Thursday Thoughts - Vol 27

Maybe I'll try this blogging thing again? We'll see. Since it's Fall, and there are yummy things I want to cook and bake I'll give it another shot, but first, Thursday Thoughts.

1. The coffee at work has got to be the grossest thing ever. I can usually stomach it with the help of a pack of Splenda, but this morning I couldn't find any in the break room so I was forced to drink it black. The faces I made after every sip were probably pretty comical. Thank goodness for the privacy of my high cube walls.
2. My phone knows me too well. A few weeks ago I was texting Cory and my phone autocorrected to Iwanttobeacat. No joke.
   
3. I'm giving up on eBay. I bought some boots last week, and I was so excited for them, but alas I took them out of the box on Monday morning, and they were both for the left foot. Wah wah. They also didn't zip over my enormous calves, but that is beside the point. What a great way to start the week right? Two left feet and I have fat calves. Awesome. I will never buy anything on eBay again. Really...even if it is a really, really good deal.
4. If you live in Kansas and you go to Louisburg Cider Mill this Fall then you must order a Cyclone. You guys - apple cider slushy, soft serve vanilla ice cream, and crumbled, warm apple cider donut. It is probably the most indulgent thing ever and probably the most delicious. Order it. Seriously. 
   
5. To what type of event could I wear these shoes? I really want an excuse to buy some. Too. Freaking. Cute. 
   
6. Traveling so much this past year has made me realize I have a lot of pet peeves when it comes to airports and flying. Let's talk about baggage claim. Is it really necessary to get as close as humanly possible to the conveyor belt? How about we all stand a reasonable 5 feet back so that everyone can see the bags. Genius right?
7. Speaking of traveling, I swear Cory walks more than any human being. My Fitbit (and my poor little feet) work overtime whenever we vacation. I mean on Friday in New Orleans I walked more than a half marathon. Madness I tell ya...and that is how I rationalized eating my weight in beignets all weekend.
   
8. Can we all just agree that The Mindy Project is the best show on TV right now? Last week my roommates and I replayed Diamond Dan's little strip tease at least 3 times. I mean....no words. Also, can Mindy Kaling and I hurry up and meet each other so we can become BFF's?!?
9. Does anyone else religiously enter the HGTV Dream Home/Urban Oasis/whatever they are called these days contests? I enter twice a day every single day. Surely I will win eventually right??

Friday Funnies

I threw up on the balcony of the country club.

I HATE when the Southwest flight attendants sing. Ruins my day, and then 
half the plane claps. Don't feed into their narcissism. We're hostages on this 
plane and we're being tortured by your voice.

I feel like I'm in the movie "Failure to Launch", but dude. The guy is 

not near as hot as Matthew McConaughey.

I'm just not very good at shuffle board because my muscles are too big. I guess I'm

 just too strong. [editor's note: these words actually came out of a guy's 

mouth at Sully's, and he was 100% serious. Barf]

Girls just want to get married and make little frat lords.

Don't let me get hotter than you or I'll be trying to upgrade.

I liked an Asian on Tinder tonight. I've reached an all time low. #loweringstandards

I'm so drink. I'm a mess. I ordered a double water.

The only guys who wear the FBI: Female Body Inspector shirts are the guys who've 

never inspected a female body. Those are the worst...or every shirt 

at a beach store. People actually buy those. I weep for America.

6 Month Check Up

Well I'm a few days late since my half birthday was on Saturday, but let's take a look at how I'm doing on my list of yearly goals. I have a feeling I've probably been slacking...

