Raves and Reviews

RAVE: Aldo Accessories

2011-09-23T11:46:00.004-04:00

For weeks I've been saying "I need a new purse," because honestly, I do (did). Of course, with a wedding in my very near future my budget is small - which is an added challenge.

Leave it to my very shopping savvy co-worker to find a fabulous deal through some online browsing. She came across a nice looking hobo at Aldo Accessories that I had to check out.

Note: buying purses online is challenging, it's kind of one of those things you need to touch and see. Glad I did it that way, because in person, the material was darker than in the picture online, which I liked.

Upon walking into Aldo Accessories in Water Tower Place (downtown Chicago), I was greeted by a very friendly associate. She helped me find my bag, gave me honest opinions, showed me different options, and pulled the brand new, still in it's package purse from the back room. On top of that, I was looking for a wallet too. She immediately showed me their sale items, being conscious of my budget, but I fell in love with an inexpensive number not found in their sale section. She pulled that from the back as well and I was on my way.

The experience was quick and not only painless, but enjoyable. I was so glad I walked into the store on that day and had the most helpful sales person ever. Not only that, I'm trilled with my purchase and get compliments on my bag, and tons of compliments on my cute wallet too!

If you're looking for high quality, but not uber expensive accessories, I highly recommend Aldo Accessories.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Latte

2011-09-16T15:29:00.004-04:00

Let me start by saying I love Starbucks. I really do. Even as someone who is no longer a caffeine addict - oh I didn't mention that I'm caffeine free these days? No, I'm not pregnant. I did it for health reasons and let me tell you it's fabulous. But that's a topic for another day.

Anyhow, this time of the year everyone is raving about Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. Sure, I've had them. In fact, I've given them a shot a few times over the last couple of years, but they're just "meh" in my book.

I love a good, hot (decaf) coffee drink, but there's just something yucky and artificial - almost metallic - about the taste of the Pumpkin Spice syrup at Starbucks.

Needless to say, I'm sticking with my soy AmeriMisto.

Then, the other day I got a coupon in the mail for a free (yes, FREE) small latte from Dunkin' Donuts. I'm typically not a Dunkin' girl. No real reason why, I just find myself in closer proximity to Starbucks most often, but when I hear free, I can't say no.

So, I took a trip there on Wednesday - which was a crisp fall day - and gave their Pumpkin Latte a shot. I figured, even if it tasted just so-so like S-bucks, then I'm not out anything.

And what'd I taste at first sip, you ask? PURE HEAVEN.

Let me take a step back for a second and say that I love fall. I love the weather, I love the changing leaves, I love the fashion and I simply adore all the pumpkin flavored items you can buy. There's nothing better than a pumpkin donut and fresh apple cider from my hometown cider mill.

I'm no stranger to this flavor, to say the least. So when I sipped that latte I about came unglued with joy. It blasted my tongue with pumpkin flavor, and didn't leave that strange after-taste that you can sometimes get.

Dunkin' got this one right for SURE. I'm not one for spending much on fru-fru coffee drinks, but there's a good chance I'll be headed back before the season is over - and I highly recommend you do the same, at least once.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Shoreline Water Taxi

2011-08-18T11:03:00.004-04:00

Okay, so it's been a while and I have a laundry list of backlogged reviews to post, but I want to start with one that's top of mind.

The Chicago Water Taxi.

For those who may not know, I got a new job back in May. And it's absolutely fabulous. However, until this week we didn't actually have an office here in Chicago, so I was working from home.

I know many people out there think that's probably totally amazing to be able to work from home, but let me tell you it gets challenging when you don't have an "office space" of sorts. I was either sitting on the couch or at the kitchen table. I didn't have a dedicated space to be focused. Not good.

Needless to say I was excited when we opened our office in River North this week. Being a suburb commuter, that's a bit of a hike from Union Station, but I have to say the Shoreline Water Taxi has already become my friend. It's only one block from Union and it drops me off a couple block from the office. Super quick, no traffic to deal with, and no smelly cabs with jerky drivers to make me car sick. And, at $2 a ride it's a steal.

So, if you're a Chicago commuter, I highly recommend the water taxi if you can swing it. Only downfall is that it stops running on Sept 30...looks like I'll be a bus taker for the winter...fun!

Cheers!

-A

Mutli-rave post

2011-06-03T19:26:00.005-04:00

It's bee a while, and there are so many things I've experienced and I'm loving taking advantage of on a regular basis.

So, instead of focusing on just one rave, I'm going to talk about a few things that I'm loving at the moment.

"These are a few of my favorite things"

And now that that song is stuck in your head, let's plunge ahead. These are in no particular order other than how much atop my mind they are at the moment.

Yoga Toes - I've had these for a couple months now and though they're some of the strangest looking things, they're amazing.

At first, I could only wear them for about 10 minutes before my feet were begging me to take them off. But over time, I've come to crave them, especially after a run or a long day at work. They claim to be the cure for bunions but I just love how they make my feet feel. These came recommended to me by my cousin who wears them religiously, she even walks around the house in them, but I still find this a bit painful...they're definitely not made for walking, but lounging while reading or watching TV or even to wear to bed, they're fabulous!

Total Freedom - if you're looking for a good book that will give you a completely different outlook on life and self-improvement without being all self-helpy, this book is it. I'm not going to lie, it's not a quick read. But it's worth every minute spent with your nose stuck in it. It's one of those books that, once you get into it, you find yourself having a hard time pulling yourself away. A book like this is too good not to share with others. A must read.

Nutella - my new peanut butter substitute when I'm just not feeling the crunchy, peanutty spread. If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend it. I'm a big fan of Nutella on my morning banana or on an apple in the afternoon. Punches up your favorite treats a bit. YUM!

Delta Airlines Wi-Fi - what would I do without in-flight wi-fi? Well, probably sleep or read or listen to music and just unwind. But, on those days where I need to get a client report out the door or I'm waiting for a response to keep a project moving, or even when I just want to write a blog post, it's critical. Sure, there's a bit of a charge, which you can buy by flight, 24-hour period or have a monthly fee for unlimited access for all you frequent fliers out there, but it's totally worth it!

MacBook Air - Apple got it right with this one, beyond right! I was issued an Air for my new position (oh yeah, did I mention I got a new job and I'm loving EVERY SECOND OF IT?) and I gotta tell you, it's amazing. As someone who has found herself traveling more than normal, I don't dread slinging my messenger bag over my shoulder for that long trek across the airport anymore, I can hardly tell I've even got a computer in there. And with the abundance of wi-fi connections, well, everywhere these days, there's no lack of internet connectivity. I'm going to love having this powerful little (and I do mean little) beast.

That's all for now.

Cheers!

-A

RAVES: Uncle Bub's Secret Special

2011-05-07T18:40:00.003-04:00

So, this is my second rave review on Uncle Bub's in Westmont, but this time it's a bit different.

Yes, we continue to have stellar experiences every time we decide to pig out (pun intended) at this local barbeque establishment. But it wasn't too long ago that we discovered a hidden gem in their already mouthwatering lineup of meats.

Smoked bologna sandwich.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking, or at least, it's what I was thinking when I first heard about this menu item that in fact, doesn't have a permanent place on the menu. "A bologna sandwich? Really? I haven't had one of those since I 10 years old, and I wasn't much impressed then."

Let me explain the deliciousness of this sandwich for a second...

This isn't your grandmas cold cut bologna sandwich, mind you. They smoke the balogna right there in their kitchen, slice it thin, and pile the juicy meat onto a soft bun with their signature barbeque sauce and your choice of cheese.

You can't tell me your mouth isn't watering just thinking about it.

Had we not been tipped off to this special menu item by a relative of the owner we may never have known just how good bologna can be!

I said it before and I'll say it again, one of the best parts of our trips to Uncle Bub's is the service. Everyone is not only knowledgeable about everything on the menu, but you're treated like family from the moment you walk in. Sure makes it easy on those days when you just can't decide what you want for dinner to say, "hey, let's go to Uncle Bub's."

If you're anywhere near the Chicagoland area and haven't tried it out yet, what are you waiting for? Get there. There's no other barbeque experience like it.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Popeyes Chicken, Calumet City

2011-02-08T16:53:00.004-05:00

My husband loves Popeyes Chicken. Until we started dating, I'd never ventured to one.

I had a friend in high school who worked at the local KFC and told me stories about their food handling processes that made my skin crawl. So I spent most of my life avoiding fast food fried chicken.

But a few months back, I gave the place a shot, and really wasn't all that impressed. The service was beyond slow and the food was just okay. They did have really good cole slaw and mashed potatoes and gravy though, I give them that.

I've eaten there a couple times since then and continued to be less than impressed, especially with the slow service. I thought maybe it was because it was "Louisiana style" or something that they were just slower, but after visiting one of the stores outside of Chicago, I know this isn't true.

On the way to visiting my family for funeral services, we decided to stop and get a bite to eat. When we saw a sign for Popeyes his eyes lit up, so we stopped. We went inside to take a break from driving through traffic and the first thing I noticed was the incredible speed of the people behind the counter.

The man who took our order was yelling back into the kitchen as he took pieces of chicken, so they knew what to replace (normally, we see them yelling what they need AS they need it). Needless to say, I was impressed.

We asked the man if he was the manager there and he said, "why yes I am," and we complimented him on the efficiency of the store. He mentioned that they were short staffed even, but it didn't show. We got our food quicker than ever at a Popeyes. The food was fresh and just as we'd ordered it - another issue we've had in the past, not getting spicy when we order it.

After we ordered we sat down to eat and people watched. The manager was very patient with customers who would come in on their cell phones and talk while ordering, or taking forever to make a decision while holding up the line, and even customers asking tons of questions that are answered right on the menu. He certainly was more patient that I would have been :).

So I gotta say, if you're ever headed out of Chicago on 94 and have a craving for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, be sure to take the Calumet City exit and visit the store on Sibley Road. You're bound to be satisfied with food and the service.

Cheers!

Ashley

RANT: Cinemark at Seven Bridges

2011-02-03T10:42:00.004-05:00

Normally I'm not one to just throw a complaint up on a blog for the world to see without giving a company the chance to make things right first, but my experience last night was so appalling that it must be shared.

So it's been a rough week, between the 18 inches of snow that was dumped on us in 36 hours, nearly getting sick (I barely got away with that) and dealing with the emotional strains of some family emergencies, I was in desperate need of a mid-week comedy to cheer me up.

Typically my husband and I rent movies in, either on Netflix or Redbox, but occasionally when there's a flick that looks promising we'll head out for a date night at the movie theater.

Since moving to Chicago, we've chosen Cinemark @ Seven Bridges in Woodridge, IL as our local spot. Sure, there are closer theaters but this one has a number of showings, stadium seating, clean bathrooms (yes, this is a plus) and IMAX, if you so choose. And up until last night, the customer service was satisfactory.

We went to see No Strings Attached with Ashton and Natalie. This is funny, if you're interested. Not in the typical romantic comedy kind of way either, like legit funny. We were quoting our favorite lines on the way home. It really helped take my mind off everything.

Anyway, we got in and settled as the previews were showing. As a treat, I decided to sneak out and get us some popcorn, and this is where the fun started.

*please note the implied sarcastic tone there*

Given that it was a slow evening and most people were hunkered down in their homes, ticket sales were taking place at the end of the consession counter. I've encountered this before, no big deal. BUT, when you have two people behind the counter, one just watching you wait for service while the other is selling tickets, that doesn't bode so well for someone who just wants to get her $7 bag of popcorn and get back before the movie starts.

Not only that, when the man was done selling tickets to these folks, they were not expected to get in line behind me at concessions, rather, they were helped immediately. So I waited, impatiently, while he microwaved their hot dogs for them (which, as I see it, he could have spent the time waiting for them to heat up by scooping popcorn for awaiting customers...just a thought on time management there). All the while the other woman behind the counter just stood there picking her nose. Okay, not literally, but she might as well have been, at least then she'd be doing something.

When I mentioned to him that I had been waiting in line, I was virtually ignored. So I ordered my popcorn and rushed back into the movie. Had I not had to wait nearly 10 minutes to get popcorn when there was no one else in line, I wouldn't have missed the beginning. Gee, thanks.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people in the customer service industry drag their feet and take their jobs so lightly. It's these people who hold the potential to give a company a bad name. In the end, isn't all about serving the customer? Unfortunate as it may be, I highly doubt we'll be going back there any time soon. AMC at Yorktown is looking like a better option...Clearly, the customers time and money isn't valued at Cinemark.

Ashley

A not so formal announcement

2011-01-26T23:00:00.004-05:00

Here it is:

I got married.

That's right. It wasn't that long ago that you heard about the engagement. We operate fast.

Truth of the matter is, there were a handful of reasons why we went ahead and "ran off" to do this on our own - like wedding planning is insane when you're trying to hold down a full time job and seriously, have you seen the prices of invitations these days? But what's most important here is that we did it for us. The way we wanted to. Without killing our families and each other in the process (not literally, of course).

So we did what we wanted. It was about us. It is about us, and our marriage. The rest of our lives together. That's what a wedding is about, after all, the ensuing marriage (something I get a sense that a lot of people forget as they engross themselves in planning the big day).

But know this, it wasn't about intentionally leaving people out, even though I've been getting a lot of flack about that lately.

We called our families to give them the news and then we posted it on Facebook for the world to see. Sure, maybe there was a better way to go about it, but with everyone engrossed in social media these days in one form or another, it was the most efficient way - with both of us living in states where we didn't grow up and the majority of our friends and family don't reside - to spread the news.

Seriously, if there weren't enough hours in the day to plan a wedding then there certainly wasn't enough time to call everyone and their third cousin to spread the word that we eloped - especially when we're still planning for a formal celebration of some kind this summer. You know, like a post-wedding reception, only a few months later. Who ever said you have to have a formal celebration on the day you get married?

This might sound harsh, but I do have to say that it's a bit disheartening when first reactions from friends aren't "congrats, that's so awesome" they're "why did I have to find out on Facebook?"

Well, truth is, because it's not about you.

Even my grandmother was thrilled for us. And if you'd expect anyone in a family unit to be a stickler about tradition, it'd be grandma, right? Nope. Pure excitement. :)

I consider myself to be a pretty generous person, putting the needs of the people who are closest to me in my life before my own, more often than not. I bend over backwards to please. But this time, we did what was needed for our own happiness - me and my husband. And guess what, it worked. We're married, and we're happy, and we love each other and we didn't spend 9 months and $30 grand planning an elaborate wedding that neither of us wanted in the first place.

But we do want to celebrate with our friends and family, because it matters to us, so we will, at some point. Until then, join me in celebrating our lovely marriage every day, will you?

Cheers!

-A

Gossip web

2011-01-26T12:47:00.006-05:00

It appears that recently I've been caught in this web of he said, she said with a number of people in my life.

This scenario seems to happen every couple years, where I, for one reason or another, am seen as the trustworthy friend that everyone comes to in order to talk about their other friends behind their backs (which, rightfully so, I AM that trustworthy friend!). It gets even more confusing when those friends are connected to one another and they're all talking about each other. It's hard for the listener to keep up.

I guess I've never fully understood gossip. I mean, sure, we all need to vent every now and again when something or someone gets under our skin. This is just being human. And I'm a huge believer in what is said between two people is not considered gossip, but rather, it's a closed door meeting of the minds to help resolve frustration for one or both parties involved. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as the conversation doesn't go any farther than that.

But, what I've found, is that it usually does.

Lately, with all the confiding that people have been doing (in me), I have to wonder how much gossiping they're doing with others (about me). You hear the old saying that those who talk about others to you are likely to talk about you behind your back - or however that goes - and I can't help but think through that statement as I'm being asked about my opinions about the people I consider my friends.

Thing is, we put a lot of trust in our friends. So if you've earned a friendship with someone (because as I see it, true friendship takes time to be earned), doing anything that doesn't fully support them - especially in front of others - would be a breech of said trust and would quickly lead to a loss of faith in the relationship, right? Talking bad about someone's character behind there back will do just that.

(Note: this does not include those times where your friends are about to do something so stupid they could ruin their lives and/or the lives of those around them. In situations such as these, the only good-friend move is to set them straight. People need their friends for honest feedback, too.)

So, for anyone who questions it, here's the scoop: if you're truly my friend, you can count on the vault being sealed. Anything I say to someone else about a situation that involves you is something I've already said to you - assuming it's even appropriate to discuss with others in the first place.

This goes for friends and family. There's no purpose in me gossiping about you behind your back, so you can count on me. I hope you can say the same.

Cheers!

-A

Blog Snob

2011-01-24T10:35:00.006-05:00

The more involved I get with social media, the more I realize how much of a blog snob I am.

