The Final Countdown

In a month, I turn 30. As the date nears and I enter this new chapter of my life, I get more and more anxious. Is this where I thought I would be at 30? Why am I okay with my life 95% of the time and then the other 5% of the time, I compare my life to others?

It's frustrating. It's not encouraging. And it will depress me if I dwell on it any longer.

So, I'm not going to. Let's celebrate our lives as much as possible. I'm proud of my professional accomplishments. I'm proud of the fact that I didn't force myself into marrying young just because I thought that was the plan. I'm proud that I realize the importance of fitness and a healthy lifestyle. I'm proud of myself for learning the value of a dollar. I'm proud of the relationships that I do have and have cultivated.

So let's go into this final countdown with a positive attitude and hopefulness.

xoxo,

Liz

Babies, Fitness & Grits

It's Monday.

Last week was crazy busy so let's do a recap and remember why we love each other and keep this relationship going.

My good friend from college was in town with her new baby, Nate. We met. He drooled. I played with his hair. I feel like the whole meeting went extremely well. I admire Shelby and her continued wisdom she bestows upon me. One day I hope to have a new baby that can journey with me to Houston to meet her and her family. 

Y'all, I got the baby fever. My body has taken over my brain and all rationale because I want a baby and I don't care about anything else. I always laughed when women would bring up having baby fever and how ridiculous the whole concept was to my robot heart. It's not ridiculous. It's real. And it got me good. That is, until an "evil" child ruins it for all of the other adorable, quiet babies.

I've been using most of my free time to workout. I have Class Pass and tried out a couple new gyms last week so be looking for those reviews later this month. It was Tax Free Weekend in Texas this past weekend so I got some new running shoes. I'm supposed to be training for the Disney Land Half Marathon I'm running over Labor Day but I keep just going to cross training classes instead. My bad. I have high hopes of running this week even if it's on the treadmill instead of outside. It's just too hot. The high over the weekend was 106F and that's just disgusting. It's not even satisfying to go cool off in a pool because the pools are like bath tubs this time of year.

My parents have been getting out of their comfort zone on the weekends and trying new neighborhood's hotspots. On Saturday, I joined them for lunch at Hattie's in the Bishop Arts District. Hattie's is southern-style comfort food. I had the fried chicken. My mom had shrimp and grits because she can't resist grits and my dad had pulled port and grits. I tried everything. Everything was delicious. It's a fancy southern place so I recommend it for special occasions. I was slightly disappointed that they do not serve brunch on Saturdays because brunch is my favorite. Guess I'll have to come back on a Sunday.

I'm in the process of packing up my apartment because I'm moving in September. As I'm packing, I'm trying to purge. I want to live with less and join up in the minimalist trend. I like things. I like clothes. I like shoes. I like make-up. Purging pretty things is difficult for me. So far, I've taken an old computer to the electronics recycle. I have also donated 30 pairs of shoes to Salvation Army. Let's see if I can keep this pace up. This week I have every intention of purging old sweaters and other winter weather clothing. I'll let you know how it goes.

How was your week? Ready for school to start back up? Or maybe your commute to be worse since school is starting back up? I know I'm not.

xoxo,

Liz

It's In The Stars

My horoscope this week said that I should refocus my attention on my social media presence.

Pucker up, Virgo. 

Yes, it's Friday and the end of the week, and I'm now getting around to updating the Internet space on the happenings of my life. Some big things have changed in my life since March. I have a new job that I'm finally feeling comfortable in. I have perspective on how quickly life can change after seeing that a childhood friend had taken her own life. The power social media has to celebrate our happy moments and also hide our demons is overwhelming to me. I know, I got deep just then. Remember to tell your friends and family you love them and continue to have patience for those you love. You never truly know what someone has perceived in their head and how they're feeling.

PSA over. Now on to the opinions about things and stuff...

- Working on making new work relationships happen. It's hard to leave behind a group of friends that share in the same work stressors on the weekly for a new group of people that aren't quite relatable, yet.

