Change of Plans

Why does it always seem that when plans are changed they are changed for the worse?

I woke up this morning with a list of TO DO's to accomplish today:

• run 10ish miles
• shower
• ikea
• pack
• target
• drive to columbus
• unpack and move into my new apartment

Once neatly checked off, I had all intentions of enjoying a relaxing first evening in the new apartment filled with organizing, wine drinking and Stacey's Pita Chips (absolute favorite) munching with my new roommate, and other gil, Annie. Instead, I am currently sitting on my parent's couch in West Chester, watching Jersey Shore on DVR and eating a Reese Cup Wizard from the Cone. 

(Yes, I did say Wizard with a "W" which is the same concept as a Blizard from dairy queen, only about 80 200 times better. And yes, this probably has like 1,000 calories but it was good, and my day was awful - 2 perfectly good reasons for indulgences such as this choclately peanut buttery masterpiece) 

Rewind several hours back to my TO DO list. Things were going well. I got in 10 glorious miles, ate some glorious oatmeal for the first time in 2 weeks, enjoyed a glorious cup of coffee, showered and hopped off to Ikea. 
Ikea was even going glorious. Despite the annoying families amazed over 2 dollar dishes, I found several cheap kitchen items, a desk for my room and a tv stand for the living room. I checked out, pulled my car up to the loading dock, loaded up the goods, and hopped back in the car, still in a glorious mood until I put the key in the ignition and turne and nothing happened. Dead. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. 
Immediately I called my dad (well, after I texted Annie). He came. He saw. And things got ugly. 


It was determined by him and an Ikea worker (random, right?) that it was the starter and not only would it have to be towed, but I would be carless for a few days. I immediately broke down. Between living out of a suitcase for 2 weeks, sleeping on a floor and starting a new job, this just put me over the edge. 


SO, long story short, here I sit, still in West Chester, eating ice cream and watching trashy tv, when I could be drinking wine with my new roommate while organizing and decorating. Bad news is that I am delayed 1 day of unpacking and I spent the day crying. Good news is that it was just my battery and I got my car back earlier this evening.
Even better news, my car is packed and ready to leave at 8 in the morning for a day of unpacking and organizing, with pretty good odds of a glass of wine or two to cap off the day.


Whew! I'm exhausted. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically. 
I'm off to read then crash... see ya'll from Columbus!

Pet Peeves

I told myself this morning that I was going to sit down this evening and post on my blog. SO much has happened in my life this 2 past weeks that I knew it would be a piece of cake to sit down, start typing and press submit - all done without any 10 second holds on the delete button. Throughout the day and even into my car ride home I had millions of topics and thoughts that were just buzzing in my brain about what my post could be about….. 


So here I sit, in front of my bright, shiny, white new MackBook, and I tell you folks, I am blank. I have no idea on God's green Earth what to write about!!! The only idea that crossed my mind, and actually got my fingers moving was my day. Then, about half way through my rants and raves about how AWFUL my day was I realized that my post was basically going to be a really long facebook status on why my day was so bad, which is really just a way to get multiple comments on your wall about how great you are and that things will be okay. Right? Right. 


In attempt to avoid cries for attention, I pressed that awful button, for a long time. While doing so, I not only got really irritated about the fact that I was 10 seconds into my delete action and still going, but that I also really can't stand when people use facebook to publicly complain - whether it be about their boring job, lack of money, recently bad breakup, etc. After my 15 seconds of anger, finger pressure and random thoughts, my blog post idea came to me: pet peeves. 
Here, for your reading pleasure and heads up: is a current-subject to change depending on my mood list of what makes me ANNOYED! 

