Changed your book marks yet? Post about Hawaii

Yet another post!
Go to SerenityNowInsanityLater.com/blog

Color Me Rad

The eagerly awaited blog post about the Color Me Rad 5K

To read the whole post, go here: 
 SerenityNowInsanityLater.com

http://serenitynowinsanitylater.com/1/post/2013/05/color-me-rad.html

Come and find me at my new location, please please please!

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

BLOCKED.

New post at

 http://serenitynowinsanitylater.com

 

http://serenitynowinsanitylater.com/blog.html

I've moved!
Don't forget to change your bookmarks, feed, etc.
 Follow me on Blog Lovin!

I've moved!

Its finally happened.

I've moved.

serenitynowinsanitylater.com/blog

I'm excited! Are you?

See you there!

. . .

I'll continue to let you know HERE that I've written a new post... at least for a while.

Add to your reader!

Follow on Blog Lovin!

Book Mark!

titilating tuesday news

Titilating.

Now that I have your attention, please enjoy this very Mundane Tuesday Post ;)

Stinker, aren't I?

In blog news, I'm apparently too stoopid to figure out this whole own and setup my own domain thing. I've apparently created two accounts at Domain.com and Dave from Domain.com has (literally) called me 7 times today trying to get it all figured out.

Yes Dave from Domain.com, I have a day job, and no direct access to my laptop, so please leave ONE MESSAGE and I'll call you back.

K thanks. Bye.

Some day we may need to adjust our book marks, but until then, same bat time, same bat channel.

Side note - we're cooking Quinoa in the rice cooker. Intrigued? So am I! Very excited to see how it turns out. Okay, maybe not "excited", but definitely mildly enthused :) Culinary Adventures, HO! (as of this posting, it turned out great, we used some veggie stock instead of water to add some flavor)

I've also been spending a WHOLE lot of time wrestling with my wanderlust bug. I spent two hours online today looking into Round-The-World plane tickets. Expensive yes ($3-10K) but you essentially travel unlimited for one whole year, wherever your little pre-planned-trip heart desires :)

I know its kind of crazy, and really not financially feasable in the next year, but its nice to have something to look forward to and plan for. Something as a goal!

And I've also (again) thought about, (shock) going back to school for a graduate degree. I mean really, isn't a bachelor's degree the "new" high school diploma? A dime a dozen so to speak? I'm pretty sure my cousin found one as the prize in her Lucky Charms box. So I've been thinking about maybe going somewhere new for grad school, which would kill two birds with one stone.

Again, planning.

Tomorrow, I PROMISE I will write my post about the super awesome Color Me Rad 5K I ran a few weeks ago.

And its Tuesday, so here's some tunes ::
Seriously addicted to Melancholy Hill by the Gorillaz
It popped up randomly on Spotify a few weeks ago and haven't been able to get enough of it.
I can't find anywhere online to embed it here, so go, find, and enjoy!

Need a Vacation? Pretend you're in Italy
Drive fast with a cappuccino in your hand.
Beep Beep!

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

nothing and everything

I am now entering day three of "Snot Fest 2013".

I went home early on Tuesday feeling achey, and then when I woke up 7 hours later, I realized I indeed, have the flu. I'm finally feeling better enough that I feel guilty for not getting anything done. Isn't that fun? I usually take some more NyQuil and sleep it off, just so I don't have to think about it. I'm going back to work tomorrow, but have Saturday off again, just in case I'm still snot-riffic.

So many things going on right now. I hate having my mind free to wander and think about crappy things in my life. I've been having some SERIOUS wanderlust lately. It happens every few years when I hate my job. Hate my friends. Hate my house. Hate my life.

You get it.

I just want to dump everything and run away. The main point here is I really need to find a job in my life that really makes me happy and fulfilled. IE: Lets me travel more. I really really really really need to travel. I've come to this conclusion that its in my genetics.

I've put notice in at one of my jobs. Le Restaurant. I'm just so tired of being unappreciated (aren't we all?!) and pretty much useless. Yes, the money was nice, but I can make up for most of it at Le Cafe, and will be home by 5 every night. Small bonus, especially in the summer months. I liked it there, but I was honestly going NOWHERE, which again, makes me hate my life.

I really need to go grocery shopping. I mean like really really. We're don to just condiments and old boxes of take out. Oh and that stick of butter. Hmmm... what should I make for dinner?

And on the website front. I've officially purchased "serenitynowinsanitylater.com" but am now in the fun-filled conquest of finding a web hosting page, and a web design that I like. What the crap did I get myself into? I had no idea that each thing cost its own amount of money. Lame. Whatevs. I hate blogspot. I must spread my wings and flyyyyyyyyy!

