword yesterday, but it was super hard and I didn't get very far. I have been doing well overall though. I am volunteering today! I can't wait, I absolutely loved it last week.

9:15 - Just made some muffins! I will definitely be eating one of those for lunch and probably packing another to bring to school with my hamburger & macaroni. I think I need some more veggies and fruits in my life haha. There are blueberries in the muffins ;) Now, what to make for supper?

I ate a muffin & half my hamburg and macaroni for lunch at 11:30, then brought another muffin to eat in class. I also had a french vanilla cappuccino... I thought some caffeine would help get me through the most boring class in the world but it actually made it way worse - I was NOT liking having to sit still!

6:00 - I had a lot of bacon while waiting for the rest of my supper to cook haha... like 5 pieces or so. Turkey bacon, though. I had fetticuine with alfredo sauce - not the healthiest choice but quick and easy after a super long day. The original plan was fried eggs but then I noticed the sauce in the fridge.

10:00 - C. & I split a bag of popcorn, but it was more like 1/2 a bag.. I am not a very good popcorn popper apparently because half the kernels didn't pop! Oops.

Food Journal - Day 2 (and maybe some other things)

9:00 - 2 slices of bread and 3 pieces of turkey bacon.
I was pretty hungry before breakfast, but not craving food like I usually am in the morning. I might have to throw that bread out, it was pretty gross - not worth eating at all. I'm not sure why I even ate the second piece - wishful thinking that it would taste good I guess. Planning on pineapple for a morning snack, or a protein shake if I go for a run. It's looking pretty rainy though. Maybe 1/2 english muffin for lunch and I will have to think of something to pack to take to school; I'll be there from 4-8. I'm actually a little stiff from my at home workout yesterday, must be working!

11:45 - pineapple, yum!

1:30 - a whole english muffin plus peanut butter. And some hot chocolate. And I wanted to keep eating. So I danced it out. And brushed my teeth. Maybe this will result in all kinds of good things - cleaner teeth, improved dancing, increased amounts of cardiovascular activity, more endorphins... Maybe. I might make tea next time I feel like chocolate food. I have this awesome peppermint chocolate tea stuff... so delicious! If I could train myself to want that instead of a chocolate bar I would be all set.
Homework time again!

4:00 - a mug of peppermint chocolate tea and some cereal... but when I tasted the milk I am pretty sure it was sour so I spat it back out. Gross. Haven't gotten sick though

5:30 - Caramilk Dark in class... yumm. Also a little bit of pineapple

8:00 - Hamburger & macaroni that C. made :)

11:00 - C. & I walked to McDonald's and I had half a frosty... I had a crazy ice cream craving I just couldn't ignore. Not that I tried super hard. Only had half though, then I got too full/it got too sweet so I gave it to C. to finish.

101 things in 1001 days.

Start date: April 28 2010

Finish date: January 23 2013

incomplete

in progress

completed: 21

1. Donate 500 000 grains of rice using Free Rice (6 000/500 000)
2. Be certified bilingual
3. Learn a third language
4. Read 30 new, non school related books (10/30)
5. Attend at least 3 concerts (1/3)
6. Become a Big Sister (Big Couple?)
7. Ride a horse - south?
8. Go snorkeling - south?
9. Start a real savings fund
10. Try 10 new kinds of tea (3/10)
11. Go tidal bore rafting again
12. Feel good in/LOVE my body!
13. Do a set of kitchen drawings (1/10)
14. See a ballet or play
15. Watch all 3 LOTR movies in a row
16. Go to a Farmer`s market and buy something
17. Own at least one season of Full House
18. Own at least one season of Friends
19. Cook five brand new dishes (5/5)
20. Watch/rewatch all the numbered animated Disney movies (7/40)
1. Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
2. Pinocchio
3. Fantasia
4. Dumbo
5. Bambi
6. Saludos Amigos
7. The Three Caballeros
8. Make Mine Music
9. Fun and Fancy Free
10. Melody Time
11. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
12. Cinderella
13. Alice in Wonderland
14. Peter Pan
15. Lady and the Tramp
16. Sleeping Beauty
17. 101 Dalmatians
18. The Sword in the Stone
19. The Jungle Book
20. The Aristocats
21. Robin Hood
22. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
23. The Rescuers
24. The Fox & the Hound
25. The Black Cauldron
26. The Great Mouse Detective
27. Oliver and Company
28. The Little Mermaid
29. The Rescuers Down Under
30. Beauty and the Beast
31. Aladdin
32. The Lion King
33. Pocahontas
34. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
35. Hercules
36. Mulan
37. Tarzan
38. Fantasia 2000
39. The Emperor`s New Groove
40. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
21. Read the Bible
22. Learn how to drive standard
23. Listen to and love one artist I`d never heard of before
24. Subscribe to a podcast and learn something
25. Hang out with someone I haven`t hung out with since high school or before
26. Try 3 new slowcooker recipes (1/3)
27. Reread all the Harry Potter books (6/7)
28. Own all the Rose books (4/8)
29. Reread all the Laura books (3/9)
30. Expand my Robert Munch collection to 10 (6/6)
31. Buy 5 new books (not for classroom) (5/5)
32. Finish my Alice Munro books (2/2)
33. Plant a garden/window box
34. Go to New Ross Farm
35. Run 5km straight
1. do 5km in under 30 mins
36. Run in a 5km race
37. Hang out with Molly
38. Get another A+
39. Spend 10 days/parts of days volunteering (2/10)
40. Dance it out 30 times instead of eating my stress away!
41. Own a sewing machine
42. Start a quilt
43. Eat with chopsticks at least once
44. Buy (and wear comfortably) a sexy piece of lingerie
45. Give a kid a chance when no one else will
46. Take Laura to a movie
47. Watch one of Laura`s soccer games
48. Watch one of Parker’s hockey games
49. Watch one of Shaun’s hockey games in Halifax
50. See an NHL hockey game - live
51. Learn a new craft (quilting?)
52. Paint a decent picture
53. Bake a pie
54. Make a gluten-free gingerbread house - december
55. Finish Christmas shopping by November at least once
56. Go on a road trip
57. Stay overnight in a hotel just because - december 10th
58. Go to the Dartmouth Sportsplex and go on a water slide
59. Graduate from Ste Anne`s ready to teach en français
60. Beat Super Mario for Wii
61. Beat a game for Gameboy
62. Travel somewhere by train
63. Go to a new province/territory/country
64. Go to an art gallery or museum
65. Make it home in a softball game
66. Learn to stop throwing like a girl
67. Play basketball again, at least once
68. Skate on the lake
69. Learn how to do something I never tried before
70. Go apple picking
71. Go camping in a tent
72. Visit Chéticamp
73. Kiss under fireworks
74. Read all of Jane Austen`s works (2/6)
75. Give something up for Lent
76. Start a blog
77. Watch a sunrise/sunset with Cory - south
78. Buy a QEII Lifestyles Lottery ticket
79. Visit Monique at X
80. Keep an HONEST food journal for a week straight (0/7 days)
81. Score 5 goals in a season
82. Go parasailing - south?
83. Waterski
84. Own a pet of some kind
85. Buy (and wear often!) boots with heels - winter
86. Donate blood at least once
87. Go whale watching
88. Go for walks in three different parks (2/3)
89. Re-read His Dark Materials (2/3)
90. Read a non school related novel en français
91. Get the N off my license
92. Draw with chalk (outside!)
93. Go through my stuff and throw out what I don`t need/use
94. Make a budget
95. Join something new
96. Learn at least three new songs on the guitar (0/3)
97. Make someone`s day (they have to tell me I did!)
98. Help Cory pay off his line of credit & snap-on debts
99. Watch The Secret Garden & A Little Princess (0/2)
100. Own and read Old Town in the Green Groves
101. Attempt 50 newspaper/magazine crossword puzzles (18/50)