As I see it, when it comes to social media content, it should be easy for the end user to consume. What I mean by that is, it's should be easy to read and understand.

Blogs that get too technical and have too much jargon, even when the topic is rather technical, rarely make it to my Google Reader. If wordy, in depth articles is what I was out to read, I'd do a search for an academic or journal article, not a blog.

With blogs, I expect, concise, easy to read information on whatever topic is being covered. And honestly, I want to hear the opinion of the blogger - that's why I'm there! What they have to say on the subject is just as important as the facts. I'm there for their voice. It's about conversation, and when the content is outside the conversational tone, then it almost becomes daunting.

Those of us who spend any length of time in the social media space tend to have a laundry list of blogs that we read each day. Some we scroll through just to get the gist of what the writer is discussing, others we're sure to read word for word every day. My reader has 75+ blogs in it, can you imagine if each one of those posts was technical in nature?

Visuals help too. Break up those words with a few photos or relevant videos, will ya?

Thanks!

Maybe that makes me a snob, or someone who prefers to get her information at a 6th grade reading level, but as I see it, information in social media should remain conversational - quick and easy to consume. After all, there's so much of it and so little time to sift through the technical jargon.

Just a thought from a dedicated blog writer and reader.

Cheers!

-A

Rant: Bad Mood

2011-01-20T11:29:00.004-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've had one of those days where I'm just in a shit mood.

I guess I'm blessed with my irritation being limited to fleeting moments. It does help that my fiance has an incredible sense of humor that he uses to get me to laugh and snap out of it.

Of course, it's not even noon yet and I'm stuck at the office with this incredible bad mood that I just can't shake. What's worse is that I really don't have any good reason for it.

But it got me to thinking about crappy moods and that people, in general, allow their happiness to be affected by the behavior of others way too much.

There are so many times in life where, when you encounter someone who is in a wretched mood, their reasoning is because of something someone else did or said. Here are a few good examples:

People you encountered were rude - customer service, those you run into during a commute, colleagues at work, the list goes on.
Someone you trusted betrayed that trust - whether a friend spilled the beans on something you confided or a family member called you out and/or didn't support you in public, their actions directly affected your mood.
You received non-constructive criticism.
Or even something as simple as someone not behaving the way you had expected.

I've come to learn that expectations can lead to bad moods, because it's not uncommon that when you have high or very specific expectations of others that they're often not precisely met. This isn't at the fault of the person for whom you have these expectations though, especially if you haven't been open about what you expect. So either set expectations up front (when it's appropriate, anyhow) or learn to be a bit flexible.

Flexibility in any type of relationship, whether it's a family member, significant other, close friend or casual acquaintance, understanding that everyone is unique and goes about things in different ways can come to benefit you in the long run - if nothing else than keeping frustration at bay.

No one likes to be wrong or to not have things go their way, but if you can be a little less rigid in your daily dealings, it won't feel so much like "being wrong" or being disappointed - it'll just feel different (thanks to my yoga instructor for discussing rigidity during class last night...turn out that was pretty timely).

It all comes down to having some control over your own happiness. Have a bit of confidence in yourself and the actions you take. If you truly believe in yourself and the life you're leading, you can learn to incorporate flexibility into you outlook.

And if nothing else, you can look at the naysayers knowing that it's not you, it's them.

Anyway, this is just a bit of advice from the front lines of a bad mood. Writing has helped a little...if only I could blog all day long :)

Cheers!

-A

Social Media Burnout

2011-01-18T09:09:00.004-05:00

As someone who works in social media 5 days a week and who spends a great deal of her free time doing things like blogging and participating in conversations on Twitter and Facebook for my clients, I'll be the first to tell you that, if you're not careful with social media, burnout will slap you upside the head.

For the last few months, I've been feeling this sense of complete disgust with all things social media - specifically Facebook - and my participation has dwindled. I blamed it on the job, noting that working in social media 10 hours a day has made it nearly impossible to enjoy participating on a personal level. In fact, I think I've even said a handful of times that I do everything I can to avoid Facebook when I'm not at work. Note: to some it's probably quite clear that I've taken the energy I used to put into these outlets and aimed it at my blogging, hence the wicked increase in posts here. Which, as I see it, isn't a bad thing either!

Recently, something seems to have changed. In the past few weeks, I've slowly started jumping into the conversation again. My posts on Twitter aren't just self-serving anymore, (read: promoting a recent blog post), I'm back to reaching out to others, seeking out information, actually reading the updates that come across Tweetdeck. Same with Facebook - I'm back in action when it comes to taking part in the conversations and posting information that isn't just rubbish about myself for the sake of posting.

All this got me to thinking about the purpose of social media. When I joined Facebook back in college, it was a tool for college kids to keep in touch with friends, link up with old friends and stalk potential new friends. ;) I kid.

But since the evolution of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the purpose of daily participation has morphed a bit. As I see it, you get out of social media what you put into it. If you're an information seeker, you can only spend so much time as a voyeur before you have to sack up and share some of your resources with others. Utilizing Facebook and Twitter to share links to articles and blog posts that you find interesting, sharing photography and videos that helped you learn, that you think would be helpful to others.

There's an element of Karma in social media. If you're just there for yourself, you're likely not going to see it's full potential. But if you're willing to put in a bit of energy, you might be surprised what you get out of it.

So for all you bloggers out there who crave comments, be sure you're out there reading and providing genuine feedback to others on their blogs. Facebookers and Tweeters, if you haven't already, start joining the conversation to talk about more than yourself. You might be surprised at what happens.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Yoga Among Friends

2011-01-13T10:38:00.005-05:00

For anyone who has been paying attention, it's no secret that I'm a big advocate of yoga. Not only is it great exercise and injury prevention, it's also good for the soul. Yoga helps me relax, it helps me stay sane.

You question that, just ask my fiance...he'll be the first to tell you that I'm much happier after a yoga class (and probably easier to live with in general when I'm practicing regularly).

After moving to Chicago, I was doing what I could to save my pennies, so I spent $10 on a couple yoga DVDs from Amazon in hopes of continuing my practice at home. Turns out, I'm not so good at 1) getting the motivation to take an hour out of my evening at home to pop in a yoga dvd, or 2) get my head into the practice with all the distractions that happen when you're at home.

I'm just the kind of girl who needs a peaceful space to get away from the cell phone and the ever-growing pile of laundry to really focus.

So, I decided to venture out and explore the world of yoga in the West Chicago suburbs. I had the intention of trying out a number of different studios before settling on one, since there seems to be an abundance within driving distance. But, after visiting just one, I think I might be hooked.

A couple weeks ago I headed to Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove for my first yoga class in Chicagoland. I went to a level 1 vinyasa flow class because I wasn't entirely sure what level 1 meant in their terms, and since it'd been a few months since my last class, I wanted to ease into it.

Well, let me tell you, though it was a rather basic class, it was exactly what I needed. The class was a bit bare, mostly because it was during the holidays and everyone was too busy making and eating cookies to venture out, but with only a handful of people in the class, the instructor was able to provide plenty of 1 on 1 attention. It also was one of those classes that you could make into your own level of difficulty.

It was a 90 minute class that started with some inspiring thoughts to get your meditation juices flowing. We worked our way up from the floor and back down again. It was slow and basic, but still very challenging. I made a lot of mental realizations through this practice, let go of some things I'd been holding on to for far too long, and really got into the groove.

This is a class I've been thinking about ever since that first visit, and it makes me want to continue going back for more.

Beyond that, everyone there was very welcoming and friendly. Fellow classmates introduced themselves and instructors went out of their way to chat with me. I made it a point to mention that I have intentions of working toward my 200-hour certification and they all took an interest in that. HUGE bonus, as I've yet to find a studio that has been interested in that statement.

I'm excited to check out some of the other class options, as they have a wide variety for every yogi need and skill level. There's even a gentle asana/meditation class - that's a must visit in the coming weeks.

This is definitely a yoga studio that I would recommend to any of my friends. The name, Yoga Among Friends, speaks for itself. If you're in the Chicagoland area, be sure to check it out. You won't regret it.

Cheers!

-A

Thank you

2011-01-10T22:25:00.005-05:00

Thank you.

Two words in the English language that aren't used nearly enough. I'll admit, I've been known to forget the "please" every now and again, but I do pride myself on showing gratitude where it's deserved...even for the smallest things.

These words are regularly spoken in my house - for things as silly as taking out the garbage or even saying the right words in a time of need. There's no lack of thanks at home. Maybe that means I'm spoiled and that I tend to expect these words more than others, but I truly believe that people neglect to say thanks more often than they should.

I've been known, at times, to thank in such abundance that it can boarder on annoying, but honestly, better to be too thankful than not enough, right?

The point is this, I believe that manners should dictate a thanks for those who go out of their way to do something nice for you, something that doesn't benefit them, to better your life. Friends often do this for one another, because they are your friends and that's what friends do. But, that doesn't mean you should be any less thankful than if a stranger went out of their way for the same task, right?

From what I've learned through my psych minor, it's human nature that once you're more comfortable in a relationship, whether romantic or platonic friendships, things like manners tend to relax too. But doesn't that just send the message to these people that your time isn't as important to them as say, as strangers?

Think about it - simple example: a stranger holds a door for you, you stop the conversation you are in and say a quick thank you. Nice. Polite. But, when it's you and a friend walking, she opens the door for you, do you stop the conversation you're in to say thanks, or did you just assume because you're friends, and you're together, that it's not needed?

Is this making sense?

I'm a huge advocate for thank yous. As most of us 20-something professionals know, a thank you can go a long way in making you proud of the assingment you handed into your boss and makes you want to work just as hard on the next project because you know they appreciate you. Sometimes, a thank you is all it takes.

But what about with your friends, did you ever think about that? Probably not. You do what comes natural. You help them out from time to time, you just expect the same. But that's the problem, the expectation part. Taking just a few seconds to say or type a thank you will let your friend know that you appreciate them.

Simple words of gratitude. It's really not too much to ask for.

So, to all those who have helped me in even the smallest of ways, my friends, my family, my fiance, my co-workers, and everyone else in my life who has lended a hand, or an idea, or whatever you did to make something in my life more positive, thank you.

Thank you. It really does mean a lot.

Cheers!

-A

Tests from the Universe

2011-01-10T09:08:00.005-05:00

I'm a big believer in the idea that events in this life unfold for a reason. Not in the, "it's meant to happen because that's your destiny" sense, but more that the Universe has this way of guiding you in ways of bettering your life, if you're open to it.

Often times, as I've found, this means learning a lesson before getting to the good stuff. In recent years, I've noticed that the world has shown me the value of such things as attention to detail and thoroughness - though at the time I had no idea I'd become a skydiver where these attributes would be critical to saving my life. It's also slapped me upside the head recently and let me know that, difficult as it may be, speaking up for my own wants and needs is critical to my happiness - after all, no one else is going to do it for me.

So that takes me to what I believe is my latest lesson; patience.

I'm on to you Universe, you're testing my patience right now...and let me be the first to tell you that you're not going to make me fail at this one. Difficult as it may be, I'm giving every ounce of energy I have left to practicing patience. You're not going to drive me mad with this one.

Sometimes when you see good things start to unfold you just want to skip to the end to reap the rewards. Turns out, this isn't the way things work. And sometimes, no matter how hard the waiting part is, there's nothing more you can do to fill the space between effort and result - aside from waiting.

As the song goes, waiting is the hardest part. And no matter what the result is, making the best of it can be the most important...it's just a matter of not knowing, living in limbo that tends to drive people crazy (well, me at least). So, I'm taking this as a test from the Universe once again, that ultimately will show me the benefits of being patient, and remaining positive at the same time.

But it's far from easy. The questions that run through the mind are enough to drive anyone a little nutty, but it's important to remember, not to doubt yourself, because in the end you don't want to have to pick up more pieces of your shattered self than is necessary.

So tell me dear readers, what are some of your tips and tricks for patience?

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: PeiWei Asian Diner

2011-01-09T17:44:00.004-05:00

This one has been a long time coming. For anyone who knows me, it's no secret that I like to eat. It's truly amazing that I'm not twice my size; thanks mom and dad for great metabolism.

Two sentences and I'm already off topic...

Back in 2005, when I took a trip down to visit a friend in Tucson, AZ, Pei Wei Asian Diner was the first stop after the airport. I'd never heard of it before, but I do like asian food so it sounded like a good idea.

Being a quick-casual restaurant, we were eating within 10 minutes of ordering.

I really like how the system is set up there. You walk in, look at the menu that's on the wall - they also have a couple available in smaller print on the counters where you place your order - a cashier takes your order, gives you your glass and you get your drinks and find a seat. Then, within 9 minutes your food is at your table. It's pretty great, actually.

Quick casual. A very smart concept.

What I enjoy most about Pei Wei though, is their food. When I lived in Dallas, my apartment was only a couple miles from the nearest Pei Wei. I experimented with their food, as it was fairly inexpensive, which is a plus for a single 20-something just beginning her career.

Early on in my experimenting I tried their pad thai and fell in love. It was the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. Just the right amount of sauce, not too thick. It was almost refreshing, silly as that sounds. Between the pad thai and the fact that they had Diet Dr. Pepper available in their fountain (c'mon, everyone knows fountain soda is the best), I was hooked.

It wasn't long before I decided that it was time for a weekend job to supplement my entry-level PR salary, so what a better place than Pei Wei, where I was a patron at least 3 times a week anyway.

This is when I realized how great this company really is. All the cooking takes place in the woks outside the kitchen where the public can watch. Everything is incredibly sanitary.

Having previously been a server in a restaurant in college, I can honestly say I didn't want to eat there knowing what went on in the kitchens. Not the case with Pei Wei. I continued to eat there as often as I once did...in fact, I probably at there more as an employee.

They treat there employees with understanding and respect. Even though I was 20-something working as a cashier, I did have a career that was important to me during the week. My manager respected the type of employee I was, and that I had a lot going on outside of the store.

We were recognized as important, no matter which role you filled. I could go on, but this isn't what's important.

What IS important, is how great this restaurant is for it's customers. When you food is delivered to your table, your every wish can be catered to...everything from extra sauces to napkins to a drink refill. Sure, these are things you could do yourself, but all you have to do is ask :).

I'm beyond thrilled that Pei Wei is opening a store out here in the Chicago burbs this week. I've been looking forward to this since we moved here in October, and something I've been talking about for years. I truly miss this place and will be making an appearance out there this week.

So, here's the scoop:

Price: $$ (very reasonable, less than $10/person and often there's enough left over for tomorrow)

Menu Selection: **** (vietnamese, thai, chinese...there are plenty of options for all asian tastes)

Taste: ***** (my favorite asian food anywhere!)

Service: ***** (so nice and welcoming, and prompt with the order)

Atmosphere: **** (laid back, friendly, quick)

Patience ≠ strength

2011-01-05T09:36:00.004-05:00

I want to share something that slapped me upside the head recently.

Now, it's no secret that patience is not one of my strengths. When there's something I want, I want it now. And if it's something that needs to be done, I expect it to be done right. This used to mean that I would do just about everything I wanted done myself so that I knew it was done right. But, considering my career, I've had to loosen up on that and learn to trust a bit more.

Waiting in lines also has become less of a chore, but I can thank my iPhone for keeping my ADD brain busy and allowing me to multitask. Cuz as we all know, if I'm not doing more than one thing at a time, I'm not in my comfort zone :).

But even with these improvements, I'm still not a very patient person. I could never be a teacher. I thank my stars frequently that my brother decided to pursue a career in IT, making him the go-to with all computer and techie questions that my family can think up. I just don't have the patience to teach people who don't have the first clue about technology - it's easier to do that crap myself.

The funny thing is, even though I'm acutely aware of my lack of patience and need to work on this area of my life, I still expect that other people will be patient with me. Great example: I'm a question asker, an information seeker, if you will. I don't like to make decisions or give a concrete answer to anything unless I'm certain about what's being asked of me. So I have a tendency to ask questions to fill in the blanks...sometimes lots of follow up questions. This tends to irk some people who aren't from this same camp. And when frustration happens, I tend to lash out, just expecting patience to overcome them.

This, my friends, makes me a jerk.

I mean really, who can possibly expect perfection from others when I myself can fully admit to being FAR from perfect in every aspect of life. On top of that, I'll be the first to tell you that perfection is more times than not, completely annoying. Who wants to be surrounded by perfect people? I mean, they're just a constant reminder of how imperfect you are anyway, right? So expecting perfection is just asking for annoyance. C'mon Ashley, wise up already!

Wow, this post doesn't seem to be going in any real direction...my apologies if you're having trouble following.