I'm also procrastinating planning my trip to Hawaii. I've had travel books on my coffee table and in my bag for weeks now, and they've yet to be cracked. Why am I putting it off? What is wrong with me?!

Bazinga.

Anyway, enough ranting/rambling. Happy Thursday all, and enjoy your friday and weekend if I don't get back at ya! :)

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

observations

There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this. Ever.

I think obituaries would be much more interesting if they told you how the person died.

I honestly can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

Seriously, how the hell do you fold a fitted sheet?

I would rather carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags of groceries in each hand than take 2 trips into the house.

I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear you computer history if you die.

Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Jeans? Jeans never get dirty.

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blu-Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection... again.

I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Bud Light than Kay.

Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?

Google Maps really needs an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea hat was going on when I first saw it.




Have I missed anything?

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

my domain

I've been thinking for a while that I hate blogspot.

Its been a great little platform for starting my bloggy blog, but I feel like I'd have much more control of how my blog looks and how things work if I got my own domain.

My problem is this: What shall my domain name be?

I'm currently anne-a-bell.blogspot.com, which worked at the beginning, but is honestly hard to tell people, or to type in. Plus, most of the time I don't go by Anne-A-Bell on my blog.

I've been thinking about mcgriddlepants.com, but am afraid McDonalds will send me a cease and decist letter or something. And serenitynowinstanitylater.com is taken (however there are some lovely variations available for purchase) but again am wondering if nbc or jerry seinfeld would be able to come after me. Or would they even care?

Anyway, was just wondering if any of you had any thoughts on this. I have a few blog friends who are on their own domain name. How was the process for you? Did you have a hard time picking a name? Which site did you buy the domain name through?

I'd love some input if anyone has any suggestions or advice on the subject! Or if you have a fantabulous domain suggestion for me! ;)

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

for Boston

I know everyone is on Boston overload right now, but in all this chaos and uncertainty, so many wonderful stories of human compassion and kindness have risen from the dust.

There's not much that I personally can say about what happened, that hasn't already been said. I just feel that out of all the maddness, we are reassured how good the people of Boston are. How good we all are. And how despite all our differences, when given the opportunity, we jump at the chance to lend a hand and help our fellow man.

I just wanted to take a minute to share with you some of the tremendous offerings of support given from all likes of people.

After running for 26 ridiculous miles, when hearing what happened, runners continued on, past the finish line, running another TWO MILES to Mass General to donate blood.

Absolutely amazing.

Other people opened their homes to those who were stranded, or offered lifts to people without transport. A Google document was set up with offers of help. People offering what they had and where they were located.

I love the people of Boston.

And others offering something simple like blankets, a bathroom, and something to drink. They had afterall, just ran a freaking marathon!

 Of course first responders are amazing. Civilians too. Running toward the chaos to help those injured. Some carrying people away from the danger and then going back to help more. One man was caught on camera rushing straight to site where the bomb had detonated, where bloodied people were lying dazed on the pavement. He ripped off his belt to make a tourniquet and stem the bleeding, before turning to assist other seriously-injured victims.

And of course this made me smile:

So I wanted to say Thank You.

Thank you to my friends in Boston who stayed safe and sound.


Thank you to everyone who is good and caring and loving.

Thank you for doing what is right.

Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity.

Some of you know that I ran my first 5K Saturday. (I'll tell you about that later.) I had no desire to run a 10K or a Half Marathon, or even God forbid, a whole, actual Marathon. On my run today, I was mentally complaining to myself about how I was tired and wanted to be finished. But then I remembered the picture of the man in a wheelchair with his feet blown off. I thought to myself "I'm running for those who can't run anymore. I'm running for the man in the wheelchair. I'm running for the little 8 year-old boy who will never run again. I'm running for anyone would give anything to walk, let alone run again. I'm running for Boston."

I know this sounds cheesy. But, this mantra gave me the endurance to finish my run strong. Its moments like these that make me realize how small and trivial most of my problems really are. A perfect time for that ever-so-popular phrase First World Problems.

So I've decided to run a 10K, and dedicate it to The City Boston, and to those affected by this tragedy. To all those who can't run, or will never run again. I know it sounds sort of self-righteous to do this, but I'm not going to make a big deal about it. I'm telling you my bloggy friends, and maybe my boyfriend and mom. It just seems like the right thing to do, for me, to help me make some sense of all this insanity.

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

For Boston, for Boston,
we sing our proud refrain
for Boston, for Boston
'tis wisdom's earthly fane
for here are all one
and our hearts are true
and the towers on the heights
reach the heavens own blue.
for Boston, for Boston
'til the echoes ring again

Lyrics by The Dropkick Murphys

thirty-five

I'm turning 35 this year.

