Sole Searching

Close your eyes for a minute.
OK, now open them so you can read, but pretend they're closed.

Remember your first pair of really good running shoes?
They fit just right and for the first time you felt like you were in the PERFECT pair.
They held your foot snug, but not too snug.
They supported your arches. They protected your soles.
They never rubbed you the wrong way.
You would go miles and miles with no friction.
They were cute and just perfect in every way.

Or so you thought.

Suddenly and out of nowhere, the shoes seem to be falling apart.
Something is amiss.
And before you can say "Sneaker Freshener" they're gone.

Everyone tells you that there are plenty of shoes out there. You have to just look around. So you go to the local dive shoe store. Nothing there. People suggest going online, but that just isn't your style. And who knows what you'll end up with. You go to the fancy shoe store with professionals there to help you. You have to give it a try.

You take a pair home. They're OK. They fit and they're even a kinda cute. But something doesn't feel right. You can't get the other pair out of your head. What is with the first pair that made them so great? If only you could forget about them, then maybe you would be ready to slip into the new ones.

Then everyone tells you to stop looking. You'll find a pair on accident somewhere, probably on sale, when you're not looking at all. This is not what you want to hear. This does not make an iota of sense. If you don't have a great pair of sneakers, then aren't you ALWAYS looking, even when you're not technically "looking?"

So what's a girl to do? Just go around not wearing any sneakers? There are those incredible barefoot runners, but this girl is not one of them. This girl needs a new pair. And now her standards are so high, she is holding out for a pair that will really knock her socks off in ways she can't even imagine.

So the search continues.

Friday's Findings

Starting today, I am using up some extra vacation days and take EVERY Friday off for the entire Summer. How flippin' sweet is that?

Since I had the day off, I was able to sleep in AND run. This had me out on the boardwalk at about 8:30 am instead of my usual 5:45 am. Let me tell ya, there are a heck of a lot more people out and about. Which leads me to a few questions and findings:

1. Don't these people work? If so, what kind of job do they have that they can be surfing, walking dogs, drinking coffee, etc.


2. It's alot warmer outside - water and sunscreen might have been a good idea.


3. Passing gas while running is much easier when there are not a lot of people out. (*Note to self - look behind you first.)

I got home, did some stretches & home-yoga then hopped on the scale to find this exciting revelation! Can you believe it? 131.6? Holy shit! That's 3 lbs this week. I am not going to update my side bar just yet because I know I was a bit dehydrated. But that is really exciting for me. I have not weighed this amount since high school.

Heading out to San Onofre to meet my sis and nieces who are camping there. Getting to see my favorite girls and eating s'mores (I'll probably just have 1/4 of one) sounds like a great way to start off the weekend.

Cold Hard Tips

As a Sagittarius, I am known for being well, a bit blunt sometimes. So I thought I would dish out some brusque health tips for anyone who needs a little ass-whoopin'. I know I sure could use one once in a while.
*Sensitive peeps might want to stop reading here.

1. STOP MAKING EXCUSES - Nobody cares why you didn't work out or why you ate an entire pizza with a carton of ice cream on the side. The excuses you are making are falling on deaf ears. You are only hurting yourself. Do something about it.

2. FUGGETABOUTIT - Take the following foods out of your mind, away from your reach and out of your mouth. It will suck at first, but you will start to feel so much better in other ways that when you actually do eat it again, you will have a complete shiz-attack (literally, be near a bathroom).

• Chinese Food
• Mexican Food
• Fast Food
• Sugar
• Salad Dressings
• Creamy Sauces
• White Bread/Pasta

3. LEARN IT, LIVE IT, LOVE IT:

• Fruit - apples, oranges, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, grapefruit, watermelon - you get the picture.
• Veggies - Salads, spinach, peppers, artichokes, zucchini, asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli - once again, you get the picture.
• Cottage Cheese
• Kashi Cereal
• Yogurt
• Egg Whites
• Chicken, Fish & Turkey
• Whole Grains - Quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat

4. COUNT CALORIES - You will freak out when you realize how many calories you have actually been consuming. 1500 is my maintenance range. I dropped down to 1200 when I was in "loss" mode. Yes, you might be hungry at first, but you will shrink up your stomach and train your body to eat less food. (NOTE: It might be different for you based on your size, gender, etc. So find out. It is your responsibility to know how many calories you need on a daily basis.)

