Monday, January 17, 2011
My Life's Biggest Project: I'm Not a Player I Just Crush A lot
My Life's Biggest Project: I'm Not a Player I Just Crush A lot: "I've talked about this before, but I'll talk about it again. Happiness is the key to success. Sounds like a fortune cookie right? Well yeah,..."
I'm Not a Player I Just Crush A lot
I've talked about this before, but I'll talk about it again. Happiness is the key to success. Sounds like a fortune cookie right? Well yeah, but there is so much truth to what I'm saying. My friends and I are the flirtiest group of people I've ever met. It's all innocent and our dynamic is amazing. We make ourselves feel better about eachother. Isn't that what a friend is for? OK if you can't answer that with a yes you should check out and reevaluate who it is that you are hanging out with.
I have a friend who tells me how much she enjoys having male attention, and I get that! She says it is very important to her. As a single woman I suppose I understand that too, but maybe not quite as extreme as hers. I told her I think it is because I have so many male friends. Most of which have girlfriends and most of which are dating my female friends. (The single male friends I have in my life may be subject to a little more extreme flirting on my side anyway...lol. But really and truly I seem to treat most of my friends the same way.) But these male friends in my life are encouraging and quite frankly most of the time they are good for the ego. Not just because they tell me I look nice, but because they make me feel good about who I am. I know that they like me as a person, both inside and out. To me this is much more complementary than some random guy I don't know saying something about me being hot (simply an example). I told my friend what she needs is a group of guy friends to do this for her. It will help build confidence in herself the next time she pursues a relationship. This may also maybe help her realize how great she is, because female friend approval simply isn't working out for her.
I love all of my friends and think they are all wonderful people and have extraordinary things about them that make them who they are. When you think this highly of someone it is easy to praise them about the things that make them great. Obviously there is a reason why I have chosen to have them be a part of my life and that is because they are amazing. To have people in your life like this is truly a blessing. Now there is a difference between friend flirting and flirting with intent. However, they both chemically do the same thing in the brain, except that flirting with intent (meaning flirting to pursue more than friendship) may release a different feeling. You know the one, the tingle in your tummy (butterflies) and the nervousness (the good kind). All of this is good so don't be scared of it!
Let me tell you a little story. It's a true one so be prepared to have an "aha" moment. Most of us have heard about the freshmen 15 right? With new found freedom and off the wall schedules, college freshmen tend to gain a lot of weight. Eating whatever they want whenever they want. Late night snacks often times take a toll on the tummy. The introduction of alclcohol being much more accessible than it was back in the days of high school also takes a real toll on one's weight gain. I however had an extreme opposite reaction to being a freshmen. I dropped 50 pounds. And my attribution to this weight loss was simple. It was happiness.
My senior year of high school was horrible. Not because of school, but because of some really shocking and painful family problems. By the time it was time for college I was ready to get out and get a fresh perspective and start on things. I know you can't run away from your problems, but getting out and away from everything when I did helped me to have a better look at the situation. It is much easier to be on the outside looking in. I had gained a lot of weight as a result of the family issues going on at home my senior year and feared that I would only gain more, but that's not what happened.
Instead I met a boy. One who I was passionately in love with. It's funny because looking back I think how could I have been so silly at 18 is it possible to really know what love is? Well even now I really do think that I loved him, not in a mature we should get married and spend the rest of our lives together in a grown up relationship, but more in a I want to spend ever second of every day with you and when I'm not with you I'm thinking of you. It was young love, but that didn't make it any less real.
Instead of dwelling on my anger and bitterness towards a certain person in my family I now had something positive (well it was at the time anyway) to put my energy toward. I became more active and without really changing up my eating the pounds just kind of seemed to fall off. I remember my friends step mom asked me what I was doing to lose the weight and I said nothing. She said that must be nice...lol. It sounds crazy, but it worked!
Want some scientific reasoning? The reason this worked was because of endorphins. According to encyclopedia.com "Endorphins are small neuropeptides that are produced by the body and act to reduce pain—hence, the name endorphin (a shortened version of endogenous morphine). The term "enkephalin" (meaning literally "in the head") is also applied to endorphins, but usually refers to smaller molecules that have pain-relieving properties."
The article also says the following about endorphins.
"Endorphins were discovered when scientists found sites where molecules such as morphine bind to nerve cells and reasoned that the body must use these sites to bind chemical compounds. Experiments showed that the compounds were small peptides, and the actions of endorphins were determined by a number of researchers."