This of course begets the, "What am I doing with my life?", "Am I happy?", "Why the hell am I still friends with this person?", thoughts.

This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide.

You can see very clearly two kinds of people.

On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults.

Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might. They’ve stayed in jobs they hate, because they’re too scared to get another one. They’ve stayed with men or women who are good but not great, because they don’t want to be lonely. … they mean to develop intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don’t do those things, so they live in an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than when they graduated.

I don't want to be like that. Don’t be like that.

I feel like I'm stuck. Don’t get stuck.

I work with a dear, sweet wonderful woman, who forgets to live today. She lives in yesterday and tomorrow simultaneously. She refuses to "grow roots" because she knows shes moving in a few months. It makes me sad because I feel like shes not giving me a chance to be her friend. I have to remind myself that its her loss. Making herself unhappy because she misses people of yesterday, but never looking at today because all she can think about is tomorrow.

I don't want to live like that.

Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. This is what I feel like I need to do. But what? But how?

There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. I feel like I'm in the inbetween.

This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal. I'm asking myself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?” Now is the time.

Walk closely with people you love, and with people who believe life is a grand adventure. This is a big one.

Trying SO HARD to not get stuck in the past, and not try to fast-forward myself into a future I haven’t yet earned.

I try to constantly remind myself life is a journey, not a destination. Try to give today all the love and intensity and courage I can. Think positive. Plan, but not forget about today. This moment. This now.

Do small things. Do big things. Do the things that make me happy. That make me move to where I want to be, but not forget where I am right now.

Today is a gift. Not everyone gets a tomorrow.

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

the one where I lost my shit

*Warning. The post is laden with profanities. 

At times, you may need to avert your eyes*

Do you ever have one of those days?

I mean one of THOSE DAYS?

And it all happened in the course of 20 minutes.

If any of you are Instagram followers, you'll now have the details of my cryptic angry note I wrote out at midnight that night.

Ready? Set. Go!

We all know Mondays and Tuesdays I work doubles. And since the state of Oregon thinks I can't be trusted to drive an automobile, and I live 22 miles away, I've been carpooling (aka begging and mooching rides).

Monday morning, boyfriend drops me off at 545 am at Le Coffee Shoppe (yes, Shoppe, cause I'm fancy like that) with my stuff and the bike. I work there in the morning and then at Le Restaurant during the evening, which I manage, and am off at around 11pm. Since I work the next morning again at 6pm, I've started staying in town at a friend's apartment. Biking the mile there, and then back again in the morning. Think of all the gas I'm saving!

This also means that I have to get all my shit, for two days, packed and put together Sunday evenings.

Cut to Le Restaurant. I have to wait for the dishwashers to finish before I lock up. This usually involves me sitting around for an hour playing on Facebook and Instagram. Waiting. Waiting.

Well this night, Eddie was feeling most-unproductive and took an extra 40 minutes to finish up. Can you say milking the clock? I finally closeup and get my bag and bike all ready to go, head down the stairs and feel for my key.

Fuck.

My Keys.

My fucking keys.

My fucking keys that are on the fucking break table at the fucking-fuck coffee shop.

Its 11:30 pm.

So. Not only can I not get into my friends apartment TO SLEEP. But I can't get INTO WORK IN THE MORNING.

Fuck! Fucking fuck fuck fuck!!!!!!

Side note :: At any normal job, I could come into work with the cook, who is also scheduled at 6am. But since our cook is thinks he can do whatever he wants, he usually strolls in at 6:20. This WOULD be a funny way to let the owner know how late he always is, but I don't wanna be a narc, and also get myself into trouble. He'll get his, someday. Oh yes, someday.

Whats really funny is, these businesses are literally  2 blocks apart. I'm SO CLOSE, yet so far away.

I text an co-worker who might be awake.

Nothing.

I text another.

Nothing.

Fuck.

I text another.

Nothing.

Fuck fuck!

Just when I'm about to freak out, someone gets back to me and offers to come let me in.

BLESS YOU MY CHILD!

So I peddle on over to Le Coffee Shoppe and meet her and grab my fucking keys off the fucking fuck break table. We laugh at me, lock up and say good-bye. Oh won't this be a funny story.

I look at my keys and about to put them in my pocket, and bike the mile to friend's apartment.

When I notice.

Friend's apartment key isn't there.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

Oh no. I gave that key along with my P.O. box key to MY MOM when she checked my mail.

I'm the most brilliant fucking person in the universe.

This is where I almost start crying.

Its now midnight.

I can call boyfriend and have him come get me. Or even bring me the keys to her apartment. But I know he's been asleep for hours. Plus, he'd have to get up and drive a half our, get me, drive another half hour!

I text him my situation. I figure if he offered I'd let him, but I felt really bad punishing him for my stupidity.

