A Wedded Thought Sandwich

I asked the Mr. last night on our Roo-walk what the favorite part of his day is.

"This. Walking with you and Roo every night. And nice weather."

The power of suggestion is strong with this one. I could say that I thought I had a stomach ache from dinner and within hours he'd have one too. Both of us having different meals. Maybe he's joining me in solidarity*!

He asked me the same question and I said, "This too. And watching the news with you. I like watching the news and having something to talk about during and afterwards. It keeps us from rehashing the same topics or complaining about work all the time."

The Mr. went on to say that he thinks having Roo has strengthened our relationship. I think so too, now that he said so.

The power of suggestion is strong with me too.

Roo has given us mandatory time outside. And we often do it together because we both want to spend time with her. And the nice weather. We team up for walks, some awkward games of fetch-slash-keep away in the front yard**, co-tackle teeth brushing and argue about the best way to train her not to chase the bunnies***.

She's something we can join together to be both for (in times of cuteness) and against (in times of chew-ness). We argue about her sometimes and she pisses us off, but she's taught us patience and defined "fambly"****.

Post inspired by this quote and article:

What's the secret to a happy marriage? 

National Public Radio! My husband and I spend a lot of time during the week driving in separate cars. We both listen to NPR. At the end of the day, when we are done talking about work, one of us will say, "Did you hear the piece about…?" It's nice to have so much to discuss.

*Is "solidarity" a popular word now? I see it everywhere and feel the need to use it frequently. Is it like literary twerking?

**Roo does NOT bring the ball back, so we tease her.

***Bottom line: impossible.

****The Mr. knows what I mean.

Walk lots, buy local, love dogs

 

I would walk 500 miles

via

Fantasy Map: Chicago El Overlaid On New York CityA bit of whimsy for you today from Reddit, brought to my attention by Twitter user@GordonWerner. The El has been flipped both horizontally and vertically, then rotated to fit Manhattan’s street grid, but the scaling is totally accurate. It looks like The Loop is placed in the area directly below Central Park. A few things from this: it’s actually kind of scary how well this fits; and it’s astounding just how dense the New York subway’s lines really are (shown here in white).(Source: Reddit)

I WILL walk 500 miles. Over 500 miles (624, to be exact) per year now, just walking to and from the train.

I used to live off of the orange squiggle above (in Chicago), but now will live off of one of the blue squiggles. My walking distance is 2 minutes on the home-side and 5 minutes on the work-side now. It will increase on both ends to 15 minutes on the home-side and 9 minutes on the work-side.

I may not need to run as much now. And I might be able to return to talking on the phone on my way home from work as I will spend more time in fresh, open air instead of cramped on a train.

Be prepared for more 12 minute phone calls, friends and family!

Sometimes I miss the luxury of driving to work.

Listening to the radio.
Putting your heels in the backseat and wearing something comfortable.
Being able to schlep and unlimited amount of bags (gym, lunch, purse, etc.) and not look crazy or take up too many train seats.
Not having to smell other people on the train.
And having private phone conversations.

At least I can talk on the phone now if I need to and I wont feel like a jerk disrupting the peace of the train car.

How do you commute? What do you do on your commutes?

Advice: With a name like Dick Johnson...

My office ran the Chase Corporate Challenge. I ran with the Chicago office and was checking to see if the results from the Boston run had been posted yet. Perusing the Boston page of the CCC site, I saw this comment section. Have a gander and judge for yourself what the takeaway should be here:

That was literally the whole comment section. Dicky boy derailed the whole thing with his rant. 

Not a single bit of useful information was shared.

I love the internet.

Flip It Friday: It's too early for the crazies

Let me usher us into the Memorial Day weekend by saying: What the freak is going on today!? Did the 90 degree heat scramble everyone's brains yesterday and we have yet to recover!?

Exhibit A

Imagine a Mortal-Kombat looking man (long, frizzy black hair, beard, chains, looks like his hay-day was the early 90's) saying Good Morning to you on the street-level, pauses to write you this personal note, follows you up to the train platform, mutters something about a show and then hands you this and asks you your name. In retrospect, I should have said my name was Ashley. Or Berta. Or Stevie. Anything but my real name. I am more haunted than flattered. 

 

Exhibit B

nails. Nails. NAILS. Photo captured by Mr. S.

And it's only 8:00 AM.

