All Good Things

I love driving with the windows down on a long, winding road with the music blasting and wearing my sunglasses.

You know, life is full of good things. Sometimes when something scary, tragic or just plain awful happens, it is hard to see the silver lining. Sometimes you need someone to point it out for you.

So, my boyfriend, Jeff, is a cancer survivor. This week he was in the hospital as a precaution due to results from his most recent CT scan. I suppose it is better to have overly cautious doctors and nurses as opposed to not cautious enough, but it turned out to be a long three-day vacation at UPMC Shadyside for ultimately nothing as far as procedure or testing.

Jeff is fine!

Although his body has been to hell and back, and then again...and again...He is a super trooper and is already back to working both jobs. Go figure.

But, after all of this week's detours and potholes, I couldn't help but see the Allegheny River in all of its calmness and the sun shining from behind the clouds while on the road. At work one day this week, after Jeff had come home from the hospital, Nancy introduced me to a client of hers as "her hero, Emily". She has done that a few times in the past, but they had been while I was still in school. To see that I am still inspiring one person, although I am not a full-time student and full-time employee, plus everything else, it kind of took me by surprise.

Sometimes you need to be surprised.

We had a really tough week.

We will hardly see each other next week.

But, we love each other, and that is the most beautiful "good thing" there is.

To all the good things...

Sunday Has Always Been My Favorite Day of the Week.

Growing up, Sundays meant a full day of friends, family, food and church. Sundays started early and ended late. I would sing for one of two church services, have lunch with family and friends, help clean the church, have band practice, sing for one of two night services, and go home late to a cozy couch, snacks, and TV with my family.

Sigh.

Since moving to Pittsburgh, Sundays have turned into another day of the work week or days to catch up on homework, bills, cleaning, projects or sleep. Instead of being a day of the "feel good" basics of life, Sunday has not been too special for me.

And I've missed that.

Things are changing.

Tomorrow, I will wake up and drive out to Moon Township to sing for the second service at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. I will then drive home, fill up my gas tank (WAH!), and come home to nap and eat brunch with my sweetheart.

Whew.

This isn't every Sunday, but it is so nice when it happens. There are no words to express how thankful I am for a Sunday to myself, my loved ones and church.

This week's bonus is Jeff is off work too! Jeff tells me we are doing absolutely NOTHING tomorrow but cuddle and eat on the couch.

I can't wait.

Feed Your Soul

Chicken soup.

Sleeping-in on a rainy day.

Taking the long way home, just to see the scenery.

A good book.

We all have our "things" that warm our souls, make us feel good, feed us in a way that we feel butterflies down to our toes. These are the most beautiful moments in life, in my opinion. Nutrition is about feeding all aspects of our being, I think. My tummy needs lean proteins and greens. My brain needs numbers to crunch. My soul needs those deep-down, sugary moments to myself.

Today I began thinking of what these moments are like. It was a rainy, lazy Saturday. Although I worked, I felt very indulgent in how I went about my day.

I went to work early to walk a little slower from my car in the rain. I twirled my big umbrella the whole way.

On my lunch break, instead of getting lunch, I ordered a much-craved iced venti soy latte from Starbucks and walked the extra two-and-a-half blocks in the rain to get it.

When I got home, I decided to cuddle with my dog on the couch, watching The Food Network. It was a Chopped Champions marathon, though. No-brainer there.

And, for one more indulgence, I sang in the shower late at night. This is something I have done while living the single life in the city (Oh, 3 months ago?) every Saturday night, without fail. This included the nights I came home after midnight! I trust my former neighbors do not miss me for this reason :)

Needless to say, I indulged today. And, as you can tell, that does not mean I spent the day sleeping in, watching girlie movies, eating Hostess cakes and potato chips. But, believe me folks, I have been known to do this AND enjoy these days, too. Though, today, I indulged in a way only I would understand.

And that is how it should be for you.

So, my question for you tonight is this...

What is it that feeds your soul? What are those deep-down, sugary moments that you take for yourself that make you feel butterflies down to your toes?

For me, it's singing in the shower in the middle of a rainy night.

It feels good to get back in touch with these feelings. Is it time for you to take a moment and feed your soul?

Trust me. It isn't as stupid as it sounds.

Being a Big Kid

Hola and long time no see :)

I've missed you all, and a lot has changed in my life over the last few months. I don't plan on babbling on about how wonderful my life is and how much it has changed. The important changes include: my college degree (with honors), my (chef) boyfriend and our lovely apartment in Oakmont, and my first car, a 2011 Honda Civic.

