Chocolate Makes Everything Better

Everyone knows Mondays are not fun, so I will spare you from my rant on how awful my Monday has been thus far, and provide you with some delicious pictures of chocolate chocolate and peanut butter. Sadly, these pictures were not taken this morning - they were taken last Sunday, and the chocolate was eaten promptly upon my return from my Short North adventure with my momma mia.

This chocolate was from Chocoholique on High Street in the Short North. I highly suggest indulging in one yourself. In fact, I think I might have to stop today... my chocolate freezer stash is wiped out..... and my Monday needs some chocolate.

Not Entirely True.

I was a dedicated blogger yesterday.


Well.


That isn't entirely true. 


I was a dedicated blogger until my activities took me outside of my cute little apartment. 


Allow me to elaborate...


I woke up Saturday morning and decided to go for a fairly long run around my neighborhood...which, now that I think about it, isn't entirely true either - there was no decision about running - Saturday morning runs are a given for me. The real decision was where I was going to run: up in Westerville with my running group or around downtown with my ipod... so if you haven't already figured it out, I chose the latter of the two, which brings me to good blogger action numero uno:

I had a great run and as always, an awesome time, but once I got back, something was definitely off. I'm as type A as they come, so when I have a full day ahead of me with no plans, no obligations and no urgent errands to run, I feel lost. So, I did as any type A, anal, control-freak would do and made a to-do list. Sure, the only things on the list were to paint my nails and pluck my eyebrows, but for some reason I felt better that I had things to do, even if they were as superficial as personal grooming... but hey, I don't get these good looks sitting on my ass!


But that isn't entirely true as well.... I sat on my ass for a GOOD portion of my day watching the Lifetime Movie Network, but don't worry - I did get that list accomplished, as well as a few other things...

Old Navy clearance items... all for $13.74...woot woot

Kardashian wanna be

please excuse my gross running feet and focus on my pretty pink nails!

Which now brings me to my last part of my day that went documented:

My outfit. Yes, this was taken in my roommate's room. She left me all weekend so I
figured it would only be appropriate to use her skinny mirror. 

My "good friend" Bobby Z accompanied me to dinner, food and garlic at Gordon Biersch, followed by the ever-so AMAZE self-serve frozen yogurt at Cuzzins. 


(This is where any good blogger would post pictures of their dinner and their dessert, and maybe even their date - BUT, I'm far from being a good blogger, so this is where my post ends) 


It was a weird weekend, but it had it's high points.... 


Welp, I'm off to continue watching the oscars and text my best friend about the oscars and how much we love our lives.... which is entirely false.  


Make something of your life,

A Week Late...But Still Amaze.

My internet is down. Which sucks because I feel like I was really on a roll with the whole consistent blogging concept. I have access at work, but for some reason the idea of being caught "blogging" really makes my cheeks blush...and the whole process of uploading my amazing pitures would be a tad difficult. (and I would hate for you guys to miss out on my advanced photography skills)


IT'S BACK! The internet is BACK!!!!


however.... 


because of my whole internet situation this past week, a weekend recap seems kind of silly this late in the week - although, it would be a good one because I had an AMAZE weekend... so in lieu of a super long-winded-week-late recap, I will provide all of your inquiring minds with a quick summary of my weekend, followed by pictures illustrating about 20 minutes of the 2,880 minutes of my weekend. (I was a bad blogger this weekend, and threw out many "I'm stealing these pictures" instead of digging out my 5 year old point and shoot camera from the depths of my over-sized purse. A later post might be necessary with all the photos I shall steal.


Weekend Recap SparkNotes Style:

• Friday - Press Grill with Bobby Z - magic hats were obviously consumed
• Saturday - 8 mile run with my running group, trip to Dayton with Annie and Jackie to visit Lydia who quite possibly IS the best hostess  e v e r
• Sunday - cinnamon roll and Kardashian breakfast, Short North adventure day with my mom equipped with lunch and chocolates

Now for the Pictures: (just to note... these were taken 1 day prior to Gil informing me about the macro button on my camera.... better quality photos hopefully to come...)

Gill poppin' bottles

champagne and strawberries

homemade quac, tortilla chips, hummus and pita chips

bloggers in action

really blurry photo of entire spread

sisters and best friends

There ya have it! I'm disappointed that we took 80 million pictures of food but failed to get one decent picture of all 4 of us...but this just means there will be a next time sooner. I love these girls, without them my insanity might be more problematic rather than just a small nuisance. 

love yourself,

Friday.

I'm in a mood.

But these dogs made me smile. I want these dogs. 

I also want it to be 5:30 pm. Happy Friday... UGH I mean, YAY!

(positive thoughts, positive thoughts)

Happy Thoughts,

Unintentionally Organized.

