Well, today is the day...Happy Birthday to Me :)

Well it is my 30th birthday and I am proud to say that it was such a great one. From sun up to sun down it was a beautiful day, the only thing missing is that I was not with my guy or my Cincinnati friends. The pro, I was in Topanga, California with Terri, Jim and the monkey. I was able to wear capri's and sandals on my birthday. Yes, on December 9th I was able to frolic outside and enjoy life.

Birthdays are normally hard for me. I am always down with celebrating someone's big day but for me I never feel quite right. Besides being with Terri I think what made this a great birthday is because I felt great, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I can not remember a time in which that was possible, I think for past birthdays I felt like life was passing me by. I did not feel as if I was my true self but on December 31, 2009 I prayed to God and I vowed that 2010 was going to be a good year. I was going to be my true self, resist the urge to hide and embrace all the wonders and beauty that God has given me.

My life started to change when I did the Free journey at Crossroads. In the journey I opened myself up and I had conversations with God. I felt heard and loved. I also had a life changing event when I met Caleb Michael. I met a man who was my compliment. I did not know such a man existed and now I am so happy. In addition I worked on my 30 by 30 list. I challenged myself to reengage in activities I loved and lost in my maturing in age and I also pushed myself to do things that I never thought I could do (i.e. run in a half marathon!!).

Today besides being my birthday is the day in which I realized that I am not perfect and that is fine. The world did not end. No one is judging me and I am cool with that. It has taken me such a long time to get to this point. I did not complete my 30by 30 list. I made strides but it is not complete. I do not feel like a failure but instead I feel like it is not over, I have so much more that I want to do that I will do.

I started this journey because my best friend Kara inspired me. I sat down in April 2010 and thought of 30 things that I liked and things that I used to LOVE but due to school, work and trying to have a life I let fall to the wayside. All of the activities accomplished has a blog posting, due to the high volume of things I did do, I did not include a link to every single one so I will give a brief synopsis of the accomplishments. Here is my walk down memory lane......

1. Be a vegetarian for one week: this is something that I still want to do. I feel that I did not give it the honest shake that it deserved. I tried for one day but realized that I did no research and I am not going to just eat cheese sandwiches and eggs for the entire time.

2. Train and participate in a 1/2 marathon: I completed this by doing the Cincinnati half on October 23rd. It was so amazing and I loved it. My journey was full of tears, sweat, doubt but also encouragement, love and motivation. Because of this I plan to try to run one every year. I finished in 2:53 and the best time ever for me. I am truly proud of myself and my supportive friends.

3. Go hiking: this was completed on May 29th in Hocking Hills, Ohio: Old Man’s Cave with Caleb Michael. I now am better prepared to engage in this activity. In the future I will not wear white and khaki and I will not get my hair done. lol

4. Go camping: in the traditional sense this did not happen, but since Terri's place was outdoorsy I cheat and kinda count it. But this is something that I am going to do, I want to go camping in the traditional sense, I think it would be fun.

5. Visit a different state: wow was this ever achieved. In 2011 I visited West Virginia with Kara and Heather in July, New Jersey with Danae in August, Virginia in November with Caleb, Wisconsin in November with Caleb and California in December with Terri.

6. Upgrade my wardrobe (10 new outfits): this was achieved in buying of lots of dresses and some pants.

7. Cook a new dish at least twice a month: I cooked so many different meals, I have not blogged about all of them but I will.

8. Learn a different language (Spanish/Sign language): I signed up for Mango online and after one chapter I stopped. I need to be a bit less ambiguous with this one for next year.

9. Take chances (don't let my anxiety take over!!): this is a continued work in progress but I would say that I am doing well with this one. I think that I am very verbal in expressing myself and even though I have some doubts I do take chances.

10. Drop at least 20 pounds: at time of this posting I am not sure but I think I did okay.

11. Save at least $500: I tried saving but it was not as much as I had planned. But considering that I was able to take some great trips I am thankful that I had the funds for that.

12. Pay off at least 3 credit cards: I paid off Staples & Lane Bryant. I want to count my Visa card but I ran it back up. So I count this as a success because in theory I did pay off 3.