• when people use facebook to either 
• a) complain or 
• b) brag about their athletic accomplishments (really? you ran 5 miles at 5:00am, who cares.)
•  loud chewers
• people who need constant attention
• video games that don't involve race cars or donkey kong
• when people say that if we ran together they wouldn't be able to keep up
• laziness 
• lack of organization
• diets 
• how i can't say "haha" in T9 texting format 
• soccer (except when it involves happy hour and margarita's) 
• 55 calorie beer
• when 2 colors of something aren't stacked every-other-color (plates in cabinets for example)
• words crossed out on paper
• when pen smears on paper

I apologize if any of the above apply to you.

Have a great day!

p.s. once I finally establish a home, I plan on taking more pictures and adding "pizaz" to this blog. Words alone are pretty boring, especially coming from me :)

Jumbled Mess of a Situation

Hello again!
Whew, it has been a crazy week and I''m only half way there.


Between starting a new job, living out of a suitcase, moving into a new apartment and attending my cousin's wedding reception in Toledo, I've barely had enough time to breathe, let alone blog. 
I would jump to say I'm back to blogging on a regular basis, but since I've never consistently kept up with posting, I don't think I can legally say that in the blogging world. BUT, fingers-crossed - here' s hope to some consistency in my life!


Speaking of consistency - my life has ZERO right now! And I while I am not okay with the current jumbled mess of a situation, I think I have been handling it quite well, especially for an anxious, type A, need to have schedules type of person. 


I've dealt with my food issues and my sleeping habits (yes, Erin Michelle Gilliam saw 11:00pm on the clock more than 2 nights in a row) but the one thing I've had a lot of troubles with is my running. 


I told myself weeks ago that I would start to train for the full Columbus marathon in the fall, and if time was a factor, or life just got too crazy - there would be nothing wrong with either doing the half marathon, OR just running for fun.
I was on track until this weekend. 


14 miles was on the schedule for Saturday. 14. That is a lot for a solo run. Hell, that is a lot for a group run. Although I had my doubts, on Saturday I set out on my run with the mindset to complete the 14 miles. 
5 miles later, I stopped. It was hot. It was humid. I was exhausted and my mind was just  n o t  t h e r e. 


I was discouraged. Almost tearful. I hate not being perfect. How could I train for a marathon and not get all of my long runs in? Is it even worth trying again? I hate to admit it, but this whole incident ruined my weekend. How sad is that? Sometimes I get so down on myself for not being perfect that I get into awful moods, then I get even more angry that I am so hard on myself to begin with. It really, honestly is a painful cycle, and I recommend none of you out there to try it, haha. 


Needless to say, it's been one heck of an emotional end to an already crazy week. I'm in a constant mind battle with running, my weight, perfection, how I look, and even how I talk (yes, I had a major stuttering problem that still haunts me today - give me a few drinks and you experience it for yourself) and when life is chaotic and stressful, these battles just get stronger.
Sometimes I know I just need to stop, take a deep breath and just breathe.
It's hard.
But it needs to be done - I'm trying. 

p.s. more to come on my new job and my new apartment!

Mildly Creative and Decently Good

I have never been one to brag about myself, but one thing I would never deny is the fact that I'm mildly creative, and I'll admit, decently good at it - in an amateur, kindergarten teacher kind of way. Doodles in class, 8th grade poetry books, college dorm room signs - they all seem to turn out artsy and "cool-looking" to say the least. 


Now you're probably wondering why the hell I'm bringing this up, and quite possibly thinking to yourself that this post is a covert way for me to brag about myself, and while it had crossed my mind, there was an ulterior motive behind this post... 


If you read my earlier post, ya'll know that I'm moving. Soon. To the best city ever. Into the best apartment ever (er, I've never seen it, but I'm relying on first-hand reports). And with one of the coolest chicks ever. Besides being unexplainably excited about moving on to the next chapter in my life, I am so pumped to decorate - which, finally, (I do apologize for my rambles) brings me to my reason for creating this lovely post - sharing with you one of my most favorite creative, bedroom projects I have ever done. 


