Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Virtue; isn't it about....time?

(I realized I hadn't really blogged about anything other than working out, waiting for school to start, and hating my job)

So a while ago, the Church added virtue to the list of YW values. FINALLY!!! I got really tired through my years in YW of all of the "stay away from sex/porn" talks directed only to YM. It's nice to know that the Church is finally acknowledging that teenage girls are in fact developing a sex drive and need as much guidence as teenage boys, and that pornography can become as addictive to women as it can become to men.

I've decided to go ahead and do the personal progress stuff for the new value, even though I already got the YWR award.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Not anti social, just shy

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. For some reason, I've lost my ability to make friends, at least the way everyone else makes friends. I don't know what happened in between high school and college. Maybe during the whole adaptation to a college life, I lost my ability to be social and comfortable and secure. Sometimes I overdo it, try to seem too outgoing, and end up regretting it later because I'm sure the people I was with thought I was a complete tool. Or I underdo it and fear people think I'm arrogant rather than plain shy.

So I've gone through two years of school with plenty of acquaintances, but I want to make -real- friends this year. People to call and hang out with. People to do stuff with. People who invite me to parties. So I was thinking it would be a good idea to make a list of things I could do to put more effort into making friends.

1. Be willing to put myself in situations where I can meet people
2. Take more of an interest in other people
3. Smile more
4. Remember that people are just people; no one thinks I'm weird by default, and everyone is up for making new friends
5. Introduce myself to people I sit next to in classes
6. Stop fearing rejection
7. Take initiative and invite other people to do things
8. Find small things that make me happy; if I'm in a good mood, I'm more likely to be friendly
9. Don't seem desperate for friends (even though I really am)
10. Pray for help with all of this

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud became more painful than the risk it took to blossom." --Anais Nin

Academic withdraws

I put the Scriptures and all of the church handbooks I use on my eee pc and took it to church with me today. I felt really good having my computer on my lap in a class setting.

I miss school way too much. I'm so glad I'm doing spring term next yea.

Three weeks of work left, one week to clean out my room permanently and pack, then a week in Provo to find housing.

I decided on a goal. After I run my first 5k, I'm going to invest in some nike+ shoes and the cheapest ipod I can get to work with them, as long as I can find some non-leather ones.

Summer is killing me.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Post vacation

So being in the car for 20 hours + moderate stroll all week + eating like crap and not really metabolizing anything = a disappointed Shelley.

BUT

I downloaded some new songs for a new running playlist. I also decided to start running at a slower pace to see how much longer I could go. Let's just say .3 mph makes a huge difference. I've gone from running a solid 5 minutes to running 1.5 miles in 20 minutes. Not perfect, but better than I've done in a while. I don't know if I'll be able to do a 5k before school starts, but I'll definitely find something at BYU. I'm also planning on taking advantage of the indoor track in the SFL so I can run in the colder months.

Also, I feel ridiculously good after running 20 minutes.

New playlist:
  • Katy Perry - Hot n Cold
  • Britney Spears - Circus
  • Rihanna - Disturbia
  • Fall Out Boy - Hum Hallelujah
  • All-American Rejects - Move Along
  • Switchfoot - Dare You to Move
  • Metro Station - Shake It
  • Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
  • will.i.am - Brand New Day
  • U2 - Beautiful Day
  • Sublime - Santeria
A total of 40 minutes, which is a good time for a solid warm up and run.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Nauvoo is kind of freezing

Who knew it could be this cold in the middle of July? I thought I was done with cold at least until Provo this fall.

We've basically toured around all of the LDS and Community of Christ stuff. Carthage Jail wasn't nearly as depressing as I thought it was going to be. We went to the Red Brick Store today, and going up to the 2nd floor was probably my favorite part of this trip so far. When we came back down, a woman asked me what was upstairs, and I answered that there were some rooms with some historical artifacts, and she was like, "oh, so it's not very important, huh?" And I was thinking, "uhm, it's only where the Relief Society was organized and where the first endowments were done before the Nauvoo Temple was finished AREYOUKIDDINGME."

We also saw this kid who plays Joseph Smith in the Nauvoo Pageant do a reenactment of parts of the King Follett discourse. That was pretty rad. We're going to the Pageant tonight.

I don't think I'm going to get on the scale for at least a week after we get back. I have not eaten healthy in the least bit the last few days, and although I took advantage of our hotel in Kansas's fitness center and went running yesterday morning, I haven't been as active as I should be.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Vacation

So I have this week off from work. I'm going to Nauvoo, Illinois with my family for a family reunion. I'm pretty excited mostly to just get time by myself to chill and read. I'm not, however, looking forward to the drive.