13. Switch my license, my plates and my tags to Kentucky: did not happen. It costs so much and I spent a great deal of money this year already.

14. Start a blog and write weekly: I was doing well with this one until after Thanksgiving, but I do count it as a success.

15. Stock my wine bar: it is completely stocked with various flavors of wine

16. Finish decorating my house: not quite achieved but it is getting there.

17. Go to an away sports game: on a date with Caleb I went to soft ball game in Miami County, Ohio in which he was coaching for Special Olympics.

18. Read at least 8 new books: I read my books: Chelsea, Chelsea bang bang, Gods Behaving Badly, Greek Mythology, Helen of Troy, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Eat, Pray Love, The Portrait of Dorian Grey, Twilight

19. Have a total spa day (full body massage, mani, pedi and hair: I did not do this either. I got a nice hair style but I did not do the whole spa day.

20. Visit/take part in at least 3 cultural events: I went to the Butterfly show, Kara's music recital, the Cincy museum and also the Greek Festival

21. Take a tour of a winery: for dinner and drinks I went to Valley Vineyard

22. Take a road trip preferably to some place new: I went on so many Hocking Hills, Ohio, Nitro, West Virginia, Pentwater, Michigan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Lotus Grove, Virginia/

23. Finish my doctoral portfolio: this was completed in September and submitted in November 2010.

24. Buy my birthstone jewel either as a necklace, ring or bracelet: I brought Phillippe!!

25. Take an art class: completed on August 21st Leaf Sand Casting

26. Make something, be it a pillow or a quilt: I did not make anything like a pillow or quilt but for my art class I made something that would look great outdoors.

27. Watch the sunset on the beach: in Michigan for Michelle’s wedding.

28. Do one crazy thing: I took part in Mystery Hole in West Virginia. I was ill for a day :(

29. Take my grandma to lunch or dinner: did not do this.

30. Let people in my life know that I care about them: I did this via Facebook where each day a group of individuals were given a shout out!!

So that was my year. It was amazing and I loved every minute of it. I am ready to embrace my 30's and beyond. The era of my 20's is gone but not forgotten. I cherish all of the memories I have, good or bad because it made me who I am today. This is the beginning of .......

Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to Wisconsin

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Today I am in Milwaukee with Caleb about to meet his family. We drove from Englewood and it took a little over 6 hours due to some traffic, rainfall, the quick stop and the fact that everyone was out on the road trying to go somewhere. But we made it safe and sound and were able to get some sleep.

Last night on the drive here I actually got to speak to his mom. It was kinda cool, it makes meeting her today less anxiety provoking. I am bummed that I will not be spending this holiday with my mom. I think this is the first time ever that I was not with her for Thanksgiving. But I will give her a call and check in on her.

Besides this being Thanksgiving this is also another state crossed off my list. Granted it is not official until I eat a meal here, but that will not be a problem. We will be here for four days and three nights and I am super pumped to spend it with Caleb and to go exploring. I will write more about this trip to this wonderful city and my interactions with his family upon my return.

Virginia & Washington DC

Caleb and I made it to Virginia and back and we still like each other so bonus :P It was a wonderful trip. I felt so rested, I met a portion of his family and I really liked them. Caleb told me that they liked me also which is awesome. It is so hard meeting new people for me because it takes me a while to warm up, but when I do it is hard to get me to shut up. Granted I don't babble all the time nonstop but once I am comfortable being around people I feel more like myself.

The drive back and forth was not that bad at all. My Honda made it with no issues, even though I left the interior light on overnight (gotta love my new battery). I ended up putting roughly 1200 miles on the car and now I have the confidence that my car can survive and make a road trip.

His family was so warm and friendly just like Caleb. The interaction and outcome of this trip greatly lessens my anxiety over meeting his mother, brother and sister in law next week. Granted I am still nervous because it is new, but I am thinking positive thoughts and know that things will be okay.

