What doesn't kill you...

Can we take a moment to celebrate the fact that I recently purchased my first single digit-sized article of clothing! That's right! I bought a dress that is a size 8! I haven't worn an article of clothing below double digits since I was in middle school. I'm proud to say the VERY least!

My size freaking 8 dress! Woo hoo! 

Summer is finally here which means staying up late, sleeping in, and eating all the junk food I can get my hands on, right? Wait... It doesn't? Shoot!

I'm dedicating this summer to exercise and finally getting this last six pounds OFF! I know, six pounds shouldn't be that hard. If it weren't for my passionate love affair with all things sweet, I truly believe I would look like Jennifer Lawrence by now... but such is life. I have embraced my addiction, and I am desperately seeking healthier alternatives for curbing my sweet cravings. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Before I get into my health rant, I'd like to brag on Hawaii! Paradise isn't a strong enough word to describe Hawaii. Heaven is more accurate. Beaches, mountains, boats, surfing, and all the yummy food you can get your hands on! If I had it my way, I would have never left. I have been so fortunate to meet a family that has been generous by taking me with them on their exotic vacations to attend to their daughter. Technically, I was working the entire time. Swimming, snorkeling, and sun bathing was incredibly strenuous work and all, but somehow I managed. My favorite part about Hawaii wasn't the picture perfect beaches or the pod of dolphins I swam it. It was undoubtedly the food. Fresh fruit of all sorts, so sweet that it even satisfied my sweet tooth (that's saying a lot). We won't even go into the glutenous fat-fest that took place on that island, but I ran 4 days during the trip and did cross training, so I don't feel that guilty. I can't even describe how incredible it was to run on the beaches there. One of the girls I was with had to work out because she plays college basketball, so I had someone to hold me accountable. We kicked off our shoes and ran along the edge of the water since that sand is much firmer. It was KILLER! My calves, shins, and quads were sore for days. My first outdoor run after returning to Alabama was miserable. Humidity, surprisingly, was not a problem in Hawaii. It was a breezy 75-80 degrees the majority of our trip. I think the heat and humidity in AL is why I am enjoying running less and less.
Here are just a few pictures. Pictures don't do it justice, but you get the idea.

My first time on the beaches of Hawaii!

Haunama Bay. The best snorkeling location EVER!

View from the boat where I swam with dolphins!

On top of a mountain overlooking Oahu

My gym for the day

Haunama Bay

Polynesian Culture Center was another favorite... I'm sure you can see why! 

Trail ride through the hills overlooking the beach

We went to the Paradise Cove Luau. The food, scenery, and show were amazing! 

Coming home was very difficult. I missed Blakely and Marley terribly, but I could have used another week or two in paradise. My intentions were to dive right back into my crazy exercise routine the day after I returned back to the states, but the jet lag I was experiencing was too intense. The five hour time change reeked havoc on my sleeping and eating schedule, so I decided to take Tuesday to recover. I'm not sure if I'm fully back on track even now... I was able to drop 4 of the 5 pounds I gained on my vacay during the first week back. I made sure to drink tons of water and stock up on my fruits and veggies while watching my portions carefully. My body needed a rude awakening, and I think I've finally beat it into submission.

I know, I've heard the news, I'm insane for working out as much as I do. My mom's family is convinced that I have an eating disorder, and I've heard the "you're addicted to exercise" spill more times than I care to count. Let me be clear: I do it because I enjoy it. It makes me feel good and it makes me feel accomplished. There's no disorder or addiction involved. I simply love to work out. Obviously, this won't be my schedule forever. Exercising occupies my time between sleeping, eating, and grad school work. It keeps me from running back and forth to the fridge and rummaging through my pantry trying to find something nibble on every 15 minutes, which I am terrible about. It also prevents me from lounging on the couch and watching Law and Order on Netflix for 5 and 6 hours at a time (yes, I do that too). 