1. Blog at least once a week. - Major fail. Whoops.
2. No alcohol or sweets for a month. The alcohol part? That will be easy. The sweets? Lord help me. Completed no alcohol for the month of January. I also attempted to do no sweets but cheated the first weekend so I had to start over on January 6th, but I can happily say I made it the entire month until February 6th! Go me!
3. Find a church to attend. This must happen this year. - I haven't actually joined a church, but I've tried out a few different ones and I think I like Old Mission United Methodist Church the best so I'm going to say this counts. Now to start going every single week...
4. Get my new website up and running. - Hopefully Cory isn't reading this. Still haven't gotten around to this yet. My goal is to have it finished by the end of the summer.
5. Buy/hang curtains in my living room and bedroom. - Nope. Too busy spending money on plane tickets.
6. Take photography lessons. - Nope.
7. Take a Bikram yoga class. - Nope.
8. Travel abroad. Europe. Mexico. Canada. Wherever! - Not yet. I think Cory and I are talking about taking a trip in December right before Christmas so hopefully I can get this one checked off then.
9. Increase my savings account by changing my automatic funds transfer from $50 to $100 a week. Completed January 1, 2014 which means my savings has grown by at least $5,200 this year.
10. Walk at least 10,000 steps every day for a month. I just got a Fit Bit for Christmas so I'm kind of obsessed. :) - Did this one in combination with the no sweets. Completed Jan 6-Feb 6.
11. Call a friend I haven't talked to in awhile on the way home from work at least once a week. - Kinda? Probably not every week.
12. Say "I love you" more and mean it.
13. Eat a paleo or low carb diet for a month. Again, this will be very difficult for a carb lover like myself. - Still need to do this. I've been contemplating doing the Whole 30 Challenge. Ashley is motivating me.
14. Read 12 books - (1) Allegiant by Veronica Roth, (2) Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill, (3) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, (4) Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell,
15. Try 12 new recipes (bonus points if they aren't desserts). - (1) Funfetti Gooey Cake Bars, (2) Fruity Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad, (3) Biggest Loser Oatmeal Pancakes, (4) Key Lime Cookie Cups, (5) Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Tacos, (6) Funfetti Sugar Cookie Cake
16. Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This one is kind of cheating because C and I are already planning on going there in March, but I've wanted to go forever so whatever. This one's a freebie! - Completed on 3/3/14. It. Was. AMAZING. You all must go and bring me back a butterbeer!
17. Milk a cow. Random you may say? It sounds fun...and I just really want to visit Shatto Milk Company sometime this year. I might die of happiness if I'm able to bottle feed a baby cow. Soooo stinkin' cute! - Nope.
18. Sing karaoke. - Nope.
19. Buy a house plant and keep it alive for 6 months. Let's be honest. There is no way it will live for year. Baby steps. - I've bought some succulents. I bought five different plants, and I've already lost one. Fingers crossed the remaining four can hold out for another 5 months and 2 weeks.
20. Swim with manatees or dolphins. - Swam with manatees in Crystal River, FL on 3/2/14.
21. Go for a hot air balloon ride. - Nope.
22. Send snail mail to a friend or family member each month. I know I had this same idea last year, but I failed miserably, and I always love getting fun mail so it's time to return the favor. - Nope.
23. Buy my parents dinner. - Nope.
24. Have a garage sale to get rid of everything still boxed up in the basement. If I haven't used it in almost a year I really don't need to keep hanging on to it. - Nope.
25. Buy a piece of jewelry that signifies all I've achieved so far. - Nope.
26. Take a spinning class. - Nope.
27. Try 12 new restaurants. - (1) Ichiban, (2) La Bodega, (3) Azteca Family Mexican, (4) Maverick's Grille, (5) El Palacio De Los Jugos, (6) Grand Cafe, (7) Egan & Sons, (8) The Granary, (9) Bowens Island, (10) Taco Boy, (11) Poogan's Porch, (12) Bay Street Biergarten, (13) High Cotton, (14) The Ordinary, (15) Triangle Char and Bar, (16) Five Loaves Café, (17) Pane e Vino, (18) Taco Mamacita, (19) Edmund's Oast
28. Visit at least one state I've never been to. - Nope.
29. Hold a snake. I didn't have enough courage to do this last year. Maybe 29 is the lucky year? We shall see. - Definitely not.

Thursday Thoughts with Jen - Vol 26

So I haven't blogged in over month. Eh. Whatever. It's Thursday! Only one more day until the glorious weekend!

1. I'm totally 100% in love with South Carolina. It's perfect (besides the humidity). I am going to be very, very sad when I don't have a reason to go there every few weeks. 
   
2. Speaking of South Carolina, Cory and I went to Middleton Plantation a few weeks ago, and I would just like to say I saw TWO snakes and didn't have to leave immediately. Was I on pins and needles the remainder of the time and did I jump five feet every time I saw a black stick? Absolutely. Still. I didn't freak out too bad. I'm proud of myself. 
   
3. Not commuting an hour to work anymore is ah-maze-ing. Seriously. I feel like I have so much more free time for activities and things. Oh ya. I guess I should fill you all in. If you didn't already know, I finally got a job in Kansas City so no more commuting to Payless every day! It was a great 3+ years, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, but I'm excited for this new chapter. 
4. I'm fairly certain the post office is the most inefficient place on Earth. I ordered a fairly expensive purse on eBay awhile ago and was skeptical on whether or not I would even receive it. I was  a little antsy about being scammed so I was tracking that thing like a hawk. When I went to pick it up at the post office there was a line out the door. The workers proceeded to separate us into two different lines so if we were just picking up a package we could get through faster. I was literally in line for FORTY FIVE minutes while the worker moved slow as molasses in my line. When it was finally my turn the lady was in the back for a good 10 minutes only to return and say she couldn't find my package, and I would need to go check my house to make sure they didn't leave it at my door (even though the computer said it was at the post office). As I was walking out the door a guy came running out from the back with my purse. That is an hour of my life I will never get back, but on the bright side, I got my purse! 
   
5. I am so glad it is Spring and frozen yogurt season! I've had it for dinner several times already. Don't judge me. 
   
6. I love Spring and all but holy ant infestation! What is the deal with these nasty little creatures invading my house?! I would take spiders any day over ants. Raid has become my best friend.
7. While I'm complaining, is it really necessary to put your marital status in your Instagram bio?! I get it. You're married. You have two "fur babies". I could have learned these fun facts by looking at your pictures which are all of you and your dogs and your husband. Fantastic. 
8. I can't get enough iced coffee. I have a serious addiction. If I do nothing else this weekend, I will make it to The Roasterie to try the Beach Time Toddy. I'm sure it is several hundred calories but it is probably so so worth it. 
   
9. I really want a pet squirrel. Random you may say? I've had an obsession with them ever since college. I used to feed them little packages of peanut butter outside the sorority house. One even climbed up my pant leg...twice...in the matter of a few minutes. I can't make these things up. Does anyone know where I can find a cute baby one I can raise domestically? Is this even allowed? I'm only half joking...