- Eating Lean Cuisines again. The new gig doesn't have a cafeteria and grilled cheeses aren't that great the next day. :)

- Drinking SO MUCH COFFEE. For some reason, I'm currently suffering from not sleeping well. I think it's because I refuse to turn my AC down anymore than 76F and it's sweaty, y'all. It's just so damn hot in Dallas.

- Exercising through Class Pass. I've found that I really like pilates and cross fit. And the community all of these smaller boutique studios provide. Everyone is so nice and helpful. I've only been to one studio that was like crazy town. The music was loud. The people were pretentious. The atmosphere was just not my style.

- Wearing lots of dresses because I can't seem to make it to the dry cleaner in order to get my pants cleaned and no one likes a lady in dirty pants. 

- Reading "Wife 22" because I think The Everygirl told me to buy this book like 3 years ago and I never read it. I did just finish Mamrie Hart's "You Deserve A Drink" and that book made me laugh out loud on a plane many, many times. You should read it because you deserve to read it. 

- Watching all of the Comedy Central magic they have right now. "Another Period" and "Inside Amy Schumer" and "Why" and I'm sure whatever else they decide to release this summer. Summer is for laughing. Oh, like "The Meltdown." Watch that.

- Netflixing "Gilmore Girls" because what an amazing show. Women figuring themselves out. Making mistakes. Making memories. Reading lots of books. Somewhere I have saved a book list from that show and I have probably read like 3 books off of it. Goals. I have goals. 

- YouTubing Colleen Ballinger now Evans and Josh Evans because they're adorable and vlog all of the time. Their wedding video is on YouTube. Makes me want a dotting man in my life but I currently have other priorities.

- Listening to all of the amazing Spotify playlists those music editors over there make. I look forward to the TGIF playlist every week as well as the mood booster playlists they post throughout the week. I enjoy the variety. I love my playlists too but it's nice to be pleasantly surprised when a song comes on that I wouldn't have found on my own. 

- Podcasting nothing. My podcast queue is soooooooo long. It's hard for me to listen to podcasts at work now because most of my tasks involve typing or reading and I can't multitask words in my ears with words that I have to type. 

- Hating when people don't complete a thought. Don't bring something up and then not elaborate on it. Complete a thought or don't bring it up.

- Loving spending quality time with my friends! I have become a home body as of late. There are some weekends that I don't leave my apartment. Because of this recent attachment to my couch, I appreciate the time I chose to hang out with my friends more. We have quality conversations and get to catch up on everything important rather than sitting next to each other at a bar watching the "whoevers" play the "whatever their names are" in whatever sport. I encourage you to try it! 

xoxo,

Liz

I finally did Cross Fit

I was and am still skeptical of CrossFit. I know too many people who have injured themselves while trying to keep up with a class. But, there are CrossFit gyms included in Class Pass so I gave it a try. The first class I went to was their Performance class which is more for lifting heavier weight and doing more intense things. I chose the class because of the time it was offered. I didn't look at the description. The instructor, Joe, was patient and gave modifications to myself and another newbie so that we wouldn't strain our bodies. Awesome. It was my impression that instructors often forget about the new people and just push them to do what everyone else was doing. This was a pleasant and welcome surprise to the class.

Yesterday, I went to the their Fitness class which is the stereotypical fast paced, many reps class style that most people associate with CrossFit. It was awesome. Again, Joe gave me modifications for some of the moves because I'm new to CrossFit and also because I'm short. 

I attempted a pull-up for the first time in my adult life. It was hard. I have a goal now to be able to do a full pull-up in the coming months because wow, I could do those when I was a kid and I like doing things that the kids do.

So here is my review broken down like all of the other classes I've been taking recently. 