I guess my point is this - I'm impatient, especially with people who aren't patient with me. Which is totally wrong on my part. But I'm aware of it, and I'm working on it. So, thanks to those who are patient with me while I work on my understanding of the fact that you're not all that patient either.

Um...even I'm having trouble following this logic now. But I hope it makes some sense, if you've been patient enough to have read this far.

Cheers!

-A

New Opportunities Ahead

2011-01-04T10:28:00.004-05:00

Two Thousand Eleven has just begun and I'm already excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. Since moving to Chicago there have been lots of chances to grow as a person, not only in my personal life, but in my career and in skydiving as well.

There are still so many question marks about where things are headed, but I have to say that I'm excited about the possibilities.

So far I've done a good job about not stressing over it - normally question marks make me uneasy, but I'm just going to take things as they come this year. After all, things seem to have this way of working themselves out the way they are supposed to in the end.

Needless to say, I've already spent quite a bit of time getting my ducks in a row as much as I can. I've come to realize that there's never an ideal time to make any change, but if you don't dive in head first and do it, you'll never grow. So, I'm doing what I can to get comfortable in case the time comes where change is knocking at my door.

And if you've been following along, you know this tends to happen quite frequently in my life. Even though I'm getting married and settled into my career, I just don't foresee myself "settling down" anytime soon. Thank god for a fiance who has a much (if not more) energy than I do :).

So that's really all I have, I guess I was just wanting to write more than anything this morning. Looks like I've got another busy day ahead.

What opportunities do you see in your near future?

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Uncle Bub's

2011-01-03T15:31:00.004-05:00

In keeping with one of my 2011 resolutions (see Write more), I'm doing just that. So that means that on occasion you'll get two posts in one day.

Deal with it.

I wanted to start this year out on a high note with the review portion of this blog, by talking about an incredible BBQ restaurant just up the road from my place in Chicago.

It's touted as Chicagoland's Best Award Winning BBQ and let me tell you what, it lives up to that.

Now, if you've been reading long, you're probably thinking, "but Ashley, aren't you a vegetarian?'

True, I used to be a full veg, but things change and I've come to find that meat can be your friend in small doses. Plus, it's yummy!

Anyhow, so in trying out new, local restaurants, my fiance and I stumbled into Uncle Bub's in Westmont one afternoon.

We decided, since this was our first time, that we'd pop that cherry by splitting the sampler platter, which has three ounces of each of their meats (though, I really think there was more than 3 oz of each....they really loaded it up). You also get corn bread and two sides - this was more than enough for us. In fact, we ended up taking some home!

I was a huge fan of the brisket, while my partner in crime was loving the ribs. He also loved the friend mac & cheese while my favorite sides were by far the mashed potatoes and gravy and cole slaw.

One of the cool things about this place is that they have a wall of sauces you can pick from and take back to your table. We indulged in a few hot sauces and a couple different BBQ sauces aside from what was on the table. On top of that, they have homemade pickles and pickled veggies as well.

I think what I liked most about this place though was the service. Everyone was so nice! They were slow as we showed our faces at 3:30 in the afternoon, but that gave us time to check everything out and mingle with the staff. It had a very Midwestern flare for a BBQ joint.

This would be a great place for one of those Food Network shows like Man vs. Food or Diners, Drive ins and Dives. I guess the latter had to finally contact Uncle Bub's and request that their patrons stop sending email requests to the show because their inbox fills up. Well, hello Guy, maybe that's your clue to come to Westmont, eh?

I would highly recommend this place to anyone in the Chicago area or traveling out to the burbs. It's worth the drive!

Price: $$ (big portions at a reasonable price)

Menu Selection: *** (not sure what is standard for BBQ places)

Taste: **** (yummy!)

Service: ***** (so nice and welcoming, and prompt with the order)

Atmosphere: **** (laid back, friendly)

Cheers!

-A

Resolving

2011-01-03T09:33:00.003-05:00

In keeping with New Year's blogging tradition (well, my tradition anyhow) I've decided to share my resolutions for 2011.

These are a bit different that in previous years. If you've been following along, 2010 was a year of significant learning for me, so I'm going to do everything I can to apply what I've learned to making my life better.

Here's what I've got:

*Be honest. With myself and with those around me. Make it known what I want, then work out a compromise if it doesn't match others that are involved. Being unhappy about an outcome can only be blamed on me if I haven't spoken up, and it does nothing by harm me and those around me.

*Write more. Journal. Blog. Start a book (that might be a lofty goal...), but whatever it takes, make an effort to sit down and write!

*Make yoga & meditation a priority. I've already started down this path, now I just need to stick with it again. :)

*Photography: be better about capturing memories on photo. I sucked at it this year and really only have pictures from my vacation last January. That's totally unacceptable.

*Relax. I have a tendency to be wound a little tight sometimes. I need to just chill the hell out and only control what I can. Myself. I think I need to learn to be a bit more selfish, and enjoy it.

*Wear more jewelry. When I met my fiance he pointed out my lack of jewelry. Aside from my engagement ring, this is pretty true. So, I've decided to start experimenting more.

What are some of your resolutions for 2011?

Cheers!

-A

Year in Review 2010

2011-01-01T22:27:00.006-05:00

Well, it's been quite a year, and sticking with blogger tradition I'm going to do a year in review. I'm a follower, not a leader ;). Only kidding of course.

But first, I have the last Reverb10 prompt to think about: December 31 – Core Story What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world?

As I've said through most of my posts this past month, the theme of 2010 was definitely learning. I'm grateful for every experience I've had this year that's taught me a thing or two about who I am, who I want to become, and who I want to surround myself with in the process.

Now, let's get on with the 2010 Year in Review...shall we? I tried to include a picture or video from each month. As you can see, I need to start taking more pictures again...

January

This was a month of adjusting and anticipating for me. I'd recently moved in with the first boyfriend I've ever lived with (which turned out pretty well, given that we are now engaged), and I spent the last days of the month traveling to warmer climates for, you guessed it, skydiving (video). This was also the month that I experienced my first cutaway, saving my own life. Pretty fun!

February

I started the month still on our 10 day Florida vacation, skydiving in Z-hills (video). Then it was time to get back to the grind. Finishing out the winter by reminiscing over all the fun things we did on our vacation and editing video.

March

The first half of the month I went up to Michigan to spend time with family I hadn't seen since the holidays and to celebrate my grandfather's 80th birthday. This was when I really realized how much I miss my grandparents by living so far from home. I made it a point to start reconnecting with them on a regular basis. So far, I've done a pretty good job of this each time I head home.

This month I also got the last addition to my skydiving tattoo...for now ;)

April

The skydiving season really starts to pick up as the weather gets warmer. But my boyfriend and I head down to South Carolina for a visit with his aunt and some skydiving action in a new city. We had a great time and came home with an open invitation to go back. Hoping to take advantage of that again this year. This was also the month where I really started to ramp up on the Jump for Diabetes promoting. I did a lot of outreach in my spare time for the event and, having just cut the final check to the ADA yesterday, I can honestly say it was well worth the work!

May

I got a couple offers for sponsors for the Jump for Diabetes. Not only that, I was asked to write a legit review on my blog and I got my first advertiser. This was a good month for Skydive Chick. For my birthday, we headed out to New York to skydive at a place called The Ranch. It was a fun weekend away.

June

This was a huge month for me in terms of skydiving. I started flying a wingsuit, which I haven't done much of in the past 6 months, but I was all about it in June and July! Then I was able to demo a much smaller canopy on a trip down to one of our favorite Ohio dropzones. It showed me that I wanted a 120 square foot parachute...bad. Unfortunately, this was also the month that I lost my grandmother. Though, as we joked at the funeral, this was her way of finally getting my cousins, aunt and uncle from California together with the rest of the family. It'd been too long...I miss them all!

July

This was a HUGE month for learning for me. Between the death of my grandmother and the loss of a couple friends (who, really, turned out to be not such great people after all) I really took a step back to evaluate what's important in life. For the first time I saw myself and the life I was leading. I saw that I was really living up to the spoiled little sister of the family, and that I was doing only what I pleased, whenever I wanted. I made a promise to myself to make my family and (true) friends more of a priority in my life, and skydiving, a little less. It was the first time I said to myself, "there's more to life than skydiving," and truly believed it. I also realized that I'd been slacking on my photography and yoga. At least I was able to re-commit to the latter.

August

Jump for Diabetes was here at last! We raised nearly $10,000 for an incredible cause (it all went to the American Diabetes Association, earmarked specifically for diabetes research). On top of that, people had an amazing time. Even with the rain we experienced, we were able to celebrate, enjoy good times and give away over $10,000 in donated skydiving gear in our raffles. Thanks to all who participated! (video)

September

Labor Day weekend we headed down to the Work Stinks! Boogie in Southern Ohio to celebrate our one year anniversary by jumping out of airplanes. Cool! Not only that, we got engaged on that first skydive. On top of that, we had our engagement photo shoot with Norman Kent. Be sure to check out the video here.

October

Another skydiving boogie, this time in Los Angeles at Skydive Elsinore. I was able to keep a promise to my California family that'd we come out for a visit. Weather was weird, so not nearly enough skydiving happened (video) but it was great to spend a week with my cousins and my aunt and uncle, and make some great new connections in the skydiving world. I need to make this a tradition. Then, we came back for 4 days before the big move to Chicago. The rest of the month was spent getting adjusted.

November

Lots more learning this month. Recommitted to my good friend yoga. Started working out regularly, played lots of racquetball. Skydiving came to a screeching halt when the weather turned sour. We've yet to find a local dropzone that will toss you out of an airplane even in the winter...still looking.

December

This month went by too fast. Between the holidays and the transition from my office in Cleveland to becoming a Chicago staff member I had my hands full. Not to mention planning for all the great things that will happen in 2011, like a wedding and more travel. So much on the horizon.

Here's to hoping that 2011 just keeps getting better.

Cheers!

Ashley

Reverb10 - Day 30, Gift

2010-12-30T09:08:00.002-05:00

Okay, can I just point out that I actually accomplished this challenge?

I know, there's still one day left, and I'll be sure to do so tomorrow, but c'mon, how awesome has this whole thing been? I love reflecting on the past and making plans for the future, so this was right up my alley (shouldn't it be right down my alley...think about it).

Anyway, here we go!

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Day 30

December 30 – Gift Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year? (Author: Holly Root)

I love giving gifts, getting them has always felt weird. Bragging about them has felt stranger.

Aside from things like my engagement ring and the beautiful Om symbol necklace my fiance bought me for Christmas, I'm going to have to say that the gift of support is the best one I received this year.

This came from a number of different people in my life, friends, co-workers, family members. But what hit me the most was the support I received from my fiance with some life-changing opportunities. Not only was he completely on board about moving to Chicago, but he found a way to make it work for him in the long run as well.

Since then, opportunities of all shapes and sizes have been thrown at me, and he's been there for me through every decision, 100% - even when the impact isn't so positive for him.

That's true partnership right there, and I am so grateful to have someone like him in my life. So really, that's been the best gift this year.

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 29, Defining Moment

2010-12-29T09:25:00.002-05:00

December 29 – Defining Moment Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year. (Author: Kathryn Fitzmaurice)

There was a moment one day in November where a lot of things took place and I realized the potential of my emotional strength.

It was the moment when I realized that I'd not only been lying to myself, but to everyone else around me, for years. I hadn't been honest about the things I want, the things I need. And in this moment, I realized just what I needed to do for me.

It felt good, empowering, and a bit scary all at the same time. It was a moment I'll never forget.

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 28, Achieve

2010-12-28T09:17:00.004-05:00

Today's prompt is a good one, it's about something tangible, it's about seeing results.

I absolutely love learning, it allows me to find ways to make the things in life that I want to happen, happen.

So for 2010 being the year of learning, as noted on day 1, this prompt is perfect for 2011.

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Day 28

December 28 – Achieve

What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

There are lots of things I'd like to accomplish in 2011, but if I have to narrow it down, I'd have to say I want yoga to become a focal point in my life again.

I chose this achievement mostly because it's not too specific. Such, I'd love to get my 200 hour certification and start teaching, but there might be factors outside of my control, like time constraints, money, you name it.

I also think this goal encompasses more than just attending yoga classes. It's about spirit and taking care of myself and continuing that learning process in a more hands-on way. It's about taking care of myself and being better to my body and my mind. It's about doing something for me that will ultimately benefit those around me. Trust me, I'm a much happier person when I'm practicing regularly.

Plus, this can be a new challenge for me. Even though I've been practicing fairly regularly for the past 7 years, working toward certification means that I've really gotta learn how to stretch my practice, soak in everything that's going on, attend more power and Bikram classes...you get the idea.

So I guess, if I had to pick how it'd make me feel emotionally, I'd have to say peacefully happy. I know that's two emotions, but I can't just choose one.

Ten ways to get there now?

1) Start practicing today.

2) Read up on yoga practices every chance I get.

3) Try something new and challenging.

4) Focus on an area where I'm struggling, physically, to help me get through a spot I'm struggling emotionally.

5) Eat a healthy yoga diet.

6) Stretch.

7) Meditate.

8) Travel.

9) Drink enough water and get enough rest.

10) Channel negative energy into my writing; positive energy into the people around me.

I'm not really sure if I did that last part right...some of these prompts confuse me.

So tell me dear readers, what do you hope to achieve in 2011?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb 10 - Catch up 24-27

2010-12-27T12:07:00.007-05:00

Time for a little catch up on the Reverb10 Challenge this morning. Oh c'mon now, you didn't really expect me to be blogging from the middle of nowhere Michigan while I was visiting my family for the holidays, did you?

Oh. You did. Well, too bad.

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Day 24

December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK

What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

I think for me that moment was the one where I first met with my new supervisor after moving to Chicago. This was the moment where I sat back and said to myself, "hey, I can have what I want in my career."

For so long I've felt as if I've been trapped in a position, going no where aside from being this tool for my "team" to use however they please. No one seemed to care about what I wanted, where I saw my career going. So I pushed my way into an account that I love, and now into an office that I love.

Moving here was proof to me that everything was going to be alright.

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Day 25

December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself
Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

I'm definitely going to have to go with this photo.
It was taken at the Jump for Diabetes, a fundraiser that my fiance and I put together last year to raise funds for diabetes research. Nearly $10,000 went to the ADA from this one-weekend event.
The photo was taken by my friend Matt, who came to Pennsylvania (where the event was held) from Michigan to support the cause. There were a number of people who traveled long distances for this. Heart warming.
I'd say this best describes my year for a number of reasons:
Skydiving
Charity (helping others is definitely something I want to do more)
Me and my boyfriend (who got engaged this year)
Spending time with friends (also a priority, as you've noticed)
So, yeah, it should speak for itself, but I helped a little.

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Day 26

December 26 – Soul Food
What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

This is difficult. I've had a lot of really great food this year. Between travel and moving to Chicago there have been a lot of amazing places to eat.

Though what currently stands out in my mind is the food we had at our office Christmas party. It was just appetizers, but these mini ranch burgers were to die for. So was the tomato bisque with mini grilled cheese.

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Day 27

December 27 – Ordinary Joy
Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

I think I'd have to say the day I got my hair done here in Chicago for the first time. Why? Because in the process I was able to reconnect with a friend from high school.
It was so great to know that I had people here in the area who I grew up with. But of course, this is stuff you've already heard about, so I'll spare you the repeat details :).

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Travel !!!

2010-12-22T09:30:00.005-05:00

Okay, so as most of you know, I'm a huge lover of travel. Even if I can't physically go somewhere, I love reading about travel (in blogs and magazines) seeing pictures of exotic places and planning future trips.

Travel has become a huge part of my life with this whole skydiving thing I've been into the past couple years.

It all started in Sept 09 with my first ever skydiving "boogie" with my fiance. It's been a hell of a ride ever since.

Needless to say, today's prompt was right up my alley.

December 22 – Travel How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt)

I traveled in a number of ways this year. In January, we took a 9 day trip to Florida, flying from Cleveland to Fort Myers, going to the beach and relaxing for day 1. Then we rented a car and drove out to Clewiston for one of those boogies I was talking about. We camped in our car and stayed in a crappy hotel one night.

Then we drove to the east side of the state, up the coast through Fort Lauderdale, Sabastian, DeLand, and landing in Zephyrhills / Tampa for some more skydiving and meeting up with friends.

Then, it was driving back down to Fort Myers to fly back home.

Then in April we took a trip down to South Carolina, driving, stayed with my fiance's aunt and went skydiving there.

Then in May we drove to New York for my birthday and grabbed a hotel, skydived and played around for the weekend.

In the summer we took a trip to Chicago, driving out from Cleveland for a long weekend of skydiving and hanging out with friends. We were gonna just sleep in the car, but the DZO let us crash at his house...we were hooked on this dropzone by then.