Yes, I rock.

So, you should all be aware of these important changes. And believe me, they are all great things and I am extremely thankful for each and every blessing. However, that is not what this post is all about today.

Nope.

Today, I have a couple of new revelations I would like to explore with you.

Since finishing my degree in December, my days off work are actually days off now. As I write this blog, I am laying on my couch, drinking coffee, and watching TV in my pajamas on a Monday at noon. Aside from snow days in college (yeah, right), or being sick from work, I have not had a day like this in almost four years. Since I finished school, I have been laptop-less due to a horrible virus. And, now that my laptop is back after two months on its death bed, I have a place to place my newfound thoughts.

Before, life was hard because I had no time to do everything I wanted to in a day. I was in class for 13-hour days, followed by four hours of homework at home. I worked five---sometimes six---days a week. I also sang at church on Sunday mornings. On top of all of that, I had to fit my gym time, bills, friends and life into my...life.

Now, I work five days a week. I still sometimes sing at church when I am off work on Sundays. But, other than the daily grind, I have no projects due, research assignments, final exams or midterms to obsess over and plan. This gives me a lot of time---And I do not know what to do! It's almost like learning how to live life again. If my dad came to Pittsburgh with a bike with training wheels to teach me how to ride it with my arms on the pedals rather than my feet, it would be the same feeling. I am learning how to live my life again. I am learning to ride a bike.

So what shall I do with all of this time, do you ask?

Hopefully, something soon!

My mind is scattered with ideas. I have researched everything from taking the GMAT Exam for when I (eventually) get my MBA to antiques to refinish for my apartment. I have nothing to show for either of these thoughts, though.

This is where you come in.

Who has the winning idea? I would like you all to tell me what you think I should do with my time. These can be completely serious, like studying for the GMAT, or completely spontaneous, like raising an ant farm or learning how to knit. Really, guys, I am all for your ideas! Tell me what you think.

Until then, I will continue to update my blog and make sense of my scattered thoughts. I am beginning to wonder if this is when most women either go batty with weird ideas for funky stores in South Side and Bloomfield, or they start to have lots of children, dogs or birds.

Hit the Road, Jack

I would love to just pack up a truck, take a long weekend and drive out into some mountaintops nearby but just far enough away to feel like my own little world. I would make sure to grab plenty to eat, a toothbrush, and my sneakers. Anything more than that would need to be negotiated or put back on the shelf.

I would want to hike up the mountain---Whichever mountain that may be---and come to a spot where you can see the beautiful colors of Fall, how the world can just go on and on and the effortless way we all work together in seamless and never-ending harmony.

Yes, we all have our moments. But the world buzzes with continuity. I've seen it before in a small, everyday kind of scale.

I would hike and go for walks and jogs around some lake on this unknown mountain morning, noon and night. I wouldn't mind fishing, but I would need someone to teach me. Hunting? I don't know if I could get to that point, but I wouldn't mind shooting some guns at a target.

I've actually never fished before, which is hard to believe, considering I am from Central PA. Central PA schools have In-Service Days at the beginning of any hunting/fishing/outdoorsy opening day.

I'd like to figure out how to make coffee without electricity. That would be interesting.

I'd like to make dinner over a fire. Very interesting.

'Smores every night! Heavenly.

How long would I be there? I don't know. Where do I plan to go? I don't know. When am I planning this trip? I don't know.

That is the point.

I am awake at 1am on a Monday night. I have a 14-hour work and school day tomorrow that starts in less than six hours. My mind is racing, and I would love nothing more than to pack up a truck and drive to some mountain, for some amount of time.

Delirious, much? I might need some Benadryl.

Does Your Breakfast Make You Amazing?

I was watching a commercial yesterday morning as I was getting ready for work. I was watching the news and drinking my morning coffee. I also made oatmeal for breakfast, and I always swirl peanut butter in my oatmeal and let it melt. First off, it's delish. I like how it tastes, and I am all for the extra protein and a little healthy fat.

Yes, healthy fat.

The commercial was for Quaker Oatmeal, so I was totally relating to the commercial from the beginning. Talking about making healthy choices in the morning and throughout the day is something of normalcy today for adults. For children, we want their breakfast to fuel them for the tough day at school with bullies and long division. So, naturally, oatmeal that makes you "amazing" and a superhero would appeal to a kid in a different way than sugary cereals with superhero cartoons. This commercial is meant to appeal to children, but it really made me think.

Low-carb. Low-fat. Low-calorie. Low-sodium.