CrossFit has become my new obsession. Maybe I am a little addicted to it, but I can't help myself. It's new and it's like nothing I've ever done. I'm sure I'm not the only person that feels on top of the world every time the WOD is over. The workouts are never long, but I give each of them everything I've got, mostly because I'm paying too much to go at it halfway. Having such a large group of people experiencing the agony you're feeling makes the workouts less terrifying. I leave every workout soaked. My body doesn't sweat during CrossFit, it monsoons, and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you are looking for a total body workout, this is it! Before I left for Hawaii, I purchased a heart rate monitor to keep track of my heart and calories. Every morning I leave having burned 400+ calories, and that's in 45 minutes. It's effective, y'all! Clumsy me... I always manage to injure myself with the equipment. Out trainer explains everything so clearly. I'm not sure how I manage to bang myself up so often. The day we left for Hawaii, I bruised my shoulders doing hang power cleans. Today, I push pressed 45 pounds directly into my chin. I dropped that bar because I was seeing stars. My teeth knocked together so loudly that my entire jaw is sore. I might have a bruise goatee, but I killed it today. 

It's much more blue now, but this was taken right afterwards. 

It might be intense and slightly dangerous, but it's worth it! I'm not dead yet, so I have to be getting stronger. 

Here is what's happening in my kitchen this week!

Vegan Banana Apply Chunk Bread

Shrimp with avocado-mango salsa (I'll be using pineapple salsa from Hawaii)

Balsamic grilled chicken

33 Healthier Desserts!

I found this on Pinterest! Hopefully it will help tame this sweet tooth without leaving me feeling like a fatty Patty! 

I found this chart, which is awesome! I am terrible about doing the same ab routine over and over again. 

Workout Labs

This website is the JAM! You have create custom workout routines with picture references to use at the gym. I cannot tell you how many times I write something down and forget how to do it by the time I get to the gym. 

Good luck this week! Remember, results ARE possible if you are willing to do the work and make the changes necessary! 

Facing my fat fears

Before I begin, let me share a story with you from last week. Wednesdays have become my new favorite day of the week. My cardio kickboxing class meets immediately followed by step aerobics. It’s a solid two hours of pure cardio, and I always burn more calories than I consume in a day. There is a woman in my class that attends most of the classes that I do, so I’ve carried on short conversations with her here and there. She and I were waiting for kickboxing to start when she started telling me about her reason for joining the gym. She had a baby a little over a year ago and was finally ready to get rid of the baby weight. Although this woman is a complete stranger, I politely sit and listen to her talk about her issues and failed attempts to drop the weight at home. She talked about wanting to tone up, so I shared that I was also focusing on strength training and toning. My comments were followed by an eye roll and this statement:

“People like you make me sick-naturally tall and thin.”

My first instinct was to bite her head off. I had to calmly remind myself that this woman knows nothing about me or my transformation. I, as peacefully as I could, responded with this.

“Let me correct you. I’m in no way naturally thin. I used to weigh 285 pounds. I have literally worked my butt off.”

I think I handled the situation well. I can’t explain why it made my blood boil, but I was genuinely offended. If she only knew my struggles…

That’s the first time I’ve been told by a complete stranger that I was thin, so maybe I should take it as a compliment, but for now, I’m still a bitter Betty.

New things are happening in my less-fat life. Training for my tri has begun! To prepare my body (and my mind) for the event, I have started swimming twice weekly with the intentions of going at least 3-4 times a week once school is over. I have to admit that I am starting at ground zero with swimming. I am in no way, shape (certainly not shape), or form a swimmer. When I began running, I was mortified by the idea of people seeing my disgusting body thrashing back and forth. The mere thought of someone watching my ocean-like thighs rolling like the great waves of the Pacific Ocean was enough to scare me away from the activity for months before I manned up enough to give it a go. Eventually, I got over my fears and stopped caring about what other people thought of my body while I ran because at the end of the day, I was bettering myself and figured everyone has to start somewhere. The fear I felt back then was nothing like the horror I face every single time I enter the pool for practice. My inner thighs are my most despised feature. To mask my insecurities, I disguise my thighs with shorts. For the last 11 years, my upper thighs have remained covered by shorts or sarongs every time I am forced to wear a bathing suit, which has given be some pretty hilarious tan lines over the years. I am training for the swim portion of my race with a local youth swim team. I know it sounds silly, but I need to know how to increase my endurance and how to perfect my technique, and I don’t have the money to pay a private coach. Moving on…