More adjustments to be made

Alright, so. I am pretty much sucking on all fronts except the crossword puzzles, of which I am doing about one per weekday while I'm at school. I am très occupé at this time - school is very time consuming! However, summer was not and I still didn't do too much so I can't really say anything. I want to do some adjusting to my goals today I think - I have changed and what I want to accomplish has changed since April 28th.

First of all, the losing 20 lbs goal. I think I am having trouble with this one because losing 20 pounds sounds like a lot, and it isn't really what I want to do. What I want to do is love my body, feel good about my body, and look slamming in my body. And to me, a slamming body is a healthy body - full of muscle and strength and grace. Losing 20lbs probably won't result in too much muscle; when I thinking about losing pounds, I think about avoiding strength exercises because they produce muscle which produces mass. Which might make me heavier (although, I'm sure that if my eating habits were 100% stellar then I would still lose. However, they are not, because exercising makes me want to eat well and I haven't been exercising). That being said, I want to make my new goal: "Feel great about and be proud in my body" and just totally ignore the scale for a little while. I have joined a "learn to run" group thing at the gym, and I think I might be playing in two hockey leagues this season (which might make my score 5 goals in one season goal even more attainable). I would love to join some kind of dance class but I have not very much money so we will have to wait and see about that. But I will still be aiming for the 5km straight and then 5km in under 30mins goals, and I have some workouts I will hopefully (NO, that I WILL!) do at home. And I'm gonna dance it out. I might make that a goal - dance it out 30 times when I am feeling stressed. That might help me choose exercise instead of food. I bet I can get Cory to dance it out with me. For that goal, dancing it out doesn't have to be for a long time - just a song or two. I also just found out that my school is only 3.7kms away, so I am DEFINITELY going to start walking to school a few times a week when it is nice out, especially days like tomorrow when I lunch monitor and then have no class until 4:30 and so would normally drive there twice.

I also have to change my "Join an extra-curricular at USA" because there appear to be no extra-curriculars on my campus to join. So, my goal is now just to "Join something new". That might mean a new hockey league if I play provincial this year, and it might be something totally different. We will see!

I also want to keep a food journal for a week straight. I have to post everything I eat in this blog. It might be gross. Sorry!

I think that's about it for changes right now. After this post I will post an updated list of 101 in 1001.

Food blog: September 27th

7:00am - 1/2 hot chocolate (made with 2 pkgs)
- 1 english muffing with peanut butter

10:00am - a bite of bread
- a 310 calorie (yeah so not worth it) coconut macaroon
- a granny smith apple (not the whole thing really)

I drank about a bottle of water between here and now (3:17pm)

1:00pm - 2 slices homemade corn & rice bread with butter
- probably about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (gross. they would be the reason I am now feel rather sick after my workout. bleh)


Plans for supper - chicken stir-fry!
I need to buy some chopsticks... where do you even get those?
5:30 - pineapple!
8:30 veggie & chicken stir fry

[slow] progress!

Today I got a gig volunteering... yay! It is one day a week, volunteering at a local elementary school where I am already a lunch monitor so it should be a good time. After 9 weeks I will be able to cross "Spend 10 days/parts of days volunteering" off la liste. I also tried two new kinds of tea today, and bought one! It is delicious, peppermint and chocolate-y.