How will this help you to lose weight? Well being in a better more positive state of mind helps you to do lots of things. There are two things that endorphins do. First they suppress one's appetite and second they decrease pain, which makes it easier to push through hard workouts. What's not to love about endorphins?
So wheter it be some fun flirting or hardcore romantic love, your body produces these wonderful little hormones! I'm not saying you need to go out and mack hardcore or even fall in love with someone to be happy and or thin. What I am saying is that you need to surround yourself with people that make you happy. Things didn't work out great with that guy back my freshmen year, but in that moment it was great and beneficial to me at that time in my life. One of those everything happens for a reason things I suppose. Now I have a solid group that I am happy to be around. Even though I've moved off and don't get to see them as much as I'd like we always tend to pick right up where we left off like time almost froze. Flirting doesn't have to be innapropriate nor does it have to be something that you try to avoid. Sometimes it just means that you are a likeable person that people like to be around. I see no harm in that at all.
So what do I suggest? Go out mingle, slap on that pretty little smile of yours on your face and people will be drawn to you. This will spark conversation and thus will result in more smiles and laughter (which is amazing for your health). Being flirty is fun and will result in you feeling good about yourself. So go out there and get your flirt on, you'll be happy that you did :)
I have a friend who tells me how much she enjoys having male attention, and I get that! She says it is very important to her. As a single woman I suppose I understand that too, but maybe not quite as extreme as hers. I told her I think it is because I have so many male friends. Most of which have girlfriends and most of which are dating my female friends. (The single male friends I have in my life may be subject to a little more extreme flirting on my side anyway...lol. But really and truly I seem to treat most of my friends the same way.) But these male friends in my life are encouraging and quite frankly most of the time they are good for the ego. Not just because they tell me I look nice, but because they make me feel good about who I am. I know that they like me as a person, both inside and out. To me this is much more complementary than some random guy I don't know saying something about me being hot (simply an example). I told my friend what she needs is a group of guy friends to do this for her. It will help build confidence in herself the next time she pursues a relationship. This may also maybe help her realize how great she is, because female friend approval simply isn't working out for her.
I love all of my friends and think they are all wonderful people and have extraordinary things about them that make them who they are. When you think this highly of someone it is easy to praise them about the things that make them great. Obviously there is a reason why I have chosen to have them be a part of my life and that is because they are amazing. To have people in your life like this is truly a blessing. Now there is a difference between friend flirting and flirting with intent. However, they both chemically do the same thing in the brain, except that flirting with intent (meaning flirting to pursue more than friendship) may release a different feeling. You know the one, the tingle in your tummy (butterflies) and the nervousness (the good kind). All of this is good so don't be scared of it!
Let me tell you a little story. It's a true one so be prepared to have an "aha" moment. Most of us have heard about the freshmen 15 right? With new found freedom and off the wall schedules, college freshmen tend to gain a lot of weight. Eating whatever they want whenever they want. Late night snacks often times take a toll on the tummy. The introduction of alclcohol being much more accessible than it was back in the days of high school also takes a real toll on one's weight gain. I however had an extreme opposite reaction to being a freshmen. I dropped 50 pounds. And my attribution to this weight loss was simple. It was happiness.
My senior year of high school was horrible. Not because of school, but because of some really shocking and painful family problems. By the time it was time for college I was ready to get out and get a fresh perspective and start on things. I know you can't run away from your problems, but getting out and away from everything when I did helped me to have a better look at the situation. It is much easier to be on the outside looking in. I had gained a lot of weight as a result of the family issues going on at home my senior year and feared that I would only gain more, but that's not what happened.
Instead I met a boy. One who I was passionately in love with. It's funny because looking back I think how could I have been so silly at 18 is it possible to really know what love is? Well even now I really do think that I loved him, not in a mature we should get married and spend the rest of our lives together in a grown up relationship, but more in a I want to spend ever second of every day with you and when I'm not with you I'm thinking of you. It was young love, but that didn't make it any less real.
Instead of dwelling on my anger and bitterness towards a certain person in my family I now had something positive (well it was at the time anyway) to put my energy toward. I became more active and without really changing up my eating the pounds just kind of seemed to fall off. I remember my friends step mom asked me what I was doing to lose the weight and I said nothing. She said that must be nice...lol. It sounds crazy, but it worked!
Want some scientific reasoning? The reason this worked was because of endorphins. According to encyclopedia.com "Endorphins are small neuropeptides that are produced by the body and act to reduce pain—hence, the name endorphin (a shortened version of endogenous morphine). The term "enkephalin" (meaning literally "in the head") is also applied to endorphins, but usually refers to smaller molecules that have pain-relieving properties."
