My life in State College: Visits

This week was really boring. But the weekend proved somewhat eventful.

First, midweek I got sick again. Or, my sore throat just returned in the form of a sniffly nose and cough after a 4 day hiatus. Who knows.

Thursday, I started looking after my advisor's dog, Cheyanne. Sweet girl. 3 walks and 2 meals a day for a very sweet and calm pup - the thrice daily doggy visits had begun.

Friday, I went on a run even though I was still coughing a bit. Shockingly, I was finally able to do a ten-minute mile....twice! Yay, I ran at 6.0 for 20 minutes and I was so happy about it. Tired me out but it was worth it. Later on, I went out with some APLNG people to celebrate Tom passing his candidacy. Spider Kelly graced the Dark Horse stage, and while it was fun, I was still just a bit too tired from my cold to fully enjoy it...so I left a bit early. Loved the visits with the APLNG folks though!

Saturday, I was still a bit groggy so I slept in...but later that evening I headed over to my friend Nick's (another friend Cari joined in) to watch the whole first season of The Walking Dead. Visiting friends with the goal of watching zombies? YES! If you aren't into zombies who cares, this show is awesome...artful, creative, and the plot is so good you just FEEL for those characters. We watched it all, chatted and then I went out to go home and realized that my car had been towed :( Stupid State College towing cars all over the place. OK, OK fine, I figured worse things can happen. Cari kindly took me to walk the dog before bedtime, and dropped me off at home. Found out my car was at a tow lot a 5 minute walk from my house...which somehow made me a lot happier.

The next morning, I woke up, weighed myself after 5 days of not doing so and found out that I have now lost 5 lbs! halfway to my goal and I am quite excited! Walked to get my car and soon enough I was $105 poorer. Still, at least I had my car. That afternoon I set out for Huntingdon, PA to visit yet again - this time some Marburg friends at Juniata college. I met up wtih Amy, Brandi, Ben and Kevin for lunch at the Main St. Cafe (not a cafe lol) in Alexandria. Very tasty and of course hilarious memories/chats. Oh, nostalgia.

This week should be pretty short as I'm heading home for Easter visits on Thursday afternoon. After an advisor meeting I'll hit the road and be home all day for Good Friday (to hang out with Mom!) Friday evening I'm going to Guelph to visit Jen....Sara and her baby Alex are coming too :) Then it's off to Waterloo to grab drinks with Kate and Justin, my friends who are getting married on October 8th. I'll stay over with Kate at her Mom's that night and head out to try on bridesmaids dresses the next day with her :) Then home to do work Sat-Sun until Easter dinner at Grandma's. The whirlwind trip ends when I drive back to PA Monday morning.

Happy Spring! Happy visits!
-J

My life in State College: Spring Awakening

Monday morning. Wake up: 9:15 am (oops, slept in). Scale reads: 133.4

!!!

I lost 3 pounds in 3 weeks! Which means at this rate, I'll be at my goal in another 7 weeks. By early June, as planned...hooray :) Tonight is my weekly 5K, and otherwise continuing along as usual with the "get back down to my regular weight" plan. Jogging or not, 1290 cals a day isn't even that hard...how much was I eating before?? Gross.

Leave house: 11 am. First thought: Spring! Warmth! Today it's actually 80 degrees (aka 27 C)...of course in true State College fashion, the sun isn't shining. ha. Instead, we can expect very strong thunderstorms later in the day...ok, ok I'll try to be a little more patient about the sun's appearance. After all, it's not even May yet...I suppose 80 isn't exactly seasonal for April :)

Big plans tomorrow night, and the reason for the title of today's post: going to see Spring Awakening on Tour coming to our own Eisenhower Auditorium on campus...and I have stage seats!! Hardest part will be making sure I don't sing along :) We have to wear black, check all of our items (purses included and of course, no cameras or phones) plus we have to be seated 15 minutes prior to showtime. Intense.

Looking forward!

-J

Irrefutable

one stands tall, appears
 irrefutable

jaws flap:

“don't you know what you're talking about?”

a performance of insecurity

but what the petrified audience may not yet know:

it is a strength

to know what you don't know

My life in State College: Boosters

Sick no more! Thank goodness...I went to the doctor the other day and she told me that it was a negative for strep (whew) so I've been waiting it out and today I finally feel a lot better. Boost #1...

Boost #2 is an actual boost by way of a booster shot that the doctor forced upon me at the same appointment :) Ok, she didn't really force it, I asked. I realized not long ago that it's probably been 10+ years since my last one. Mom scanned and emailed my vaccination records...and truthfully (cringe) it might have been 19 years since the last one. Ack! I might have had one in college that I didn't note down, but I simply don't recall. In any case, I got boosted. My arm is not enjoying this, however, at least now I won't die if a rusty nail happens to take refuge in my skin.

Boost #3 I lost a pound (or maybe more, hard to tell since I have weighed myself in the morning and afternoon at various times. Anyhoo. The balance plan is working...1290 cals a day, more if I work out. Since I've been sick, I can't work out (other than a brisk walk to and from school)...but I've found it not even too difficult to stick to just 1200. Plus, I'm honestly not as hungry as I thought I'd be. Now and again I crave Chili's, but overall it feels really good. Since I'm banking anywhere from 500-700 cals a day through eating less/exercise, I see nothing wrong with having a day every couple weeks where I can have a treat of some kind ;)

Boost #4 I love my kitty. He is a warm purring bundle of cuteness. Lame? Yes. But awesome? Double yes!

My little Nittany...tiger?

That'll do pig. That'll do.

-J

My life in State College: Germs

I'm sick again. Well, at this point I have a sore throat and I'm starting to feel a bit sneezy today...ugh.

How? I had bronchitis only 2 months ago...it's not fair...

I might attribute it to the fact that my roommate is sick: my roommate, who is a high school teacher and has daily contact with teenage germs. Ew, disgusting.

It might also be that while in Chicago, my hotel-roommate E was coming down with something herself, and when she got home it blew up into a nasty cold.

OR perhaps it's the general germy fact that I sat in four different airplanes to and from Chicago...mmmm shared airspace. Shoulda used hand sanitizer!

I'll probably never know the exact source of it, but it's annoying me. I want to go to the gym and work out! Since Saturday I've been watching the calories to keep under 1290/day (to lose a pound a week) and so far it's been mostly fine...but I really want to get on the treadmill again...attempts to ward the cold off with lots of sleep and tea have been helpful though not entirely successful. Will keep trying though!

-J