I have been slack on the running. Boo me. But today I did go to the gym... but know what? It does not give me the same high that running does. Anyways, I put my name down at the gym I work at as "interested in joining a learn-to-run club", so perhaps if that takes off I will really learn to run. And maybe lose some weight, even.

I've also been doing a crossword puzzle a day pretty much since school started. There is a free newspaper there and that is how I spend most of my classes. Oops. But don't worry, I will still be ready to teach en français when I graduate ;)

Anyways, shower time... half an hour till I have to be on the road again!
(I never stop)

It has been so long!

Ahh. First day back. Back to school, back to blogging, back to running, routine... real life. It feels good. The running part feels best... it was my first run all summer and it was AMAZING. I forgot about runner's high. I feel like I can do anything (and I can do anything)!

Since I am feeling so good, despite the risk of coming off as incredibly vain (even though no one else reads this place), I am making a list of everything I love about myself. In particular, my body... because bodies can be hard to love and I think that they are important to love. So first of all...

1. My feet. Without them I could not have done that fantastic run or stood in the most amazing cold shower right after it, completely in love with life. Also they are bigger than most people's so I often get the best shoes.

2. My legs... again, without them, running and standing would not be possible. And they are pretty long. And they let me SKATE. Which lets me play hockey, which is my favourite thing in the world, pretty much.

3. My belly... because that is the one body part that C. tells me he loves on a kind of frequent basis. So how could I not love that?? Also, my belly is the part of me that reverts back to something quite presentable after I start exercising again... it is guiltily and deliciously easy for me to get a 6 pack. I love you belly.

4. Boobs. Gotta throw that one out there. They are not too big and basically not too small... they don't hit me in the face when I run. They are soft. They don't have cancer and I hope they never do. They look good in halter tops when my shoulders make me reconsider wearing them.

5. I love my hair. I really do love my hair. It is blond and so so straight and soft. My hair is the one thing I let myself enjoy about myself when I was younger and had severe body image issues. It is just so straight. And right now long and full of highlights from the sun.

6. My eyes - they are three colours in one! Pretty cool, I think. Green and blue and grey all together. And the rings around my irises are more navy blue than black. They also (with a lot of help from contacts/glasses) let me see so many beautiful things in the run of a day.

7. I love my smile. Because I have so, so many reasons to use it! And I suffered through braces so now my teeth are straight instead of crooked and smiling sans self-consciousness is such a treat.

8. My hands. My hands might be my favourite things about myself. Not because they are especially beautiful (although I do have long piano fingers, despite my nails' complete refusal to grow without breaking), but because of what they can DO. They bake so well. Amazingly well. Sometimes I think C. couldn't leave me even if he wanted to because where else would he find a tall blond that cleans and bakes him amazing things daily? My hands bake with love. There is a gluten-free lemon loaf in the oven right now that my hands made. My hands do other things too - they can draw when I want them too, and play music. I can snap my fingers. My left hand works almost as good as my right if I try real hard. They make C. feel like he is in heaven. My hands are amazing.

9. I love my brain, too. It knows a lot and it surprises me all the time. I don't think I deserve that one, really, but I am very grateful for it. Every time I think it might fail me it performs above expectations, making my whole self perform above expectations, too. My brain gave me a 4.0 and $30 000 scholarship I still don't think I worked hard enough to deserve. And since my brain makes myself think I don't deserve it, it encourages me to help everyone else who might need a bit of my brain power too. Which I think is nice.

10. My arms. They have lifted and loved and comforted so many children since I started working with them. I hope the day never comes that I can't pick up any of my favourite kids and give them all the love they need. My arms are kind of helpful when I'm running, too. And they give C. some really great hugs.

I think I will stop now... I never tell myself how much I love me and it's a bit disconcerting. Maybe if I'm ever comfortable with just loving myself I won't need to hear it so much from C.!

P.S. - The 101 in 1001 is coming along alright - I have 21 completed and planned timelines for a few others. This summer was slow. I'm also signing up with K. to do the CIBC Run for the Cure 5km in October and I am really excited about it!

Past-month summary

Apparently my last post was June 14th... that is almost a month ago. Sorry. However, I have been busy on the 101 in 1001 front anyways!

First of all, I bought 4 new for-fun books and so have reached my goal of 5 new books. I have also read two of them, and they were awesome. I have also read the first 2.5 books in the Harry Potter series, bought and read another Rose book, and read a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. My total of new non-school-related books is now up to 8. The same day I bought the Laura and Rose books, I also got a collection of 6 Robert Munsch books, which brought my collection up to the coveted 10. I got those three books at the all-time greatest used bookstore I have ever ever seen... I will be buying my future children's books from there for sure.

Secondly, on Canada Day, I both attended a concert (we went to the Public Gardens with the intent to watch a band play oldies songs, and I actually quite enjoyed them), and kissed under fireworks. I can always count on C. to help me out! ;)

Thirdly, on June 27th, I volunteered at my YMCA's Healthy Kids day. I am slightly concerned as to how I will reach 10 days now that I have sacrificed my Friday-night volunteer fests for coming in and sleeping next to C., but I am sure I will figure something out soon.

I've also crossed of 45. Give a kid a chance when no one else will because of Aaron, a baby at GL that used to cry and scream and no one else that worked there would love him or his mother but me! I actually found out today that I got a bonus last month from all of my childmind efforts there - I have never felt so appreciated and like my work was so valued before!