Cardio - We started class with a quick 400m run down a portion of the Katy Trail that's next to the gym. My pace is slow and even slower for a warm-up but I didn't feel like I was holding the pace back for the class so that was good. At the end of class, we did a 5 min interval moving quickly through 3 exercises to see how many times the set could be completed in the given time. This was a burst of cardio with strength mixed in. It pushed me but again, I felt that I kept up with the pace of others in the class.

Toning - CrossFit is a class for building strength. We did lunges which contribute to tone and then also did pull-ups or modified arm exercises that will eventually tone these wings of arms I have. 

Studio Accommodations - The studio is a garage in the back of an older house adjacent to the Katy Trail. The equipment is well organized. They have restrooms and a shower and a water dispenser. 

Instructor Energy - The instructor had high energy and was encouraging for every member of the class. He made us feel like we were working toward a team goal in addition to our individual goals. Joe corrected people's form and pushed people to go faster or do more weight which is exactly what a good instructor is supposed to do. He never checked out throughout the entire hour long session.

Music -  The music was high energy and nostalgic, my favorite combination. There were new rap slash hip-hop songs as well as songs from my high school years. It allowed me to give my brain a break and sing along when I could. I appreciate mental breaks sometimes more than physical ones. 

Confidence - I know it sounds cheesy but today, I feel stronger. I'm really, really sore but I feel stronger. Watching others with similar body types to my own pull their bodies up to a bar and hold weight above their heads is encouraging. I understand the high that most people get after a class like this. I feel accomplished and I'll be back. 

Overall, I give CrossFit Katy Trail five out of five stars or flexes or whatever scale I'm using to judge these classes.

I wish I had a buddy to go with me but everyone in the class was so nice and encouraging. The community around CrossFit is pretty cool. I like this gym. I can't speak for all gyms but Katy Trail is just right for me. 

Go out and get fit, y'all!

xoxo,

Liz

Pilates is Hard

So today, I figured I would review the most recent class I took which was Beyond Preston Hollow.

Per the website, this workout is described as "Pilates Hybrid Interval Training on the REFORMER and CHAIR. No cardio equipment in this workout. Highly recommended 1x week as an active recovery day." I had never been to a strictly pilates studio before so I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. Let's just say, my abs hurt today and I don't think I need to do lunges for a few days. :)

Cardio - This type of Beyond class was more about toning through resistance. There was one 4 minute interval of cardio that was all. Which is stated in the description so I wasn't disappointed.

Toning - Wow. My butt and legs are still sore from this class. I worked hard. I strongly suggest this type of workout for toning.

Studio Accommodations - Boutique-like studio which has a welcoming tone and staff. There was a place to put your personal items and no space was wasted. 

Instructor Energy - The instructor was high energy, positive and aided attendees in finding the correct form for each of the movements.

Music -  The music was upbeat and songs that you could sing along to if you weren't concentrating too hard on the movements. I had to concentrate pretty hard because I had never used the pilates reformer before. I enjoy music where I could sing if I needed a distraction from the pain.

Confidence -  I felt great after class. I was sweaty, sure, but I walked out with my head held high. It was obvious to me during class which muscles I needed to pay more attention to in order to become stronger. It appears that I have been neglecting my abs (which I knew) and my back muscles. The two kinda go hand in hand so I wasn't surprised, I had just ignored them in order to work my thighs. Everyone has that one part of their body that is visible to them in a not so positive way. For me, this is my thighs. Now, I know that I can't just work my thighs if I want to be stronger. Thanks, pilates. 

Overall, I give Beyond Preston Hollow Pilates Remix five out of five stars. I'll be going back. 

I also love Beyond 500 Henderson and that review will come out soon! :)

Happy Workout Wednesday!

xoxo,

Liz

The Internet is Full of Wonders...

It's Follow Friday, y'all.

Here are the things you need to know.

Favorite Trend on Twitter and therefore, Insta...

#corgisploot

#corgisploot Tweets

Favorite Snapchat Accounts

You know who I'm going to plug right?

@realmametown

Deal with it.

Favorite App

Just discovered IFTTT and it has changed my social media game.

