New Year's Resolution 2012

   
Hello out there! I figured that today I would give you a quick insight into my 2012 New Year's Resolution, and progress, since it is officially the last day of January!

My resolution this year was to start working out everyday, except Sundays. I've started intense workout programs before, but I am terrible at consistency and stopped fairly quickly. Seriously. I think I made it through 1.25 days of Insanity, and about halfway through P90X.

I've always had a fear of the gym. Which is why I would limit my previous workouts to the comforts of my own dorm room. I thought it was weird because I'm not very athletic (i.e. not at all) and I was intimidated by all of the superstar macho athletes who practically lived in my school's rec center.

But, this semester, I've forced myself to get over it, and I've got to say I've been doing pretty darn well. And above all else, I feel better.

Anyway, here is my workout routine:
I do one a day, and switch off every other day so my body has time to repair.

Day A:
1. 30 minutes-1 hour on the elliptical
Interval from Resistance 12 to Resistance 20 every 2 minutes
2. Leg Press
3. Abductor/Adductor
4. Hamstring Curls
5. Calf Raises
I repeat #2-5 one more time before I'm exhausted. Everything is done with maximum reps and high weight.

Day B:
1. I complete the entire P90X Shoulders and Arms video from YouTube, going through the video twice with maximum reps. I currently use 5 and 8 pound weights, and I'm about to buy 10 pound weights as well.
2. Then I do P90X Ab Ripper X from YouTube

 I have conveniently centered my workout around Grey's Anatomy. Day A is timed so that I go to the gym when Grey's is on Lifetime. Day B consists of two episodes of Grey's on Netflix. All of those sexy doctors make me work a little harder.

I've got some new stuff coming soon,
but until then,
XO,

6 (FREE!) iPhone Apps Every College Girl Should Have

 
1. Find My iPhone

Use your iTunes login information to create a Mobile Me account and determine the location of your lost iPhone from any computer or smartphone. This comes in quite handy for those mornings after alcohol has been involved, or if you're generally a forgetful person.

2. Who is Hot?

This app lets you track the weather for your local area, as well as your current location if you've been traveling. This app also provides the weather forecast for every contact in your iPhone based on their area code. So that way you can experience sweet revenge when your ex-boyfriend has to walk to school in a -5º wind chill with 3 feet of snow.

3. Goodreads

After creating an online profile with Goodreads, you can rate books you've already read to create recommendations for yourself. You can then make a wishlist of books you want to read, and can even track the progress of books you're currently reading. There's also a way for you to interact with other users and be involved with online book clubs.

4.  FMC

FMC (free menstrual calendar) helps you keep track of the last time you had your period, how long it lasted, and can predict when your next one will be. This is based on a number that you set saying how many days pass in between periods, or by taking the average time span of the periods you've entered into the program. It even calculates your expected ovulation and peak fertility times.

5. Mixology

This app gives tons of recipes for mixed drinks to help any aspiring bartender or the alcoholically interested. The "Liquor Cabinet" feature lets you input all of the different liquors and mixers you have on hand, and generates hundreds of different combinations for you to try by yourself or with friends. I'm not very alcohol-savvy myself, but when I'm out with my family this gem seems to always get used in excess.

6. Bump

Bump lets you send anything (contacts, photos, apps, or music) to other Bump users, free of charge. The only down side is that the app has to be open for you to access the files so it has a tendency to run slowly. It totally beats paying $1.29+ for a song on iTunes though.


By clicking on the name, you can go straight to the App in iTunes.
I'll talk to ya'll soon.
XO,
   

5 Ways to be Independent in Your Relationship

1. Stay busy.

I never used to think that this one would really be that big of a factor in a relationship. Ever since I started my long distance relationship though, I’ve realized how big of a factor this is to its success. As women, we tend to get a little needy. If you don’t, think again. We have a huge need to feel wanted and loved, and when that doesn’t get satisfied we freak out. Instead, stay busy as much as possible. During the day this is pretty easy to do, but what happens when you get home? Spending long amounts of time alone can put your boyfriend at the forefront of your mind, which sounds normal, right? Wrong. In reality, your guy is probably distracted for the majority of the day and doesn’t sit around pining for you. So don’t do it to him either! Men are weird and like their space. Accept it and work with it. It’ll give you time to develop yourself, and you’ll have more to talk about with your guy when you do get to see each other.