My parents have "bought" me a car for the summer, which really means it is a car they are lending me so they don't have to cart me around and that they will be selling at the end of the summer, but when registering it yesterday I finally got my N off! Yay me! I could have gotten it off over a year or two ago, but I just never got around to it. Now it is done :)

Finally, someone told me that I made their day! I girl I used to play hockey with (and who made me kind of uncomfortable and so I didn't really even like) coaches soccer to some of the kids that I teach in the summer. My kids were talking about it and how much they like their coach, and so I let her know via facebook. Here is what she said (the relevant part being, of course, that I made her day!) :

aww haha you just made my day! the preschoolers are my favorite age kids to teach, sooo cute. and they always have the best stories to tell... I guess i must be doing something right haha where are you working this summer, ymca still?

It made me very glad that even though she used to make me feel awkward and uncomfortable, when I heard good things about her, I passed them on. Everyone likes to feel good and appreciated, and they should feel that way! It's maybe not as good as a bonus from GL for a job well done, but recognition is recognition, and I think I would like to work on recognizing more people for good things they do.

I think that about sums up my past month! I am now at 17 complete; I only need one more before July 28th to be right on track. Maybe I will even get ahead! C. and I had planned on going to a Farmer's Market tomorrow morning, so we will see :)

Much love.

Guh

I am so not at all in a good mood today. I was in a great mood - I did 2.7 miles in 28 mins 59 sec and had a great 2 hour nap, but Al just messaged me and told me I need to get my desk out of the apartment we share but I have a sublet for the summer, even though the deal was that my stuff could stay for as long as my name was on the lease, which is until August 31st. So now tonight I am going over and taking ALL of my stuff, including the things I was nice enough to let them keep for the summer that I didn't need - the tv, dvd player, swiffer, etc. So annoying.

Also annoying - C. told me this morning before he left when I specifically asked that he would be coming home at 6 today. He just texted me and said 7. I am going CRAZY with cabin fever and losing my mind and I don't really even think I can wait that extra hour. I am going to lose it... I just had a huge cry fest of frustration when he texted me. AND we forgot and left the bag from tidal bore rafting in the car, which he has, and it has my purse with EVERYTHING in it - my money, gym card, everything. So I also can't even go anywhere to get out of this place. I was going to go buy a memory card for my camera so I could take pics of the kittens, but now I can't because I have no money. What the hell am I going to do for the next 3.5 hours??

But yeah, as you may have guessed, I did go rafting yesterday. And I made meringues, which I never have before, finishing off the 5 new dishes one. I also completed number 69. Learn how to do something I have never done before when I learned how to make homemade hot chocolate, which I want to make now but can't because I am out of milk and, oh yeah, I have no effing money and it won't be here until 7 o'clock. Grr. However, that puts me at 9 complete. I also ran today and read some Alice Munro.

Kittens!

So, as of yesterday, another full goal has been crossed off on the list - 84. Own a pet of some kind. In fact, C. and I are now the proud parents of three gorgeous kittens; Lucy, Sutton, and Hilary. Lucy and Sutton are brother and sister, and they are grey and white. Lucy is the most gorgeous cat I have ever seen, all dainty and graceful. Hilary is a bit older, and she is black and white and so, so chill. We brought her home, she flopped out of her carrier, and was like "Alright guys, I am home!" and hasn't complained since. We even brought her over to A. & T.'s to play with Max and she loved him! Lucy growls and goes on at her all the time (although beautiful, she is a tad cranky sometimes) and Hilary just sits there chilling. Sutton loves to play; he is the most excited by far. He is named after Andy Sutton of the Ottawa Senators - you should've seen the body check he gave Lucy yesterday! We had no idea what to name him until that moment! They are all amazing cats though; I would say we lucked out in getting three and none of them are any trouble (knock on wood)! Last night when C. and I were sleeping, we didn't hear a peep out of them.

Tidal bore rafting is happening tomorrow! Then I will have 7 things done on my list. I think I need to do about an average of 5-6 per month to stay on track, so I am a little behind. I go to Btown in a week though, where I will have an abundance of time for reading, so hopefully I will get some of those ones done. I am going to work on my other Alice Munro book today too; if I can get that done then I will have 8 finished.

I think now it is time to go play with some kittens though ;)

Love

Disclaimer: this is not really a post about love. I just am loving life, loving C., loving the sun, and just happy in general.

I have mastered two more crops - BAM! Cranberries & watermelon. Look at me go. I have also finished one of my Alice Munro books, finished unpacking & going through all my stuff, and the day before yesterday I did my fastest run ever - 2.7 miles in 29.5 minutes! I am hoping to get for another run today (I bought new running gear and it is beauuutiful outside), but I have to go to the mall and then out to dinner for a birthday, and a friend of mine is coming down from Wallace and will probably want to hang out as everyone else is working. I would go right now but I just ate and I will get crampy :( But I might text her at 2 and see how much time I have before she gets here... I only need like 45 mins to run and shower. Fingers crossed! I am so excited about my time :)

Another thing I am excited about - C. bought me a countertop dishwasher! It is the greatest thing ever and makes me so happy. It is amazing how much more fun it is to load a dishwasher and turn it on than to actually do the dishes by hand.

I found out today where I can buy A Little Princess and the Secret Garden together on one disk for like, 10 dollars. So I might get that soon. I just had already spent copious amounts of money today (it was my first significant payday in a long time!) so it might have to wait a few days. And I found the cutest ever bathing suit so I reeeeally want to lose some weight so I can rock it. I only bought the top, but I am so so going to have to go back for the bottoms. So cute. And only like 14$ for each piece! God love Superstore.

I have been rather slack in the Disney Department... although I have watched Ice Age about 100 times at work, unfortunately it is not on the list. I have been pretty busy though! And obsessed with Full House. So, so good.

Anyways, I am out for now!