My fear of being judged by onlookers when I began running was no match for my fear of preteens and adolescents seeing me in a bathing suit, short-less and fully exposed. I’ve never felt more vulnerable in my life. It took a good 15 minutes for me to work up the courage to drop trou. in front of these kids. I reminded myself several times that this race isn’t going to happen if I don’t get over it and get in the stupid pool, so I walked to the side, squeezed my enormous head into my swim-cap, dropped my drawers, and dove in as quickly as I could. I’m sure the whole thing lasted 5 seconds, but it felt like a day to me. I just knew those kids were under the water with their goggles and masks watching my fat legs flopping like a fish out of water. Luckily, not a word was said. The Earth didn’t shake and the ground didn’t crumble when I exposed my thighs to the world that day. The kids were more interested in the fact that I was a grown woman swimming with their team than with what I was wearing. I faced my fear and continue to face it every time I am at the pool. I’m still not comfortable and I rush to my towel immediately upon exiting the pool, but I’m getting there. I have to get there because as it turns out, swimming is the most difficult physical activity I’ve ever done. Give me a distance and I’ll run it. Ask me to swim it and I’ll laugh at you. I was under the impression that my endurance was stellar but was bitch slapped by reality after my first lap in the pool. I struggle to swim from one end of the pool to the other without stopping. My technique is rusty considering I haven’t swam freestyle since I was 13, but I was overly confident by thinking I would be able to dive in and go for 20-30 minutes at a time. The race is a mile and a half in the water. My trainer said that of equivalent of 66 laps… and my large self can barely make it from one end of the pool to the other. I’m intimidated, terrified even. I’ve been running for so long that I’ve forgotten how hard it is to start from the bottom. I can’t remember what it was like to run for 2 or 3 minutes and have to walk because I’ve come so far since then. Hopefully I will be saying the same thing about swimming in the months to come. I’m facing my fears and challenging myself, which is why I sign up for crazy events like half marathons and triathlons. I just pray I haven’t bit of more than I can chew…

Part of improving on my swimming technique will require me to focus heavily on increasing my upper body strength. I hate weight lifting, like, would rather shoot laser pointers into my eyes until my retinas burn away than lift a bag of sugar type of hate. I know it’s necessary and I understand the importance, but that doesn’t make me like it anymore. I’ve accepted the fact that I despise it so much because I know very little about it, which leaves me feeling intimidated and petrified. So what am I doing to overcome this fear? Crossfit, crazy isn’t it? I always imagined Crossfit to be the type of workout that consisted of a bunch of ridiculously buff dudes taking turns squatting and bench-pressing their own body weight for hours on end. There’s lots of squatting, but to my surprise, the classes consist of several men AND women of all ages and ability levels. I went 5 days last week and was so sore that I could hardly sit down without help. I swear I did 6,000 squats throughout the week. I eventually felt like I could only flail my body in the general direction I wanted it to go and hope it would make it. I’ve never been so sore in my life. This led me to believe that I’ve been doing myself a huge injustice by ONLY running for so long. I’ve neglected so many other parts of my body by focusing solely on running, and I’m fighting to make up for lost time. Never in my life did I think I would squat 115 pounds or have the ability to pull my chin over a freaking bar (one day I hope to do it without the giant rubber band wrapped around my foot, but for now it’s a necessity). Everyday I prove to myself that I am capable of so much more than I ever though possible. I want to leave every single workout thinking there is no way I could have possibly given a single bit more. I go to bed at night wondering what the next day will consist of and whether or not I’ll be able to hang. Surprisingly, I haven’t failed myself yet. I think I’m addicted to challenging myself… addicted might be an understatement.

I think that the combination of swimming, Crossfit, and continuing my running regiment will prepare me for this crazy insane thing I’ve promised myself I’m going to do. I’ve shared this quote before, but it has really become my mantra these days:

“Be willing to surrender who you are for what you could become.”