Sugar-free. Fat-free.

Whole wheat. Antioxidants. Organic.

In diet fads-past, diets were all about excluding and banning whole food groups or types of foods or nutrients altogether. Today, it's all about what you're putting in your body. I think a healthy diet should marry the two ideas together.

Let me explain.

So, there is definitely something to be said for eating salmon, soy milk, blueberries and artichokes. There is also definitely something to be said for not eating Ho-Ho's, Haagen-Dazs, Cheetos and Mountain Dew. The evidence is there. If you eat the good things, and don't eat the bad things, your health will be better than if you did the opposite.

Duh.

However, there is definitely something wrong with the mentality of cutting things out and only eating certain foods. That messes with the mind and the diet is difficult to stick to, live with, and continue.

I remember when "Skinny Bitch" came to bookstores. A few of my friends love the book, and still, to this day, live by the book. That's awesome! But, my biggest problem with this book (And, I do have a lot of problems with this book!) is that it discriminates and yells at you in a way that doesn't encourage a lifestyle, although that is the authors' intention. By being edgy and trendy, this book goes about dieting in the wrong way.

Milk is not the enemy.

Meat is not the enemy.

Sugar is not the enemy.

The way we think of these hands-off foods is in jeopardy, and that is the enemy.

Think about it.

If we are drinking a glass of skim milk, we ARE NOT drinking Mountain Dew. If we are eating a grilled chicken breast, we ARE NOT eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. If we are treating ourselves to a (serving size-appropriate) cup of ice cream at the end of a long week, we ARE NOT binging on an entire birthday cake after a month of restrictive dieting.

Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach and other diet programs all serve their purposes. They provide a framework and plan for those who would otherwise not stick to a diet. However, when it comes to a lifestyle of healthy eating, it shouldn't be about what we are eating or what we are not eating. Instead, it should be about the choices we make about the food we eat throughout our day. These choices include what we choose to eat in place of what we would eat otherwise.

OK, I am off of my soap box.

But, next time you think about going on some new diet, hoping that "THIS IS THE ANSWER" to all of your weight issues, I'd like you to ask yourself this question every time you are about to eat:

"Does my breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack make me AMAZING?"

My 4th Year Anniversary

It's true. My current relationship is officially my longest relationship.

As of August 26, 2010, I have had a serious relationship with the city of Pittsburgh. I moved to the 'Burgh on August 26, 2006, as an incoming freshman print journalism student at Point Park University. I had a pixie-style hair cut with black low lights and a new nose ring. A lot has changed, and I have been thinking about these changes more and more over the last month.

Since I moved to Pittsburgh, these things have changed:

- My hair is halfway down my back, curly and back to my natural red color.
- I am graduating from Point Park University with a B.S. in Business Management.
- I have no nose ring, nor a scar from my former piercing.
- I am now a size 0/2, and when I moved here I was a size 12.
- I got a breast reduction, equal to 3-5 pounds removed.
- I am now the EE/In-store Trainer at Sephora Shadyside, and when I moved to Pittsburgh I had never been to or heard of a Sephora.
- I am single, but in a very healthy dating relationship at the moment. 'Just dating' wasn't a concept I understood in 2006.
- I have so many new and unique friends! I can't imagine my life without you guys!
- I have grown very close to my grandparents since moving here, and I am so thankful for every moment I spend with them.

There are many more changes I have made, and this list could go on for hours. If you're really curious, you can ask me in person. But, overall, I have become more aware of myself and my own actions in the world around me. I am more aware of my attitude and my actions, as well as more aware of the impact I can have either positive or negative with the people I encounter. I have overcome a lot of heartbreak and financial hardships, but I have learned so much about myself and how strong I really am. I am a fighter, and I never thought of myself like that with complete certainty. The world can throw its worst at me, and I feel totally prepared to take it down brick-by-brick. I look at my apartment, my education, my career and friends, and I am so proud of everything I have created. I am completely responsible for everything I have done here. And, I am so proud of it all.

These 4 years have been the most important in my life to date. I can't wait to see what the next 4 years and beyond have in store for me. Pittsburgh, you have taught me a lot and will always be in my heart. Thank you for your hospitality.

So, does anyone else have a sappy love for Pittsburgh? Or, maybe you just have something you'd like to share that has changed in your life over the last few years, or even since yesterday? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

To celebrate my 4 years in Pittsburgh, upon the visit of my cousins from California, I had my very first Primanti Bros. sandwich. I am officially a Pittsburgher, I think.