Before moving, we took a trip out to Los Angeles (this time we flew, thankfully) and stayed with my aunt, uncle and cousins for a few days, attended the Chick's Rock boogie and had an all around great time.

Then, we came back for 4 days and it was time to make the big move.

Since then, travel has slowed, but we're going to be headed up to Michigan for a brief moment to celebrate the holidays with my family.

In 2011, I really would love to do some more traveling. There are a couple boogies that I have my eye on (Carolinafest is a big one), and I really want to visit Seattle as I've never been to that part of the United States (Napa was as far north as of gone on that coast).

What are some of the favorite places you've traveled this year?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Letter from my future self

2010-12-22T09:08:00.004-05:00

Okay, so this prompt was difficult. Because of that, I'm just going to type what comes to mind. Maybe that's the best way to do it anyhow...some of my best work happens that way.

December 21 – Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) (Author: Jenny Blake)

So let's start with the letter from my future self:

Hey Ashley,

What are you doing? I know you're only 26 and hardly have it figured out, so let me help you here a bit. First thing is first, I know you're well on your way, but the faster you get this whole "living the life you want to lead" thing figured out the better.

You really need to start being more honest with the people in your life. I'm not really sure what you're afraid of, but pussy footing around like this is only going to make you more miserable in the end. Sure, being honest and upfront has it's risks, but at least you can walk away knowing you did what was right for you.

If you don't look out for you no one else will!

You do this so well when it comes to your career right now, start getting it together in your personal life. You'll be thankful you did that sooner rather than later.

Just remember, no one can read your mind, not even your husband (er, I guess it's still fiance huh). You can tell it how it is without being a dick. Just do it. Even if you need to come to a compromise about something then at least by putting the honest truth out there you're making the first step toward that compromise.

Food for thought.

Keep working on those friendships that you've been strengthening...they're going to be critical over the next few years. Hold them tight.

Do everything you can to continue living your life with passion. You're starting to fall out of that, and it'll come to bite you if you're not careful.

Yoga will become a huge part of your life again, be sure to get out there and practice. Take different classes, at different studios, before settling on a place to practice. Get yourself back into that community.

Okay, enough demanding. Take these suggestions for what you will. You've learned a lot about yourself, now is the time to start applying these lessons and making a difference in your own life. You owe it to yourself.

Cheers!

-A (from the future)

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And now....a letter to myself as a 16-year-old.

Ashley -

I know you're really into being a punk kid right now, going to concerts, trying to get the hot boys to notice you, but trust me, it's not worth all the effort you're putting in.

Don't compromise who you are for someone else - otherwise you're going to have a very long road of self-exploration ahead of you that could have been avoided if you'd just stood up for yourself in your teens/early 20s.

Remember to listen to the lessons your parents have to show you. Sometimes they are subtle, but you're observant, so be sure to pay attention when you sense they might be trying to show you something. They're smart...they know.

If there's one thing I can tell you, make sure that when you get up every day, you've got something to live for, something you're truly passionate about. Even if it's your friends, your family, your career, a hobby, school, whatever it is. Make sure you live each day with passion. Make it a day to be proud of.

And never, ever quit writing. You're going to appreciate that skill one day.

Cheers!

-A

Reverb 10 Challenge - catching up 18, 19, 20

2010-12-20T08:48:00.004-05:00

Yes, I'm still in the catch up process with this Reverb10 Challenge. I have to admit, it's been a bit of a challenge just keeping up - but like I said, even if I don't blog every day, I will acknowledge each of the prompts in some say shape or form this month.

I'll stop talking now so we can get started, as we've got three days to cover...

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Day 18

December 18 – Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? (Author: Kaileen Elise)

This is a fun one, mostly because I've been shopping around for this experience and came across a program that is perfect - when time and money finally allow, that is.

Next year, I want to get my 200 hour yoga instructor certification. I fell out of yoga this past year, and in all the self-exploration I've been doing, I realize now just how critical this practice is to my happiness and well-being.

I think a lot of people do yoga cuz it makes them feel good, it's low impact exercise that includes a relaxation component...who wouldn't feel good about that, right?

Well in the time that I've spent not focusing on my practice I realized just how much more yoga is to me. It's much more than a workout. The meditation, self-reflection, the ability to take this practice and make it a self-exploration and self-improvement venture, that's what it's all about.

And the more I practice, the more I want to live a healthier lifestyle in general.

A couple years back, when my life was all about fitness and nutrition (you know, with the whole competitive distance running thing) yoga helped me to stay loose, but I didn't realize at the time how much of a difference it made on my life as a whole. Though, I also didn't have much spare time to focus on that outside of the studio. Now, I feel like it's something I really want to spend more time focusing on...so, hopefully I can get back into the swing of things and find the time and $$ to get certified :).

Unfortunately, the one thing that I wanted to try this year was SCUBA...and that was a big fail. Between the travel and skydiving and getting engaged/wedding planning and moving to a new city, I just didn't have the resources to dive into this (pun intended). But maybe I'll add that to my list for next year?

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Day 19

December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leonie Allan)

I feel like what really healed me this year was my friendships. I made it a point to make my friends a priority, especially in the last few months. And between the phone conversations with friends in far away places, to hanging out with old friends, and even meeting and keeping in touch with new ones, I've really felt like I have people I can turn to.

This is especially true with the female bonds that I've been able to strengthen. So big hugs out to Jennie, Sydney, Brandye, Mel, Alissa, Lindsey, Betsy and I'm sure I'm missing some - but you know who you are :).

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Day 20

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?) (Author: Jake Nickell)

I'm sure there's a lot, honestly. There's a tattoo I wanted to get that I didn't get because I'm nervous about sitting for that long. I'd planned to make my first BASE jump in 2010, but the more I think about it the more I'm not so sure I really want to put myself in that kind of (potential) danger. I can think of a handful of skydives that I didn't participate in for fear of the unknown. There are even (multiple) times where I should have stood up for myself and didn't, either because I didn't want to create a scene or it just didn't seem like it was worth the fight.

The latter is definitely something I'm intending to work on. Of course, there will be plenty of tact involved, but that's just because that's how I am...or at least, how I try to be. There's going to be a learning curve there.

Alright, so aside from Day 15, we're all caught up!

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 16 and 17

2010-12-17T17:07:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm now getting around to day 16 and 17 of the Reverb10 challenge. Yes, I know, I skipped day 15. It's coming I promise - but Blogger isn't being nice about letting me upload the rather lengthy video I prepared...

And yes, I've been falling a bit behind. Although I do have to say last week was different and bizarre, so I'll blame that.

Anyhow, both of these looked like great vlog posts as well, but truth is, I just didn't feel like getting all mushy on camera - cuz both of these kinda are...

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Day 16

December 16 – Friendship How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)

Again, I don't like this because it's making me choose only one friend. But again, as far as friendships go this year, this one was easy to decide on.

Let me introduce my friend Sydney. Seriously, from day 1 this girl and I clicked. We're in the same industry, we're bloggers and twitterers and just all around fabulous people ;). Not to mention the fact that she started skydiving this year - which makes her pretty bad ass in my book.

I'm going to say that the change that took place in my life after befriending Sydney was definitely not gradual. She showed me, after some toxic friendship situations that there are good people out there who are willing to welcome you into their lives with open arms. She's impulsive, and very much tell-it-how-it-is. She gets me. She keeps me in check. She introduced me to a fabulous new dropzone which ultimately influenced the decision to move to Chicago (among other things, but that was a huge perk, I must say).

More than anything, she helps me look at things differently than I normally would. Who wouldn't want a friendship like this? BESPSL girl.

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Day 17

December 17 – Lesson Learned What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? (Author: Tara Weaver)

I LOVE this prompt, mostly because, as I mentioned way back on Dec 1, this has been the year of lessons for me. I'm also all about self-improvement, so double yay.

Anyway, I'd say the biggest lesson I learned about myself this year is that I'm strong than I think, and I need to act on it.

I've come to see that I have a tendency to let people walk on me, and it's through no fault of theirs, it's because I'm not honest with them in the first place. I need to be better about standing up for myself, my needs, my wants - in every area of my life - before it gets to the point where I'm so aggravated I just want out of the situation.

I've learned that if I'm not upfront from the beginning I'm going to end up ruining relationships, on top of not getting what I want.

Along with that I've learned that strength is needed to live the type of life you want to live. Sometimes you just need to walk away - from bad friendships, from stressful situations, whatever the case may be so that you can move on to better places. But it may also mean reevaluating and changing things within yourself so that you can hold on to those things in your life that matter - career, relationships, the list goes on.

Sometimes I gotta dig deep to find it, but I've learned that the strength is there - now it's time to stand up for me, and the people who matter in my life. Suck it up - time to be a big girl.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Daily Burn

2010-12-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

So for anyone who has been intimately involved in my life these past few months, you know how nutty things have been.

Between the craziness and the stress that comes along with all that, I've been a hot mess when it comes to taking care of myself.

For me, when I get stressed, I tend to not eat - the opposite of most people - so I dropped a bunch of weight that I really didn't have to lose (read: bunch = 5 pounds. When you're just over 5 foot tall that counts as a bunch, right?)

Needless to say, once I felt like things started to calm down a bit, I found that my hand was constantly shoving food into my mouth - glorious, fattening food that I hadn't tasted in months. It was delightful, till I started seeing the numbers on the scale get a little higher than I like.

The worst part was that I wasn't healthy. Taking a page from the book of my diabetic fiance, I decided to start logging my food intake.

I tested out a couple online food logs, one that a friend of mine had blogged about using during her successful 20 pound weight loss drop. But it was mostly just about food. I like to be active as well, and wanted to capture that in the same location.

So I checked out Daily Burn. Now granted, I've only been using it for a couple weeks, but already it's come in incredibly handy.

In fact, when we went to the nutritionist earlier this week, she wasn't aware of the app, but when we were trying to recall what we ate for dinner the night before, I was able to get out my iPhone and read back not only what we ate, but the nutrition of what was consumed and how long we exercised that evening as well. She loved it, and decided to add it to her list of resources to share with all her diabetic patients. Good stuff right there! I love when I can help out, especially with fun techie options like this.

One thing that I really love about Daily Burn is that there's a free iPhone app available. So, even if I'm not near my computer (which we all know is rare, but I do always have my iPhone handy) I can log my food and/or exercise before I forget.

Along with that, it also has a Food Scanner app. When I discovered this, I was immediately sold. For $4.99 in iTunes, you can get the Food Scanner app that, when you hold it up to a bar code on your food package, will automatically give you the nutrition info and allow you to add it to your log. It syncs right with the Daily Burn app (even though they are separate on the screen). What an amazing time saver. Coming from someone who doesn't like to pay for apps, I must say it's totally worth the $5.

This is cool: when it comes to tracking nutrition, if there are things you eat regularly, you can save those as your favorite foods so that you're not going back to previous days and having to select them, or having to re-search and enter every time. This program is all about convenience...which is great for those of us who already have enough things in life that eat up time.

Another feature that I really like is that you can track your sleep. Some people might not think too much of this, but I like to see my sleep patterns, as I've had bouts of time where I just don't sleep all that well. Combined with all the nutrition and exercise info, it lets me see if maybe it has to do with having a heavy meal before bed, or not exercising enough or maybe it's that darn stress again.

And of course, like any good online log, it lets you track your weight on a daily basis down to the tenth of a pound. For someone like me who fluctuates a couple pounds every day and doesn't have significant weight loss goals this is fabulous. For those who are looking to lose weight, it's a really nice feature because on your homepage, which is referred to as the Locker Room, the weight loss chart is right there, front and center, so you can see your progress over time.

Though, if weight loss isn't your #1 goal, then you can switch up the progress charts on the front page of your locker room so that your goal stays front and center.

Daily Burn is free for the basics that I listed above. If you want to purchase the Pro version for $75/year, you get a lot more stuff:

Advanced Nutrition Tracking
Advanced Body Tracking
Pro Training Plans
Advanced iPhone Features
Unlimited Favorite Foods and Favorite Exercises
Meal Planner
Integration with iCal (another convenience factor I'm all for!)
Grocery list
Advanced Progress Reports

If you're really looking to make progress in weight loss, health, nutrition, exercise - any or all of the previous - I'd definitely recommend the Pro version. Though I've never used it, I can only imagine that it's extremely helpful in ensuring you reach your goals.

I'd love to be able to check it out, see what the Pro version is all about. Heck, if I had a chance, I'd even video blog about it :). So if any of y'all out there have it, let me know so I can take a look-see.

Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of this online food log for a number of reasons. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a way to track your daily activities and eating habits. Even if you're not looking to lose weight, it's a great way to keep yourself in check when it comes to your health.

All you New Year's Resolutioners out there, this might just be your best tool to help reach your goals. Definitely worth checking out...what do you have to lose.

Check out the Daily Burn here.

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 14 Appreciate

2010-12-15T08:51:00.007-05:00

With the craziness of this week, it appears I'm a day behind in the ole Reverb10 challenge. The one that's slated for today will make a great (and challenging) vlog, so I'll be getting that together later this evening.

For now, let's catch up on yesterday.

December 14 – Appreciate What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

What I don't like about this is that it's requiring me to pick only one thing. Because

there are lots of things that I've come to appreciate this year. But having to choose one was a very easy decision.

In 2010, I've come to appreciate my fiance. We've been together for nearly a year and 1/2 and a lot has happened. We've traveled, skydived, visited with each others family, made new

friends, revisited old friends, moved to a new city and essentially started over...all of this we did together. And because of that we've grown together, and we've grown a life of our own here in Chicago.

(With our friends Tod and John after a skydive)

All the little hiccups and challenges along the way have made what we've built just that much more rewarding. I'm really not sure what I'd do without him. He's been my rock when I've had tough times, and I like to think I've been his.

There's nothing quite like having a partner in life who you can count on to be there for you and support you, and do their best to understand you, even in times where they might be scratching their head a bit. It's not like family where they have to love you because you're family, but it's love that is chosen, they choose to be your family, and I truly appreciate that he's chosen to love me.

The hardest part of this question is what I do to show that appreciation, and I have to admit that it's not enough. I'm not sure I could do enough to show it. But I like to think that I offer the kind of love and support that he needs from me. I'm also a gift giver, I like to get little things every now and again, things that when I see them it just makes me think, "he'd like this."

That's probably not the best answer to the latter part of the question, but it's all I got ;).

So tell me dear readers, what's one thing you've come to appreciate this year?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 12-13

2010-12-13T09:22:00.004-05:00

It's almost half way through the month and I'm still going strong with this Reverb10 Challenge - though I do have to admit, I've been slacking on the Reviews as of late...sorry guys.

Today, I'm picking up where I left off and doing two days in 1. Enjoy!

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Day 12

December 12 – Body Integration This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)

I feel very lucky to be able to say that this is something that happens frequently in my life. I have two very special hobbies that allow me to just be...me.

The first is something that I'm sure won't shock anyone: skydiving. Once you exit that door at 14,000 feet and start plummeting to the Earth at over 120 mph, there's really no choice but to be one with mind and body.

And though it may not happen on every jump, when it does, a certain magic seems to happen.

Sometimes it's as if you're not trying at all, just thinking about what you want to do and it does. Those are the types of experiences you look at like, "whoa, the mind is a pretty powerful thing."

In the end, it was likely the hundreds of practice jumps that lead us to our ability to do these 'magical' things in the sky, but at the time, it seems almost spiritual.

The other times in my life where my mind and body are completely integrated is during yoga practice. This can sometimes be difficult, especially in challenging poses where your body is screaming at you and your mind is trying to stay at peace. But it's this practice that really melds your mind and body in one.

I can honestly say that at least 90% of the time, when shavasana comes around (the final pose for relaxation in yoga) my mind and my body are one. It's a beautiful thing.

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Day 13

December 13 – Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

As I've said in nearly every post since day 1, 2010 has been the year of learning for me. Mostly I've learned about myself and the type of life I want to lead. I've learned what's important in life, like family and friends who really care, and having passion for life and learning when not to give up.

I certainly don't see this path of learning to just come to a screeching halt in 2011, but I do see more action taking place.

My next step then, I guess, is taking what life has shown me and making something of it. Building the life that I want in 2011. Getting rid of those things from Day 11 and starting out 2011 on a positive foot. If there's one thing that life has taught me this year, it's that happiness isn't something everyone is entitled to, it's something that you need to define for yourself, and make it happen. You have to work for it.