Those words carry so much meaning. They embody everything I believe and work for day in and day out. I like to think the best of me is yet to come, and I cannot wait to see where this crazy journey takes me.

No more doubting myself. No more “what ifs”. I’m committing to this thing whole-heartedly, and I refuse to say, “I could have done better” at the end of my race. Go big or go home, right? This is big, baby. It’s freaking huge!

Here are a couple of recipes I've tried out recently. Some are clean, some aren't. 

Yogurt Covered Frozen Bananas

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

 I've become obsessed with spaghetti squash!

Healthy living is all about overcoming your fears and challenging the life you're so accustomed to living. My best advice is to man up, get over it, and start living the life you deserve. Have you ever heard the quote "No one ever said it would be easy; they just promised it'd be worth it"? That is very much applicable to healthy living. Everyday is an uphill battle, but the end result worth the fight. 

Defining Sexy

This post really doesn't have a lot of advice or recipes. I had an epiphany this week that I felt like sharing. Hopefully you've experienced or will experience something similar to this soon.


I will never forget the first time I learned the word sexy. I had to be 7 or 8, and I was playing dress up with my friend Katie at my Meme's house. I was wearing a wedding dress that was several sizes too large for me, but who cared? Certainly not Michael Jackson, whom I was without a doubt going to marry at that point in my life...
The dress was low cut, revealing the majority of my chest. Being so young and underdeveloped, it really didn't matter at the time. My grandmother walked into the den and told me that I looked sexy. I didn't really understand what she was saying, but sexy was very close to sex, so I assumed it was something horribly dirty. I told her that sexy was a dirty word and not to use it again. Her response was, "Sexy isn't a bad word, Shannon. It's something you say when someone looks really good."

The concept of sexy has changed as I have gotten older. I think every girl's goal in high school is to look as sexy as she can get away with before her parents intervene. I'm not sure if it's this way for most overweight girls/women, but for me, sexy wasn't even attainable. I hid behind plaid pajama pants and over sized band t-shirts because I was so unbelievably insecure. The idea of anyone seeing enough of my body to judge my level of sexiness was terrifying. It was never worth it for me to even try...

My early college years brought several changes to my wardrobe and body image. As most young women, I was in pursuit of a decent male counterpart, and the only type of man I would've attracted in plaid pants and Weezer t-shirts would have surely been tatted from limb to limb with painful body piercings in unimaginable locations. Not really the type of man I was looking for...
I was desperate to look sexy but really didn't have a solid grasp of what it meant to BE sexy. I am incredibly observant, so I began modeling my outfits after girls that were getting to most male attention. Obviously, a great deal of male attention means you're sexy... right? Their outfits consisted mostly of low cut tops and high cut shorts. Cleavage was unavoidable for me, so I really didn't have to worry about that. In regards to short shorts, my thighs strongly resembled cottage cheese and created enough friction to start a campfire, so cut off shorts were out of the question.
Heels have never really been my thing. I'm already 5'11, so imagine how beastly I'd look as a 285 pound savage in a pair of 4 inch stilettos. I was under the impression that sexy was never going to happen for a fat girl such as myself. No matter what I wore, men didn't find me attractive. I figured be stuck in the fat funny girl role for the rest of my life, and eventually, I forced myself to accept the idea.

Maybe I'm the last woman in the world to realize this, but recently, I've learned that sexy is not at all about you look. Sexy is all about how you feel. Regardless of the fact that I've dropped 8 pants sizes over the last three years, I struggle everyday to find my sexy.
I was at the gym a lot this week. I knew I'd be out of town during the weekend and I would be more reckless with my eating, so I wanted to do all that I could during the week to prepare. It was the first day of Y-Turbo Kick, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Side note, kick boxing is absolutely the best workout. I lost 40+ pounds when I was doing it in college. I was standing in front of the mirror doing a punch, kick combo when I noticed that it wasn't nearly as challenging as it used to be. I wasn't panting like a lioness, and I didn't have to stop every 5 minutes for water. My hair was in a long, raggedy ponytail and a pretty solid ring of sweat was forming around the neck of my t-shirt, but all I could think about was how freaking good I looked doing it. In that moment, punching the air and bouncing back and forth like a Caucasian, female Mike Tyson, I was sexy. Like, incredibly sexy. I can't explain why I felt so amazingly attractive at that point in time, but I was overdosed on confidence.