Here are my favorite recipes...

I love that now I can post a photo in Instagram and it shows up as an image on Twitter instead of the link back to Instagram. It's magic. Also, if I like a photo (that's public) on Instagram, it gets uploaded to my Tumblr so, BAM! Efficiency.

Gotta make the Internet do work for you.

The only downside is that if you have more than one Instagram or Tumblr, you have to pick one to do work for you. You can't pick and choose accounts within those apps.

Favorite Funny Person On Twitter

Ashley Skidmore of #hotmessmoves on YouTube

She makes me lol big time.



Okay, I'm done. Happy Internetting!!!!!

xoxo,
Liz

I'm late! Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Due to the fact that I did not get home until midnight last night, I'm late on my YouTube Review. 

Here are some of the gems that were posted in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day by the three lovely, hilarious ladies I can't get enough of. You have to start with Mamrie's video in order to get the full effect of the next two. I promise it's worth it. 

There is nothing more spectacular than a genuine reaction to something potentially bad happening. I've watched this video several times and each time, I laugh.

I think Hannah doesn't understand how quarters works...

Everyone loves a good limerick.

Three friends got together to have fun.

Something bad happened that made one want to run.

Hannah kept chill while Grace lost her sh*t.

The accident turned into a good little bit.

And now the drinking is done.

Yeah, I struggled for that last line. You come up with a limerick. It's kinda hard.

Hope you had a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day!

xoxo,

Liz

Hi, Blog! It's me, Liz!

One thing I wanted to do when I started this blog was review all of the workout studios that I stumble into. I've recently become a Class Pass holder which allows me to go to all kinds of workout studios. 

Within Class Pass, you can favorite specific studios.

And see your schedule for the week.

So today, I figured I would review the most recent class I took which was Pure Barre.

I'm going to try to standardize my reviews so let's dissect Pure Barre based on overall cardio, toning, studio accommodations, instructor energy, music and confidence.

Cardio - I moved the entire class time. There were glimpses of standing still but that was it. Each set was brief and there was zero time to get bored.

Toning - This is the goal of barre class. To tone. To tone women's bodies because butts and thighs are our problem areas. I hope I get toned but as far as I know, Pure Barre instructors don't take the time to make sure participants are in the proper form. While positive feedback from the instructor is always welcome, there were zero corrections made to people's form. I think that's a little odd for a class whose main purpose is to tone.

Studio Accommodations - The studio was cute and neat and modern in appearance. There was merchandise to buy as well as cubbies for personal items. 

Instructor Energy - The instructor was positive and lively. She cheered us on while still being firm on when to make changes to the next series. At times, she had to almost yell because the music was so loud.

Music - Too loud. And like a club but without any vocals or semblance of a melody. At times the music didn't even have a beat. The whole class style relies upon a beats per minute or bpm to keep everyone in sync. 

Confidence - Are you confident when you leave class? Do you feel good or feel defeated? I felt good but I think part of it was because I had been to a barre class before and knew where my body needed to be. 

Overall, I give Pure Barre 3 out of 5 stars because it was fun but at the same time a little frustrating. I've been to better barre studios. And by studios, I mean The Bar Method. 

If you have the option to go to either, I suggest The Bar Method. 

My face pretty much sums up the impression the class made on me.

Go workout, people. It's fun and weird.

xoxo,

Liz

Holy Cow! It's March.

I think it's quite obvious that I have neglected this little blog for the past month. 

In lieu of a real post, I'll just give you an update on all the things I'm currently loving / doing / hating. I usually save a post like this for my Tumblr but I've neglected that little blog as well. All of my Internet efforts have been put in to catching up on YouTube channels and videos. It's a tedious and daunting task. It also requires very little creative energy from me because I'm consuming rather than creating. 

Whatever, you get it. Onward with the meat of this post....