Gorgeousness

What a beauty of a day out! Actually it isn`t really even THAT nice... a little cloudy, but the most perfect temperature for a run. Which I just completed! First one since the race, to tell the truth... oops. But I had been doing other things, like rock climbing and swimming and zumba, so it was still a really good run. And the sun came out just for me :) I did the 2.7 mile loop (livestrong counts it in miles for me, so I guess I will start, too - 5km = about 3 miles) in 31.5 mins, so hopefully soon I can get that under 30 mins to start working towards my new sub-goal haha, run 5km in under 30 mins. My plan is to do the 2.7 loop twice more this week, and then Wednesday or Thursday try the 3 loop and then go back to the 2.7 for a couple more times. Just to shake it up a bit and say, hey body, soon you will be the master of this!

I am making the most gorgeous quadruple-layer cake for C. today. Well, it is already baked, but I will be icing it momentarily, while simultaneously watching Cinderella haha. I have never made a quadruple-layer cake before... it is alternating layers of Devil`s Food Chocolate and Chocolate Fudge cakes, and it is going to have chocolate cream cheese frosting between layers and regular chocolate icing on the outside, with strawberries and slivered almonds. Thank goodness I am allergic to cake! According to WiiFit, I have lost 1.8 pounds, but I am not counting them till we see if it still says that on Tuesday - official weigh-in day. I hope it sticks! I am also hoping C. will be up for some swimming tonight - he has been sick and understandably not all that fun lately. I don`t want to tell him that I am trying to loose weight because he will just tell me he loves me the size I am (actually, yesterday he said it felt like I had less bum than before and I was like, awesome! but he was `sad` cause he loves my bum the way it is, blah blah), but he keeps buying me lovely treats like my favorite Swedish berries and salt & vinegar chips. Ah well, he is only off two days a week - if I am perfect the other 5 I should be alright, and in 2.5 weeks I will be in Btown without him :( but at least then I will be eating better and working more, meaning less time for food and being lazy. Oh, the point of this long rambly paragraph was simply that I am counting the cake as a brand new dish. One more of those to go! Maybe tomorrow I will do a slowcooker one and kill two birds with one stone... tonight I think will be mac & cheese night, yay!

I have also been working on one of my Alice Munroe books - she is such a great writer. If I can finish both of those before I leave, I will have that one done plus tidal bore rafting (next week, yay!) and probably the cook 5 new dishes one, taking me up to 7. Not bad! It doesn`t seem like that many out of a total of 101, I know, but there are so many that are in progress that really I am farther along than I seem, I promise!

Anyways, cake time! I can`t wait till C. gets home to see it :)

Friday!

And not only is it Friday, but it is a Friday off! I actually worked almost every day this week... crazy. I have so much to get done before C. gets home though!

We went swimming at the Sportsplex on Wednesday and went down the water slide, which was awesome fun. We may even get a membership. I love swimming... basically I am a fish. I also am potentially volunteering the 2nd with C.`s grandma at Camp Day at Tim Hortons, which will be sweet. Once I go back to Btown though, I volunteer all the time, so I am not really worried about that one.

I am worried about that losing 20lbs though. At the pool, I really noticed just how gross I am getting. I wish I had willpower :( Last time I lost weight I went crazy calorie counting and stuff, and it worked... but I was just so, so obsessed with food all the time that I don`t really want to go back there. I wish I could just be active & busy enough that I wouldn`t think about food so much, but it is so hard with C. at work all day every day. We are going rock climbing tomorrow I think though... maybe I can convince him to go swimming again tonight. I meant to go for a run today, but now that the threat of a 5km race is gone, I can`t seem to make myself :( I wish the threat of bikini season would be enough. If I could lose 2lbs a week, I would be down 10 by July, which would be alright for bikini time.

To do today:
- laundry. All of it.
- finish unpacking & setting up
- clean the kitchen, living room & bedroom
- maybe watch a Disney movie
- do SOMETHING active

Accomplishments!

Lots of things have been done!

- I ran in a 5km race :) And I almost, ALMOST ran the whole thing, I walked from like, one power pole to the next one right at the end when I couldn`t see the finish line and almost got overwhelmed. But I don`t want to cross that one off until I do it for real for real! I did the 5km in a little over 36 minutes - I want to adjust my goal and do 5km in under 30 mins soon.

- Today I bought a season of Full House! Yay! Season 4, but I have seen so many of them so many times I will be able to jump right in. I loveeee Full House. And now when C. is playing his stupid video games I will be able to actually have something to do. Man I hate video games. He is so addicted it is terrible. It was fun when we were both playing Pokémon on Game Boy hahah but now he has unfortunately moved back to xbox :(

- Hopefully after today I will be finished going through all my stuff and throwing out what I don`t need and organizing. I have until 4 to get it done, or at least a real good start on it.

- I`m also halfway through Beauty & the Beast, which I might finish right after this post.

- We TRIED to go to Pirate`s Cove yesterday, but apparently at some swimming pools you aren`t allowed to swim after 4:00? Ridiculous. So we had to go to a different pool, which was still fun, but was not on my list. However we did go to the Public Gardens, so now I am 2/3 on the walks in parks front.

- I think I want to start working on the losing weight one. It is getting quite ridiculous, I am now 15lbs higher than I was in high school and it is only going up. So today I think I might also make a running schedule and an meal schedule, and I am giving C. my debit & credit cards so I can`t buy food at work anymore - that is what is really killing me. Plus, the lack of routine that happens when school ends is killing us - our apartment is a MESS. So some scheduling and routine will be good for me. I also want to start working on some more of the reading ones - I need to get on that; there are a lot of books I still have left to read to reach all those goals! Tonight at work I shouldn`t have very many kids, so I will probably bring a book. I started a new one the other night but I am not really a big fan. Maybe C. will take me to the Mount lib and I can get some good ones.