Several years ago, my sister was redoing her room. She had a crazy, 4th grade style bedspread that looked, and still does today, like this:

(with bright green and bright yellow walls) haha

Since the purchase of this crazy breadspread and the room painting occurred around her birthday, I decided it would not only be a great idea to paint a matching stool and window valence for her gift, but it would also give me something to do, and it would be something I would enjoy.... because I ALWAYS enjoy doing things for my sister, right....? 

So after weeks of secretly painting in the basement.....

There you have it! All free hand too! (that was a brag, I apologize) 

But yes, as I said earlier, way back up in my first run-on sentence of the post: I am mildly creative, and decently good at it.

           p.s. For all those out there wondering, I will not be decorating my apartment in       

          bright colored flowers, at least not with matching walls. 

Changes

The other day at work while mindlessly diligently entering in 17-digit VIN numbers for an insurance policy with 20 or so vehicles (mind you that this is not even close to be considered a lot) I was listening to the new Eminem CD –Recovery, and believe it or not, there was actually a song I could relate to. Now I know all of you are probably thinking to yourself, “How the hell can a 24 year old female living in the suburbs with her parents relate to a song written by a former drug-addict, rapper from Detroit, Michigan?” Well, good question, because while I don’t exactly relate to the specific lyrics in a song that raps about drug addictions, divorces and so on… it’s the title of the song, Going Through Changes, which completely, 100%, hit home.


For those of you who failed to read my “Who is This Chick widget” over to the right, let me quickly summarize the last 2 years, and current, state of my life: I’m miserably living at home with my parents while working an hourly insurance job with a college degree behind my name, everyday 8:00 – 4:45 in a beige cube, that in fact isn’t even a cube because I basically share a large desk with the “food table” that leads to countless people a day invading my space and questioning me if I ever eat anything. Er, whoops, was that a rant? I think it was, I apologize, but I do feel better.

Anyway, now that you get the picture of what my life has been like... allow me also let you know that I not only became very comfortable with my surroundings and current state of living arrangements, but I also got into quite the scheduled routine. I became very accustom to living in a nice house, with a great neighborhood for running and that little extra spending money that went to the little things that people my age couldn't afford while living on their own. Such things included a gym membership, being able to buy expensive food such as greek yogurt and $4.00 ice creams every so often, and yes, nice beer... and I'm not referring to "Bud Light bottles" or any of the sort that is less than $10.00 for a 12-pack. 
Long story short (once again): While I was miserable with no friends and no social life; I was comfortably miserable while living in an environment that I had complete control over....


BUT, keeping this all in mind, now let me summarize for you what my current state will be say, oh, this weekend: 

• I am starting a new job at the Abercrombie and Fitch Home Office in Columbus on July 19th (this Monday!) 
• I am moving into an awesome apartment with a good friend from college in Victorian Village on August 1st 
• I will be living out of a suitcase for 2 weeks and bumming sleeping arrangements at my friend and her boyfriend's place for the first week and then invading an ex-boyfriend's place for the remainder of my homelessness

So yes, I am going through changes - HUGE changes. Although, oddly enough, I'm somewhat calm and not particularly stressed-out in typical Erin Gilliam fashion (however this is subject to change and most probably will change). 

Stay tuned for updates on my impending gypsy lifestyle and the major changes I'm finally making to my life. 

see ya!

5 Hour Food Blogger

Since I started reading blogs about a year ago, there have been 2 things that I can honestly say I have become borderline obsessed with; oatmeal and wanting to take pictures of my food. Because I have neither the skill or patience to take pictures of everything I put into my mouth, I decided to take one morning  this past weekend and play “food blogger" for a couple of hours (kind of like house when you were little, only with a camera and real food as opposed to a 4 foot high kitchen and plastic bread and eggs).

So in my effort to play make-believe, I decided to incorporate my 2 obsessions together and provide you with 2 very amateur pictures of my oatmeal breakfast.

