Making a Plan.

School is back in swing and it already feels overwhelming and nuts.  This weekend I NEED to sit down and make a plan. I want to be organized so that I can have room in my life for not only school and finishing up but for my other personal goals as well.  I'm really stressed out about finding a job this summer and for next fall.  It also overwhelms me to think about it.  I need to clean up my place and prepare it to be a productive work space. I need to figure out which days I'm going to the gym.  I need  to grocery shop and make a meal plan for myself.  Its been itching at me to do these things but I've been on break for a month now and am just getting back into the structured schedule.  Deep breath.  I can do this. 

Summer of Epic Awesome.

Summer is in full swing!

This is a tad long... but it's fun!

So basically I'm on a mission to make 2010 the best year ever. And guess what? So far... so good. See 2009 was basically a terrible year for me. It was the year after college graduation and I spent it in a job I did not like most of the time (and had to commute to COMPTON for, working in politics is not glamorous people, it sucks), living with my grandma because said job did not pay enough for my own place in Los Angeles (I was in Pasadena) and I boyfriend and I were working out a lot of issues in our relationship and it was hard. He also moved in New York City at the end of last year sticking me in a long distance relationship. I also put on weight and just fell into this funk.

So anyway. I was forced to leave my comfort zone and make some big changes. I had been through the rejection of Teach for America after reaching the final round (and putting in a TON of work) which was the first time I had been officially rejected for anything I applied for. Little did I know I would soon be 'let go' from my job for being 'a bad fit' after a YEAR of blood sweat and tears. I had worked my ass off for this man as his field rep! He had always told me how great I was how much he loved me etc. etc. and come to find out his scheduler (who I thought was my friend but happens to be his close family friend) had a personal issue with me and basically asked for me to be fired... ummmm ok? And hard work means what? There is A LOT of other crap about that but the point is I was forced to move on.

Luckily I had applied for Spring admission to Columbia University's teaching program (with every intention of deferring to fall IF I could get in). I expected rejection but I was admitted! Awesome! No need to make a new plan- it was like I had planned for this work ordeal without knowing it. I mean my acceptance letter came like 1 week after I was let go.

ps- this movie was filmed at my ungrad institution and that building is at my school.

SO awesome times in 2010 BEGINS. I had less than a month to pack my life up and move to NYC, a place I had only been once...

Since moving here I have fallen in LOVE with my school and with teaching. I've NEVER been so passionate about something like this and it feels really really good. It also feels good knowing that I'm at such a prestigious and regarded institution. I've worked so hard for something like this. And I got all A's or A-'s for the first time in a while this semester.

My relationship is on such a great track. I can count on one hand the amount of fights we've had since I've been here (5 or 6 months) and none of them have been terrible. We have grown together and trust each other. We are close in a way I never knew was possible (and now he's in CA and I'm a sad girl).

So here I am in NYC until July 1st for summer school. I have AMAZING travel plans that I will continue to talk about in another post but for now I want to have an equally amazing June. These are a few questions I will ask myself; did I learn something? Was I creative, am I more fit, cultured and happy?

I'm off to a great start. My mom was in town and we went to a Broadway play (my first!), saw Glee! in concert at Radio City Music Hall, took a boat to the statue of liberty, went to the John Lennon memorial, the turtle pond, Wall Street, Tiffany's, 5th Ave, Trump Tower and little Italy. (picture below)

Just today- I woke up, went to the gym, took the train out to Brooklyn and picked up a used sewing machine (I plan on making a dress) and went to my first cake decorating class. We learned this-

mine are better. :).

Tomorrow I'm going to Mood a la Project Runway for fabric for my dress and I'm going to see some friends.

Other plans I have are- another Broadway play (Lend me a Tenor), a trip to the ballet, more cake decorating, MUSEUMS galore (they are free with my ID), gym gym gym and class. I have some other ideas too but we'll see how time goes.

NOW enjoy some pictures!

What awesome do you have planned?!