Last night was less weird. 

My company ran the Chase Corporate Challenge. It's 3.5 miles through downtown Chicago with 23,000 of your closest friends and coworkers! We won't with the whole shebang, but we are hoping to win a contest with one of our other offices who also runs this race (the Chase Corporate Challenge is run in many major cities around the world). I'm in the green and Mr. S is taking the photo.

Not an award-winning time, but a personal best for me (I was shooting to do it in 40 minutes). The whole race was 3.5 miles. That's the longest race I've run! (You may laugh.) Thanks goes to the Mr. for being a good pacer for me and not letting me give up!

Breaking news: This just in - a fellow coworked (not even in the race last night) brought me a doughnut from a new shop down the street to congratulate me on my run and celebrate Friday. It was lemon and it was gooood. 

I'll give you a choice of questions to answer this Flip-It Friday:

1) How do you avoid/handle awkward interactions with strangers or people that hit on you?

2) What is your favorite form of exercise (I hate running, so I'm open to suggestions)?

3) This isn't advice, but what's your favorite doughnut flavor?

Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends!

Tips for Taking Care of Yourself in Busy Times

I do nearly all of these. What do you do to take time for yourself and keep your sanity?

Source: thefreedomexperiment.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Tipsy Tuesday: Battling the Cobras, a Tale of Time Management

My new boss in my new job is awesome. He's hands-off but always in your corner and encourages people to think for themselves while pooling their resources. The best of being a team-player and leader, if you ask me.

Although I work in a fiery industry (fire protection, rather), my boss encourages us to remind ourselves that we are not in the business of putting out fires. No one should call us with an emergency. We are respected professionals whose time matters.

That said, we always have a list of to-dos beating down our office doors. My boss's philosophy on this is "kill the closest cobra".

You may be in a room of snakes, all of which are slithering your way. You don't need to tomb-raider whack them all in one swing (i.e. finish your list in one day), you just need to kill the closest cobra (take care of the most pertinent item).

So with the holidays approaching here, we all have some quick cobras coming our way. Things that we need to do before we check out leave for vacation or things on which we need to collaborate with others before they leave.

So time management advice? List your snakes, then whack them in order of importance. 


Now, I don't support the killing of actual snakes. PSA on that one here.

He's not a cobra. He's a good lil green snake!

Even list making sometimes doesn't help us stay the course to check, check, check victory. Here are some of my personal tips for accomplishing your list:

1) Build in breaks. Tell yourself you can take a bathroom break or go talk to someone down the hall after you finish typing your next page. (Yes, bathroom breaks are sometimes just a way for us to avoid work... you know you do it!)

2) Honor your breaks. If you say you can walk after the next mile marker, then let yourself walk. If you keep lying to yourself (i.e. "Just run for 1 more min, you can do it!"), then you'll never trust your breaks and you'll end up giving up sooner.

3) Slow down. If you make mistakes while you work, you'll have to go back and fix them, which can be time-consuming. 

4) Switch it up. For every hour of doing an easy task, switch it up and do a harder/less pleasant/lengthier task for 30 min. You can feel like you're getting 2x time the work done AND not have to do that difficult project in one sitting. Plus, most of us can't get past writer's block or being stuck on a problem just by staring at it.

5) Get out! I feel better when I take some time outside during the day. Walking around on my lunch break allows me to get some fresh air - regardless of the weather, get a change of scenery and get my legs moving after sitting all morning. Being inside all the time can actually make you sicker/weaker. So, get OUT!

___

Also, on this Tipsy Tuesday, I'd like to announce that I am not drinking for the majority of December. I have been curious about resetting my body's alcohol tolerance for a while. Just one week after quitting alcohol I got a facial. The technician told me that my face looked "plump" with moisture and well hydrated. I've never gotten this report from a facialist before. They usually say that I'm dehydrated and that I need to "pound the water" even if I drink 8 - 10 glasses a day. I think that just cutting out alcohol has allowed my body to properly hydrate for the first time in a while. I'm feeling great so far and will keep you posted. 

Drink of choice for the non-alchies? Tea. I am leaning on tea like a crutch right now. It still can dehydrate, but has antioxidants, light caffeine and is warming on these cold days!

Have you ever given up alcohol? How did it make you feel? Notice any benefits? Why did you give it up? What did you drink instead?