During my run today, I experienced the same thing. The robot lady in my headphones let me know that I had run 7 miles, which was going to be my stopping point. I decided to go another mile for no real reason at all other than the fact that I could. When I got home and looked in the mirror, my eyes were completely bloodshot and my body was soaked in sweat, but dammit, I looked good. So this I guess this is sexy? Is this what I'm feeling?

I can't decide if I'm bringing sexy back or if I am just being introduced to the real thing, but finally, I have found something that makes me feel sexy. It's knowing that I can do literally anything I work hard enough for. Sexy, to me, is outrunning a man on the treadmill at the gym or being the only woman lifting weights. Sexy has nothing to do with what I'm wearing or the amount of attention I'm getting for it. Let's face it, few people find a soaking wet tank top and athletic shorts on a woman to be all that attractive. No outside forces even factor into my definition. It's all about pleasing myself and knowing that I have worked my tail off for everything I have.

So, what's your definition of sexy?

Perspective

Holy April...
For those of you who aren't special educators, the month of April consists of, without a doubt, the most torturous 30 days of the entire school year. IEP season is what we call it. Basically, we spend every waking moment assessing our kids, reviewing their data, determining educational/behavior/social goals for them for the next school year, developing a 10-20 page document describing their needs, organizing meetings with each of their parents, and then entering the bazillion pages of paperwork that go along with the process into the computer. We complete this process for every single kid we work with, so for me, I had seven. It's a lot of work, but it also shows the progress your students have made, so there are a lot of tiny celebrations that go along with it.
IEPs and grad school at the same time have made for the most difficult, stressful, FAT month of my entire life. I cannot remember a time where I have felt the need to binge the way I have this month. You know it's bad when you're pouring the contents of your treasure box onto the table so you can sift through the Slinkies and toy soldiers in hopes that you'll run across a Tootsie Roll (the worst candy of all time) to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Clearly, I have absolutely no shame.

The workload was stressful, but if I am going to be completely honest, I've had a lot on my mind since my return from California. I think my last update was while I was in Cali, which I apologize for. My vacation was the start of a lot of soul searching and second guessing myself. Questioning my beliefs and goals is not something I'm used to. I have always been so sure of my aspirations in life. I know exactly what I want and what I need to do to attain it. I pride myself on my ability to set and reach goals. I am doing exactly what I always said I was going to do by graduating and teaching special education. I'm working on my second degree AND working my dream job. I've lost the weight of a teenage girl, and I live a beautiful, successful life with an incredible man that loves me unconditionally. So what the hell is wrong with me? My heart has been so heavy and my head so full of what-ifs.
What if this isn't where I'm meant to be?
What if there are bigger opportunities elsewhere for me?
What if I'm not able to see and do all that I had hoped?

In a one a recent conversation with Dean, he told me that the world becomes smaller as we get older, but I couldn't disagree more. I think my weight loss (my "awakening", if you will) has shown me that there is so much to do and so many things to see in our short time on this earth. The world feels infinitely large to me. What if I can't do and see it all? I feel like I'm racing time to achieve all of my goals and travel all of the places I'm so desperate to see, because let's face it, I'm not getting any younger. I want a family and a home with a giant garden full of vegetables and a wrap around porch with rocking chairs, but at the same time, I  want to feel like I spent my twenties discovering the world and experiencing every single thing that it has to offer. It's overwhelming.
With the help of many pints of ice cream and deep conversations with friends, I am finally starting to come to my senses. I have to be grateful for what I have and all that I've accomplished. I'm sure there are bigger and better things elsewhere, but here, I live a wonderful life with a phenomenal man and my family close by. The grass is greener where you water it, and I've just installed sprinklers. I'm making a conscious effort to appreciate the things around me.

