Adios.

Good Bye.

I have been resting and breathing.  Once in awhile taking a deep breath is good for the soul.  This week is the end to many milestones.  It is the end to my last winter break.  I start my last semester of college tomorrow.  This is the last month we are living at Mark Iv.  I have been struggling with a obscure emotion.  I hate this apartment.  With all of my being but this was mine and Richard's first apartment.  Two years ago we sat in this living room with all of our belongings at Park University.  We bought beer and Gardettos.  We brought Sophie home two years ago.  We walked down those stairs and sat her on the floor.  Her floppy head sniffing every crevice.  This is home.  No matter how much I hate this apartment, it has been my shelter.  I will miss the memories but I am excited to take the next step. The next step of life should be a thrill.

And this will be home.

The last weekend of February we will be surrounded by two lakes, two pools, dog park, girl's nights, cooking classes, yoga lessons and free breakfast once a month prepared by a chef.  Yes we looked for houses with yards but this will have to become home until we can buy a house.  Once my savings bonds mature.

This is what I have been up to this past week.

Taking engagement photos for an old friend from high school.  Aren't they beautiful.

I also ran 5 miles today.  I will miss my running routes but I am excited to find where my feet will take me.  

Whatever It Takes

Today was one of those days.  Woke up in a great mood and everything was going smoothly and then BAM.  Don't you hate when that happens.

I am in the midst of fighting with our apartment complex.  We moved in two years ago on April 23rd 2010.  Our lease should be up in March but the manager says we signed a 2 month lease which bumped the current lease to end in June.  We had no idea signing that extra lease would bump us to moving out in June.  She did not tell us this and she kept our copy leading us to believe we would be moving out soon.

The place we are in now is TINY or should I say tiny. 

There is no water pressure when someone else in the fourplex is using the water.  It is difficult to control the temperature  In the summer time we have wasps almost everyday.  The water is rusty.  I could go on and on.  It is depressing here and we need to get out.  I left the office on a very sour note.  I tried to be nice but I made have used a few choice words when slamming the door behind me.  I am a very passionate person and my emotions show exactly how I am feeling.  I will not hold back.  That is just me.

Anyways before all this I was in the middle of enjoying my breakfast which consisted of Brown Cow cherry yogurt with Justin's Almond butter and Cascadian Farms granola.  Coffee with almond milk was  sipped alongside.

443 calories.  This includes the 10 calories from my BeHot GNC pills.

I have been taking Be Hot and Be Wholesome for about a week now and my energy levels seem to be higher than usual.

Perfect day to be drinking out of my Whatever It Takes mug.  Richard's dad gave it to me for Christmas.  It is a Paul McCartney mug which benefits his organization.  Love the cause.

But I will do whatever it takes to get out of this apartment.  Even if I have to break my lease and pay $525.  It makes me sick to think about the whole mess.  Is it May yet?

 Happy Birthday Sophie bear!

You are two Today!

Speedy Spinach Dinner

I am thankful.  I am thankful for life and what the big man upstairs has given me.  I came back from tanning.  I know it's bad.  Do as I say, not as I do.  The house next to my apartment complex was on fire.  Smoke was escaping from the roof.  Many apartment residents were outside investigating.  The fire department came and I watched through a crevice in the fence as the fire fighter took his axe and axed out the back door.  Let me tell you.  Witnessing a fireman in action is inspiring.

Smoked bellowed out of the doorway.  Residents had to run away.  I couldn't breath and was choking on the chemical drenched air.

I later went for a run and ran around the neighborhood to check out the damage to the front of the house.  That's when I seen Nancy.  She works at the YMCA with me and this girl has been through so much.

A few years ago her and her husband were in a horrible motorcycle accident.  They both had to learn to walk and talk again.  Then a year later her husband was in a car accident and was killed and now this.

Her house was destroyed.  I knew she lived in the area but I couldn't tell it was her house from where I lived.  My heart sank.  I gave her a huge hug and comforted her to the best of my ability.  Her cat had been in the house and now was gently wrapped in a blanket on a bed.  Her daughter believes he ran away.

The kitchen floor gave out to the basement.  All this right after Christmas.  My heart and prayers are with her tonight.  She is a strong girl and will not cry in front of her daughter.  Bless her.  I was suppose to meet Nancy for a reason.  I can feel it.  

I had to work tonight and will be covering most her shifts this month to help out.  I also chipped in with my mom and boyfriend to buy a gift card to Price Chopper for $75. 

The worst part, the cat was a gift from the littles girls dad before he passed away.  Again, prayers are sent out.

So granted I did not have time for dinner until late at night I sauteed spinach, mushrooms and one egg together.  Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread on the side.

381 calories.

At work I had half of a larabar and tonight I had 3 Godiva chocolates with a glass of wine: 110 and 390.

All together today I had 1430 calories.

And I physically feel cleansed but mentally I am bogged down.  

Sleep will heal.

Revolutionizing Resolutions

This post has been a longtime coming.  I wrote out a long post on January 1st vowing I would try to update this blog at least once a week with tips and tricks on how to stay healthy while working on my own overall health.  But then the internet monsters decided they wanted to eat up my crunchy, munchy post.  Nom, nom. nom.

Then I waited to have a list of resolutions to blog it up.  But this list kept getting pushed aside.  Where is my motivation for 2011 2012?!

Jo, snap out of it.