I say FUCK IT! And decide to stay at a hotel. There's one a few blocks away. Its a Travel Lodge, it should be cheap, right!?

Ha.

Even ghetto hotels cost SIXTY FUCKING DOLLARS in this town.

Lame.

Meanwhile boyfriend is asking if that's the best rate? I should check the internet... blah blah blah. I'm pretty sure the conversation went like,  "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS. ITS MIDNIGHT. I'M ON A BIKE. I JUST REALIZED I DIDN'T EAT DINNER. I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY TO CHECK EXPEDIA FOR THE BEST DEAL. I'M OVERREACTING AND TAKING IT OUT ON YOU VIA TEXT MESSAGE THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

This is not an exaggeration.

I claimed poverty and stupidity, and the sweet Indian lady laughed awkwardly at me, and got me a $20 discount for God Knows What.

Either way it still cost me $50 to me a moron.

She tells me to take the hallway down and my room is on the left. I can't find the hallway, so I end up walking all the way around the building. Oh, there's the hallway.

I collapse on the bed and can't tell whether or laugh or cry. I text boyfriend, who bless his heart can only say "I'm sorry you're having a bad night." He knows better than to interact when I'm spazzing out.

I brush my teeth and go to bed, as my stomach growls. Stupid stomach.

On the bright side, at least I didn't get bed bugs.

Its okay to laugh now.

I know I am.

On another bright side, I'm now running 32 straight minutes and my 5K is Saturday! Whoop!

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

Twister meets Simon Says... Anti-Gravity Yoga

I love yoga. I've been practicing yoga for a few years now. And by "practicing" I mean mayyyybe once every two months I'll get together with a friend and go.

Inspired by a post written by Salty Mom I decided to drag my friend Allison along and give Anti-Gravity yoga a try.

The class was at Gravitas in Portland, a facility that I HIGHLY recommend.

The whole hour ride up there I was nervous and excited. I couldn't figure out if I should eat before? I didn't want to be full and upside-down. Should I drink before? I didn't want to be dehydrated, but I didn't want to have to pee. Oh life is so hard!

We were about 40 minutes early (oh the excitement!) and were greeted by our instructor. She was super friendly and even gave us a tour of the whole facility.  I instantly felt at home here, and you can't say that about all yoga studios. The space is bright, well lit, painted in rich colors, very feng-shui, comforting, spacious, and all around beautiful. They also have some sort of "wall" yoga, and Gyrokenesis. I'll have to try those too since I have no idea what either of those are.

After she checked us in, she let us play around in the room and get used to the swings.

Nope, not excited at all.

I was also afraid the class would be really big, and I'd be lost, but there were only 9 of us, and six of us were first timers.

Relief.

We were taking a beginning class called "foundation" and it wasn't intimidating at all. We started off with a few easy stretches and simple moves to get us used to the swings.

The whole "swinging" action had me nervous enough, but when our instructor asked if anyone had any issues with seasickness, so I immediately started to feel sick to my stomach. Yay hypochondria! I really didn't want to be "that girl" and ralph all over the yoga floor. Ewww. And even when you're not moving in the swings, you are MOVING. But once we did our first inversion (being upside down) that whole feeling went away and I had no problems. YAY!

The class was not as difficult as I expected.  She did a really great job of showing the class the moves first, then having us try it on our own. She also went around to each person and helped them into more difficult moves. The hardest part is honestly trusting the swing, and trusting that you won't fall out on your face.

One main thing that struck me, as that there aren't many poses with different modifications for different difficulty levels. Its pretty much go, or no. There was only one post that gave me much trouble, and mostly because I'm not super flexible, so I only stayed in it for about ten seconds.

It's definitely a foundations class but there were lots of very nice students in the class and I was surprised at the diversity of the students.  Young and old, equal amount of men and women, some were very fit and flexible and some were like me, not that fit or flexible and needed modifications.

 

"Vampire" was the only pose I really had trouble with.
Stupid shoulders.

 To be honest, there were definitely a few "hurt so good" poses. A few really dug into my hips, which as our instructor called it, were "giving me physical feedback".

Definitely felt this one the next day.
No blood left in my feet.

My friend Allison, the former dancer, dominating "Swan" pose.

 
But the next day it felt sore, like I worked them out, not sore, like they were bruised. It was the weirdest senation, but awesome!

I HIGHLY recommend giving Anti-Gravity Yoga a try! Even if you aren't a big yoga person, its different enough that I think you'd enjoy it. It as SO FUN and I'm pretty sure I'm an inch taller.  Plus, after class, she let us all take pictures, and helped us get back into the poses for photo ops.

We are definitely going back. And we're dragging as many friends along as we can.

xoxo,

McGriddle Pants

 

the one where nothing happened

Its Thursday and its the second of my two days off.