As I've mentioned several times already, I've led a super fat life this past month. Brownies, Mexican food, ice cream, candy... the whole works! With the help of my Sensei, Kelsey Crow, I've begun the slow process of getting back on track. I'm back to clean eating to eliminate the bloating. I so seriously feel pregnant with food. My kids are so confused because their homeroom teacher is pregnant. On more than one occasion, they've held my tummy and talked to it as if there were something there... I guess there is something occupying my tummy- a chocolate food baby, of which I am about to ABORT! That sounds horrible. What I mean is, I have come entirely too far to throw away my progress on stupid decisions. I've been eating sweets to the point of getting migraines. That's when I know it's bad. In my three year health journey, this is the first month I can remember where my weight has actually increased. I am exhausted all of the time, and I am notorious for my eaters remorse, so imagine how much Blakely has had to listen to me regret the things I've eaten knowing all of the junk I've put down in the last month. Wherever my self-control has gone, I am determined to find it. To hold myself accountable, I have set and outrageously high goal for myself.
I will be competing in the Alabama Coastal Triathalon in September, and I've got a ridiculously long road ahead of me to prepare. Since my half marathon, I've started focusing more on pace, so my distance has suffered. On average, I run 5-7 miles per run. Last month, I was running 8-10. My distance is going to have to improve. I'll spend my summer mornings at the sunrise cycle classes at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the cycling portion of the race.
I am going to be training with the YMCA youth swim team to prepare for the swimming, which  really excites me. I know how crazy it sounds and how foolish I'll look, but my kids will be my "coaches", and I know I can rely on them to hold me accountable. I don't think I've swam without shorts on since I was 13, so I'm pretty nervous about reuniting my thighs with the open air. If all goes according to plan, my Tina Turner's will be in swimsuit shape in no time. Swimming is one of the best ways to tone your upper thighs, so I'm fully confident that I'll look like J-Lo in no time at all. Like I said, it's an unimaginably crazy goal, but I've never let myself down. I refuse to start now.

With all of the stress and anxiety I've felt lately, this weekend offered some much needed and well-deserved FUN! A few friends and I participated in the Whirlwind of Color 5k. It might seem like a knock of version of the Color Run... okay it is, but it was fun, regardless. It wasn't a race, so my timing was irrelevant. We just wanted to cut up and have a good time making complete fools of ourselves. We definitely succeeded :).

I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. It was so necessary and relieving!

Hopefully, my next post won't be so depressing. I can tell that I am ready to get back on track with my health. The month of April has been a four week slump, but I can see the very faint light at the end of this horribly long tunnel. I'm ready to work for this race. I'm ready to get my mind and body straight.
"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." -Hellen Keller

Here are just a couple of resources for you. I've been slacking :).

Resistance Band Training
We use resistance bands a lot in the fitness classes I go to. They're inexpensive and unbelievably effective! A must have for any home gym!

When to eat, sleep, and exercise
This article is fantastic. It lays out the best times for exercise, eating, and sleeping. Very informative!

Californication

This post is brought to you from the porch of a coffee shop on a sunny day in gorgeous Santa Monica, California. Currently, I am enjoying a blood orange sweet tea and being harassed by a homeless man in a puffy vest. Although it might sound like an ordinary day to any California native, this day is exceptionally special to me because how many opportunities will I have to experience this? Not the tea or the hobo, but the hustle and bustle of life in California. To be honest, I’ve tasted the good life, and I am not sure how I can or if I want to go back to the simple life.

California is everything I imagined it would be and more. The more can be attributed to the amazing people I’ve gotten to know in my short stent here in Cali. The shops, beaches, and food (fat, I know) are entirely different on this side of the country. For example, the most popular restaurants are salad bars and grocery stores are stocked full of organic foods and the most beautiful produce I’ve ever seen. In Alabama, I run the streets of Oxford freely. I rarely pass children playing in their yards, and I certainly never have a fellow runner to wave at. Lazy people are almost nonexistent in California from what I can tell. My morning workouts are alongside hundreds of runners on the famous Ocean Avenue. I pass women, men, and hobos (mostly because they are asleep beside them) participating in outdoor yoga classes or martial arts groups. It amazes me. It even gives me faith that there is hope for humanity because, let’s face reality, obesity rates are higher than ever, particularly in the south. How easy would it be to commit to health when you are constantly surrounded by healthy people and given mostly healthy options? That’s what life is like here. I appreciate it, and mostly, I envy it.