Then I decided my resolution is going to be revolutionary.  It's going to be big, out of this world good!

To be Happy.

I do have subheads to this goal but overall I want to be happy this year.  I want to wake up early and get started on the day.  I don't want to be in my pajamas jams at 1:11 in the afternoon.  Hey, I am still on break!  Don't give me that look.  Okay, Okay I am changing right after this.

I am working on the list of goals for this year but so far this is it.  It is mostly thoughts and concerns on the tip top of my brain lately.

School/work:

• Own a successful photography business or find a creative job with flex hours. 
• 2 photo shoots every month with a paid client.
• Have an amazing senior portfolio
• I am trying for a summer internship at an amazing advertising company in Kansas City.  Cross fingers.
• Get homework done as soon as it is assigned.
• Have a great photo exhibit on China.
• Make at least 20,000 a year.  
• Be able to pay bills once I am out of school. This is a must.

Health:

• Count calories on most days
• Drink more water and tea
• Take vitamins religiously
• Stop eating at night
• Track all my miles throughout the year
• Run in planned races: Rock the Parkway, Warrior Dash, Hospital Hill and KC marathon
• Eat mostly vegan at home except for yogurt.  
• Wash face daily.  Don't hate I leave my mascara on if I am too tired.
• Get to bed earlier.
• Wake up at 5:00 

Relationships:

• No fighting with boyfriend, even over little stupid stuff.
• TRY to understand my mom's point of view even if I don't agree. 
• Try to communicate with my dad through skype as much as possible.
• See my realtives as much as I can.
• Reconnect with friends
• Become closer with Sophie
• Go to more Meetups

Stress Free:
Stop stressing, you will get everything done.
Don't like religiously by my calendar.  It's okay if I don't do it today.
Wake up every morning to some music and incense.  I love this but I don't do it often enough.
Church.  God is sometimes the answer.
Save money.

So I woke up and the first thought on my mind is to finally to kick the old habit of loading breakfast up with calories and to start on my new years resolutions.

I microwaved an egg.  Turned out perfect!  I had my doubts.
Tore off the top of a Brown Cow maple yogurt.  First timer, here and the verdict:  I found my new favorite yogurt!  Add some of good ol' Justin's Almond butter and cascadian granola.

Don't forget the sriracha!

353 calories!

 Also I will not drink another tea after buying adagio teas.  This tea has so much flavor.  You can blend teas on their website and if another customer buys your blend of tea you accumulate points.  You also accumulate points by rating their tea.  With these points you get free tea!  What a great business idea!

 Lunch came around but I don't like working out with a heavy tummy so I had an apple and Justin's Almond butter.

195 calories.

And just because I love my New Years Eve dress.

And also because I already miss my daddy.  Can a 21 year old still say daddy?

And no that is Japanese food he is eating in America not Chinese :)

Just My Luck

This is the email I got from Park University today.

When do I graduate?  May 2012.  

When is Park finally getting the major I have always wanted?  August 2012.  

Is this just my luck? Yes

I have been struggling with lately.  Relationships, Graduating, School, Houses, Family, Future, and what I want to do with my life has been tossing and turning in my head for several days.  I have been so worked up that I am losing myself.  Being home in Savannah means the same monotonous routine.  

Wake up, watch television, workout, surf the web, read, go to bed and repeat.  

Living in a small town with nothing to do leaves you lost in your thoughts and today has topped the list of frustration.  All last night I was researching schools to get a nutrition degree and came to the conclusion I have no motivation to go back to school or the funds to manage and push through this obstacle.   The thought of wasting a few more years to get this degree turns my stomach.  I don't want to put my life on a hold.  

I dream of the days where I get married and have children and going back to school will push this dream even farther back.  

Today I was working out or rather getting out my anger and frustration and a song about Jesus came over my Ipod.  I had put this on my Ipod for my 2010 Chicago Marathon to maybe push me when I felt down and today it helped me out just a little more than it did in 2010.

I closed my eyes and I seen my future.  I want to be a photographer.  This has been my dream all along.  I never wanted to be in journalism but I chose the major photojournalism because photography majors do not get jobs.  I went to school to get a degree but through the whole four years I had one outlook and one outlook only: to own my own photography bussiness.  My boyfriend and I already have a "side" business: www.luminousreflections.com but I want this to be full time.

I want to set my schedules.  Edit when I am not shooting and working on a food/health blog on the days I am not working.

I do enjoy health and it is one of my strong desires and passions but I now see this will not be my career but something I just enjoy sharing from my blog or in a conversation with friends and family and ultimately through this blog.

I am going to hopefully spread the word around about my blog if someone does need health advice and through this device I will share the wealth of my knowledge.

Wish me luck on my journey.

Snack Time

Love these kale chips I got for Christmas!

A Honey Nana Kind-a-Day

Second day of being on track and I can already feel a difference with my energy levels.  I am waking up a lot earlier and I feel absolutely refreshed.

This morning I didn't feel like dragging out my blender so I went with a simple yogurt with Cascadian Farms granola on top.  My usual coffee with almond milk on the side.

I was going to run 6 miles outside today but it is a lot colder than I expected to be and I have a fear of running outside now.  I have ran many distances where I get so far and I can't make it back home because I have injured myself or I am just so fatigued.  I am hoping this fear disappears when training starts for my next planned races.

What are some of your workout fears?  Or any fears in general?