My Morning Mate by Teavana. A gift from my aunt and cousin.

Ten Tips Tuesday: Ways to Burn and Cut More Calories Daily

Happy Tuesday Lovers!

I just found out that I will have my wedding dress in.my.hands this weekend for keeps and in a last ditch effort to look slim-n-sleek here are some tips to burning more calories without adding any more designated exercise to your routine.

I do these things whether I'm working out regularly (always!) or not so much (... always).

1) Take the stairs. It's good for your butt and it is a form of cardio. If you live or work in a building with an elevator, try taking the stairs. If you work on, say, the 84th floor, take the elevator up to the 80th and walk the last few floors.

2) If there are copiers all over the office, use the one furthest from you. If you aren't networked to that machine, network yourself or ask for help!

3) Chew your food thoroughly. Not only does it aid in digestion, but the actual act of chewing burns more calories. Gum chewers, chomp away with your mouth closed.

4) Take a walk on your lunch break.

5) Do crunches or push-ups during commercial breaks at home.

6) When mopping or sweeping the floor, treat every reach forward as a crunch or a lunge. Instead of moving to the spot you are mopping/sweeping, reach for it while crunching your abs or take wide, lunging steps. Make sure you are alone with the house alarm set when you do this. You will want plenty of time to straighten up and look "normal" if someone walks in.

7) If you are on a long phone call (professional or personal), don't sit down. Stand or even walk around. Standing burns more calories than sitting.

8) While you're brushing your teeth, do squats. Also, don't let the water run, jack.

9) Walk/bike to run your errands instead of taking the bus/train/your car. Not only is walking exercise, but you will be lifting weights if you carry jars, cans and produce back from the grocery store. And if you live too far from your destination and must drive, park on the far side of the parking lot.

10) Laugh more.

And for our double header (*drumroll): Ways to Cut More Calories!

1) Ask for salad dressing on the side and use only 1/2 of it. Choose oil/vinegar based dressings over mayonnaise based dressings.

2) Drink water at lunch instead of soda.

3) Drink your coffee/tea black or with skim milk.

4) Keep yourself hydrated as sometimes when we think we are snackish we are actually thirsty.

5) Give yourself smaller portions at home and only go back for 2nds after sitting for 5 minutes between portions. Let your stomach feel full before you get stuffed.

6) "Sacrifice" one meal a day. If you have sugar free oatmeal for breakfast, you can have a burger for dinner. If you have a salad with lite dressing for lunch, you can have cookies after dinner. Deny yourself only some things sometimes.

7) Pack your lunch. If you eat out all of the time, not only is it costly, but you have little idea of the preservatives, fat, sodium and calorie content in what you're eating.

8) Do not clean your plate. American portions are plus sized and we tend to eat what we're given. Leave a few bites on your plate and your stomach will thank you.

9) Carry snacks with you and keep them at your desk to fight of starvation. If you can't make it from 9 to Noon without stomach rumblings, have some almonds, low sodium pretzels or cereal at the office to keep you from getting super hungry and eventually overeating. Eating more frequently also keeps your metabolism up.

10) If you have the munchies in the evening, go to bed. Your body might just be looking for an excuse to stay awake.


I'll post some shameless photos of me in my wedding dress after this shin-dig is done so you can be the judge of these slimming tips.

How to Motivate Yourself to Do Something You Dont Want to do

... like running, working, dieting, making a stressful phone call, breaking up with your boyfriend, swallowing a big non-candy coated pill.





I have a grand friend (shout out Becca Lucado!) who told me about emotional insurance.


Emotional Insurance, you say? Why, yes dear child, you must insure your emotions.


Lets agree that we lack motivation in things that are unpleasant. We have to give ourselves a bit of sweet with the bitter sometimes. Mary Poppins suggests taking a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.

The idea of emotional insurance is to set goals for yourself and then have a reward waiting for you on the other side. Don't trick yourself to keep going beyond your set limits, you'll never trust yourself then and motivation will be even harder. Pat yourself on the back for meeting your goal and allow yourself the indulgence of positive reinforcement.

The next time you have to call your grandmother and explain why you are still single and not as successful as your siblings tell her you only have 30 minutes. Cut her off in the middle of her rant on the grocer's produce section after half an hour, tell her you have to go and then go take a bubble bath while The Used blares from your computer speakers.

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