So proud!

Today I ran 4km in a row! No stopping! No walking! Which is fantastic because the 5km race is Sunday and today is Tuesday haha. But for the first time I actually feel like I can do this... which may be half the battle. I think I had such a good run instead of the incredibly crappy ones I had been having before because I stopped forcing it this past week. I didn`t run at all, but did other things like paddle boating and walking a bunch with L. and A., and yesterday C. spoiled me with some surprise Lululemon gear and made me want to run again. Plus, again since I haven`t been forcing it or really even thinking about it, I started making better food choices. Also I ate an hour or two before running this morning instead of a half hour and not even a cramp. So yay for me!

I also bought and read Shutter Island, making my buy a new book 1/3 and reading a new book 1/30. I can`t actually believe I am only at one, I love to read, but I guess I have been rereading the Laura books and I`ve been embarrassingly addicted to Game Boy hahah, which has never happened before in my life. Weird. I am working on Lolita now though.

I am making pork loin for supper tonight! I have never made it before, and it will put me at 4/5 for brand new dishes. I will have to think of something new and awesome for tomorrow night and then I will be done that whole one! I would love to make ribs; maybe when C. and I go to the grocery store tonight I will convince him to get some.

I also might watch another Disney movie this afternoon... but first I have a ton of cleaning to do. Oh the joy of it all!

slacker.

I have been majorly slacking, I am afraid. On pretty much every front. This week is just not a good one for me for some reason! Although I got hired at the front desk of Goodlife as well as the nursery, so I guess I can cross off my fake 102. Get a job haha. And I invented my own tuna casserole but I had made tuna casserole before so I don`t think that I will count it as one brand new dish. I`ve also been slacking on the Farmville front... I just don`t know what is wrong with me! Good thing I have another two and a half years or so to finish. I did go for a walk with L. at a park though! So I am 1/3 there. And I am going to watch Lady and the Tramp I think while I bake C. some cookies. I have a lot to do before 3:30 - we are going to Btown after C. gets off work for a weekend of paddle boating and beaching and fun :) Also I will be volunteering tonight I believe, and will be 1/10 there.

To do before 3:

- clean the kitchen

- put away laundry

- bake cookies

- clean the living room

- pack tote of stuff to leave in Btown

- watch Lady and the Tramp

- do the 4km loop

Also I think I am going to change number 61. from beat Harvest Moon to just beating any game for Gameboy, cause I no longer really enjoy that one but I am enjoying a different one!

.

I finished Pocahontas this morning. And I mastered peanuts yayay. Pocahontas was so sad, I forgot that it didn`t have a happy ending. No wonder I didn`t like it when I was little. I didn`t even really like it so much this time until the second half. I was a weird child, I didn`t really like movies, especially Disney movies, because they were always so sad and I was afraid I would cry. I did like Atlantis and 101 Dalmations, the real people one, but that was about it. That is part of the reason I wanted to re-watch them all - I have been liking them more and I am now able to notice subtle things that I didn`t pick up on when I was little. I`m not sure which I will watch next... maybe The Sword in the Stone or The Aristocats. I thought about Mulan but I think I`ve had enough young-girls-save-their-people for right now.

I`m going for a run soon, but it is super cold out, boo. I am going to do the 4km loop again, but backwards, and hopefully this time I will be able to go farther. It looks like it is going to rain. Then I have to go finish packing and move all my stuff to C.`s - it is my official move-in day! Although I am pretty sure he just wants to hang out with Ch. and not celebrate. Which makes me a little sad. Actually I think I might just go pack my stuff up now so that I don`t have to do it with him there because I am not the happiest of campers. I can go for a run when he is at the gym with his boyfriend haha.

Titles are not one of my strengths.

Never have been. I always title my essays things like `Roch Voisine`. Very straightforward and to the point. However, I am not a blog-planner-outer and so never know what to straightforwardly title my blogs as I am never sure what in particular I will be rambling on about.

Another thing that isn`t a strength of mine? Running, apparently. Today and yesterday`s runs KILLED me. I maybe ran 2km each time. I should be easily doing 3 by this week. I almost did 3 last week. I don`t really understand. Tomorrow is a day off, but Monday I better be kicking some running butt. I mapped out a 3km, 4km and 5km loop; I did the 4km one today but could only run about half of it. It was super duper windy though; not that I am making an excuse cause that`s not how I roll, but it was really hard to run into the wind - the resistance is crazy! But I will keep practicing and hoping that by some miracle I will get to 5km in two weeks.

I have`t really done much else - I mastered rice, that`s about it haha. Almost done peanuts though ;) I also might finish Pocahontas today, and I will more than likely finish Little Town on the Prairie.

Anyways, I am starving and sweaty - protein shake & shower time!

Adios

I have successfully mastered cotton!

I ran 3km in a row .

I am going to make sex in a pan as soon as I am done this post, which I have never made before.

Tidal bore rafting is tentatively booked for June 13th.

I am halfway through Pocahontas.

I have started Little Town on the Prairie.

I made it to World 8 in Mario (although it was because I found an alternate ending thing that catapulted me there, but still. Still counts!)