This specific bowl of oatmeal was made with:

•  ½ cup oats
•  ½ cup soy milk
•  ½ cup water
•  ½ banana (chopped and mixed in while on stove)
•  All topped with:
• Almond butter
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Granola

Throughout my whole food ordeal, oatmeal has been the one thing that I have managed to consistently eat. It was through the food blogs, that I learned so many different ways to “dress” up boring old oatmeal, and make breakfast enjoyable and something to look forward to when waking up. Adding anything from pumpkin, banana, muffin, chocolate chips, peanut butter, yogurt, (I’ll stop here but I could go on for hours) can not only make your oatmeal to die for, but it also can keep you full and satisfied for hours.

So when my next urge to play food blogger surfaces, or I make a really interesting bowl of oatmeal, I’ll be sure to dedicate another post to oats!

Happy Oatmeal Eating!

-E-

Happy 4th of July!

Have a GREAT Holiday!

and easy on the fireworks :)

-E-

Why I Entered the Blogging World

Just the other day, an old friend from grade school wrote on my facebook wall and commented that she would have never guessed me to be a blogger. I guess I'm not sure what she exactly meant - is this a good thing? Is this a bad thing? Who knows, but the comment made did make me think why I started to read blogs, and why I actually am attempting to keep a consistent blog myself.

The reason I started to read blogs and get "hooked" on them if you will, goes back a year or two after I graduated college. Many of you that are reading this already know somewhat of the battle I through with the debate of my food intolerance/issues. Long story short, I began avoiding any foods with gluten, which then led to an expensive and unnecessary test that led the doctor to diagnose me with IBS - which then led to my journey of avoiding foods containing whole wheat, dairy and red meat. After almost a year of this, I began to realize my issues and problems were not something that my body created but something that my mind created. I was dealing with a mild form of an eating disorder and was using these self-diagnoses and food intolerances as ways to hide it.

     -side note: I realize my abreviated versions of long stories never really turn out to be abbreviated, in fact, they might even become longer versions of an already long story, sorry!

Anyway, I remember down to the date, time and place of when I was confronted about my rapid weight loss. I didn't think much of it, and to be honest, I didn't believe it. I would have never imagined myself having an eating disorder - never in my life have I ever been concerned about how I look or how much I weighed. But later that week, at Target, with a lose extra-small skirt in my hands, I glanced at myself and the mirror and almost fell backwards - I was tiny, too tiny for my frame. I came home after that trip and told my mom, and she agreed, and even worse, she has had people voice their concern to her. I knew how much I weighed, hell I weighed myself 2-3 times a day, but I never thought that number on the scale was too low to where it was unhealthy. So on that scale, with the number 104 staring back at me, I knew something had to be done, whether I liked it or not.

Since this realization, or aha moment of my life, I turned to blogs, more specifically, food blogs. I know this sounds crazy and riduclous, but it's the truth - the blogging world saved my life. Most of the blogs I began to read were written (and still updated today) by girls who had an unhealthy relationship with food and their bodies and worked to overcome this awful obstacle that left them empty and unhappy. Being able to relate to their situation, and see how they got through, in turn allowed me to realize that what I was doing to my body and mind was something horrible, and it gave me the satisfaction that I wasn't the only one going through this and that it was okay to eat- that it was okay to enjoy a cookie and not stew over it for a week.

After the start of following many, many food blogs, I found out one of my good friends from college started a blog! She was super good with her updates and it was really interesting to read, it was somewhat of an easy way to get an update of her life since we didn't live in the same city. Soon after, I found out Minn (refer to previous post) started a blog as well - which totally made sense for me to start one as well, right?

So there you have it - my reasons why I got into blogs and reasons why I started one myself. I know this particular blog post got into some deep and personal issues of the past year or two of my life, but now you know reasons for some future blog posts of mine and certain issues in today's world, specifically issues regarding girls that I may voice some strong opinions.

Time for the pool! Happy 4th to all if I don't post before!