5. GET MOVIN' - exercise, walk, run, skip, jump, box, lift weights, hike, have lots of sex, ski, dance, play squash, play tennis, play basketball, do karate, race your kids, play soccer, get movin'. Burn calories any way you want to~there are so many activities out there you are bound to enjoy one of them. (If not, refer to #1). Once again, it may suck at first but once you get in the routine, you will start to crave and need exercise.

6. LEARN TO COOK - or at least how to make healthy dishes. In this modern Internet world, there are millions of recipes for healthy EASY versions of practically anything. One of my favorite sites is Worlds Healthiest Foods.

7. HAVE A PLAN - Sit down and write out your menu, figure out your calories, plan it all out. I recommend to keep it as simple as possible. If that's too hard, then join a group that can teach you how (Weight Watchers, etc.) Just trying to wing it day by day without a plan will set you up for failure.

8. SUPPORT SYSTEM - Hopefully your friends and family will support your decision to get healthy, but they might not. Be prepared for negative comments. (I went through this for a couple months until I actually started to look thinner, then all my friends wanted to know how I did it). If you can't find support at home, then look on the Internet, blog, join forums, join challenges. At some point you will start to feel so good about your success that you won't even need the support anymore. But such a huge life change is so all encompassing that you will want to talk about it ALL the time. That's why we have blogs, right?

9. CHANGE YOUR THINKING - Don't put yourself on a "diet" thinking it is a quick, temporary thing. It is not. You have to change your entire thinking about food and what food means to you. Is food something you use for comfort? Is food something you do when you're bored? Do you use food to cover up emotional feelings? Food is fuel for your body. That is all it is. If this is your main issue, then seek help. There is nothing wrong, embarrassing, or shameful with getting to the root of the matter with a little professional help.

10. MAKE THE TIME - Wake up earlier, stay up later. This is your health. This is your life. Everybody is busy. Everybody has a lot on their plate these days (hopefully not literally). Make yourself a priority. Nobody will do it for you. (Refer to #1).

If you need a friendly competition to get your booty in gear, head over to Viv's page and check out her Independence Weight Loss Challenge! I hear there might be prizes. But honestly, what better prize is there than having a healthy body?

Stay Strong. Peace. Out.
(Notice: I am not a doctor or a professional anything so you really don't have to listen to me. Seek a doctors advice before starting any program, but he will most likely tell you to get your ass in gear.)

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I had big plans for my four-day weekend.
Big plans for running.
Big plans for yoga.
Throw in some weight training and maybe a fun new class of some type.
Grocery shopping for healthy food.
Preparation of said food.

Didn't happen.

If you measure success by drinking too much and going on lots of dates, then I had a successful weekend. But if you measure it by doing any of the items listed above, then I failed miserably.

Ok, I exaggerate a bit. I did attempt a horrible 2 mile hung-over run. I was so embarrassed. I talked about running with a new friend, then we go running and I was so hung over I had to walk after 2 miles. I did go to yoga once and got a good 8-miler in on Sunday.

I was definitely not as healthy/active this weekend as I wanted to be. Luckily Anita didn't punish me for it. Holding firm at 134.

The Lurking Landlord

When I was apartment hunting, I spotted my current place and called the number to make an appointment. I went to check it out & meet the landlord after a tennis match (visual: hot little tennis outfit). I think that is the reason I got the place - honestly. I'm fine with that EXCEPT that my creepy landlord thought this gave him the window to BRING UP PLAYING TENNIS with me EVERY flippin' time I see him. (NO MO FO, I am NEVER going to play tennis with you so SHUT IT.)