And I even had a job interview this morning and started spring cleaning yesterday - even though they are not on my list, becoming employed and giving this grimy apartment a good scrub down before I officially move in are two things I would like very much to happen. So even though I have slacked on the updating of the blog the past few days, it is not as if I have been sitting around doing nothing and ignoring my list. So don`t worry ;)

It turns out that I actually enjoy running and am starting to see why people do it daily. I ended up having to walk home from my interview because I forgot my bus pass had expired April 30th, and it was a half hour walk uphill, but I still wanted to run. So weird. So I went for a baby 2km one. But every little bit helps! Tomorrow I`m planning on a longer one. But I am actually SO PROUD of myself for seriously starting to run - I used to halfway attempt it and give up saying it was too hard. Thank goodness for friends like K. who push me and make me sign up for things like 5km races, and for my pride that won`t let me fail miserably at it. C. said he will be waiting for me at the finish line, which I actually can`t wait for :)

Anyways, it is gluten-free sex in a pan time. Awww yeah.

Here`s my list for today:

- make sex in a pan

- clean spare room & bedroom

- read some more Little House

- play some Harvest Moon instead of sulking while C. plays Zelda heheh

- maybe earn some rice if I have time (cleaning should take me awhile, it is pretty grim in those rooms)

Another day, another dollar.

Except not really, since I`m still unemployed. I should add that to my list: 102. Find a damn job.

Yesterday I completed all the tasks I was hoping to - I finished my book, went for a run, mastered a crop (daffodils WOO!), and watched Peter Pan (which, technically I finished this morning, but same difference really). And I got to cross one whole goal off the list - start a blog! So a pretty successful day I would say.

You know, each time I watch a Disney movie over, there are some pretty crazy things that I didn`t notice when I was younger. For example, the racism in Peter Pan. `We`re going to fight the Injuns, the Injuns, the Injuns!` Really? And magic mushrooms in Alice? Awesome. I actually had forgotten most of the storyline in both Peter and Alice, so it was almost like watching them for the first time. The same girl plays both Alice and Wendy, and I quite enjoyed her voice... although at times, Wendy is a rather annoying character. I was also surprised by the crazy amounts of female jealousy, and I didn`t remember Tinkerbell being such a bitch!

Today I have fewer goals because I don`t have much time before C. gets home... once he gets home there`s much less time for things like Disney movies. And some of them don`t fit on my 101 list, but they`re going here anyways so that I don`t feel as though it was a complete waste of the day!

- Go for a run

- Do the dishes/clean kitchen

- Clean out the wine buckets

- 1 000 more grains of rice (at least)

- Play some Mario

- Do some laundry (if the machines have been fixed yet)

Jusqu`à ce point.

Okay, specifics.

Right now, I`m focusing mostly on FreeRice (which is a great little site where you answer various questions and each correct answer donates 10 grains of rice; I highly recommend it), Disney movies, Laura books, and the 5km. Oh, and FarmVille crop mastery... because, not only am I really cool, but I have this retarded, borderline OCD complex that makes me think I HAVE to master them all so that all the little bars and stars are equal (if you sadly became addicted as well, you know what I mean, if not, it is really not that important or life-altering). The 5km run is the other challenge I have taken up that I referred to in my intro post. My friend K. decided it would be fun for us to sign up for a 5Km race that is in 4 weeks time the other day, and I agreed. I used to be awesomely athletic and played almost every sport at least once, but now all I play is hockey and hockey season ended quite some time ago as we were outed the first round of playoffs, so I am rather out of shape. And used to being lazy, as I have no job and no school right now. I figured if I committed to such a race it would at least get me out of the house each day for a half hour run... but motivation just is not really my strong point anymore. I need to get out today, but man am I ever procrastinating. I just don`t really understand why people run for pleasure... it kills my hips and ankles and it`s all hard to breathe and people stare at you and honk when they drive by... just not the most fun I`ve ever had. And I am perfectly aware of the endorphins that come after, but I would vastly prefer the gym (I DO vastly prefer the gym, but elliptical machines just don`t seem to be as good as training for a race as, say, running). However, I want to be humiliated during the race less so than I want to practice, so once this post is done, out I will go.

Something else I thought I might as well mention, as roughly 4-5 of my goals are related in some way - I love the Little House books. Only Laura and Rose`s years, but they are great and I re-read them every year when school ends. They inspire me to do all sorts of cleaning and cooking and are full of awesome advice, including `least said, soonest mended’ and `what cannot be cured must be endured`. Fascinating stuff, I swear. But I found out yesterday that some woman wrote a book about the gap Laura leaves between On the Banks of Plum Creek and By the Shores of Silver Lake, where her baby brother is born and dies and Mary becomes blind, and I am now determined to own it. And a legit biography of Laura so I can compare and see if this woman massacred Laura`s story. I`m a tad torn though, because clearly Laura did not want this part of her life written about for all to see, and I`m sure she`s rolling in her grave. But man, I want to know.

Goals for today:

Watch Peter Pan

Get out for a run

Finish The Long Winter

Donate 2 000 more grains of rice, at least

Master (or at least seed enough to master next harvest) a crop (ha ha)

101 in 1001

Alright.

As school has now finished for the year yet I am still jobless aside from two 3-hour long mornings a week until June, I have decided to accept a challenge (well, two really, but the second will be explained soon enough) in order to keep me from spending my lazy days entirely unproductively. This challenge is entitled 101 in 1001. Essentially, I make a goal list 101 goals long and aim to complete said goals in 1001 days, which is about 2.75 years. One of the things on my list is to start a blog, and as I`m currently unsure of what else exciting I would have to blog about, I have decided to, for the moment at least, centre my blog around those 101 things. In this post, I will include my lengthy list of 101 things for all to see, so that my future references will hopefully make more sense. Here we go:

101 things in 1001 days.