The article also says the following about endorphins.
"Endorphins were discovered when scientists found sites where molecules such as morphine bind to nerve cells and reasoned that the body must use these sites to bind chemical compounds. Experiments showed that the compounds were small peptides, and the actions of endorphins were determined by a number of researchers."
How will this help you to lose weight? Well being in a better more positive state of mind helps you to do lots of things. There are two things that endorphins do. First they suppress one's appetite and second they decrease pain, which makes it easier to push through hard workouts. What's not to love about endorphins?
So wheter it be some fun flirting or hardcore romantic love, your body produces these wonderful little hormones! I'm not saying you need to go out and mack hardcore or even fall in love with someone to be happy and or thin. What I am saying is that you need to surround yourself with people that make you happy. Things didn't work out great with that guy back my freshmen year, but in that moment it was great and beneficial to me at that time in my life. One of those everything happens for a reason things I suppose. Now I have a solid group that I am happy to be around. Even though I've moved off and don't get to see them as much as I'd like we always tend to pick right up where we left off like time almost froze. Flirting doesn't have to be innapropriate nor does it have to be something that you try to avoid. Sometimes it just means that you are a likeable person that people like to be around. I see no harm in that at all.
So what do I suggest? Go out mingle, slap on that pretty little smile of yours on your face and people will be drawn to you. This will spark conversation and thus will result in more smiles and laughter (which is amazing for your health). Being flirty is fun and will result in you feeling good about yourself. So go out there and get your flirt on, you'll be happy that you did :)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
My Life's Biggest Project: Mama Mia
My Life's Biggest Project: Mama Mia: "I am one of those people who absolutely loves Italian food. It is by far my favorite. Breads, pasta's and sauce (well everything, but alfred..."
Mama Mia
I am one of those people who absolutely loves Italian food. It is by far my favorite. Breads, pasta's and sauce (well everything, but alfredo anyway). I adore Italian food and really Italian culture for that matter. The problem with Italian food is the over abundance of carbs. I sure do love carbs, but they sure do not love my waistline...lol. My mom sent me this recipe and as soon as I go grocery shopping after I get home I'm going to try it out. If you happen to do so before me let me know what you think. Here it is:
Courtesy of Rachel Ray:
Cauliflower Sauce with Whole-Wheat Penne
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (147)
Filed under: Pasta, Vegetables, Cauliflower, more
RECIPE RATINGS & REVIEWS(147)
Cook Time:25 minLevel: EasyYield: 4 servings
Recipe Tools:
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Ingredients
1 pound whole-wheat penne rigate
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, cracked from skin and sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 head cauliflower, stem removed and chopped
1 cup chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
3/4 cup grated Romano, 3 generous handfuls
Salt and black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.
While water is coming up to a boil and pasta cooks, make sauce. Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes, then remove. Add onions and cook 5 minutes then add cauliflower, chicken stock and the rosemary. Cover the pan and cook 15 minutes. Uncover the sauce, add 1 to 2 ladles of pasta water and mash the cauliflower with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add the pasta and cheese to the cauliflower and toss to combine. Season the dish with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.
I love cauliflower, which is why my mother sent me this recipe. One of the things that I love about it is that Miss Rachel Ray has given us a way to make a healthy meal and it will only take about 30 minutes. When time is an issue your health shouldn't be the thing put on the back burner. Try out this recipe and let me know what you think!
Courtesy of Rachel Ray:
Cauliflower Sauce with Whole-Wheat Penne
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (147)
Filed under: Pasta, Vegetables, Cauliflower, more
RECIPE RATINGS & REVIEWS(147)
Cook Time:25 minLevel: EasyYield: 4 servings
Recipe Tools:
Print Recipe
Get Card
Save Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound whole-wheat penne rigate
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, cracked from skin and sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 head cauliflower, stem removed and chopped
1 cup chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
3/4 cup grated Romano, 3 generous handfuls
Salt and black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.
While water is coming up to a boil and pasta cooks, make sauce. Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes, then remove. Add onions and cook 5 minutes then add cauliflower, chicken stock and the rosemary. Cover the pan and cook 15 minutes. Uncover the sauce, add 1 to 2 ladles of pasta water and mash the cauliflower with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add the pasta and cheese to the cauliflower and toss to combine. Season the dish with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.