Let me paint you a picture of him. He is creepy, he is at least 25 years my senior and he is creepy. Did I mention that he is creepy? At one point he was living in the main house (I live in a back house) and he would STOP BY a couple times a week. Why? There is NO need for him to STOP BY, especially after 9pm - which is the typical time that he does. The STOP BYs luckily ceased when he moved.

Well he's back. And I can't seem to shake him. I am extremely rude and uninviting when he STOPS BY. I freakin' hate it. 99% of the time I am in my jammies watching a movie or reading and it's my down time. I go to bed very early and don't want him stopping by. Ever.

Recently, my toilet decided to take up running. And even more recently, my walls decided to take up Bikram. There is water dripping out of my drywall. Yep, so I had to call the lurker. This gave him license for even more stop bys. Seriously, he stopped by 3 times to look at the problem. He has yet to fix it. I have towels soaking up the water from the walls and have to turn off the water at my toilet after every use. I feel like I live in the ghetto.

Here's a sample of the conversation we had last night at 9:30 pm.
Lurker: We really need to get you up to my Big Bear cabin.
Me: (silent with weird look on face)
Lurker: You can run up there. That will get you in shape.

ARGH. WTF?
#1. Who is this "we?" you speak of?
#2. I am in shape so shut the F up.
#3. There is no way in hell I would go anywhere with you, let alone a deserted cabin.

I wish I could move, but my rent is affordable (now I know why) and I live in a kick ass area.

Am I Fat?

Yesterday Haley was chatting about how to measure your "frame" size - in other words, are you small boned, big boned, etc? According to this measurement, I am medium framed. Ok, I guess I already knew that.

Then Ms. Flusterate recommended a website that I just HAD to check out. I realize this is just ONE more way for me get crazier, so I clicked on the link:

Am I Fat?

Now here's the funky part - there are 2 options for body fat % calculators.

1st test said 21% (categorized as Fit/Lean)

2nd test said 31% (categorized as "Overfat")

What the fuck? There is no way on God's green planet that I am "overfat" by any means. Where the heck do these calculators come from? And why such the huge ass discrepancy?

And we WONDER why I am (and so many other women) so crazy/obsessed.

Flashback to 9th grade gym class when they told me I was 33% body fat and I wanted to DIE of embarrassment.

Anita has a body fat % option on her. It definitely varies depending on the amount of water in your body. In the morning, my % is higher (around 27%) and in the evening it is lower (around 24%).

So who is right?

How do you know?

Does it really matter? I eat a healthy clean diet, I exercise, I am 4 lbs from my dream weight AND I have muscles (I have taken quite a liking to flexing in the mirror).

So these stupid calculators can SUCK IT for all I care!

(I know- WHY do I even bother to look at them then? Cuz I'm crazy people, duh!)

Good Day.

Short Talk

On my last half marathon, there was a coupon in my goodie bag for lucy - a women's active wear store/website. It was 25% off any single item (just enter the code 1231gen at checkout). I'm a sucker for sales and ordering on the Internet. I just love getting boxes at work with fun stuff in them.

I picked up these little babies. I love the color and they are just so cute. I totally mix and match all my running stuff - and I use the word "match" loosely. (I hardly ever match - unlike SOME people we know... VIV).

My first debate is on the sizing. There is something in my head that says "you're not a small" so I usually opt for the medium. Then I get home and wish I had the small. So this time I got the small. They fit well, so I washed them and ripped out the tags. I took them on their first little 5 mile spin this morning. ARGGGHHH About mile 2 the creepage began. Should have bought the damn mediums. I guess I like my running shorts big. Overall, they were compfy, I just have to keep them for my shorter runs.

I swear, nothing compares to my Brooks shorts - they are the ones that I am wearing in EVERY race photo because they are the bomb-diggity! I guess I should just stick with what works and go buy like 15 pairs of those.