For those of you who either have no clue as to who I am or don't know me all that well, I'll have you know that I am a very organized person. I debated on making a cute little bullet list underneath this paragraph that would provide you all with examples of how my organization habits might borderline on OCD, but I figured we can talk about my mental problems in a different post...

Anyway, continuing on....

I walked into my apartment Monday evening after work with the mindset to get my designated apartment chore underway and over with- unloading the diswasher. I started with my *usual routine... I put the large pots away, then continued on to the cutting knives and silverware, then any spare bowls that wouldn't fit into the top shelf....then I got to the plates:

which were stacked in the exact same color AND style order ON EACH SIDE! Amazing! I couldn't believe it....  I unintentionally loaded the dishwasher this way!

A lot of people make it a point to get more organized in their lives - whether it be their bills, coupons, closets, etc, but ladies and gentlemen - it's pretty darn obvious I do not have that problem. I was born to organize and organize is what I do!

Happy Future Diswasher Loading,

Things You Don't See Everyday:



Gigantic Apples stacked on top of each other

Me only eating 3 dark chocolate Hershey kisses

A cat drinking a beer??

Enjoy the half off Valentine's Day candy today in stores...

Love Yourself,

My Kind of Valentine Part Two

❤  Happy Valentine's Day! ❤


I hope you all are having a fantastic day - either with your Valentine, your friends or with a bowl  of ice cream and the tv!


If you recall, I previously posted about, in my opinion, the perfect Valentine's Day gift - a coffee mug, chocolates and wine bottle accessories, but, today I received a very close rival... 

(I'm passing a gallstone as we speak. That's hard)

Ahh! This totally made my day! Sue is my favorite character on Glee, and this card a perfect representation of her personality.... ah, I can't even explain, I just  l o v e  this card. 

And this is how Erin Expresses it,

p.s. If you can't read, or didn't realize who signed the above card, this card is from Jackie (my roommate's sister) who is quite possibly the coolest sister ever  coolest oldest sister ever... thank you!!!!!

Added to Edit: Kelsey you are the coolest sister I will ever have, love you babe ❤

Low Key with Cuzzins....

.... Not my real cousins...but the frozen yogurt Cuzzins!

I decided to take a night off from my usual weekend arena district debauchery (kidding), and keep it low key with some frozen yogurt this past Friday night. I've seen these self-serve concotions all over the food blogging world for quite some time now, and have been waiting for the opportunity to experience one myself.

After a few attempts, I eventually convinced Bobby Z to take a night off from dollar shots at Gaswerks, and to join me on my quest for Friday night ice cream. My cup contained cookies n'cream and peanut butter frozen yogurt - topped with oreos, graham cracker crust, reese cups chunkcs, brownie bites, and a lone block of cheesecake for good measure.

Me and Bobby Z's conversation on the way home:

Me: "You know this is semi-good for you, right?"
BZ: "What! I'd eat this over ice cream any day!!!!"

Needless to say..... it was great! Probably too great... I might show myself some love on this Valentine's day and get some more? Yes? Maybe after I shred.... ;)

Love yourself,

My Kind of Valentine

I had a serious boyfrend in college, and one valentine's day I got roses in the mail. They were great, but a new hooded sweatshirt would have been better - with dark chocolate hidden in the pockets.... I shouldn't complain about the roses, but it's hard not to complain when you receive Valentine's gifts like the one I got last night:

A Coffee mug full of dark chocolate and peanut M&M's with a wine bottle stopper and opener. Can you think of anything better than chocolate and coffee and wine accessories?! I mean, yeah, a million dollars comes to mind, but let's be reasonable here folks...

It was the perfect end to an awful day and the perfect Valentine's Day gift - aren't moms the best?!

Love yourself,

Overshadowed.

If any of you are friends with me on facebook, work with me or are with me on a fairly regular basis, you may think that I'm a huge complainer.... and while I probably am a complainer 87% of the time, I realized this weekend that my complaints often overshaddow the things that make my life so wonderful...

So for this post, I am going to erase the idea that my job puts me to sleep, pretend that I don't have college and car loans to pay for, and forget the fact that I have to wait 2 weeks for results of a biopsy on a really gross mole that I just had removed - and point out to you the little things about my past weekend that are often overshaddowed by all that complaining I tend to do.

FRIDAY

• (insert complaint here about how awful my Fridays at work are)
• Dinner and Magic Hat beers at Mac's with Annick and Bobby Z, - which according to most dictionaries qualifies as a double date...I am getting so mature, right?!

This is Bobby Z. I'm allowed to post this picture because I have 100% confidence he will never see this blog.



SATURDAY

• Went for a run in my beautiful neighborhood with beautiful houses that I dream about living in if I get married and quit working in the near future
• Watched a Glee marathon on tv (need I say more?) 