Start date: April 28 2010

Finish date: January 23 2013

incomplete

in progress

completed: 21

1. Donate 500 000 grains of rice using Free Rice (6 000/500 000)
2. Be certified bilingual
3. Learn a third language
4. Read 30 new, non school related books (10/30)
5. Attend at least 3 concerts (1/3)
6. Become a Big Sister (Big Couple?)
7. Ride a horse - south?
8. Go snorkeling - south?
9. Start a real savings fund
10. Try 10 new kinds of tea (1/10)
11. Go tidal bore rafting again
12. Lose 25 lbs (weigh <>
13. Do a set of kitchen drawings (1/10)
14. See a ballet or play
15. Watch all 3 LOTR movies in a row
16. Go to a Farmer`s market and buy something
17. Own at least one season of Full House
18. Own at least one season of Friends
19. Cook five brand new dishes (5/5)
20. Watch/rewatch all the numbered animated Disney movies (6/40)
1. Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
2. Pinocchio
3. Fantasia
4. Dumbo
5. Bambi
6. Saludos Amigos
7. The Three Caballeros
8. Make Mine Music
9. Fun and Fancy Free
10. Melody Time
11. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
12. Cinderella
13. Alice in Wonderland
14. Peter Pan
15. Lady and the Tramp
16. Sleeping Beauty
17. 101 Dalmatians
18. The Sword in the Stone
19. The Jungle Book
20. The Aristocats
21. Robin Hood
22. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
23. The Rescuers
24. The Fox & the Hound
25. The Black Cauldron
26. The Great Mouse Detective
27. Oliver and Company
28. The Little Mermaid
29. The Rescuers Down Under
30. Beauty and the Beast
31. Aladdin
32. The Lion King
33. Pocahontas
34. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
35. Hercules
36. Mulan
37. Tarzan
38. Fantasia 2000
39. The Emperor`s New Groove
40. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
21. Read the Bible
22. Learn how to drive standard
23. Listen to and love one artist I`d never heard of before
24. Subscribe to a podcast and learn something
25. Hang out with someone I haven`t hung out with since high school or before
26. Try 3 new slowcooker recipes (1/3)
27. Reread all the Harry Potter books (6/7) and the Twilight books (1/4)
28. Own all the Rose books (4/8)
29. Reread all the Laura books (3/9)
30. Expand my Robert Munch collection to 10 (6/6)
31. Buy 5 new books (not for classroom) (5/5)
32. Finish my Alice Munro books (2/2)
33. Plant a garden/window box
34. Go to New Ross Farm
35. Run 5km straight
1. do 5km in under 30 mins
36. Run in a 5km race
37. Hang out with Molly
38. Get another A+
39. Spend 10 days/parts of days volunteering (1/10)
40. Make a list of sex places!
41. Own a sewing machine
42. Start a quilt
43. Eat with chopsticks at least once
44. Buy (and wear comfortably) a sexy piece of lingerie
45. Give a kid a chance when no one else will
46. Take Laura to a movie
47. Watch one of Laura`s soccer games
48. Watch one of Parker`s soccer games
49. Watch one of Parker`s hockey games in Halifax
50. See an NHL hockey game - live
51. Learn a new craft (quilting?)
52. Paint a decent picture
53. Bake a pie
54. Make a gluten-free gingerbread house - december
55. Finish Christmas shopping by November at least once
56. Go on a road trip
57. Stay overnight in a hotel just because - december 10th
58. Go to the Dartmouth Sportsplex and go on a water slide
59. Graduate from Ste Anne`s ready to teach en français
60. Beat Super Mario for Wii
61. Beat a game for Gameboy
62. Travel somewhere by train
63. Go to a new province/territory/country
64. Go to an art gallery or museum
65. Make it home in a softball game
66. Learn to stop throwing like a girl
67. Play basketball again, at least once
68. Skate on the lake
69. Learn how to do something I never tried before
70. Master every crop in FarmVille (17/51)
71. Go camping in a tent
72. Visit Chéticamp
73. Kiss under fireworks
74. Read all of Jane Austen`s works (2/6)
75. Give something up for Lent
76. Start a blog
77. Watch a sunrise/sunset with Cory - south
78. Buy a QEII Lifestyles Lottery ticket
79. Visit Monique at X
80. Catch someone out in a softball game
81. Score 5 goals in a season
82. Go parasailing - south?
83. Waterski
84. Own a pet of some kind
85. Buy (and wear often!) boots with heels - winter
86. Donate blood three times (0/3)
87. Go whale watching
88. Go for walks in three different parks (2/3)
89. Re-read His Dark Materials (1/3)
90. Read a non school related novel en français
91. Get the N off my license
92. Draw with chalk (outside!)
93. Go through my stuff and throw out what I don`t need/use
94. Make a budget
95. Join at least one extra-curricular activity at USA
96. Learn at least three new songs on the guitar (0/3)
97. Make someone`s day (they have to tell me I did!)
98. Help Cory pay off his line of credit & snap-on debts
99. Watch The Secret Garden & A Little Princess (0/2)
100. Own and read Old Town in the Green Groves
101. Attempt 50 newspaper/magazine crossword puzzles (11/50)

Some of these things I had already started before (eg I have of course watched almost all of the Disney movies before) that I didn`t count because I want to do them again, and others I have already started before but counted anyways because it just made sense (eg I already own 3 of the Rose books but I want to own the whole series - I obviously will not be re-buying the ones I already have). I apologize for the long list of Disney movies, but I love crossing things off lists and now I will be able to cross of each movie as I watch it, and it will clearly be easier for me to keep track of which I still need to watch if I have a whole big list there.

I think I will stop my first post here and leave it as a kind of intro before delving into my recent attempts and successes at certain goals on my list.