My flight down here was smooth. Most of you know that I am insanely fearful of taking off and landing. The in between is never the problem, but the initial and final stages of flying are terrifying enough that I can’t do it without the assistance of drugs, the legal kind, obviously. So my flight here was 5 hours of pure Valium-induced sleep, just the way I like it.  I arrived, picked up my rental car, and rushed to downtown L.A. to meet my host and his friends.

Dean’s friends…

My first few days have been spent with a fantastic bunch of people. Dean, as most people that know him are aware, is EXTREMELY Greek. Like, speaks it, eats it, breathes it, Greek. Naturally, the majority of his friends are of Greek decent as well, and I am totally okay with it. Dean’s friends have been nothing but welcoming and kind. They’ve taken me in as one of their own. I was incredibly nervous as to how I was going to keep myself occupied while Dean worked during the days, but it’s been easy now that I’ve made friends with his group. I enjoy so much listening to them bicker back and forth and discuss their tactics for wooing the luxurious ladies of L.A. It’s hilarious, really. I’ve learned more about Greek culture and history in 3 days than I did in any of my history classes. See, this trip is even educational! They remind me of my friends so much, loud and horribly inappropriate. I guess I’m drawn to that crowd. Our first stop was to a lovely brunch joint overlooking the insanely beautiful Manhattan Beach. It was a breezy 72 in L.A.. The beach was taken over with families, tourists, and natives enjoying the day. Solitude is nonexistent around here. You are constantly surrounded by people in Cali, and as an avid people-watcher, I appreciate that aspect of it. We saw what we think were two celebrities on my first day. Well, let’s say one and a half, because Almost Nikki Minaj was really just a hideous black woman with tacky extensions. The gentlemen were convinced Jack Nickelson drove by while we stood on the side of a mountain in Hollywood. We chased him briefly, which was one of the most horrifying experiences of my life, but we never really knew if it was him or not. We ended up at a gorgeous home in Hollywood hills with some of Dean’s friends. The house was the former home of a one SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH! Ummm, am I living big here or what? We mingled, drank white wine, and ate delicious cheeses and other various treats. The night ended perfectly with the sun setting behind the hills of Hollywood. Breathtaking doesn’t begin to describe it.

Day two began with an almost 6 mile run along the shores of Santa Monica. The view was a overwhelming, as was the smell of homelessness and certain legal medical herbs… It’s everywhere here, I swear. After a quick shower, I hit the Promenade for the majority of the day. Dean is fortunate to live in an apartment overlooking one of the biggest shopping strips in the town. Give me a three story Forever 21 and I am occupied for hours. I spent the day window shopping and resisting the urge to empty my bank account. After 4 hours of walking, I spent an obscene amount of money on a coffee and headed back to Dean’s for a nap. I knew he had something exciting in store for the evening, but with Dean, you never know what to expect. A nap is always a good choice as there is never a guarantee of returning home before sunrise when Dean is making the plans. To my surprise, one of Dean’s got in touch with me to see if I wanted to accompany him to a doggy boutique. I think I’ve decided to say yes to every opportunity here because I am fearful that I won’t get the chance to experience anything like it again anytime soon. Doggy boutiques in California… oh lawd. I would seriously eat the treats sold in this place because they looked so tasty. Why does a dog need a special jar of peanut butter? Or doggy-safe chocolate covered cookies? I have literally seen my dog eat his own vomit. Marley will just have to stick with the Pedigree. No herbal doggy tea for that mutt. After perusing the isles of doggy heaven, we headed to Malibu. Pepperdine University is a school overlooking the beautiful beaching of Malibu. The thought of tuition for this university makes my stomach turn. It was, hands down, the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen. 