- Working on a transition. I have been with the same company for six and half years. This month, I'm going to a new company, doing a new job and working with new people. It hasn't started yet but as I wrap things up at a job I love and know and am passionate about, I'm excited for a new challenge and also incredibly anxious. New things are scary. I think it's scarier because I'm at a point in my life where having a career means something to me and I don't want to mess it up.

- Eating food I cook at home. So far my home menu has consisted of grilled cheese, pancakes and pasta. Lots of pasta. Baby steps, you guys. Baby. Steps.

- Drinking out of these super cute tumblers that my sister gave me for Christmas. Recently they've held mostly gin and tonics. Gin and I are good friends. We have a respect for one another that makes me feel good about drinking alcohol which I like and prefer to how vodka typically makes me feel.

- Exercising through local classes that are included in ClassPass. I am sooooooo glad Class Pass is in Dallas. I love studios. I love the whole class environment and now I get to go to new studios and mix it up because Class Pass is here. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep up my schedule with the new j o b. 

- Wearing an incredibly shapeless black sweater / sweatshirt I bought at Target. It works with everything. I'm obsessed.

- Reading Amy Poehler's book "Yes, Please." It's a slow crawl through this book because I've chosen to nap on planes recently rather than read. I'm tired. I like naps. I need to make time to read when I'm home. 

- Watching "Pretty Little Liars" with the most anticipation I have ever had. "A" the primary villain is supposed to be revealed in like two weeks and my body and mind and soul is ready to see who the heck this person has been. Also, I've been getting pretty into live-tweeting through ABC's TGIT situation. The "Grey's Anatomy" folks aren't as into it as the "Scandal" folks but it's pretty entertaining. I love seeing other famous people live-tweeting about the show. I feel like we're friends even though we def not. A girl can dream. #TeamInternet

- Netflixing "House of Cards" as soon as another snow day kicks in which I believe will be tomorrow if the cold front keeps it current schedule for Dallas. I haven't started season three yet but I'm ready.

- YouTubing Connor Franta because he's adorable. Also, Meghan Rienks because she's goofy and pretty and for some reason I feel like I relate to her weirdness. 

- Listening to Disney music because I just got back from Disney World and I want to go back real bad. Even as an adult, Disney is magical and makes you feel things whether that feeling is nostalgia or awe or triumph or just happiness. Also, I know all of the words and enjoy singing along even if my cubicle mate doesn't necessarily enjoy it...

- Podcasting Ear Biscuits because it is back. I love Rhett and Link. I have no idea how they get people to say all of their feelings and tell their life stories but I'm into it. 

- Hating how ungrateful some people can be about the life they have. While Disney World was a great vacation, there was one person in our party who was a total buzz kill (even though she was constantly buzzed) and made me worry about her life way more than I care to. Look lady, you're married and have beautiful children and have a job and now you're on vacation, BE PRESENT. I wish people would take more time appreciating where they are in the moment rather than worrying about the next thing or involving people in their worries when they really should keep shit to themselves. Yes, I'm resentful because she stole my vacation from me. Yes, it was my choice to devote brainspace to her but still, she was hard to ignore. Rude.

- Loving all of the kind words from my coworkers as I embark on a career move and leave them. I have received so many kind emails or hallway chats encouraging me to take this next step and be confident in my ability. I am so grateful for all these people and their words. It makes the transition a little easier.

Well, there ya go. 

What have you been up so far this year? Anything I should try? Feel? See? Listen to?

xoxo,

Liz

HAIR!

I made a playlist of hair styles to try. Here it is. 

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Liz

Obviously, I took a Break

I took a break. The holidays and family and general adulting became overwhelming to me in the month of December. Last year was a roller coaster in my wavering maturity.  Looking back I can honestly say that it was my YOLO year. I ate too much; I spent too much; I definitely drank too much. I did give up smoking so that is a positive.

Challenge: Be more positive in 2015 about love, career and lifestyle.

I saw this on Tumblr and it is encouraging to me. 

That is all. 

xoxo,

Liz