I guess maybe I should add a #12 to that list - sense of entitlement. I try my best not to fall into that trap that so many in my generation do, because I really do know that you have to work for those things you want in life, and just because I have a degree doesn't mean I'm going to get a corner office after 5 years at the company (not that I ever thought this, but I've seen attitudes from some that truly do have this sense of entitlement).

Anyhow, point is, 2011 is likely to be a year where I really start taking things into my own hands and making the changes I need to be happy with the life I'm leading. I sat back and let life show me the way this year, it's time for action now.

What changes do you want to see take place in 2011?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - 11 things

2010-12-12T12:00:00.002-05:00

The Reverb10 prompt for today is very fitting for 2010. Through all the learning I've done this year, one thing I've come to realize is that there are some things I can do without in my life, and by removing these things, I'm on the path to making my life better.

But I do have to admit that finding 11 things to eliminate in 2011 wasn't an easy task...Sorry, this is a long one today, I got carried away talking about some of these.

So, let's dive right in, shall we?

December 11 – 11 Things What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

1. Credit Card Debt - this is something I've been chipping away at for a while, and boy would I love to finally get it all paid off this year. Baby steps, and I'm already well on my way :)

2. Ignorance about my health - I started getting better about this in 2010, making regular dentist and eye doctor appointments, but in 2011 it's going to get even better. It's time to be proactive about my health, go to the dermatologist (after all with this fair skin, I really should), find a dentist here in town, you get the point.

3. Toxic people - something I've mentioned before. In my adult life I've been able to get back some positive vibes by letting go of those friends who ended up being rather toxic, in the end. I think it's not so much about getting rid of people in my life as not letting them in in the first place. I need to be a bit more cautious. Not letting people in so quickly, before they have earned my trust. I've always been known to give people the benefit of the doubt until they've proven me otherwise, and I definitely don't want to change that, but I do think it would be wise to be a bit more cautious in the beginning, to save some hurt feelings in the end.

4. Negativity - This goes well with the above, and definitely beyond. Sorta speaks for itself.

5. Clutter - This year I've spend a lot of time living in clutter, mostly because I've been in transition for most of the year. During the week I'm at the office, on the weekends I've spent a lot of time away, either traveling or skydiving or both. That doesn't leave much time for picking up. I made a vow to myself that living in Chicago it would be different. It's better, but still not up to par. I'm just not at my best when I'm living in clutter.

6. Congested Thoughts - This sorta goes along with clutter, only, specific to my thoughts. Most days my brain looks like a congested expressway during rush hour. Sometimes there are lots of thoughts moving at a rapid pace, at other moments it's so jammed up that the thoughts are at a standstill. I've started practicing more yoga and meditation to help clear my mind a bit - definitely going to continue doing so in 2011. I won't be neglecting me quite so much this next year.

7. Procrastination - I'm one of the worst when it comes to procrastinating. This is something I've been known to do both at the office and at home. It's not like I do it on purpose, but there's always something that needs to be done, so as I see it, if my deadline isn't coming up right away then why not do something that needs to be done now and wait for a while to do that big project that's due next week. I'll tell you why, cuz it's a big project and I'm going to end up working late to get it done cuz I put it off. Granted, some of my best work is done that way, but seriously, if I just start early, and try to get it done little by little, it'll be better in the end.

8. Sitcom addiction - so I hate to admit it, but I'm mildly addicted to sitcoms. When new ones come out on Netfix I tend to spend way more time in front of the TV than I'd prefer. Oh and I could forever watch reruns of The Office and Seinfeld...just sayin. Instead, I'd like to read more and learn more, rather than rotting my brain with this stuff and cluttering it up with dumb (albeit funny) show quotes.

9. Excuses - for not cleaning, for not working out, for not cooking and deciding to eat out, for reading instead of folding the laundry...whatever, no more excuses. Maybe I should throw my iPod in and just get this stuff done.

10. Stress - Now I know this is going to be difficult, given that it's kinda something that comes along with being a young professional and trying to make it personally and professionally, but I'm going to to my best to leave work at work and home at home and living simply so finances don't become a stressor. A girl can try, can't she?

11. Distractions - I'd love to eliminate distractions from my life, though I know this one is likely to be even more difficult that removing stress from my life. And, some distractions are welcome. After all, it's distractions that tend to spur change, right? How about we go with unwelcome distractions so I can accomplish all the things I set out to accomplish. Yeah, we'll go with that.

So tell me dear readers, what do you want to remove from your life in 2001?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Day 10 Wisdom

2010-12-10T19:09:00.003-05:00

When I read today's Reverb10 prompt I immidiately thought that it would be a good one to discuss with another video blog.

I worked from home today so I thought this would be a good chance to do it, but of course I couldn't find time till the very end of the day. So please, don't mind the glasses and look of exhaustion on my face.

This one was definitely a no brainer for me:

December 10 – Wisdom Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out? (Author: Susannah Conway)

RAVE: Trader Joe's Coffee

2010-12-10T12:38:00.004-05:00

Okay, so now that I'm living in Chicago and spending way more $$ on commuting each month than I'd like, I've decided to start making my own coffee at home.

When I first considered this, I had seen this Kona coffee at Trader Joe's that I just had to have - and given that it's Trader Joe's, it's rather inexpensive, or so I thought. The coffee I had my eye on was $20. EEH, wrong answer.

So I went with a similar Hawaiian coffee, called 100% Kauai. It's a medium roast, comes in a 13 oz jar of whole beans (which is nice, because freshly ground always tastes better) and it's packaging touts that it's aromatic, earthy and sweet.

And let me just tell you something - I'm so glad that the other stuff was too expensive for my taste, because this is the best coffee ever!

Okay so it's probably really not, but it's the best I've ever made at home. Hands down. When I was in Hawaii 10 years ago, I remember having the best cup of coffee there, while I was in Kona. I've never been to Kauai, but I can only imagine it's just as good - at least, now that I've tried this stuff.

All I need is a little Splenda to make this the perfect cup of coffee. It's so good, I almost missed my train the other day because I didn't want to put it down. It definitely gives me something to look forward to in the mornings. And tomorrow, you can bet that I'll have my morning cup, curled up on the couch with a good book!

So before I call it a day and get back to my favorite cup, let's get a little technical on this review:

-Aromatic - the packaging didn't lie, this coffee smells amazing, especially after grinding up the beans.

-Sweet - normally I use either a couple spoonfulls of Splenda or a packet of Sweet 'n Lo (ew, I know) to make my coffee drinkable. Barely need anything in this, it's got a yummy sweetness of it's own.

-Smooth - the label called it Earthy, I'm not that much of a coffee connoisseur to know what that actually means, but it does have a very smooth taste, nothing that kicks you in the jaw.

-Inexpensive - this is of course a huge plus for me. Got it for$6 I think...compared to the $20 I almost spent on another kind of bean from the same group of islands, which could be better, but for now, my wallet likes this!

Cheers!

-A

Review: Czar Salon and Reverb10

2010-12-09T09:52:00.004-05:00

I want to take a minute today to plug a fabulous salon in the Chicagoland area.

When I first moved here - as with anywhere else - I was concerned about finding those services that I had become so accustom to having available, like doctors and salons. Well, let me tell you, I was so thankful when I heard that a friend from high school was working at a local salon.

Czar Salon and Spa in Bolingbrook, IL is an Aveda salon - something I'm generally not a huge fan of due to enough bad experiences in the past - but let me tell you, this place is great. Not only because I get to chat and catch up with Lindsey (which, if you're in the market for a cut and color, I can't recommend her enough) but because they offer some great services. With every cut and color you get a scalp massage that might make you melt right out of the chair.

And last night I found out about this scalp and hair conditioning treatment that comes with a 10 min scalp massage AND an arm and hand massage. I just might have to check this out next time :).

The atmosphere is really chill, even though it's a pretty small salon that can get pretty busy - especially on the weekends - but it's not overwhelming; and coming from someone who doesn't like people that's saying something! I was impressed with the staff there, as well as their full line of makeup and products available.

As with all Aveda salons, it can be a little on the pricey side, but when it comes down to it, isn't it worth it to know that you have someone you can trust with your hair, ladies? Certainly!

Be sure to check out Czar if you're ever in the Bolingbrook or Naperville areas.

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Now, on to today's Reverb10 prompt:

December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

This one is difficult, mostly because I'm not a partier. Though I do have to say that one social gathering that stuck out in my mind as pretty epic was the last night at the Everglades Boogie (skydiving event) in Florida this January.

It was chilly for Florida, so most of us were dressed in jeans and long sleeves - I even slipped my coat on at one point.

But there was everything from bon fires to raffles to free beer to ice sculptures and chainsaws. It was definitely a great evening. I got to meet so many people in the skydiving world and I came away with some great connections. Plus, it was Florida in January. How can you beat that, right?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 - Video Blog

2010-12-08T23:06:00.005-05:00

Believe it or not, after nearly a decade of blogging, I've come to my first vlog...ever.

I was nervous, you'll be able to tell that. It also turns out that when I have thoughts in my head, they come out much easier (and much more eloquently I might add) though my fingers. But that's okay, this is good practice, right?

And truth is, I enjoyed it. So I'll likely be doing this again. Just for shits and giggles.

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)

What I wanted to discuss in today's vlog is that beauty goes beyond what's on the outside, way beyond, and that my passion for life is really what drives me to be who I am, and it's what influences the way others see me (or at least, I hope it does). So without spoiling any more...have a look at my first ever video blog.

P.S. - how cute is that Christmas tree in the background huh? LOVE.

Reverb10 Day 7 - Community

2010-12-07T10:10:00.003-05:00

For those who have been following along, Reverb10 is an social media challenge of sorts, where every day there's a new prompt that gets you to think back on 2010 and look forward to 2011.

December 7 – Community Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

My answer sort of covers part of 2009 as well, because, well, I did first discover this community back then. It's the skydiving community.

Is anyone shocked? Didn't think so.

But I really don't think I understood the depth of what this community has to offer until this year.

I've been lucky to take so many trips in 2010, from Florida, to New York, to South Carolina, to Chicago, to LA and now living in Chicago, and so many fun boogies like Everglades (Clewiston), Work Stinks! (Start Skydiving), and Chicks Rock (Elsinore) - apologies for those who have absolutely no idea what that last sentence means. Throughout my travels I've met some of the most incredible people - not just skydivers, but people. People who have taught me a lot about the person I want to be, and the type of people I want to be around.

God I love how all these prompts seems to tie back to earlier ones.

In this world, there isn't 6 degrees of separation, most times, there's only two. If someone you're talking to doesn't know one of your skydiving friends, then likely one of their friends do. It's a very tight-knit community, and one that I continue to be proud to be a part of every day.

In the next year, I'd like to get more involved in the world of social media. I'm eyeballs deep in it everyday, but living in Cleveland there wasn't much of an opportunity to get out there and learn from people outside my little bubble. Chicago has this way of creeping in and popping your bubble, so bring it on. I've got a thirst for knowledge that just won't quit!

Cheers!

-A

Anyhow,

Reverb10 - Days 4-6

2010-12-06T08:45:00.004-05:00

Like I said, I wouldn't be blogging about this everyday....I'm a girl who likes her weekends off, thankyouverymuch. But that doesn't mean I forgot about the challenge. So let's dive right in, shall we?

Day 4

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

This one is easy - I moved to a new city! Granted, Chicago definitely wasn't unfamiliar territory, having grown up in lower Michigan and all. But I was able to reconnect with my desire to explore, on a low budget. I do have to admit that I've been lucky enough to travel around the country this year, from New York to South Carolina to LA and now landing, permanently, in Chicago. It's been a wild ride.

When I look back at all the excitement and even all the challenges that have come along with this year, I'm not sure I would change anything. It really has given me a chance to not only wonder about my new surrounding, but about myself as well. Those experiences are invaluable.

Day 5

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

Boy, this challenge is really making me lay it all out there, and it's only day 5.

This year, I let go of a few people that I once considered friends. This turned out to be one of the best things that happened all year. Mostly because, these people are highly toxic - this is speaking personally of course. Just because someone is toxic to my life doesn't mean they will be to others. Though I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not the only one who was affected this way.

Letting go of relationships, no matter how strong they once were, is never easy. But, you always end up learning something about yourself in the process. Noticing a trend here? It all dies back to day 1 - learning. The idea of letting go of toxic people from your life isn't so much about them as it is about yourself. There was a need to be a better person, and I couldn't do that with them in my life. Negativity surrounded me in the presence of these folks. In order to lead the life I truly believe in, it had to be done without them. Sometimes, thems just the breaks.

Day 6

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

What was the last thing I made? Like arts and crafts?

I'm going to stretch this one a bit, because the last thing I really made by hand was likely not this year. However, this weekend I did make my first family Christmas. Okay, so we made our first family Christmas. My fiance and I got a tree - granted, it's a 4 foot tall fake tree, but a tree none the less, and we decorated it with lights and beads and ornaments. We even got an "our first christmas" ornament. We used the left over LED lights around the living room window. It's only mildly festive, but it definitely feels like the holidays in our apartment now.

What I'd like to make time to make next year is an Etsy shop. In 2009 I sold a bunch of pictures, many of them right here on the blog, so I'd love to get back into my photography a bit more and start selling them, matted and framed, or even just the prints. I love sharing my photography with people who appreciate it. Hell, I even love sharing with people who don't so much ;).

So, I'm caught up now...Happy Monday!

Cheers!

-A

Review: Creative Wellness

2010-12-03T09:02:00.007-05:00

Alrighty, so let's dive right in to the review, then we'll touch on the past couple prompts from Reverb10....you didn't forget already did you?

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A few weeks ago I headed home on a Thursday evening to spend a long weekend with my parents. There wasn't much planned, just a get away from the city and relax type of trip.

During this time I went to a place called Creative Wellness for a massage. Now, in college I lived just down the street from here, so it wasn't uncommon for me to come get deep tissue and therapeutic massages to keep my body nice and loose during runs.

But it'd been a while since I'd gone back, so I thought I'd make a last minute appointment for a relaxation massage. And let me tell you, I'm so glad I did.

Adriana was the only therapist with an open slot so I took it. She was absolutely incredible! I told her in the beginning what I was looking for and she nailed it. I walked away from that massage feeling more relaxed than ever. I even had a difficult time making it back to my car - I felt like I was melting.

The massage was average price for what you might expect, and worth every penny. Really, ever massage I've ever had there, even those sometimes painful deep tissue or therapeutic massages have been incredible.

Creative wellness also offer things like chiropractic care and other natural wellness, plus they have a cute little store inside the door with tons of yoga items and essential oils, so be sure to check them out. :)

On the way home I got this rush of energy and felt rejuvenated. Anyway, if you're ever in the East Lansing area and in need of a nice, relaxing massage, head over to Creative Wellness and ask for Adriana...you won't be disappointed.

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Reverb10 - Day 2

So yesterday's prompt was a difficult one. In fact, I didn't even Tweet about it because I was stumped.

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

In other words, what distractions in your life take away from your writing. And well, I can't really say there's anything that doesn't contribute to my writing. My thoughts are pretty well echoed over at my lovely friend Sydney's blog.

But, so I have my own answer, it's this: my wandering mind.

I have this tendency to over think everything, to have a million things going through my head at once, many of these ideas conflicting with one another. I've always been known to be an easy person to persuade, because on a lot of issues I'm still trying to figure myself out. Going back to day 1, where Learning was the theme of this year, I've made great strides in my progress, but I'm still getting there. I'm even starting to reintroduce yoga and meditation back into my daily life. It takes time and practice to get to know yourself - and I've found, these practices really clear my mind for some of the best writing I've ever done.

Reverb10 - Day 3

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

Really, I'm supposed to only pick one moment? Well that's not an easy task.

Immediately upon reading this my mind jumped to the marriage proposal during skydiving...that's bound to make someone feel pretty damn alive.

But the more I pondered it, the more I started to overrule that first judgment. Mostly because, last January, I almost died. Okay, so it's not quite that dramatic.

While traveling to Florida for a little warm weather skydiving, I was testing out a new parachute and something went wrong. Something went really wrong. I looked up at what was over my head and knew it was bad. I had one option, but cut it free and deploy my reserve. After all, you do have a perfectly good reserve parachute ready for cases just like this.

So I cut the bad parachute away and before I knew it a wonderful, perfect reserve was above my head. I landed it perfectly and at the moment my feet touched the ground I felt more alive than ever. Colors seemed brighter, I was filled with adrenaline and couldn't stop smiling. Hugs came from my fiance and others we'd connected with on that trip. Everyone had concern and relief in their eyes - some were even filled with excitement from watching from the ground.

I felt my reserve for the first time. It was crisp and slippery - not like the nylon you're used to touching. The smell of jet fuel was in the air and early morning dew was still on the ground. All things I'm not sure I would have noticed on your average skydive. But more than anything, I was truly in the moment.