I am really excited about this considering it’s been talked up so much since I’ve been here. I FINALLY had Greek cuisine. From what Dean says it was pretty freaking authentic. Dean knew the owner of some swanky joint. They had closed but opened for us after Dean charmed the owner. Talk about fancy. This place was nicer than any pre-prom restaurant I’ve ever been to. The owner not only opened the place for us but gave us the hook up with white wine, caviar, and shots of some sort of deliciously sweet liquor. In fact, it was Greece’s independence day, so it really was a cause for celebration. The food was divine, but I’m all about the experience, which was even better. We headed to one of Dean’s girlfriends shortly after that. Alex’s parents were visiting from Los Vegas for the week. They busted out the white wine and we enjoyed some fantastic conversation in her ridiculously cute studio apartment. I can’t get enough of these people. Everyone here has a fantastic story and I want to hear each and every one of them.

Day three was my hike to the Hollywood sign. Alex and I had really clicked, so she agreed to accompany me on my hike, and I am SO glad she did. She’s been here for several months, but somehow, we managed to get lost multiple times in our attempt to get to the starting point of the hike. As it turns out, we have A LOT in common. It’s a shame, really, that she doesn’t live closer. She’s a professional dancer turned actress, and really, her story is my favorite of anyone that I’ve met here. Out hike was full of discussions about health, men, and crazy experiences. We never quite made it to the sign, but we got an awesome workout in the attempt. She is a fitness instructor and teaches Barre. What is that, I know? I had never heard of such a class. Barre is a ballet inspired workout, and holy Jesus, was it a workout. I woke up with sore ankles. I really didn’t know I had so many muscles in my ankles, but I felt every single one of them this morning. I swear, I’ve never smelled myself so strongly while working out. It’s not cardio based at all, so my heart rate was never high. It’s all about strength training and flexibility, which I hate but know is 100% necessary if I am going to improve as a runner. She is a mega beast, and I am so thankful for the experience of attending her class. However, my ankles and quads are not.

After shoveling down Greek leftovers and spending 20 minutes beautifying myself as much as possible after a day full of hiking and ballet-inspired exercise, Dean and I met up with his friends for a night on the town. We went to a really fancy (what I consider fancy because I am used to bars full of old men and stalkers) lounge on the roof of some building in downtown L.A. The view was unbelievable. I don’t care how poor you are, it’s impossible not to feel high class in a place like that. The night ended with some Korean and good laughs, and we arrived home at a painful 3 a.m.

Today was not as glamorous. I woke up with the intentions of running 6 miles, but my ankles and quads are so sore that I can’t even think about running without my muscles aching. To my surprise, I walked outside and was greeted with the biggest farmer’s market I’ve ever seen! I spent a good 2 hours taste testing and learning about produce I’ve never even seen in my life. It was absolutely perfect. There’s something about a farmer’s market… The smells, the people, the food (obviously), I have a weird think for farmer’s markets. Call me crazy.  The last few hours have been dedicated to catching up on schoolwork. It pains me to be stuck in a coffee shop all day, glued to my job, but I guess that’s the price you pay for being a teacher. Work literally never ends.

My experiences here have been beyond all expectations. As my boyfriend and family know all too well, I am not an easy woman to please. I am rarely satisfied with what I have, and I am constantly looking for the next best thing. I have to say, I think I’ve found THE best thing. I love every aspect of this state. The weather, the flow, the people, it’s all exactly what I want in life. I have always felt that my dreams and expectations in life are far bigger than anything the south has to offer me. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate my BBQ and sweet tea, but I feel like my opportunities here would be endless. If I had no ties, I don’t know if I could resist trying to make it on this side of the country. It’s a lot to think about, a fantasy, really. I can only dream, I suppose. In case you can’t tell, I am really enjoying my trip. I hope to make this a more frequent thing, so I should probably start saving now. I’m sure I’ll have more to update about later. I still have a good two days here, so who knows what I’ll get in to J.