Come on Girl

OK so here is what is happening on the transform myself front:

I need to improve:

Exercise

Eating- sometimes. When I eat alone I'm good... when the bf is near... we get fried chicken.

I've decided I'm going to keep a daily food log on here. I will never write it in a journal.

KEEP ME ON TRACK BLOG LAND

I also bought a scale.... so things are shaping up. Homework has been crazy lately so my schedule is wonky.

I HAVE been doing pretty well at getting up at a reasonable time though which I'm enjoying.

Tomorrow is a bussyyy day and I'm hoping to cap off that good accomplished feeling of a busy day with a work-out. That would be great. Also I need to clean my place but that can wait until Wed. or Thurs. when my projects are all turned in.

Also a new Sunday night tradition will be to weigh myself. I'm not feeling awesome about publishing my weight but I will chronicle pounds lost each week. LETS HOPE FOR BIG NUMBERS. If I could get five pounds that would be great.

for this week pounds lost- 0lbs (starting point).

Ok world. HERE I COME! Spice up my life.

So here is the dealio folks (or just me I guess). I have become some what of a *ahem* lazy slob. Back in LA when I worked full time for a politician I was always on the go. This resulted in a few things, good and bad: I had a regular schedule and was up early and did things pretty much all day. This often meant a good gym trip before going home and a good nights rest.

Well dears my world has essentially fallen over... or east. I live in NYC now for school and it all happened very fast. I was "let go" (whatEV, I was totally fired because I was white. E-mail me for THAT fun story) from my job and about two weeks later was admitted to Spring semester school. I had about three weeks to pack my stuff, celebrate Christmas in Oregon, return to LA, apply for loans ETC. Somehow I did it. I guess I truly was converted into a worker.

Anyhow... since arriving I only have three classes that happen once a week for two hours. I don't have a job because I collect unemployment and have loan money and a live in a FABULOUS one bedroom apartment which persuades me to never leave WAY too much.

Well I need to get my ass in gear. I have put on some pounds which a really hate... since I started dating my boyfriend he has been egging me on the food train and I need to just stop. I don't fitnesize anymore because I miss 24hr fitness.

I don't necessarily eat greasy icky things but I have become an incessant snacker. Strange for me but I guess here we are. And once it starts... oh boy.

Here is what I resolve to do before the beginning of next Fall (holla summer school)

1. Excercise WAY more. I am hopeful spring starts soon so I can take more advantage of wonderful Central Park, my favorite NYC destination. Also go to the cheesy school gym and use some of the work out DVD's I bought that sit on my shelf. I am interested in trying some of the Netflix stuff too.

2. Cut out red meat. So cliche I know but I need to focus on fruits and veggies right now. We miss each other.

3. Cut out sweets aside from the following forgivable indulgences- sorbet, merengue (sp?), fruit with fat free whipped topping and fat free gummy treats if I really have a craving... I don't really crave candy though. Mostly ice cream.

4. Stop buying so much snack crap for the house and buy more carrots, celery and fruit which means a DREADED trip to Trader Joe's. I hate that its dreaded but the Trader Joe's in Manhattan is RI-DI-CU-LOUS. That line winds all the way around the store. I digress.

5. Get up umm, before noon? So my day isn't rush to finish homework, shower, eat and class. Or my day isn't just totally wasted lazing out. Let's say 10am. Not super early but I'm not a morning person.

6. Pace my homework so I'm not rushing to finish it all and leaving out readings and not putting my all into assignments. Right now I am doing well be I have a LOT of assignments left to turn in and I want to kick IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL BUTT.

7. I want to do my all natural facial remedy again.. if I ever get a good readership I will share it. It is AMAZING. I got it from my BFF who got it from her beautiful ageless g-ma who clipped it out of a newspaper like 40 years ago. Cool.

8. With my school ID I can get into almost every museum in NYC FOR FREE. I haven't been to ONE. I WILL see them all before I leave this place.

I will be accountable to THIS BLOG if nothing else. Lord knows my boyfriend loves his Mcdonalds.