With less than 100 skydives under my belt I not only knew what to do in this emergency situation, I did it successfully.

It was a story I told for quite some time...and one you can read here if you'd like to hear about it a little more in depth (and a little more technically, too).

So there you have it.

At what moment in 2010 did you feel most alive?

Cheers!

-A

Reverb10 and Only Nails Review

2010-12-02T08:48:00.003-05:00

Hey kids so here's the scoop on December: we've got this awesome little challenge going on called Reverb10 (<---click to find out more) that basically requires challengers to reflect on 2010 and plan ahead for 2011...or at least, plan what you'd like to see happen next year.

So you can blog about it, tweet about it, scream it from the rooftops, whatev. But I've decided that the first two options are going to work best for me. I may not blog every day about this (though, anyone who knows me probably assumes there's a good chance I will, aside from the weekends) so there might be some combined posts.

But, given that I also have a laundry list of reviews lined up, I've decided to combine my posts - Reverb10 + Review.

Enough about all that...these posts are going to be long enough as it is

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December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

So I did tweet about this yesterday, but decided it deserved a bit of explanation - and I did fail to leave out that last part about next year's word.

My word for this year is definitely learning. You can see this just by looking over my blog posts for 2010, both here and over here.

I've learned more about myself since turning 26 than I have in all of my 20s so far I think. It hasn't been easy, but I've definitely done a lot of reflecting on the lessons that life has shown me and I foresee it propelling me into 2011 with a new outlook - and right into the arms of the word I think 2011 will stand for: growth. Both personal and professional in nature. I know where I want to go, the kind of life I want to live and the person I want to be, 2011 is the year to make all that happen.

Okay so enough of that, on to the review portion of this post:

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Only Nails, Westmont, IL

Moving to a new city can be difficult when it comes to finding all the amenities you love. I always stress about finding a good stylist (though thankfully, a friend from high school works at a nearby salon, so that was a no brainer on this move - more to come on that later) and things like dentists and doctors, but you tend to forget about all the little things you became so comfortable with in your former city, that is until you need one of those services.

So when it came time to get a pedicure, I was lost. I turned to Yelp to help me out with recommendations....this online review forum never did help me much in Cleveland, but here in Chicago, I turn to it more times than not.

It surprised me to see that there were a handful of nail salons within 5 minutes of my place that all got great reviews, however there was one that really stuck out. A woman from downtown Chicago mentioned that she ventures here every 3-4 weeks for her mani/pedi and it's only that infrequent because the polish lasts so long.

And it turns out, I can walk to this place from my apartment. Score!

So a few weeks ago I ventured over to Only Nails in Westmont for a pedicure. I have to tell you, it was one of the best I've ever had. I tend to be ticklish on the soft spots of my feet, so needless to say that whole pumice stone exfoliation step tends to have me all knotted up, doing my best not to burst out laughing.

The entire pedicure felt like this incredible foot massage! And the reviews didn't lie, my polish lasted a LONG time - it looked perfect until my next pedicure in fact.

What I also liked was the atmosphere - there was no pressure to talk to a chatty pedicurist, but at the same time, they were open and friendly. You can pretty much make the experience what you want.

And at $30, the price is right.

So here are the basics:

Service: ***** (5 stars, enough said)

Atmosphere: ***** (quiet, friendly)

Quality: ***** (polish lasted a long time, incredible foot/leg massage)

Comfort: **** (4 stars, only because the pedicure chairs didn't have heat...bummer)

Price: $$ (I've had cheaper, but nothing this good for this price)

Long story short, I definitely recommend this place if you're in need of a pedicure, or even just a little relaxation away from home.

Cheers!

-A

I don't care

2010-12-01T12:03:00.005-05:00

Have you ever noticed that when someone says something like, "I don't care" or, as I stated last night, "I don't give a crap!" there's this part of them that does seem to care?

"Whatever, I don't care." *rolls eyes*

Maybe it's just me, because I see that happening to me all the time (read: I'm the one stating my indifference). Thing is, it's not as if I truly don't care, it's more that I don't want to care.

There's a part of human nature - or maybe not so much nature as a behavior that we're grown up to act out - to be curious about other people. I've found this happens especially when you move away from some place or you have friends who move away from you, or when you become estranged from someone or some part of your life...we like to check up on that stuff, even though we know we really shouldn't waste our time with the past.

Things like social media make this such an easy thing by allowing us to hold onto some parts of our past, no matter how much they shouldn't matter, to keep them in our lives - even to the smallest degree.

So, those things that you "don't care" about are also those things that pop up in your Facebook news feed or in Gchat, reminding you.

And sometimes, no matter how much we want it, we have issues cutting these ties and moving on. Fear of change, I suppose?

Regardless, there are some aspects of my life that I have consciously removed, both from my consciousness and from social media. And if anything resembling that part of my past life pops into existence, I promptly remove it with a smile and continue on. Of course, there are times where it comes up in conversation and I politely mutter, "I don't care" and walk away. Or, like yesterday, "I don't give a crap."

Problem is, part of me does still give a crap, no matter how much I wish I didn't. Guess you can't help but look back on those things in life that didn't go as you planned and wonder how it could have been if... you know? Not always in the sense that you're missing something now, or that it could have been better in any sense of the word, but just that it could have been different - especially if you did something you weren't proud of.

I guess, it's all about learning from those situations, hence the reflection, and knowing now that your happiness in this moment and in the future is all that matters.

This is precisely what I've done. So I will continue to tell you that I don't care until I believe it myself.

Cheers!

-A

Playlist update

2010-11-30T10:17:00.005-05:00

So for those who have been following along for the past couple years, I like to give an update on my playlist of the moment every now and again. This time around, I'm going to focus on artists rather than just songs. It's nothing special really, but I've found that music tends to play a rather large role in my life these days...especially as a commuter.

I don't like people, so headphones help me avoid them at all costs :). Ok, so that's not entirely true, but I do like to chill out to music on my way in and out of the city.

Here's what's tickled my fancy lately.

1. Collective Soul - Something told me to download one of their albums a couple weeks back and I've been hooked ever since. Run has been on the top of my playlist but I like pretty much everything of theirs. It's motivating and soothing all at the same time.

2. Angels & Airwaves - These guys have been a staple in my iPod since 2008. There's no wearing these songs out.

3. Theory of a Deadman - These guys came into my life via Pandora. Believe it or not, it was a Boston station, and so I downloaded their latest album and have started peppering songs into my playlists. Their music is real. I like that.

4. Owl City - Though I have to be in the right mood for Owl City, I still find that turning 'em up during a hectic work day can really help me get the productive juices flowing, so to speak.

5. Boston - From #3 above you probably already guessed this was coming, but I've usually got a good classic rock band on hand...right now it's all about Boston. There's something about closing your eyes and just listening to the sounds. Feelin' Satisfied is a great starter song for that practice.

6. Sick Puppies - Like Theory of a Deadman, their music is very real.

7. Sublime - just because it's fun.

8. 30 Seconds to Mars - This is one of those bands that I've found people either love or hate. I used to be undecided, but they have a good sound and I find that I'm rather drawn to it. So, rock on Jared Leto.

So tell me dear readers, what bands are on your playlist right now?

Cheers!

-A

Doing nothing

2010-11-19T08:54:00.006-05:00

As I was reading a book on my way into work this morning (for those unaware, I take public transportation, so I was not, at the same time, endangering the lives of others) I came across a chapter that discussed how Americans have the inability to relax.

It went beyond just that, but this first-hand account from an American who spent some months over seas, living in Rome, talked about how the American culture breeds us to be these gittery people, in more ways than one.

This really hit home as I find myself rather exhausted these days. I've found that there are moments where I crave doing nothing, literally.

It seems, that to most, "doing nothing" means plopping your body down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching TV or a movie. Well folks, reality check, that may feel like nothing because it's "lazy," but it's not nothing...it's watching TV.

The American culture has this way of making us feel like we should be consuming our days with something productive all the time. And with typical religion that most of us either grew up with or our families instilled in us from morals that were passed down through generations, if we're not actively doing something, we feel guilt.

We're a very guilt-ridden society, turns out. I'm living proof of that. No matter what I do, I have this way of making myself feel like it's not enough - sometimes I even throw that back at others, as if it's them making me feel this way.

It's a sickness, I know. But admitting it is the first step, right?

Anyway, this isn't about me. Well, maybe it kind of is, but it is my blog, after all ;).

What it's (mostly) about, is the act of actually doing nothing - something I think I've been craving. The closest I came was last weekend when I decided to get a massage. For 1 hour I was nearly completely relaxed, with the exception of my brain that, to be truly honest, never really takes a break. Could be the source of my exhaustion...anyway, again, back to the topic.

The book noted that we Americans live in a culture of entertainment. When we do "nothing" we want to be entertained. (going to add my own thoughts here...this is not the book speaking) In other words, we don't take downtime to reflect on what's taking place in our lives. That gets pushed aside so that our time not spent actually working, or doing chores, or other life necessities, is filled with things that occupy our mind to the point where we don't have to take the time to learn and absorb what the world has shown us.

This is one of the things I really liked about yoga. Even though you were working out, there was this quiet peace about it. You had time to think, to reflect, to improve upon yourself. Something that, generally, we don't do enough here in the States. It's go, go, go. If we're not productive, we feel bad about that. And when there's too much downtime, there's too much guilt and that my friends is why we have psychiatrists.

Okay, so I very quickly jumped to that conclusion, but there could be some merit to that...think about it. If you have too much time on your hands, what do you do with it? Go out and find something to do, right? Spend money. Spend time with friends. But what happens when that money runs out and those friends go to their jobs or are busy. You've got downtime. You think. You get yourself and your mind into trouble. If it weren't for this guilt, I truly believe this society would be better able to literally do nothing every now and again and get some benefits from that.

Just a theory, of course.

But I find that there are a few people out there who think in a similar way. A quick Google search brought about a couple things that raise my eyebrows. First is an article from Zen Habits (if you're not following him on Twitter yet, I'd make it a point to). Here he talks about The Art of Doing Nothing, and how to master this practice. The second item in Google's list was a book called the Art of Doing Nothing, and it's about making time for yourself in a culture of overachievers. I didn't read much into it but honestly, this might be the next book on my list.

Both of these resources likely site and/or pull ideas from Eastern cultures and religions. I've found that these cultures have a way of being much more in tune to themselves, in a much different way than we are. Americans are bred to be proud, self-absorbed and arrogant. Eastern cultures have a way of making people self aware and generous with themselves and others. These, of course, are very broad generalizations...though I do believe there is truth to it.

Anyway, there's really no conclusion to this, it's just something I found interesting that I wanted to share with y'all on this Friday!

This weekend, if you can find the time ;), take even just 10 minutes to do absolutely nothing. Do it for yourself.

Cheers!

-A

New life: Love

2010-11-04T12:30:00.004-04:00

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my life here in Chicago yet? Just thought you'd like to know.

Contrary to the tone of my last post, I love just about everything life has to offer me here.

I love my apartment complex and the access to racquetball and a gym to help blow off steam.
I love taking the train to work, having a chance to relax on my commute rather than sit in traffic. It gives me a chance to read and get absorbed into my music.
I love finally being in the same city with (some) people on my account teams. It makes all the difference in the world seeing people face to face.
I love the opportunities I have to build the life I want here...opportunities that either didn't exist in Cleveland, or ones that I was being held back from, for one reason or another.
I absolutely LOVE that I have friends in this city already. Skydiving friends, friends from college and high school that I've already reconnected with. I love having solid friendships in my back yard.
I love the availability of yummy foods on every corner. Between the Italian Delis and readily-available sushi, I'm in heaven. Though I still have to try out some of these cupcakes I've heard so much about.
I love the shopping. The outlet malls. Even though I'm not much of a shopper, it's so great to have options should I need them.
I love being back in the Midwest where people are, in general, friendly and not as closed off as they are in Cleveland. I've yet to hear anyone say or act as if they have enough friends.
I love that for the most part I've been able to quickly fall into a routine. It gives me structure during the week, something I constantly craved throughout my inability to settle in when I lived in NE Ohio.
I love that people here care about hockey and basketball just as much as football. These are sports I missed watching with people who get it. Texas and Ohio were very much football states.
In that same breath, I love that I'm out of Buckeye country...not so much that there aren't Buckeyes around, but because there are Spartans around too. There's a special connection among us Spartans.
I love the abundance of photography opportunities. I can't wait to do some more exploring.

Those are just the off-the-top-of-my-head things. I've never been more excited about building a life in any of the cities I've lived in before. I've never felt more at home than I do here. I love my new life here. Just thought I'd share.

Cheers!

-A

It bugs me when...

2010-11-03T14:21:00.005-04:00

So I was all prepared to do a post on pet peeves, but then as I was brainstorming I realized that most of these things actually mildly bug me more than being full blown pet peeves, so I altered my path a bit.

These pretty much speak for themselves, though, as usual, I have provided a little context as to where I'm coming from. Here goes nothing...

It bugs me when...

... women don't clean up their pee on the toilet seat. If you must hover so your bum doesn't touch the public seat (as most of us with a vagina do) try to aim. If you have splatter issues you just can't control, please do your part and clean up after yourself. No one wants to see that.

... people treat escalators as if they are rides at an amusement park. Union Station is not Disney World. Most of us have places to be, especially during rush hour. If you're not in a hurry and/or are too lazy to walk the steps as they are propelling you upward, do the rest of us a favor and stay to the right so I can get to where I need to be on time. Your group can stand to go single-file for the entirely of 30 seconds that you're on the escalator so you're not holding the rest of us up.

... restaurants charge for extra condiments. I paid $7 for that salad, you can certainly afford to give me an extra couple ounces of dressing to put a smile on my face. Whatever happened to the customer is always right?

... I have to wear glasses behind the computer. Which has basically become all the time. I put them on in the morning and don't take them off till I get off the train (because by the end of the day I have to have them on just to read my book on the way home). Sigh.

... I can hear someone chewing. This has always bugged me, I don't know why. It's just gross.

... people who sit next to me on the train smell funny. No, not funny, bad. I could deal with funny. I've only been a Chicagoland commuter for a month, and I'm already tired of this. Whether it's bad breath or body odor, just like elementary school I tend to find myself stuck next to the smelly kid.

That's the short list. I'm sure there's more, but I'll leave those for the second installment.

So c'mon, I know I'm not the only one out there with behaviors that irritate me, spill it. Comment lines are open: it bugs you when...

Cheers!

-A

A little on other people

2010-10-29T10:35:00.003-04:00

As I've mentioned in the recent past, I'm in this huge learning phase of my life right now...must be something about my mid-20s.

Let me tell you, it's not alawys easy. Sometimes it's downright frustrating. I am most often stubborn, and at times rather prideful...neither of those traits work well in this game of learning and adapting that is life.

One thing I've noticed lately in my efforts to live the life I believe in is that, generally speaking, people spend a lot of time thinking about the thoughts and actions of others. But really, is that the best use of brain power?

I'm guilty of this too, and when I consciously tell myself that I'm going to worry about my own happiness and not let someone else's thoughts and emotions negatively affect my own - because let's be honest here, we can only pretend to know what someone else is thinking or feeling until they actually tell us, even when their body language seems to say it all - I'm able to do so successfully for a short period of time before I slip right back into old habits.

They say habits take 21 days to form or break...but that's a really freaking long time in some instances...

I've been cursed with this intrinsic desire to want to please everyone, and often that leads to me being frustrated and unhappy because A) you can never please everyone, and 2) I tend to ignore my own wants and needs in the process.

So slowly, over time, I've learned when and how to stand up for the things that I want. However, I'm still very much working on this. It's gotten easier at work, in skydiving, but for some reason when it comes to my interpersonal relationships (read: friends, family), I wait to speak up until it's too late.

I'm sure y'all have been there before...when the time does come that you're like, "yeah, this isn't gonna work for me," you're already so far down the path (of whatever the situation is) that frustration ensues.

But, this is so not the point.

The point is that people spend way too much of their conscious life worrying about what other people are doing - even when it doesn't affect them in the slightest. Things like Facebook and blogs only encourage that type of thought, as it makes the curious mind very available to finding out what people are up to.

It's funny sometimes. I had a friend who was obsessed with online stalking her ex after they broke up. They remained Facebook friends and she would poke around pictures that people posted online, look at profiles of girls he was friends with, and just generally obsess over the things he was doing. She'd even use Facebook status updates to physically stalk him at parties and events and try to play it off as a random run in.

Yes, that's an extreme example of what I mean, but the picture is a little clearer now, is it not? :)

We've all been guilty of the online voyeurism that has become so mainstream and so acceptable. For those of us who work in the social media and online space, it's nearly impossible to avoid, but it might be wise to consciously do so.