I love cauliflower, which is why my mother sent me this recipe. One of the things that I love about it is that Miss Rachel Ray has given us a way to make a healthy meal and it will only take about 30 minutes. When time is an issue your health shouldn't be the thing put on the back burner. Try out this recipe and let me know what you think!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
My Life's Biggest Project: Just a day, just an ordinary day
My Life's Biggest Project: Just a day, just an ordinary day: "Today I had a slight spout of Deja vu. I went back to my high school in Bixby and judged a speech and debate contest. I of course made my be..."
Just a day, just an ordinary day
Today I had a slight spout of Deja vu. I went back to my high school in Bixby and judged a speech and debate contest. I of course made my bestie go with me. Partially so that he could see my old high school and partially so that he could see what it was that I did in high school. Theater was a big part of my life and as my bff I felt that it was necessary for him to be exposed to something that was such a big part of my life. It helped mold and shape me Ro become the person that I am today. Watching the high school students compete today reminded me of how much I missed that part of my life. Another plus to doing this today is the volunteer/ community service that we got to do. There's no shame to my game...lol.
Once I became a graduate student having any kind of life outside of school became somewhat obsolete. This was weird for me because as an undergrad I was very involved in a lot of things in the community and college. Being able to be a part of a community and being an active part of it is important for the mind and body :)
I also believe that it is important to be a dependable person. My old director TJ sent out a mass facebook message asking some Bixby drama alum to come help with the competition and it was important for me to be able to do that for him. He invested a lot of time in me as a high school student so this was the least I could do for him.
One thing about getting to be a judge at a high sco tournaments the judges lounge. It's kind of a neat little perk. Basically a token of the schools appreciation for your volunteer services they hook you up with breakfast and lunch. I was proud of myself, no matter how tempting the donuts and cream cheese Danishes were this morning I passed them up for some fresh fruit. Yay me :) then there was lunch along with some yummy subway sandwiches they also had some cheesecake that looked amazing, but I went ahead and passed on that too. Yay me again. My former drama teacher Mrs. Nobles informed me that she had been keeping up with my blog! This made me proud and also inspired me to not disappoint.
After the bff and I left the tournament we stopped by my moms. I got to see my little brother and my brother from another mother. My mom, Eric and I then proceeded to my grandparents house. They both seemed to be in good spirits so we all went out for dinner. This is where it goes downhill.
For dinner my grandparents wanted to go to the Lazy Fishermen in south Bixby. Oh it's good stuff but certainly not healthy. I had catfish, shrimp and veggies. On the plus side I stopped eating when I was full and sent my mommy home with my leftovers. It's a good thing that I hadn't made poor choices all day or today could have been an epic fail lol. I've got to get packed and ready to head back home. Goodnight my loyal readers.
Once I became a graduate student having any kind of life outside of school became somewhat obsolete. This was weird for me because as an undergrad I was very involved in a lot of things in the community and college. Being able to be a part of a community and being an active part of it is important for the mind and body :)
I also believe that it is important to be a dependable person. My old director TJ sent out a mass facebook message asking some Bixby drama alum to come help with the competition and it was important for me to be able to do that for him. He invested a lot of time in me as a high school student so this was the least I could do for him.
One thing about getting to be a judge at a high sco tournaments the judges lounge. It's kind of a neat little perk. Basically a token of the schools appreciation for your volunteer services they hook you up with breakfast and lunch. I was proud of myself, no matter how tempting the donuts and cream cheese Danishes were this morning I passed them up for some fresh fruit. Yay me :) then there was lunch along with some yummy subway sandwiches they also had some cheesecake that looked amazing, but I went ahead and passed on that too. Yay me again. My former drama teacher Mrs. Nobles informed me that she had been keeping up with my blog! This made me proud and also inspired me to not disappoint.
After the bff and I left the tournament we stopped by my moms. I got to see my little brother and my brother from another mother. My mom, Eric and I then proceeded to my grandparents house. They both seemed to be in good spirits so we all went out for dinner. This is where it goes downhill.
For dinner my grandparents wanted to go to the Lazy Fishermen in south Bixby. Oh it's good stuff but certainly not healthy. I had catfish, shrimp and veggies. On the plus side I stopped eating when I was full and sent my mommy home with my leftovers. It's a good thing that I hadn't made poor choices all day or today could have been an epic fail lol. I've got to get packed and ready to head back home. Goodnight my loyal readers.
Friday, January 14, 2011
My Life's Biggest Project: Tutti Fruiti
6 Exotic Fruits that are good for you: My Life's Biggest Project: Tutti Fruiti: "As my break comes to an end I would like to say that I did everything I was supposed to do, but I didn't. I had some great memories and good..."
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