Project self-improvement starts today. There’s no time like the present…right?

I’ve been thinking for a while that I should be eating healthier, I should be taking better care of myself and doing things that overall make me happier. I realize that for most people reading this you’re probably thinking isn’t that obvious? Well yes and no.

For as long as I can remember now I’ve been afraid of failure, which I’m sure is true for a lot of people. Doing things that make us happy and finding that the end result is rewarding is the best feeling, but for some reason I have a mental block of some kind…something in my subconscious is being a negative nelly telling me I shouldn’t work as hard for something because there’s the possibility of failure. I know it’s cliché to speak of a light bulb moment, but that’s really how I currently feel about my life as a whole. My light is turning on, I’m realizing what needs to be done and I’m hoping I have the strength to power forward.

My parents and I have challenged each other to see who can lose the most weight by the end of February. Having said that… I’m not doing this whole self-improvement thing to lose weight… I’m doing it to be a healthier, happier version of myself, the person I know I am and the person I know I can be.

I know I will struggle, but that’s ok. I’m not setting an unrealistic goal and I’m also not going to hold a specific weight loss number over my head. I don’t want to set myself up for failure; rather I’m just going to do small things here and there to ease my way into my new skin.

With the help and encouragement of my close friends and family I am going to transform myself into a more positive and active person.

Week 1 starts today. My goal? Drink more water. My friend (who is amazing, just completed a triathlon, eats healthy, and has the cutest dog) is being my mentor and she suggested that I drink a glass of water every morning and before every meal. She said that most times when your body feels hungry it’s most likely craving water. Drinking more water before, during and after meals will help you stay hydrated, feel full faster so you don’t eat as much, and it’s good for you (I know last few words are horrible, but it’s true).

So…(with water glass lifted) cheers to you and here’s to self-improvement! Read More

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I've been quite lazy for the past few days... and it's been incredibly amazing. I'm in Montana for the holidays with the bf. My last day of classes was last Thursday, wow a whole week ago. I found out I got a B+ in my photo class and a B in my Speech Communications class. I was really hoping for A's, but I can settle for B's. These classes are tough, if I do say so myself.

I have been trying to get myself back into the twitter world and now the blogging world. I think I am going to make one of those blasted New Year's resolution lists and keep myself as close to it as possible. Maybe you would like to help keep me accountable?

Speaking of twitter. There was a conversation today about "Old King Clancy" and it had me interested, so I moseyed (mosey is a funny word) on over to Urban Dictionary to find out what it meant.

The funny thing about my curiosity is that just last night we were having a conversation about sayings similar to Old King Clancy. I'll let you in a couple of them because I'm just that cool. If you would prefer not to be enlightened (or grossed out) I wouldn't suggest moving ahead in this post. It might get a little sticky for your tastes. (hehe I am a teenage boy, but not really, but sorta)

Rusty Trombone - having someone lick your asshole while giving you a blow job
Donkey Punch - punching someone in the back of the head while performing anal sex on them
Cleveland Steamer - taking a shit on someone's chest
Dirty Pirate - when being given a blow job the guy gizzes in his partner's eye and then kicks her in the shin, so she hops around on one leg with one eye open
Meatball Bulldozer - when a man is able to stick his penis and balls in a woman's vagina at the same time

Ok so I didn't say that was going to be pretty. Funny? Yes. Have I done any of these? No. Have you done any of these? Well...I don't really know that I want to know, but to each his own.

I hope you have not taken offense to this post, because I love you all and hope to see you back again soon. I promise I won't make every post as educational as this one. *wink* Read More

Well hello there! I can't sleep, so I decided I would post about last night's nonsense.

My roommates and I were getting ready to leave the house for a bit and all of a sudden we all heard a woman scream. This was no ordinary oh no I'm being tickled or I have just been frightened momentarily kind of scream. This was a holy shit there is something definitely wrong kind of scream. I was definitely worried.

I was standing outside our front door when I saw an SUV drive by with said screaming girl in it. About 10 seconds later the SUV pulled over across the street and turned off it's light and engine. Weird. The girl continued to scream. She wasn't saying anything, she was screaming like she was in pain or there was something seriously wrong.

My two roommates, two of our neighbor girls and I walked closer to the vehicle without getting too close and just watched and listened. I yelled, "Are you ok?" No response and then there was silence. The girl abruptly stopped screaming. We couldn't see anything because it was dark out and we have no street lights. We listened some more and yelled again to see if she was ok. Still no answer.

I was impatient, so I said, "If you don't answer right now I'm going to call the sheriff's department."

No answer.

So I called 911. I gave the lady my name, address, and told her everything that was going on. Her response, "What city?" I told her, and she told me she had to transfer me to someone else who I then had to tell the entire story to. This poor girl could be being murdered for all we knew and this lady wanted to transfer me? WTF?

The man I spoke to told me he would send someone to investigate and gave me the number to call back and make sure they found this girl.

I waited about and hour and a half and called back. Their response? "We got in contact with someone and everything is fine." The end.

Ummm... that's crazy and I don't know how I feel about that happening in front of where I live, especially since I supposedly live in one of the nicer neighborhoods in Santa Barbara. Read More

Two posts in two days...oh my! I know I can't believe it myself.

This is my third session here at Brooks Institute and along with my photo class I am taking a public speaking class. I didn't ask to take this class, I'm just that lucky I guess. If you can't sense my sarcasm here you should know that I am totally being sarcastic. I don't mind speaking in public, but there is just some sort of stigma I have associated with speaking in front of a class in which I'm being graded.