These are the days I try to be the most productive. However I find myself being very unproductive, indeed.

Is this what people who have 9-5 jobs feel like on Saturday and Sunday? Or are weekends usually so packed full of "things to do" that you do more than sit on your ass and do laundry for two whole days.

My busiest days at work are Mondays and Tuesdays. I work TWO doubles, both which total to about 15 hour days, so by Wednesday morning, I am BEAT! I spent most of yesterday sitting on the couch, playing with my blog, NOT writing a blog, doing laundry and a small bit of cleaning.

When tweaking my blog, I made this to put in my "about me" section, but couldn't get the code to work corrently. Stupid blogspot. Someday I'll pay for the mcgriddlepants domain name. I'm pretty sure no one has it. Since I didn't want it to go to waste, here's this:

If it hadn't been for Alison coming to get me to take me to Target, I really would have done nothing.

Success was found in the form of a new pair of shoes. Huzzah!

Today I managed to go for a run even though it was POURING out today. I somehow got outside the 24 minutes it actually WASN'T raining. Thank goodness. The wind was blowing 492 miles an hour, but whatevs. Unbeknownst to me, it was really warm out. All bundled up, ready for it to rain, I set out. about 5 minutes in my eyebrows were sweating. It was, for a lack of better words, uncomfortable.

I did finally find my old iPod. I honestly thought I'd lost it. Its the old-old-old style iPod before there were nanos or touches. I really wanted to find and recover it because it has all my music on it. And I mean ALL. Its been charging for 20 minutes, and it JUST NOW came on. It was that dead.

Back to work tomorrow. Only 8 hours. Yipee!

Then Saturday I will venture to my first Anti-gravity (or Aerial) Yoga class.

A review will be sure to follow.

Happy Thursday/Friday!

xoxo

McGriddle Pants

Tuesday Tunes!

Heard this BLARRING from the dish pit last night at work.

Just amazing.

Absolutely genius stuff.
I immediately kazaamed that shit like Shaq.

Is that a verb?

It is now...

Check it out.
Just do it.
You know you want to.

Xoxo
McG
Mobular and Shit

making strides

Oh Jesus! Its Easter!

Hahaa!

Oh, are you religious? Sorry.

Hope everyone had a fabulous week!

I've been busy busy and when I had two seconds I couldn't think of anything to write! Nothing witty and funny and intriguing anyway.

First, I think I found a font for one of my new tattoos I'm planning...

Thoughts?

And second, I've made serious strides (literally) in my 5K training.

Today I ran for TWENTY MINUTES! 

IN A ROW!

This is a serious, SERIOUS accomplishment for me in just 5 short weeks! Woo hoo!

And of course now I'm exhausted.

When is why I don't run in the morning.

And now I have to go to Easter Dinner.

But I'm excited for wine.

And lamb.

YUM!

I made some amazeballs Bacon-Jalapeno Deviled Eggs.
See my Instagram feed yonder. ==>

And I worked this morning and was forceably required to put bunny ears on my head.
Also see Instagram feed yonder ==>
All in all, a good week.

Hope you all have a fabulous Sunday. Its 72 and sunny. It is LITERALLY the warmest Easter here in Oregon. Ever. WOOHOO!!

Tasteless, I know.

Cheers!

xoxox McGriddle Pants

sunday funday

I really really  need one more day between Saturday and Sunday.

I almost dread Sunday because I know its the last day before Monday.

And Monday's BLOW.

I work a double Monday AND Tuesday, so I just hate hate hate Mondays.

However.

I feel I was really productive this weekend. I worked both days, but was able to almost finish my weekend TO DO list.

SUCCESS!

Plus, I had a hard time all day today coming up with my "UP" instagram photo of the day for Fat Mum Slims photo challenge. I ended up with something on "up" on my bookcase, but Mr. Man thought "up my nose" would have been better. As seen here:

Hmmmm.... who do you think made the better choice?

I'm pretty sure there's some bats in the cave there. Don't look too closely.

Oh - I also haven't seen this week's The Walking Dead so don't ruin it for me. Okay? We're watching it on Wednesday. Oh the suspense!!

Finally. Via facebook (as always) I found a new poet that I really like.

Poet you say? Who the hell are you and what have you done with Anne?!? hahaa!

Well let's just say it was a quote, and I did some research and found that I love a LOT of them. So I guess I like his whole body of work. Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, theologian and mystic. (And my "W" isn't working well right now and its pissing me the FUCK. OFF.) wwwwwwwww w w w  w w w wwwwwwwwwwww!

Enjoy.

Well put.

And beautiful.

I really like him.

Happy Monday.

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

run fatty run

Running and me go way back.