I've also been doing so good with eating well and exercising. I've lost 7 pounds in the last 3 weeks. Go me. I average about .3-.5 pounds weight loss every day (I know I shouldn't be weighing everyday, but whatevs), so by the time I go back to school, I should be around 125. I also have a plan to lose another 10 pounds over the semester. 115 is perfect for my height, and I'm looking forward to it.

I've been taking quite a few vitamins every day, and I definitely think they've been helping me lose weight and generally feel good. Every day I take:
  • A general multivitamin (100% of vitamins A through E, iron, and folic acid, amongst other things)
  • Lutein (macular degeneration runs in my family)
  • CoQ10
  • Acai Berry
  • Vegetable multiplex
Exactly 50 days until the first day of school. Soooo excited.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

seven weeks

I really, really, really, really can't wait to go back to school. I need to feel nourished by academia again. I also can't wait to be done with Purple Cow. This semester will probably be the easiest to leave for because I don't have to say goodbye to Brad this time. Buh, seven more weeks.

Ate today: golden grahams w/ milk; peach; chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (added up to probably 2 servings); no sugar added moo bar; cheese quessadilla with black beans, pico de guillo, and sour cream

Active today: 20 minutes on treadmill; pilates 20 minutes; stretching 10 minutes; walking around various stores for a few hours

I really need to stop eating junk food so I can eat bigger quantities of healthier stuff.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Slow, expensive weekend

I've been spending way too much money. I bought more stuff from ELF because I found a 50% off coupon for their studio line stuff:
I also bought a book I've been meaning to read for a while: Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. I read parts of it for my principles of journalism class last semester, and enjoyed it. It's about how public discourse is being replaced by entertainment and the fragmented "news-of-the-day." I've only read the first chapter, but I'm liking it so far. He wrote it in 1985, and not only is it still applicable today, it seems like the internet has added more fuel to the fire of Postman's fears than anything could have in 1985.

Ate today: (It was fast Sunday, so no breakfast or lunch.) Baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, and natural sea salt (with the skin); strawberries and peaches; corn; brownie sundae

I didn't work out at all today. I was planning on at least stretching, but so much for that. I don't feel bad for the brownie sundae though. I think I'm going to make Sundays my guilt-free chocolate days.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

ELF haul

So I recently discovered ELF Cosmetics. And they're pretty awesome. They're really inexpensive (almost everything is $1) because they don't spend a lot of money on packaging or advertising, they get really good reviews on mua, and they don't test on animals. Seriously. How rad is that?

I just bought some stuff online, spent a total of $24.95 (that includes shipping), and got all of this stuff:
All for $25. How awesome is that? You're lucky to find just 2 cosmetics that add up to $25. http://www.eyeslipsface.com.

Also, I got my hair cut today. Nothing too dramatic, just a few inches off and re-layered. I really like it. I also bought some stuff on the cheap at the Body Shop from the $2 bin. And I made brownies for Brad. So after all of my over-the-top girlishness today, I mowed the lawn.

Ate today: mixed veggies and spring rolls from Panda Express with sweet and sour sauce; pretzels; 1 slice homemade veggie pizza; no sugar added moo bar; 1.5 brownies (plus some batter on the side of the bowl)

Active today: walked around the mall; mowed front and back yard (total of 1.25 hours); treadmill walk/run 30 minutes; pilates 20 minutes; stretch 10 minutes

Not bad. I could have done without the brownie, and I wish I would have woken up in time to eat breakfast and get my metabolism going, but overall I'm happy with today.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

So this is my summer...

Work, working out, eating healthier (or trying to), losing 20 pounds (really trying to), writing to/missing Brad, looking forward to school starting.

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. I seriously need it trimmed.

Ate today: cinnamon chex with milk; salad with spinach, red onion, tomato, egg, jack cheese, and honey mustard; ice cream (chocolate with oreo, peanut butter, and hot fudge....ugh, but so good); diced peaches; no sugar added moo bar; too much water to remember.

Active today: work 9 hours, treadmill walk/run 30 minutes, stretch 10 minutes, pilates 2o minutes.

I did good except for the ice cream (that's what I get for working at Purple Cow), and the fact that I got home from work too late to eat a real dinner. But I didn't have any soda today, and I think that's a pretty good accomplishment.

I think it's interesting that giving up meat wasn't a problem at all for me. I don't remember it being very hard at all, and I only craved a few things (mostly chicken) for about a month. But it's so hard for me to say no to Coke and Dr Pepper. Hmm...