What running shorts do you prefer?
Do you wear them bigger than your normal size?

PS: Go check out this website for fun, affordable clothing: Lady Language. They have a blog too. And I got out of Target only spending $107. Not too bad, not too bad.

Target Therapy

Today I am resting. I got my 8 mile run in and did yoga this weekend.

My body needs a break.

I am consistently at 134 now and feelin' slim and happy.

Well, maybe not so happy, but getting there. I always have the blues on Monday. Anyone else?

But this will help:

I am going to Target after work. And I'm going to spend a lot of money there. I need so many things: new rug for kitchen, tons of toiletries (do you happen to run out of everything at the same time or is it just me?), cleaning stuff, etc. etc. I'm sure I will end up with a heck ova lot more in my cart than just what is on my list. That's what ya gotta love about Target.

Then I'm going home to finish watching my Flight of the Conchords dvd. Does anyone else love these guys or am I the only person in the universe?

Non Plan Update

My "non plan" plan is working well for me this week.

Here's a little recap:

• Miles run: 9 (and I'm going to run this weekend my favorite distance - 8 miles) so that will total me out at 17. Not great, but I'll take it.
• Yoga: Three Times (including today and tomorrow)
• Visits with friends: 2
• Slept in: Once
• Weight: 135 (and holding)

I'm sticking with my "non-plan" plan for another 3 weeks and I'm going to love every minute of it. It's not that I'm being lazy. I'm just doing what I want exercise-wise instead of what I have to do for "training."

Many people have accused me of trying to plan everything. And they say this like it's a negative thing. WHY does this bother people (aka ex-boyfriends, possible new boyfriends, coworkers, friends, etc? Do you think it's annoying?

Once I EMBRACED my inner-planner, I realized there are many benefits to this.

1. I am always prepared food-wise so I can eat healthy. For example, I bring fruit & veggies on road trips so when my friends get fast food, I have something healthy to eat. I bring an apple/orange when I am crashing at friends house so I have some fruit in the morning (just in case).
2. I'm always dressed for the occasion. I don't show up to a pool party in a clubbing outfit (and visa-versa). I can bring a change of clothes for any change of plans, etc.
3. I can get 5 things done when most people can only accomplish 1 or 2. Killing 2 birds with one stone, type of thing.
4. I have less anxiety because I am prepared for events.
5. Others admire me and perceive me as a woman in charge and give me gifts. (Ok, not really)

Saving Face

I was just reading on someones blog (I'm sorry, I forgot which one and now can't link it - please speak up if it's you) how when they gain weight, you can see it in their face.


This is very embarrassing because I look so creepy, but most people like before & after photos. Since there is no limit to what I would do for a good laugh, this is just for you. (Ok, there really is a limit so don't get any crazy ideas.)


BEFORE (2005 and 2006)



















After (2008)

















I just realized that you can totally see how my face is aging (wrinkles, etc.) but I look and feel so much better than I did, so I'll take those wrinkles any day.


So, can any recommend some good wrinkle-fighting products????

I'm tellin' ya, the craziness never stops with me.

Photo Whore Strikes Out

You may have noticed a few things about me
1. I am NOT shy
2. I love me some pictures


So how on earth (for the SECOND) time, can I strike out when it comes to race pictures? My first half marathon, there was not a single picture of me. And now the third half marathon, this happened again.


I do everything to ensure that I will have many race pictures to chose from. I wear my number on the front of my shirt so it is damn loud and clear who the heck I am. I see a cameraman and I make damn sure as hell he sees me. "It's go time buddy."


After looking through 5,980 photos, this is what I found:






















x
Now, I have to be honest. I am exaggerating a little. There is ONE pic from this race of me. But it is SO SO horrible that I would like to pretend it doesn't exist. However, I realized that it's so bad, it would be a crime to not share it. So here goes:


Go ahead and laugh.