My Facebooking and social media behavior has definitely evolved over time, from reconnecting with old friends in college to staying in touch with close ones after, to keeping updated on the real-life communities in which I'm active, to posting things that say "look at me and the cool shit I'm doing," to realizing that social media has a greater overall purpose: Sure, it's good for these things, but it's also a great resource for acquiring knowledge.

There is so much out there to consume these days, that you need filters to help you decide what is relevant. And sometimes, these mediums can act as a good resources. Those campaigns, videos and cool things that are truly viral will certainly find their way into your newsfeed so you can keep up on the latest and you're not missing out at the water cooler.

But it's up to you to consciously consume exactly what it is that will lead you one step closer to that life you believe in (see, it's coming full circle...thought I'd never get there?...I was kinda wondering myself ;0)

Personally, I started to hide updates from friends who do nothing but talk about their daily lives: I'm at work, I'm at home, I'm eating a sandwich, I'm pooping....none of that is relevant to me. But of course, these people are legitimate friends who just tend to overshare. That's their choice, and I love them no less for it, I just don't need those updates by the minute.

On a more extreme level, I've unfriended people who are not legitimately friends. After all, why would I want to see updates from people I don't even really care for, or people who have made it known they don't care for me. That's not productive, and doesn't lend a hand in my becoming a better person. Those I've kept around - whether they are real-life friends from college/high school, new friends from my travels, or interesting people that I've encountered via social media - contribute to my happiness and add to the wealth of information I like to consume online.

Those are some of my personal efforts to prevent myself from consuming any valuable part of my day worrying about what other people are doing....and it prevents me from worrying so much about who sees information about me, and subsequently what they think of me. But that's an entirely different issue for another day.

Hope you found my long winded brain dump useful. But if not, oh well, I can't concern myself with that ;).

Cheers!

-A

On being a brand whore

2010-10-28T10:47:00.003-04:00

If there's one thing in this world that I'm not, it's a brand whore.

I've always been one to shop cheaply. Sure, I like to have some of the latest styles, which I usually pick up from stores like H&M, but I mainly shop for classic pieces like black/grey

dresses, cardigans, Mary Janes, straight leg/boot cut jeans, classic boots...you get the picture.

It's rare that I will buy anything from stores like BCBG or Calvin Klein. I'm more of a Banana Republic, Black House White Market, Ann Taylor Loft kinda girl...and these are for my high end clothes.

Though I do have a confession to make, when it comes to Coach, I can't say no!

This weekend, since the weather was poopy, my fiance and I headed out to the outlet malls west of the city. I wasn't impressed by most of the stores there, that is, until we came to the Coach outlet.

I couldn't help myself, I just had to go in.

Earlier in the day I had pointed out a purse that a girl was carrying that I really liked. Having just glanced at it, I hadn't noticed what brand it was....until of course, I walked into Coach and there it was, staring me in the face. After seeing the $200 price tag I walked swiftly away, knowing I couldn't afford it at the time.

Then I came across this scarf that was amazing! Having just purchased a black trench, I couldn't help but think how great the two would go together....but I refrained and walked out of the store.

My fiance ended up convincing me that I should buy the scarf, as it was fairly inexpensive, and something I really wanted. And let me tell you, I'm so glad I did. Check it!

It's large and warm and comfy and I love it!

Now, it might just be time to start my Christmas wish list, with the Coach purse listed squarely at the top :).

Tell me I'm not alone here...what brands can you just not resist?

Cheers!

Ashley

It's a small, small world

2010-10-27T13:42:00.003-04:00

I'm sure this is something you already know, what with the whole 6 degrees of separation thing, and likely something you've experienced first hand. But I have to tell you that within a span of 10 minutes at lunch today, my head was spinning.

Here's why.

So in order to get to Union Station from my building, I need to take this express bus shuttle. I mean, I know I could walk, but who has the time for that? And I'm certainly not going to pay $6 each way in a cab that is too hot and makes me nauseated. It's kinda nifty, this express bus, and you can buy 10-ride passes for less than $20 at the bank in my building.

As I go to do this, I find out that I can get $5/month off if I open up a checking account. Naturally, I want to know how I can get this account for free, so that I'm not actually paying more in the end.

Long story short the branch manager comes over to explain. It comes up that I grew up in Michigan, as did he, and his family lives a stones throw away from mine (okay, so not quite that close, but you get the idea). His little cousins even graduated from the same high school as me, though they were much younger, so I'm not familiar.

Cool, none the less.

So then I head out of the bank to get the bus schedule from the front desk. Why they don't have them where they sell the tickets is beyond me, but that's not the point.

As I'm walking up to the desk I see a co-worker in the lobby as she's meeting up with a friend for lunch. Turns out, this friend used to work for my company and we did a couple projects together back in the day. Not only that, he went to college with one of my best friends....in Florida.

You following?

1. Random manager of a bank grows up practically my neighbor in podunk Michigan.

2. Friend of a colleague used to work with me.

3. Said friend went to college, 1,000 or so miles away, with one of my best friends.

4. All within the span of 10 minutes.

For just having moved to this city, I'm amazed with how many connections have already been made. Most of my friends in Texas were acquired by these same means - small world, we both went to MSU...you know, that kind of thing.

So tell me dear readers, what have been some of your small world experiences as of late? Am I the only one encountering this craziness?

Cheers!

Ashley

RAVE: Timbuk2

2010-10-26T09:33:00.004-04:00

For those who have been keeping up on Twitter, Foursquare or my other blog, you likely know that I recently moved to Chicago. It's been a whirlwind couple weeks to say the least, but I'm already loving it.

One thing that people always want to know is where I'm living...and believe it or not, this 20-something is living in the suburbs. Guess I'm already embracing married life since my fiance and I found a nice place West of the city (an apartment, till I'm able to find a house...holy crap I'm growing up! When did that happen?!).

Anyhow, being a commuter, I did some research on high-quality commuter bags that can hold your computer and other items that I might need to take back and forth to work every day.

It was recommended to me, via a Twitter request, to take a look at Timbuk2, with the disclaimer that they tend to be high priced. Sure, they are a little on the pricey end, but when you look at what you're getting, they are well worth the investment.

Not only does this bag hold my laptop in a waterproof outside pouch that conveniently unzips from the bag so it can go through airport security without being physically removed (thanks to whoever invented TSA friendly luggage), but it can hold just about anything else I need to bring with me without getting overly bulky.

On a normal day I carry a laptop, charger, two notebooks, an extra pair of shoes, water bottle, glasses, phone, iPod, keys and wallet, and on occasion I've even have a makeup bag and extra jacket or sweater depending on the weather. Oh, and I've always got a scarf with me...never know when you'll need that in the windy city.

The bag I chose was the commute 2.0 in graphite green and I couldn't be happier with it. There are compartments galore so that everything has a place, my phone, iPod, keys (with attached lanyard so I can't lose them), even my train ticket has it's designated spot! The main inside pocket expands to hold just about anything. And I purchased the gripster strap pad for an extra $10 to prevent the bag from moving around on my shoulder while in transit. It's super comfy too!

What's really cool about these products, is that they're fully customizable. For a little extra, you can design your own bag, colors, fabrics, accessories and all. It's pretty neat. Check it out here.

I have to say, I've got a bit of a weak back, I always have, so comfort was key. With this bag I never feel like I'm being weighed down or having to hunch over to relieve pain from the stress on my back. The strap never digs into my shoulder, unless of course I'm careless and forget to position the strap pad before throwing it on. But that's my own dumb fault.

Regardless, I couldn't be more happy with my Timbuk2 bag! I may very well have to create my own bag one of these days...and just maybe, I'll video the process so you can see just how nifty it is.

Cheers!

Ashley

Rant: Vote for me!

2010-10-19T08:34:00.003-04:00

So it's been a while. And I want to apologize for that up front. Lots has happened since we last talked...I got engaged, I moved to Chicago (with the same wonderful company) and life is busier than ever. But, I've made it a priority to start writing again, and there's a long list of items I'd like to cover.

To start, I'd like to get a rant off my chest from this morning.

So, I moved.

I live outside the city in the West Suburbs and take the Metra train in every day. What might surprise you, is that I actually really like this commute. I can catch up on things like my Google Reader, a prep my mind on the way into the office. On the way home, it gives me a bit of solo time with my iPod to wind down.

But none of this is the point.

This morning, as I'm waiting inside the train station for my express train (as it was only 39 degrees at 6:30am...brr) I was approached by two men who are running for some sort of political office. The first man interrupted my music listening, but was polite and brief. The second was an entirely different story. As I was in the middle of replying to an email, he stood over me and cleared his throat...loud enough to disrupt my jamming to 311. I took out one ear bud and pretended to listen to his drivel.

He paused as he went to hand me his little pamphlet and asked "are those yours?" pointing to the two business cards I had set beside my coffee on the bench next to me.

I nodded.

"Well then maybe I should just keep this. We don't want to litter the train station," as he proceeded to pull his stack of pamphlets close to his chest, as if I would try to thieve them so I could litter all over town.

Excuse me?

Since when is setting something down, temporarily, within arms length, next to the coffee I am currently drinking, considered littering? Is this your way of telling me that you've got some kind of green initiative too?

He was rude and condescending. I stopped what I was doing to be polite to him, and all he could do was talk to me as if I was a child. Granted, I don't look like a successful, career focused mid-20something, but that doesn't make his approach with me any more acceptable.

I stuck out my hand, grabbed his stupid pamphlet (knowing full well I would be blogging about this) and stuck my ear bud back in without another word.

Oh but the things I wanted to say. Lucky for Mr. Jim Speta my coffee hadn't kicked in yet.

There's a good chance I'm not voting anyhow, but if I were, this would completely deter me from voting for Jim Speta for Illinois State Representative District 47, even if the other candidates were terrible.

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but really, if you're going to approach me at 6:30am to interrupt my routine to tell me about why I should vote for you, don't you think you should at the very least have a little respect for me? I certainly do.

Note to those campaigning, we don't have to take your crap, but most of us will even though most of us won't read it. I didn't litter, nor did I throw your literature in the trash. In fact, what I will be doing momentarily is recycling it. Thanks for helping me support my green initiative, Jim Speta.

Jerk.

End rant.

I promise, my next update will be much more upbeat as I've had some great experiences I'd like to pass along to y'all. Until then...

Cheers!

-A

Rave: Sparking Ice

2010-08-23T13:09:00.004-04:00

Lunch today was hurried, as it is on most Mondays. Between conference calls I headed down to the little cafe in my building and ordered a grilled cheese on wheat.

Quick and easy.

I opted not to get a diet soda as normal, because with all the meetings I have today the last thing I needed was to be getting up to pee every 15 minutes.

So instead, I grabbed a new drink - and boy am I glad I did!

What caught my eye was the flavor: black raspberry. Different - I like different.

At the time, given that I was in a rush, I just thought this was flavored water. But to my surprise, it's lightly carbonated! I'm not normally a fan of carbonated beverages out of a bottle (yes, I know it's weird, but it's strong sometimes, and a little overwhelming with all the bubbles), though that wasn't the case with this drink.

It's yummy and sweet and refreshing - paired perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich!

What's even better, is that it's sweetened with Splenda. I've been trying to stay about from aspartame (though it's difficult with diet soda) so this was a huge plus for me.

I'm also a huge fan of the slender bottle, works great for sticking it in a bag or purse and taking it on the go. In fact, I'm likely going to save this bottle to refill once the Sparkling Ice is gone...

...which is likely going to be soon. I can't put this stuff down.

Try out all the other yummy flavors they have and be sure to let us know how much you love them!

Cheers!

-A

Getting it figured out in your 20s

2010-07-12T16:47:00.008-04:00

Okay, so this is a random, quarter-life crisis post I suppose. I'm sharing a few of the lessons that have recently been uncovered in my life. It appears 2010 is a year of learning for me, so I'm embracing it and sucking up every ounce of knowledge that life has to offer...and now I'm going to share these learnings with you. Take this as you will - the advice might apply or it might not, but I believe it's insight worth sharing. Cheers!

******************************

So I've come to the conclusion that your 20s is really when you learn the most. Sure you go to school for nearly 20 years and that's supposed to be where you soak up your knowledge - in the classroom - but in reality you learn nothing about the real world until you are eyeballs deep in it.

When you're in school, your friends are right along beside you. In the real world, true friends are few and far between, and you often learn the hard way who those friends are. Though, it's bittersweet, because learning who the real ones are can give you all sorts of warm fuzzies, while learning that those you once trusted aren't what they seemed can be disheartening. But I believe there's a reason for the connections that stick. There are just some people you click with from the beginning and usually these are the people who play an important role in your life. I have yet to learn exactly why this might be, maybe it's not for me to understand. I'll be sure to share if I ever figure it out.

I've also learned to embrace those wonderful female relationships - those women who have stuck by me through the craziness of my life will never truly know how grateful I am because I can't do enough to show them that. This goes for everyone from my mother to my girlie cousins (no matter how far away) to my grandmother to my best friends and all those badass women adrenaline junkies I've had the pleasure to share the sky with (and some I can't wait to one day). Women are crazy bitches, we all are, but those that trust and love you go above and beyond. Hold those ladies tight and be sure to do right by them. We all need each other...sticking together is key!

When you're in your 20s you also learn about priorities, what's most important to your well-being. There have been a number of events recently that have shown me what's important in life and what can wait. Personally, I'm also learning balance. Until recently I've been an all or nothing kinda girl. If I'm going to do something, I'm going to completely emerse myself in it, never coming up for air, until I've accomplished exactly what I set out to do. Turns out, that doesn't work as well as I once thought. There's gotta be a balance. Life is like baking. There are lots of ingredients that make your life into the perfect pastry...I have yet to figure out the precise amounts of each "ingredient," but I finally start to feel like I'm getting there. I haven't made the perfect cupcake yet, but at least it's got a cake-like texture.

Okay, that got lame. Apologies.

Now is this a time for figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life, but it's also a time to figure out how to BELIEVE in who you are. One thing I've learned is that you can't compromise who you are for other people. Most people in this world suck - they're selfish and don't give a shit about you, so why give a crap about them? Stay true to who you are, and those that matter most will stick around. Besides, you're at your best when you can completely be yourself. Personally, I want to be around people who appreciate me for who I am, and vice versa. Fakeness has never worked for me - it doesn't work for most, I have a feeling, as I can often see right through those who try too hard.

Be there for your family, make them a priority. Whether you like it or not, they're not going anywhere, so you might as well enjoy the time you spend with them. You might be surprised how much you love the company of these people with whom you share a bloodline. ;)

Though I've come to learn that "family" doesn't necessarily mean what I once thought. You don't have to be blood relation to be apart of a family. My closest friends are my family. My boyfriend is my family. And of course, my actual family is my family. I'm lucky to have incredibly supportive relatives - not everyone does. But those people who stick by you and support you and love you, they are your family too. Treat them as such. Be loyal and commit to them the way they have to you.

Be a part of something bigger than yourself. This can be anything from volunteering to starting a family or even owning a pet, to devoting your life's actions to a particular cause. This will help you step out of the selfish life most of us lived growing up and become a useful part of society. It also will help you realize that it's not always about you (some people desperately need to learn this lesson - though unfortunately, some never will) there are bigger, more important things out there. Strive to make an impact.

Be polite. Smile as often as possible. Say thank you. These little things make a huge difference, and you never know when that might be the brightest spot in someone's day.

Have passion for something. Anything. Whether it's a hobby, your family, even your career. This is where you can truly learn to live. Passion gives you something to wake up for in the morning. It provides a direction. It makes progress in this area seem less like work - it becomes enjoyable. Passionate people are the ones who make an impact in this world. They care and they are devoted to this passion. They do something with their life. I like to be passionate about everything I do, it helps you live in the moment. Which brings me to my next point...

Live in the moment you're in. Often we spend too much time looking ahead or dwelling on the past, but we're missing what's happening in front of us. Stop. Embrace the moment. Talk less and listen more. This is great advice I was once given by someone much wiser than me. I'm just the messenger...still working on this one. Each and every day.

Let's see...what else.

Oh right! Your health. Take it into your own hands. When you're a kid you have to go to the doctor, your parents make you. Be proactive as an adult. Make appointments, take a multivitamin, eat healthy, don't smoke, don't drink like you're still in college. Bad shit can creep up on you fast. Beat it to the punch.

I'm sure there's some advice about money and saving for your future and all that, but honestly that's not a lesson I've completely learned yet. Budgeting and sticking to it is a challenge I continue to struggle with...'saving' might as well be a four letter word in my vocabulary. Hopefully one day life will show me the way - preferably not so much the hard way.