I decided to make myself a list of things that would help me with my speech:

• Don't chew gum
• Dress to impress
• Make sure you don't have lipstick on your teeth
• Wear shoes (preferably closed toed)
• Be prepared
• Speak clearly
• Relax... but not so much that you fart because that's no fun for either party
• Do not picture the professor naked (my friend suggested I do this and you know in theory that might be a good idea, but really? I think that would only be distracting and awkward. Just sayin'.)
  

These are only a few things I'm going to try to keep in mind over the next 6 weeks I have this class.

Note - Last session I was in a group where we had to give a presentation. One of the guys in my group did not wear shoes. He was barefoot. Not cool. The teacher was not impressed and neither was I. I told him if he didn't wear shoes for our next presentation I was going to hurt him. Read More

Last week was my break week between sessions, so I went home to Nevada. It was a good trip. I got to see my parents, D, and some friends and I got a LOT of sleep. It was great.

I just thought I would pop in to give a few friendly bits of etiquette for traveling:

• Do not spray perfume/ cologne on an airplane, train, in a car etc.
• Do not sit on top of me in my window seat to take a picture out the window
• Do not be a creeper and stair in my direction the entire flight even if you're looking out the window (it's creepy and there is a possibility I will punch you in the toothless grin)
• Do not leave your suitcase in the isle so everyone walking by will run into it
• Do not try to sell me your aderol
  

If you were wondering, yes all of these happened to me. No worries, I'm fine. With some therapy and a shower I will be back to "normal" in no time. Read More

Hi! Remember me? Yeah I didn't think so. I can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged. It makes me sad, but I'm also really happy because the reason I haven't posted anything is because I started school almost 4 months ago and I've been busy ever since. I'm not going to give an update just yet, because I just want to talk about the rain right now. mmmkay?

So it has been raining here for more than 24 hours. WTF? I'm from northern Nevada where if you don't like the weather you can wait 5 minutes and it's bound to change. I am now in southern California and it's been raining for SO long. I'm not used to be in rain like this. It's a bitter sweet feeling, it truly is.

Love Rain:

• the smell
• just standing in it
• the puddles
• snuggling under a warm blanket

Hate Rain:

• the puddles
• not having the appropriate clothing/ accessories to go about the day (i.e. rubber boots, umbrella, rain jacket)
• people drive like maniacs
• it's COLD

Ok so I won't continue to bore you with my lists, but you get the point. It has been a long cold day. It has also been a good day though, so that's even better.

I miss you all in the blogosphere. I feel like I've been missing out on so much. I only have a week and a half left in this session and then I have a week off. I'm hoping to take that time to catch up on some much needed blogging and blog reading. I'm sure you have all written me off and don't even remember who I am. That's fine. I still miss you. Read More

Ok so this past weekend? Crazy, exciting, fantastic and full of amazing new beginnings. If you didn't know, I attended the Bloggers Invade Sin City debacle in Las Vegas. There were so many amazing people that attended and if you were not able to make it know that you were missed and this won't be the last meet up of bloggers, so you should totally be there next time.

I'm not going to lie, I did kind of feel like like an outsider at times looking in on so many people enjoying the company of others, but all in all I think it was worth the 8 hour drive one direction to get there.

About an hour before I arrived in Vegas on Friday I got so nervous I contemplated turning around and going home. I thought to myself what if these people don't like me? What am I getting myself into? Who do I think I am driving 8 hours to a meet up of people that probably don't even read my blog and won't want to after this? You know what? I hope that's not the case and I hope you are all as excited to meet up with me as I am too see you again. If that means I will be the weird awkward one in the group, so be it.

Everyone who attended was so different, yet we had so many things in common, and there was never a lack of good wine or conversation. One of my only regrets is not taking more pictures. Luckily there were so many other people with cameras I don't have to worry about being able to look back and remember the craziness that ensued. Let me also say the pictures I've seen do not even come close to doing these ladies justice. They are all so beautiful and unique in their own ways.

Some things that stick out in my mind about the weekend:

• Kerri being the first and last person I saw the entire weekend.
• Being greeted by Rachel and Andrea in the lobby to go up to the room. Andrea was my super cool room mate for the weekend and she was/is awesome.
  
• While sitting by the pool with Amanda on Sunday morning waiting for Kerri, we saw a British man dressed as a ninja turtle.
  
• Having dinner at a buffet with just about all of the bloggers in attendance.
• Getting blisters on my feet the size of toes walking from one end of the strip to the other and back again. (It was worth it.)
• Sharing a cheese plate with Nicole, Andrea, and Doni. Have you ever had a cheese plate? One that includes 7 different kinds of cheeses? One that does not include American or cheddar? OMG, if you have not, you're truly missing out. I felt sophisticated and full at the same time. Nicole - Thank you for not eating my hand when the cheese plate was delivered to the table, I know how much cheese means to you and I am honored that you allowed me to share it with you.
• Wearing shorts with pockets under my dress, so I could keep my phone in my pocket. I was afraid someone was going to steal my purse and I wanted to at least have my phone, so I could call someone and cry. Luckily I came home with everything I left with and some.
  

If you were not mentioned here, it's not because I don't love you. Every single person on this trip touched me in a different way. Some physically, most mentally (wink wink). Read More