What the BLEEP am I doing? It looks like I'm droppin' an "F" bomb and what is with the hands? Am I dancing? Am I stopping traffic?


So, for the sake of all that is good in this world, I will make a solemn vow to you all (and to myself): From now on, during a race I will not do stupid things when I see a camera. I will simply run and maybe a small wave. But that is it.

Good Day.

Mama Drama

Most of you know how I feel about health & fitness.
I love it.
I love to talk about it. I love to read about it. I love to write about it.
I love to live it.
I love to read your blogs about it.

It's all about sharing advice, recipes, suggestions, encouragement, disappointments, etc.

This is what I do to stay motivated and HOPEFULLY, along the way, motivate some of you too.

But there is someone in my life who I cannot motivate.
It's my mother.
She has gone through various stages of health and fitness herself. I have not been alive to witness any of it (I have to take her word on that one), but she says she was even a runner at one time. She has been thin (not from a healthy way) and she has been heavy. Right now, she is at her heaviest. She has even been hospitalized for DIET related problems.

I don't know what came first for her - the depression or the weight gain. But they definitely go hand-in-hand. I have tried to motivate her by giving her healthy, easy recipes. I send her info about yoga and even try to show her some basics. I don't live close enough (thank God) to actually work out/walk with her, so that's not an option. Plus, she is the kind of person who looks for a PILL to solve everything. She wants an easy way out, an easy solution. Unfortunately (or fortunately, as I see it) sometimes the only way is by good, old-fashioned hard work.

I know there is nothing I can really do, because she has to WANT a healthier lifestyle for herself. I can't force my views on her, but I hate to see her getting more depressed and gaining even more weight. And even worse, eventually ending up back in the hospital.

A few of us in my family (Grams, Aunt, Sis) have tried to intervene, but like I said before, she has to want to change for herself. I really wish I could send her to one of the shows - like "Starting Over." That would be awesome.

My "No Plan" Plan

What's next, you ask?

My plan for the rest of May is....

NOTHING!

I am not going to have a structured anything.

I am going to run when I want to;

Do yoga when I want to;

Lift weights when I want to;

Sleep in when I want to... you get the picture!

Fall marathon training starts in June so I want to just enjoy NOT being in training.

Of course I will be thinking about the Portland Marathon and coming up with my plan. If you want to chat about that, check out the Forum on Runners Lounge.

The Proof is in the Pudding

Snook seriously nailed my banner to a tree on the race course.
That's how he rolls.

I was pretending to run past it - such a good actress, huh? I should quit my day job and pursue acting.

After the race, my mom wanted to see this "hill" that I was so proud to have conquered, so we drove up it. I had to do my favorite yoga move for ya'll again.

The Kill of the Hill

The Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon was awesome! I realized that I love smaller races, especially when the scenery is incredible. This race has it all, including moo'ing cows, rolling hills, lavender fields, more hills and even more hills.

I got to my grandparents house Thursday and we had some wine, relaxed and caught up. Friday we went to the expo. I forgot my running hat so my granny goose bought me a new one. She's so nice. Grandpa Snook thought I should just wear one of the old trucker hats in his garage. Why buy a new hat when he has several perfectly fine hats already?

Granny wanted to "drive" the course so I would know what I was getting myself into. We drove the first half. I was freaked. The entire first half was uphill with rolling hills scattered throughout. Seriously. She said the 2nd half was worse. I decided NOT to see the second half, as I already had little doubting debbies in my head. Speaking of doubting debbies, my mom suggested that I just run the first half and stop. (My grandparents house is at the half-way point).

Snook was very concerned about all the "traffic" that this 2000 person race would cause. So after much deliberation, he selected a route to the drop off point. This was a 3 minute drive from their house. Considering that he doesn't drive over 15 miles per hour, it was amazing that I managed to arrive at the race 45 minutes before it started. That was way too early. I was ready to go. The race actually started a little late because the porta-potty lines were long. Uhm. Ok, whatever.