Either way, your 20s is a time for getting it figured it out, hopefully. Though I'm confident the learning continues throughout life, the 20s seems to be a decade of learning by doing -- life isn't something you can learn in a textbook. It's all about experience, making mistakes, or even doing the right thing the first time and knowing it was right.

Many of my lessons have come this year, 26 is the magic age, apparently. Family, relationships, being a part of something bigger, responsibility - these are all things that have made themselves not only apparent but a priority in my life. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of what I'm about to discover. If you're interested, I'll keep sharing as I continue learning.

What are some of the lessons life has taught you lately?

Cheers!

-A

Challenge: Finding the Positive

2010-06-24T12:50:00.006-04:00

So I have a challenge for my readers out there (and for myself!). This is something I practiced for a quite some time a few years back and became pretty proficient at it if I do say so myself.

It was a struggle at times, but ultimately I was happier all around than when my focus swayed the other direction. Though somehow I lost sight of this frame of mind, unfortunately...

Here it is: no matter what happens, try to find the positive.

Or at the very least, don't immediately jump to the negative.

Believe it or not, there really is a positive side to almost every situation.

Loss leaves room for new, often better opportunities. Failure shows you how to accomplish something bigger and better than you'd ever dreamed. Struggle often leads to the most rewarding successes.

It's not so much an "everything happens for a reason" mentality so much as it's finding the good in situations rather than getting your panties in a bunch over every little thing that doesn't go your way.

I've been seeing a lot of this lately, at the office, with my friends, even in the comments that people post online, it's like people are never happy with what's going on around them.

Well guess what, most of the time things don't work out precisely as you think they're going to. That's life...it's also what makes it a little exciting.

So the next time something doesn't go quite as planned, take a step back for a second and look at how this is a good thing, rather than getting upset about it. I'll be practicing this right along with you!

I bet you'll find that you make yourself much happier in this frame of mind.

Cheers!

-A

30 before 30

2010-06-23T09:59:00.011-04:00

As you may have noticed, I'm on this "focus on me" kick right now. So what a better way than to think about those things I want to do in the near future.

Typical interview question: "where do you see yourself in the next five years?"

That one's always been tricky for me, because honestly, I don't have a clue what I want to do with the rest of my life. I know that I like my career and that I'm happy with where my life has taken me so far, but of course I'm always striving for the best - not to mention that I'm always craving change.

Of course, this doesn't stop me from creating some goals for myself. I've never been one for a 5-year plan, that's just a disaster waiting to happen - when one piece of that plan doesn't go as, well, as planned, the rest is out the window.

But when I came across my friend's 30 before 30 list, I couldn't resist the challenge to put one together. So, I'm gonna shut up now and give you my list of 30 things I want to accomplish (in no particular order) before I hit the big 3-0. Which, for those who are counting, is more of a 4 year plan given that I just surpassed 26...

1. Get out of debt.

2. Own a dog.

3. Earn my SCUBA certification.

4. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.

5. See an outdoor play.

6. Travel to Amsterdam.

7. Get organized.

8. Move out of Cleveland.

9. Swim with dolphins.

10. Take a trip to Angel Falls.

11. Marry the love of my life.

12. Watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day.

13. Jump off the New River Gorge Bridge.

14. Spend a day at the spa.

15. Take my grandfather to dinner.

16. Wander NYC without a plan and see where it takes me.

17. Shoot a hand gun.

18. Travel with my father.

19. Sell some (more) of my photography.

20. Begin writing a book.

21. Be a muse for a photo or portrait.

22. Get a very personal, meaningful tattoo.

23. Write a living will.

24. Learn to dance and do it in public.

25. Get published in a national magazine.

26. Learn to ride a motorcycle (road bike, been there done that with dirt bikes).

27. Invest for my future.

28. Finish a crossword puzzle.

29. Take a wine appreciation course.

30. Learn to let go and stop caring so much what others think.

As you'll notice, some of these I'm well on my way toward accomplishing. This list is very do-able (aside from the crossword puzzle part, not so sure about that one)!

Though as I was generating this list, I came up with other, longer term goals that would be more a part of a bucket list. So I'm adding a #31 to this list:

31. Create a bucket list (see the start of it below):

-Skydive in New Zealand

-Establish and run a 501(c)3 (ideally before 30, but I'm not going to hold myself to that)

-Travel to Rio de Janeiro

-Go on vacation and leave my cell phone at home

-Buy a house

-Scuba Dive the Great Barrier Reef

-Enter a video contest

-Own a sports car

-Travel to as many destinations on the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die list.

So tell me dear readers, what's on your 30 before 30 list?

Cheers!

-A

Making YOURSELF the priority

2010-06-22T13:42:00.004-04:00

I have this tendency at times to make everything in my life a priority with the exception of myself.

My career, my relationships, networking, blogging, skydiving...the list goes on.

What I find happens from time to time is that the world shows me that I need to focus on me - and it's usually not in the most pleasant way. These wake up calls typically involve sickness or some other setback that makes me realize I haven't been paying enough attention to my own well-being.

Though, this hasn't always been the case. Sure, in college, I tended to beat the hell out of myself, with drinking and staying up till all hours, but when I lived in Texas it was the complete opposite. After breaking my foot (the first time) I made sure to take vitamins, eat healthy, work out every day after work, attend 2 yoga classes a week, make time to watch my favorite TV show every Thursday, sneak out of the office once a day for a 10 minute walk in downtown Dallas to enjoy the sunshine, go for runs in the park on nice days, get regular massages, grab my camera for random photo shoots around the city...you get the idea.

I was in better shape and better health than I've ever been. But for the past few years, my hobbies and other responsibilities have taken over as priority, and I have taken a backseat.

This is NOT okay. I've been compromising my health, both mentally and physically for things that I thought mattered more.

A couple weeks ago I sat down and made appointments for the eye doctor, the dentist, the massage therapist, and even at my salon. I felt pretty good about that. But I quickly forgot about taking care of myself on a daily basis as well. Oops.

Well I'm making it a point to bring some focus back to me. After all, I can't be the best at the things that have become high priority in my life without being in good shape myself, right?

Now I certainly can't expect that I'll be able to do all those things I was once able to fit into my life in Dallas, after all, life has changed drastically since that time, my job doesn't allow for a 10 minute break most days, and I don't have cable so there will be no TV watching, but there's no reason why I can't find time to practice yoga once a week, or read a chapter in a good book every few days. And I have promised myself in the recent past that I'd get back on the horse when it comes to my photography, for which I haven't been doing a very good job.

As someone who truly believes that the most important relationship you have in this world is with YOURSELF you think I wouldn't need random, and sometimes scary, wake up calls to get me back on track. But then again, no one is perfect.

It's all in an effort to become a better person - for my relationships, for my hobbies, for my career, and most importantly, for myself.

I encourage you to do the same. Challenge yourself to take time every day to focus on yourself. You might be surprised just how much it helps your mental and physical state. I'm certainly looking forward to the rewards.

Cheers!

-A

Poll: dealing with fake "friends"

2010-06-02T14:45:00.003-04:00

Last night the BF and I got into a discussion on dealing with people who are rude, two-faced, irrational or just downright pigheaded.

This was one of those times where we completely disagree with one another. But don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing in the slightest. We do what works for us - can't get after someone for that. And there are even times where I've taken our differences and blended them together to make a better solution (I'm sure he's done the same from time to time, right honey?), these differences only work to make you a better person, in the end. But I do find it interesting that our approach differs so much.

Here's a scenario to put it into perspective a bit: so you have this person, who you assume is your friend, right? But they're always making shitty comments, doing stupid things that really get under your skin. You blow it off, cuz that's what friends do, give each other crap, and you don't want to be a big puss about it...Then you find out that they are doing and saying this shit behind your back as well. You're irritated...so what do you do.

Here are the two trains of thought on this one:

1. The next comment that's made you get in their face, let them know just how you feel about what they have to say. Essentially, do something about it.

2. Let it roll off your back. Not everyone is going to be the friend you think they are, but getting upset about it just isn't worth your time or energy. Stay strong and keep on being who you are, no matter what other people think.

These are very dumbed down versions of the discussion, but you get the idea.

I fall into the latter category - my theory is, if someone can't be a good friend all the time, then they're just not worth the effort. Saying something isn't going to change anything, because they are going to be who they want to be, regardless.

The BF, of course, falls into the former category. His thought isn't so much about trying to get someone to change so much as standing up for what you believe in, letting people know it's not okay to act this way if you want to be friends, and getting it off your chest.

Both have very valid points, as I'm sure both have their flaws. And of course, what works for some may not work for others, but I'm curious, which side of the fence do you stand on? The one that's a little more passive, maybe a little more Buddhist in approach, or the one that gets the point across and gets the tension off your chest?

Poll time - category 1 or 2, and why?

Cheers!

-A

Baffled by the 6-incher

2010-05-27T08:26:00.005-04:00

As a woman, there's one thing that's always confused me about our gender.

The need to wear overly high heels.

What did you think I was referring to?...And now you can remove your head from the gutter.

But really, what's the point? Sure, I get the idea of heels making your calves and ass look amazing, and they sure do help, but from my experience this can be accomplished with a small heel - inch or two tops will suffice.

What's more, I'm a shorty! Topping out at 5'3" there are days where I could use the extra height, but honestly, my favorite pair of dress shoes are a black, round toe MaryJane that maybe, just maybe bring me to 5'5". I suppose I've embraced my short stature, but I still don't get the women out there who think they need shoes like this to survive.

Okay, so that's an exaggeration, of course. But I just saw this girl walking in my building in what was probably 5" heels and she was walking as if she was healing from two broken legs. She was wobbly and clearly very uncomfortable. Not to mention that she was moving at a snails pace, because really, who can take a normal stride in tall, pointy shoes?

I mean really, this just doesn't look comfortable.

In this country, our obsession with high, tight, pointy, uncomfortable women's shoes boarders on insanity. When I see a woman who has stuffed her feet into a pair of pumps that her tootsies clearly want to revolt against (have you seen the women whose feet spill over the side of their shoes because they're shoved in so tightly - it looks like they have foot fat, seriously), I can't help but think about the foot binding that Chinese women are subjected to.

So my question is this - can anyone explain to me exactly what the point is?

Cute shoes don't have to be this uncomfortable. And as I noted before, an inch or two will get just about anyone where they want to be with that extra lift. So unless you're 4'6" and really, truly need the extra height, what's the point?

I'm sticking with my comfy 1 inchers and keeping my head high - well as high as it can go - and being proud of my short little legs.

Cheers!

-A

An inward focus

2010-05-10T09:14:00.005-04:00

As I was listening to one of those brain-dead radio shows last week, there (inadvertently) was a rather smart message that came across.

One of the hosts was going on about how he cares about what the hosts of other shows on their network think and what they say about their show. Host #2 gave him tons of crap about that - who gives a shit what everyone else thinks. More than that, why do you care about what they DO? Who has time to worry about what other people are doing?

Good point!

At this point in time, many of us live our lives very publicly - online! Things like Facebook and Twitter and Foursquare not only let people tell others what they are up to at every moment of every day, but now they can tell others exactly where they are doing it.

Facebook has become less about connecting with others and sharing common interests and more about bragging rights.

I'll admit, after spending much time on Facebook, I'm a little jaded. I see so many people everyday with nothing better to do than bitch and moan about things they don't like and to spend time crafting the perfect status update to let everyone know, once again, just how awesome they are.

So what's to come is highly opinionated.

In this virtual age we're in, people are spending more time lurking online. I'll admit, I do it from time to time - especially with blogs. I often read and never comment, mainly because I don't have anything witty or worthwhile to say.

People are doing this with all social media channels, and I think it's sparking competition where none existed before. Status updates are used to "one up" people that are supposed to be your "friends." Photos and videos are posted to prove a point. Real life friends are turning against one another because someone hung out with the group and didn't invite someone else, and they're posting it all on Facebook just to hurt those that were left out.

Cyber-bullying!

And it's not just limited to kids. In fact, I often think that adults are more prone to this type of behavior. I won't even go into the passive-aggressive behavior that's out there. You can read my thoughts on that here.

For most of us who spend any amount of time in the online world, we've either seen or experienced this first hand.

I often hear people complain about the "lifecasters," those people who broadcast every move they make, "I'm at work," "I'm at home," "I just pooped and there was corn in it." (I can't take credit for that one...came from a much wittier friend), but you get the idea.

But I think my biggest gripe is the people out there who are just trying to be assholes.

....

Okay, so this got quite a bit off topic, let me get back.

The point was that so many people spend so much of their waking lives these days worried about what others are doing, saying and thinking (this is made easier by the social media channels noted above, and by the lifecasters who post every move they make...see it all comes together somehow), that maybe it's time to take a look inward for a change and focus on what you are doing.*

We've all been there at some point, thinking about what someone else is doing, caring what their thoughts are, but when you look at the big picture, who has time for that?

Last week I spent a little time reflecting on the things in my life, the things that are missing. I've never been the type of person to have one focus in life. I love my job, I love my family, I love skydiving, I love blogging, but any one of these things by themselves are not enough. I like to be multi-dimensional I suppose.

A big part of my life that's been missing lately is my photography - something I've been meaning to get back. So I've made a plan to get that back. And hopefully I can start sharing some fun stuff with y'all again, right here :).

But remember how I mentioned not having time enough time in the day - well that just slapped me upside the head as I continue to ramble. So I'm off to get back to my day.

Thanks for letting me rant - what's your rant of the day?

Cheers!

Ashley

*Many life lessons have recently pointed to the idea that you should embrace how you're living your life, be proud of the choices that you make and to love the life you lead - no matter what others say.

Want: A list

2010-04-27T10:01:00.005-04:00

this week is busy. so much so that i don't have time for capital letters.

so i'm stealing this quick and dirty little list from ang. of course, i'm changing it up a bit to be the things that i currently want. and, naturally, adding in a little explanation as is pretty standard with me. thanks, love! you're so inspiring :)

want.

time and money to visit my family in california
to order my custom freefly suit, but i'm having issues getting in touch with the designer
a puppy - but i don't think i'm ready for that yet
to live in the South again. most days, i miss it
a big project at work, like really big. i'm ready for a new challenge
to give up artificial sweetener again. that stuff is toxic
a life that looks as organized as it is. like this
to continue blogging and writing, and hopefully inspiring a few people along the way!

what are some of your wants?

cheers!

-a

Living for the future

2010-04-22T09:03:00.004-04:00

We all know these people, the ones who hate their jobs to the core and who spend every day awaiting the weekend so they can start living.

Then there's that subset of people who take it a step further - the ones who live for Saturday, only to sleep most of it away, followed by a Sunday bitching that tomorrow is Monday.

Some life.

(Sorry, that was rude)

I'm not here to judge. If that's your cup of tea, enjoy it. Just don't make me drink it!

Attitudes like this are toxic, sometimes even contagious. Those of us who are trying to live out every day to the fullest have to struggle not to be swayed into this mindset when it surrounds us.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm one of the lucky ones. As I've mentioned before, I've got a day job that I truly enjoy, working with a fantastic team of incredibly smart people, a group of beyond amazing friends who I can count on for just about anything, a hobby that fills my weekends with fun and excitement, and the best friend, partner and lover a girl could ever ask for, living under the same roof.

Needless to say, I have lots of reasons to be embracing every day. But for those of you out there who can't seem to live for the moment, please, don't try to bring me down with you.

Lately I've been getting more and more Facebook and text messages from people who aren't working for one reason or another saying something to the effect of "sucks you're stuck at work! I took the day off to do X, Y, Z..."

Almost like, "ha! in your face. you're at work and I'm not."

All that makes me want to do is send them a message the next day saying "gosh, it sucks you're back at a job you hate and I'm enjoying mine. that really blows. :) neener!"

Of course that would accomplish nothing and I'd feel like a big turd for trying to make someone feel bad. That's never a goal of mine. Ever.

If there's one thing I've learned in the last year of my life, it's that arrogance and bragging don't get you very far in life. Neither does bitching about something. If you want it, go get it. If you don't like it, work to change it.

Spend the time that's wasted on spouting off at the mouth on something more constructive to make your life what you want it to be. Sure, we all have to do things we don't enjoy from time to time, and everyone has those days where they wish they could have done something else - even if it was just stay in bed. But as I see it those days should be few and far between, not the norm.

And if they are, and you are either content living that way or don't have the drive to make changes, then at least do those of us a favor who are out there embracing each day and fake it.

I'm going to hop down off my whining soapbox now and go back to doing something constructive. Have a lovely day! :)

Cheers!

-A