SUNDAY

• Went for another run in my beautiful neighborhood with beautiful houses that I will live in once I get married and when I quit working
• Met Bobby Z for lunch at Jason's Deli and scored a FREE soft serve ice cream cone (woot woot)
• Krogering.... love love love grocery shopping but hate hate hate buying groceries
• Made AWESOME (low fat) cookies! (insert second "woot woot" here)
• Went to Nick Foor's (Annie's sister's fiance) for a fun little Super Bowl party where it was quite the full house - Nick, Annie, Jackie, Stephanie, Shane, Nate, Nancy Chuck (aka my second family) and the host himself
• Needless to say there was amazing food, amazing company and an amazing outcome of the game... but anyone who beats the Steelers is okay in my book

The host and Jackie

Me and Gil (ughh winter skin is the worst)

So see! I can get through an entire weekend post without complaining (second paragraph excluded)... and I have to say, I feel good - great even. So many times I place all my attention and focus on the negative in my life, that I forget that I have just as many, if not more, great things going for me. I have friends, my own apartment, free time to do what I love and a supportive family.

Sure it's fun, and sometimes even necessary, to sit with your roommate and bitch all night, but it's 10x more fun to enjoy the positive things in life - the things that are often overshadowed by all that's negative. 

Love yourself,

Dedicated or Just Deranged?

I ran 10 miles Saturday morning.


Yes, I said Saturday morning.


The same Saturday morning that rained, then iced, then sleeted then snowed.


Dedicated? Sure..


Deranged? Most definitely.


My face was pelted with ice beebees.


My shoes were wet.


I got strange looks.


Dedicated to training for a spring marathon: Sure.


Deranged for training for a second spring marathon: Most definitly.


Back to sanity for deciding that I'm too busy to train for 26.2 miles: stay tuned....

p.s. I am fully aware that this is the worst quality photo ever. My battery died after the first take. 

Happy Friday?

No. This is what my face does when I think about going to work on Friday. I hate Fridays.

But on a more positive note, I hope you all wore RED today for National Wear Red Day for Women's Heart Health! Heart disease is the number one killer of women - more than cancer...  spread the news and the awareness!

Love yourself.

Endorphins

endorphin en·dor·phin (ěn-dôr'fĭn)  n. Any of a group of peptide hormones that bind to opiate receptors and are found mainly in the brain. Endorphins reduce the sensation of pain and affect emotions.

I'm sure many, if not all of you, have either heard of, or know what an endorphin is - whether it be in your mandatory college health class, your new years resolution issue of Glamour or from your personal trainer at the gym... because we all have one of those, right? oooooff course!


But anyway, I bring up the topic of endorphins, because after some serious daydreaming this morning at work, I realized that this might be the best hormone ever invented secreted. Sure it may take some serious will power and motivation to get those peptide hormones into binding action, but once binded - MAN is the feeling it creates awesome.... allow me to explain...

After a day of constant himming and hawwing on whether or not to attend a spinning class after work, I walked into my apartment with not only a bad attitude, but also with the mindset of sitting on my ass for the rest of the evening, (and mindlessly eating my freezer stash of dark chocolate kisses).... that is until I walked straight into a damn fitness circus that was my living room: My roommate was on the floor in midst of the last exercise from Jillian Michael's 30-shred program, music was thumping and her boyfriend Nick was in a knee bent stance, fist pumping Gill (my roommate) through the last of it....

Okay, I'll be honest, that was a TOTAL exaggeration, but I'm going for a theatrical explanation, so please, bear with me... I'm almost done.


Soon after discovering the madness in front of me, my roommate finished up the last bicycle ab move and  popped her sweaty little head off the floor and, with a total unecessary and chipper voice mind you, shouted "Hey Gill!!!"


....I'm not going to lie, I was annoyed. Here I was all ready to be a total bum the rest of the night, complain about my job, eat chocolate, watch the Biggest Loser - you know, the typical depressed 25 year old evening - but for some reason I felt like I didn't necessarily need to exercise, but that I should exercise..... ughhhh the pang of guilt! Gets me everytime!

And it did. 15 minutes later I somehow found myself in the spinning room of the Urban Active and in the middle of the warm-up to a 45 minute class. How I got the motivation to get there I cannot tell you - but I will tell you that those 45 minutes of intense cycling and loud techno music not only reiterated my hate for Sandstorm, but really got my chemical brain action rockin'. I walked out of that spinning room refreshed, tired and happy - ready for a perfect evening of Biggest Loser, hanging out with *Annick and responsible chocolate decisions. Endorphins, you saved my evening.


So, next time you feel like you want to rip off your stuffed monkey's head in rage, please, stop, think and go exercise. Think about endorphins and what they can do for your mood. Run up the stairs a few times, do some jumping jacks, go to a fitness class - anything to get those endorphins flowing and your mood elevated. 


*Annick - the combination of Annie and Nick.