Once we were off, it was awesome. It was so quiet outside that the melodic sound of sneakers against pavement was all you could hear. I decided to keep my iPod off. I definitely felt I was struggling in the first half. It seemed as if I was getting passed up by everyone - short, tall, fat, thin, old, young. Looking back, this was just in my head. My first half time was only 54:53.

After passing my grandparents house and getting a big energy boost from TEAM POM (pictured above), I started to get into my grove. There was a nice lady running beside me who said, "I think we're done with the hills." I said, "I hate to tell you this, but the biggest hill is right in front of us." As we turned the corner, you see it: Corkscrew Hill. I looked at my new friend (forgot her name) and said "We can do this. It will be fun." It was hard. Really hard. But I was right, it was fun for sure.

Shortly after, I heard someone say "Mile 11." I looked at my watch (didn't bring Big G) and it said 1:50. I was like, "holy crap, I might have a chance of matching my time from my last half." This is exactly what happened at my last half too. So I booked it. BUT... another hill right at the end. I was not expecting to be under 2:10 for this race.

I reached the finish line and got stuck in this hellacious line for water/fruit/crappy food (cookies, etc). I totally forgot to stop my watch. Who does this? So lame. I wasn't sure what my time was. I had to get online today to find out.

AND...

IT WAS...

2:04:28

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. My legs were jello right after. I felt a little sick to my stomach, so I actually didn't drink any wine. (Until the evening, of course). My quads and calves are still killing me, but a good pain, not a bad one.

Favorite MOM-ISM of the weekend: Men - stop reading here.
Me: I started my period.
Mom: It's probably from all that running.
Me: Yeah, it probably is.

Santa Ynez Bound

I'm ready to get the weekend started.
Hitting the road this afternoon to drive to Santa Ynez for a nice visit with a girlfriend then off to the Grandparents house.

I wouldn't call this week a success on the health front. I did manage to not eat like a banshee; I probably didn't eat enough. I was forced to eat a lot of protein bars like Luna Bars or other "FAKE" food. It gave me protein, but I really hate eating fake food. I feel so much better when I am eating cleaner. I did manage to rack up extra calories on the wine. So should be for an interesting race on Saturday.

Also, I had to wear heals and be on my feet for about 10-12 hours each day during this event. My feet are in serious peril.

I am hoping to rest up (mentally and physically) on Friday and get ready.

13.1 hilly hell, here I come. Ready or not!

Hotel Repeats

Kinda like Mile Repeats...

But it involves

CHEESE

& WINE!

(You might notice the cheese platter ain't got nuthin' on me. I conquered that baby!)

Pre-Race Freak Out

It's started.
The pre-race freakout.
I know you must thinking - "It's just a half marathon."
I KNOW - I am thinking the same thing.

But I am at a hotel all week and don't have much control over when and what I'll be eating. Or much control as to when I can get a couple runs in.

I planned to run this morning and Wed. And that is it before the race on Saturday.
But I had a dream last night that I was hospitalized for exhaustion. And when I woke up I was exhausted. So I slept an extra hour instead of running.

When I did wake up, I was having knee pains. What the heck?
I know this is "normal" but I'm still worried.
What if the hills just kick my ass?
What if my time is like 30 minutes slower than my last half?

Ok, calm down. Breath. Really, who cares if I'm slower because of the hills? It won't be the end of the world. It's good to challenge myself.

Now I'm off to find something semi healthy to eat for brekkie (And stay AWAY from the mini bar crap)!

Dear Anita

Dear Anita,
I wanted to drop you a quick note to tell you how much I appreciate the way our relationship has turned out. When you first came into my life, I was concerned that you would cause me additional stress and possibly make me full-blown crazy. And I admit that I have cursed you behind your back many-o-times. But I didn't really mean it. I know it was ME who had the problem, not you. You were just trying to be honest with me and I blamed you for it.