2. Don’t initiate conversation.

Again, this was another one that was frustrating for me, until I tried it. I saw results within two days, max. It’s going to be tough, especially if you’re used to texting all throughout the day, but it works! Wait for him to contact you. And when he does (because he will), keep things light. Even if he doesn’t text you until 10 o’clock that night, stay chipper. He won’t want to talk to you if you’re a Debbie Downer.

Also, pay attention to his responses to text messages. If he texts you back with just “okay” or “sounds good,” don’t respond. The transition will be a little awkward at first, but trust me on this one.

3. Find a new hobby or place to hangout.

But be careful about what you choose. Reading books is good, as long as you do it somewhere other than your dorm room or apartment where you go home each day. See #1.  And as for hangouts, make sure it’s at a place where your guy won’t feel like you’re trying to make him jealous. I think guys have some sort of sensor that lets them know when you’re doing this. So don’t even go there. That means stay away from nightclubs, bars, dance halls, or frat parties. Basically, alcohol and flirty surroundings should not mix.

4. Be happy.

Even if it kills you and you’ve had a terrible day. If you’re fun to talk to on the phone, he’ll want to keep calling, texting, or Skyping. You don’t want to be daunting. You have to keep things light so that he can feel comfortable enough with you to get deeper in the relationship. If he can't have fun with you, then why is he with you?

5. Be patient.

With him, and yourself, especially if you’re first starting out. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and there are going to be times when your boyfriend will digress and forget. Or when you’re going to have a particularly bad day. Just remember that tomorrow is another day, and you get another shot to try again.

Until next time!

XO,

Reading List for the Spring Semester

       
Howdy out there! Here's my book list for the spring semester (in no particular order):

Goals for the Spring 2012 Semester

1.     Get a 4.0 

2.     Get accepted for transfer to Texas A&M University in College Station 

3.     Go to an actual party to have the “college experience”
EDIT Go dancing at Rockin' Rodeo.

4.     Drive to Dallas’ Northpark Mall and walk around by myself

5.     Have a Sprinkles cupcake

6.     Go to a Dallas Mavericks game

7.     Conquer my fear of the Rec Center and workout every day, except Sundays.

8.     Watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s

9.     Go to a concert at Billy Bob’s

10.   Read “Bossypants” by Tina Fey

Here Comes the Bride

 
Upon introduction, I'm always thought to be older than my actual age. So naturally, I have a lot of older friends who I like to spend time with. It seems like recently, more and more of my friends have started to get into serious relationships, and even more of them have started to get engaged. So far, within the next six months, I have a total of seven weddings that I will be going to.
A lot of the time, I find myself caught up in what the planning stages of a wedding must be like. To me, it seems so simple: find a groom (the essentials, right?), choose a church, flowers, food, venue, table decorations, DJ, cake, and dress. A lot of choices have to be made, but once they're made, that's it. After talking to a lot of my friends about what planning a wedding is really like, the consensus is that it's stressful and a lot of work. I can't help but wonder why, though?
At what point is the perfect wedding too much? Everyone is getting so stressed out about making sure the day runs perfectly. I think that a lot of times, what happens is that society has us picture what the perfect wedding should be like. Women consume media like Say Yes to the Dress, where the show's focus is all based on the "perfect" dress. Let's not forget that not only was the Royal Wedding televised, but that most of the women I know either stayed up all night, or woke up early to watch it here in America. The Kim Kardashian wedding had a four night marathon focused on the wedding planning, and then finally showed parts of the ceremony.
I don't think that it's the dress or the flowers or the invitations that makes a wedding perfect. It's the love of the bride and the groom; the witness of everyone around them to something beautiful and everlasting.

Pictures of You

 

I wish I had a room filled of pictures of everyone I've ever met, seen, or passed by on the street. Walls and walls of Polaroids of people I have never met, but have shared my life with in some small way. I've heard that in your dreams that a lot of times the people you see in them appear to be complete strangers. However, they are distinct maps of people you've seen before, have made eye contact with before. Walking to your morning bus station, waiting in line for your vanilla latte, sitting across from you in a musky library.

The first look, forever captured in my mind's eye, to be used as a filing cabinet for the casting call for my dreams. I wish I could save these first impressions. Where my eyes could take a single snapshot of a person's untouched reaction to me. To know, without influence and judgement, what the innocence of humanity and curiosity really looked like in its purest form.