I used to run track in middle school and was pretty darn good at it. I went to state once. I even ran a 6 minute mile back in my prime.

During high school I had a dream of playing basketball so I foolishly didn't run track. Since then I haven't done much running unless it was "To The Border" or maybe when camping and I thought I heard a bear.

I've tried to get into shape and a couple times the past few years with no lasting success. I'd do really well for a few months, either with exercise or eating well, but nothing stuck. I went vegetarian for a month. I even went gluten free/vegan for a week. That was hard-ass-hard, let me tell you. What the hell to vegans eat when they don't eat bread?

But I digress...

Where was I? Oh yes. Running. I've come up with a new plan that incorporates both running and getting into shape. I'm a regular Einstein I tell ya.

I've registered for a 5K. Paid the cash, no refunds or exchanges.

To be exact I've signed up for the Color Run, which looks Ah-Ma-Zing-Ly fun! Basically people throw colored corn starch at you the whole time. Here's some pics

I mean, talk about GOOD TIMES! I've even gotten a few friends and my cousin to come along with me.

Psyched!

So, I've started my "Couch to 5K" app on my phone with a goal to not totally embarrass myself. Ultimately I'd love to be able to run the WHOLE TIME, I'm not gonna hold my breath. Right now I'm on week 5 of my training; run 6 minutes - walk 2 - run 5 - walk 2 - run 6 - walk 5. I go about 2.8 miles which is almost a 5K (3.1 miles).

So back to the whole "lose weight" thing.

I've decided that since none of my other attempts have really stuck, I'm just going to train, as opposed to have a goal of losing weight. I know if I keep running, the weight will come off on its own.

As of today, I haven't adjusted my caloric intake at all. I'm just focusing on running 3-4 times per week, improving my distance and time. The 5K is in about 3 weeks, and after then I'll work on cutting back and/or keeping track of my food.

Baby Steps.

I'm also going to sign up for AT LEAST TWO more 5Ks this year, just so I have something else to work towards. Improving my time/etc. I'm also going to try to find other fun runs like the Color Run. There's one in Bend, Oregon thats a "Beer Run" where you run around town to all the (many) Breweries in town and you get a free Growler at the end. Yes!

Why am I telling you this?

Accountability folks.

If I put it "out there" then I'll have to answer to someone besides myself. Plus a little encouragement from my bloggy friends always goes a long way.

I'll keep y'all posted on my progress, but don't worry I won't give you TOO much since it may be boring to some of you. But I'll definitely post pics from the Color Run. I'm SO EXCITED about this one!

Yay to progress! And fitness! BOOM!

xoxo, McGriddle Pants

friday, friday, friday

He-rowwww!
Happy Friday All!
Hope you like the new look!
BLOG RE-VAMP!

Its a lazy lazy day here today, as I finally have a WHOLE. DAY. OFF.

And as anyone who has ever worked two jobs knows, those can be hard to come by.

I even got to sleep in. And by sleep in, I mean I slept until 7:15. I still find it funny that I'm old enough that I now consider 7:15 "sleeping in.

So there's nothing much to report here today.

Laundry.

Coffee.

Tivo'd Law & Order.

Sleeping kitties.

And FINALLY a little sunshine. The weather here is very schizophrenic. 65 degrees and sun, record rainfall, freezing temperatures, hurricane force winds, and then, another predicted 60 degree weekend. And that was just this week! Needless to say I haven't started my garden yet, since I have no idea what to expect out there. Or maybe I'm just being lazy.

Oh and I was grating some parmesean cheese on top of some Fettuccine Alfredo made-from-scratch last night and grated the top of my thumb off. YUM! The secret ingredient is love. And maybe a little flesh.

Boring post today, but I am trying to be more regular for those of you who are still there with me!

Here's to the return of,

McGriddle Pants    xoxo

Illustrated truthisms from "Things I've Said To My Children"

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

procrastination

Things that seem to take me way longer to do than the average person:

Return movies to Netflix.

Fold laundry.

Buy new tires.

Throw away old underwear.

Throw away holey socks.

Vacuum.

Mow the lawn.

Say, "No thanks, I think I've had enough to drink."

Throw away moldy fruit sitting on the kitchen counter.

Empty the litter box.

Pull clothes from the dryer

Get into the new "it" tv show.

Eat a piece of cheesecake (Ha! Had ya going there)

Do my taxes, even though I have a $500 refund coming.

De-bone a chicken.

Finish home improvement projects.

Find a shirt to go with the pants I want to wear.

Find shoes to go with the outfit I want to wear.

Write blog posts.