But today, I love you. And I will continue to express gratitude to you if you keep moving in the same direction. We are so close to our all-time dream. So close I can smell it. Or is that me? Anyway, keep it up and we are likely to have a long, happy relationship.

Yours truly,
POM

Sans Nod

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

8 is Great. 8 is my favorite distance lately. I just love it. It makes me sweaty, but no bits hurt afterwards. I just love love love it. I didn't bring Big G, but I think I made good time.

So, anyway, I was almost done with my run, about 4 blocks from my house when Mark McGrath ran by. Yep, he's a runner. (It's times like this that I think of Marcy and her camera-toting runs.) I think I even read somewhere (NOT that I read about him on purpose) that he was on the track team. He grew up around here (and still lives around here), that's the only reason I know. But, get this... I gave him "the nod" and he didn't nod back. Apparently, he doesn't read my blog and know that I have like 50 readers who will hear about this!

RUNNERS NOD, MARK. RUNNERS NOD!

I'm off to a Pool Par-Tay~ Peace.

OH... and the Secret TOTALLY worked yesterday, my boss closed the office early enough for me to make the 2:30 Yoga, so I had time to get a pedicure after. See... it works and/or I'm just one lucky sun-of-a-gun.

Decisions Decisions

I've always been one to say that life is really about what decisions you make.

Do you take a puff of the joint with the cool kids at the skating rink?
Do you date a total loser and end up living in a trailer on his parents property?
Do you take the $.50 raise at the Dairy Queen and work more hours instead of going to school?
Do you sit at the bar and drink all day on your day off?
Do you get in the car with a stranger because it's a cheesy hot rod?
Do you eat fast food for dinner every night?

(Thank God I didn't do ANY of those things. Except for maybe sit at a bar all day.)

Anyway, here are the big decisions in my life today:
1. Do I get a pedicure after work or do Bikram Yoga? I don't have time to do both. I really need a pedicure for the pool party tomorrow. But Bikram would make me feel so much better and maybe even slimmer for the pool party.

2. What bikini do I wear to the pool party? Which bikini I chose can really show off different facets of my sparkling personality. Yellow polka dots = fun & girlie. Blue Bandeau = Sophisticated. Black Volcom= Sporty. Maybe I can pull off some glamorous wardrobe changes and then I don't have to choose.

HA HA. I'm totally kidding peeps. I am (of course) doing Bikram, then I will give myself a home pedicure. And I'll probably stick with the black bikini.

I really do have bigger issues than this, but these are more fun to think about.

Can you pinpoint any decision (good or bad) that really helped shape you life and who you are?


Something else I wanted to talk about.
The new Madonna CD. I was sooooooooooooo excited for it to come out. And honestly, I am kind of disappointed. I only downloaded a few of the songs. I like "Give it to Me" the Paul Oakenfold edit.

May Day & New Hair Products

Welcome May. Bring on the flowers....

Usually on the first day of the month, I read my horoscope. And for the first time in a year, I did not read HIS horoscope, too. A good sign? Perhaps.

It said things will be looking up at work.... lots of travel, maybe new romance.

Sounds good to me!

My latest shopping frenzy lead me to these little ditties:

Product #1 - Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

Rub a small amount into your damp hair, then blow dry as normal.

It smooths frizz like nobodies business and protects from heat elements. At least it does in my head bcuz my hair feels so great today.

Product #2 - Light Elements Smoothing Fluid

Smooth into dry hair to tame any leftover frizzies.

1. It smells like Lavender -my all time favorite scent.

2. It's very lightweight -not greasy at all

3. Makes hair so shiny.

I didn't even realize they have a whole smooth infusion kit thing with shampoo & cond that goes with it but I left spending over $50 so that's enough for now. But they are all organic, if that's an issue for you.

Here is the end result (yes, my coworkers think I am a total freak and I need lipstick):

Straight, Shiny, Smooth hair!

YEAH!!!