Happy Saturday Everyone!

xoxo

McGriddle Pants

Liebster - Not to be confused with Bieber

I've recently been struggling for blog fodder here folks. I feel like my life is boring and nothing is really happening besides work work work. Either that, or I get so busy that I have NO TIME to write anything, and then when I finally have five minutes, you can't think of one. single. damn. thing. to write about.

So thankfully, my bloggy sista-from-anotha-mutha Sofia from The Brewery gave me this little award! She's the best isn't she?

 

And as the award says: 

yay! 

and 

thank you!

Basically its an award you give out to blog friends who you think need more people to know incredibly awesome they are. Like me (uh, right?!). 

Bear with me. 

This was a little like writing War & Peace, so here goes 

Liebster Blog Award Rules: 

1. Share 11 things about yourself 

2. Answer the 11 questions given to you 

3. Choose 11 fellow blogs to nominate {or how ever many you'd like}. The nominees must have under 200 

4. GFC (google friend connect) followers and tell them in a comment on their blog 

5. Think of eleven questions to ask the bloggers you have decided to nominate 

6. Thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog. 

Note: I didn't entirely follow rule number 3... sorry Lieb 

11 Things about Myself 

1. I am obsessed ~OBSESSED~ with Instagram. I'm on that shit like 2 hours a day.
2. I can't roll my tongue.
3. I hear a serious slug phobia. Ugghh. Can't even look at them. And I know, I know... but its a "phobia" because its irrational, duh.
4. I really want to learn a third language (besides English and Spanish) but I can't decide which one! French? German? Italian? This indecisiveness has prevented me from actually learning one for the last 7 years. I'm an idiot.
5. I loooooooooove yoga. But I only get a chance to do it about once a month. *sigh*
6. I love eating al fresco. We don't get to do it much here in Oregon, but the second it stops raining I want to get out there. Even if I'm wearing a ski jacket and gloves sitting under a heater. My boyfriend hates it when its "too hot" outside, which in his opinion, is pretty much anything over 70 degrees.
7. I have one tattoo. Its inspired by my favorite book, The Alchemist
8. I was never a cat person, until I inherited my aunt's kittens when she passed away. Now I'm one of those cat ladies constantly posting pictures of her furry babies(don't worry, they have their OWN instagram page @ThreeWiseCats... Bahaha!)
9. I collect bar mats (coasters) from everywhere I go. I have several framed collections - from my study abroad trip to France, all New Belgium Brewing, etc
10. I feel like I have absolutely no sense of style. I'm just a t-shirt and jeans and sneakers kind of gal. Not necessarily because I want to, but because I have no idea how to buy wear anything else.
11. I always wear mascara. Even when camping/swimming/snowboarding/crying whenever. Its there.

>My 11 questions from Sofia 

1. If you could do an interview with any person, alive or dead, who would it be and why? 
Well I'm not much of an "interviewer", so how about hang out with? I'd love to hang out with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Now wait, wait... Not for the "Incredibly good looking it hurts my eyes" that you might be thinking. But because
A. They seem really down-to-earth, funny, genuine and crazy pranksters. They just seem like they'd be fun guys to go out on the town with and have some drinks and shenanigans.
And B. Because they are really into politics, the environment, human rights and all around saving the world and are incredibly intelligent men who I'd love to have some amazing conversations with.
And C. They're so good looking they hurt my eyes. :D

2. What is your favorite TV show? 
Another 3 part answer. Of all time? Seinfeld. Hands down. That's on right now? Bones. That I watch the most because I Tivo them all and watch 2-3 episodes daily? Any Law & Order. Although SVU is my fav.

3. Why do you have a blog? 
Originally, it as to write about my life and send the link to friends and family, so I wouldn't have to write 15 emails every month. (Lazy, no?)

4. Who do people tell you you look like? 
 I used to get Claire Daines a lot. Like back in "My So Called Life" And sometimes Gwenyth Paltrow. In dim light. At the right angle. From far away.

5. What is your biggest pet peeve? 
Phoniness. Be my friend. Or don't. Whatever, just don't fake that you like me. I'm too old for that shit. (Ain't NOBODY got time for THAT! Sorry had to go there) Oh, and stupidity.

6. If you could re-live high school, what would you do differently, if anything?
Play soccer. Be on the swim team. Run track.

7. What is your favorite characteristic about yourself? 
My empathy. I have a great knack for putting myself in to other people's shoes and understand where they're coming from.

8. What is your least favorite characteristic about yourself?
Short temper. Good gravy can I fly off the handle. Hello hormones!! My poor boyfriend.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
Gahhhh. Everywhere. Can that be my answer? I love to travel travel travel. Berlin. NYC. Paris. Florence. Buenos Aires. Chicago. Fairbanks. Bangkok. Maui.Homes in each please.

10. What is the best advice you have ever been given?
"Sometimes you have to burn a few bridges, to keep the crazies from following you." (not an original McGriddle Pants quotes, but still good advice)

11. If your house was on fire, and you could only grab three things (not people or pets) on the way out, what would they be?
My laptop, because all my life photos are backed up on there.

My Nominees

Denise @ blah blah blah

Baby Sister @ La Esquina de la Estrellita

Erin @ Musings of a Madwoman

Mrs. Ruby @ Ruby Red Slippers

Ashton @ Journalistic Musings

and

Alison @ Alison Claire's

Sorry its not 11... but I just haven't been keeping up on my blogs recently!

My 11 questions for My Nominees 

1. Chunky of creamy peanut butter?
2. Name one food you just can't stand.
3. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?
4. What is your usual order at Starbucks (Or similar coffee shop) ?
5. What as the last movie you saw in theaters?
6. Would you rather be an Olympic athlete or win American Idol?
7 what book do you think everyone should read, but no way in hell would you share your own copy?
8 Have you ever gone vegetarian or vegan? If so, how long did it or has it lasted?
9. Skiing or Boarding?
10. Who taught you to drive?
11.Do you have a favorite item of clothing for any reason?

Alrighty! Have fun fellow bloggity bloggers!

xoxo,

 

McGriddle Pants

Pub Crawl Scavenger Hunt

So last night I had the most fun ever. Like pretty much ever.
My book club had a

PUB CRAWL SCAVENGER HUNT

Organized by yours truly.

When I as doing research for this I had a hard time actually finding any ideas, so for shits and giggles I'm posting our list here. I STRONGLY encourage you to use this list and embark on your own hunt.

There were about 20 of us in all, and we broke into three teams. Each of us took this list and we had to take photographic evidence of each activity/drink/item. My plan was to "review" each teams list, but as a participant myself, I was pretty buzzed after 3 and a half hours of scavenging and ended up taking everyone at their word. And honestly,

 If you can't trust drunk book club ladies, who can you trust?

Here's my list, and a few pictures as well. Enjoy! 

Photos of Activities

 Man (not in group) wearing lipstick (5)

 Photo of a woman with a mullet (5)

 Team member on stranger’s shoulders (10)

 A team member sitting on a toilet (5)

 Team Pyramid (15)

 Rock, paper, scissors (5)

 A flag (3)

 Exactly 27 human fingers (3)

 A bear (2)

 Picture of the Queen (2)

 Entire Team wearing shirts inside out (5)

 Clock showing 9:17 (2)

 One mate & stranger w/spoon on noses (5)

 Someone playing a pin ball machine (5)

 Lunging on a dance floor (3)

 An angel (2)

 Put a bird on it! (2)

 Your entire group jumping mid-air (5)

 An unshaven female leg (20)

 Eating a picked egg (10)

 A team mate singing karaoke (5)

 Picture of team member’s reflection in a beer mirror (5)

 Become friends with the Snug Bar bartender, Robbie Wilson  (25)

 Photo proof of visiting each bar, consuming at least one drink, per team, per bar (2 points per bar, 50 points for all 16)

Souvenirs:

 One PBR bottle cap (3)

 An Illinois Quarter (10)

 A sword skewer stick (3)

 Take out menu from China Delight (5)

 A coaster from any bar with the bartender’s signature (limit one per bar) (5)

 Book of matches (2)

Drinks: *Consumed by someone on your team

 Diffusing (drinking) a jager bomb (3)

 A green drink (5)

 A blue drink (5)

 A white drink (10)

 A red drink (10)

 A Beer Sampler (20)

 A margarita (20)

 PBR tall boy (2)

 Drink with an umbrella in it

 Drinking from the beer tap (30)

 Drinking Beer Upside down (15)

 Chugging a beer with a stranger (10)

HIPSTER Bonus Round

 Plaid (1)

 Comic book/cartoon tattoo (2)

 Tattoo that makes no goddamn sense whatsoever, like a fucking scribble or something (10)

 Keys & bike lock hanging from belt loop (5)

 Someone wearing their hood up while indoors (2)

 Ear gauges (2)

 General malnourishment (10)

 American Spirits/other hippie cigarette (5)

 Dude wearing a headband (5)

 Proudly-displayed pit stains (10)

 Chain wallet (2)

 Anyone who brings an iPad into a bar (5)

 Jorts (cuffed or cut-off, scored equally) (20)

 Weather-inappropriate clothing (2)

 Suspenders (5)

 Belt made from a piece of rope (10)

 Unnecessarily high socks (10)

 Earbuds IN/or headphones ON head while in a bar (5)

 Neck beard (10)

On Strangers Shoulders

Drinking Beer Upside Down

Finale

Team Pyramid

Drinking beer from the tap

This was just a really funny picture.