So I took on two states this trip Virginia and DC. I am so happy that we got to go to DC. It was so wonderful and beautiful. Being there stirred so many emotions in me, happiness, awe, anger, sadness, hope, I can go on. It was wonderful being there with Caleb. I am happy to say that we traveled well together. It is great that we are both so low maintenance and easy going (which can be difficult at times when making decisions since we are both up for anything).

While in Washington we walked around National Mall and we saw the following:
The Capital Building

War World II Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial Park

Vietnam Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

The White House aka Obama's Crib

Washington at Night, beautiful end to a wonderful day :)


We went shopping, sight seeing and just had low key fun with his family. It makes me a little sad that at this point in time my mom is being angry and not wanting to talk to me but I continue to have hope that she will come around. Until she does I am going to enjoy getting to know his family and spending time with my guy. Hopefully next year he and I can drive to meet Traleathea in Texas. We spoke about that while driving back to Kentucky so depending on his time off it may happen. He gets 3 or 4 weeks off a year, but since 2 of those weeks are already determined it is really a week off.

We are also planning on going to Seattle for a vacation in July hopefully. He gets a mandatory week off roughly around the time of his birthday so my hope is that we can go there to celebrate his birthday (turning the big 30) and this will be another state for me to visit that I haven't so far.

Well I guess that is all for my update. It was so wonderful that I am sad to be back. The only thing making it worthwhile to come back is being back with my little Bud Bud (oh and my awesome friends too :)

Next week I will give you an update on how Wisconsin and meeting the family goes. I am sure it will be fine, like Caleb told me once, just be myself and they will like me. Well, until I write in you again....

One month to go....

Oh snap where did the time go?!?! I have one month to go and I will be 30. For the first time in my life I am not worried, sad, or feeling blah about my birthday. This year has truly been one of the best years I have had and I can only thank God for that. Last year as I laid down sick on New Year's Eve I made myself a promise and I vowed that 2010 would be a great year and so far it has been.

I have actually grown up in my relationship with my family. Instead of being the passive one who got walked on, I have been standing up for myself. The costs of standing up for myself has been harsh but I told myself that it had to happen. I don't know what the future will hold but I can say that I took a stand and I love the freedom that it has given me.

Another thing that made this year great is that I devised a 30 by 30 list. Thirty activities that I wanted to do before I hit the big 30 and I can say that there is a high chance that I will not complete the list in the remaining time I have left. I think that my list will be short of 2 or 3 completed items, but I have done so much with my time that if I don't complete this, I will have no regrets and I will eventually do it. Maybe I will devise a list of things to do my first year of being 30 and the items that I don't do will be on it. (See I am always thinking).

My friends are still amazing and gifts that I am so blessed to have. I can truly be myself with them and tell them anything and still feel loved and accepted. It has taken me so long to feel that way. I felt like if my friends knew the true me that they would not love or accept me. It is so wonderful being proven wrong.

Caleb is the new addition to my life this year. I met someone who is similar yet different from me and I love that. He is the calm to my mania. I like to think that we pull something new out of each other that makes us that much more awesome (lol). I feel that I can be myself with him and not feel judged. I enjoy the time we spend together and that he makes me laugh, think about life, and cherish the moments I have. He has helped me with so many items on this list and has been there with a hug, kiss and smile.

There are so many things that I love about this year and some regrets that I have. I have completed a total of 17 activities, 8 are in progress and 5 I have not even started. The 8 that are in progress will be complete by the time of my birthday, of the five that I have not even started I am thinking that 2 won't be done (changing my plates from OH to KY and the full spa day. I have been racking my brain to see when I can do that but I can't. Before my birthday I don't have any free time to do all of the activities in one sitting. But if I can schedule this before my birthday then I will count it as in progress which will be better than not even started.

The beauty is that I am living my life and enjoying my time. This list has enabled me to find myself, my interests and share it with the people in my life who mean so much. One more month to go .....

Another state to visit :)

Well, I am about to go out of town tomorrow with Caleb to Virginia. I have not been to this state and before meeting him, I did not think Virginia would be one of the states I will visit this year. No, we are not going for a vacation, I am going to visit his sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Well, I guess I can consider it a vacation, we will be there Thursday to Sunday so it will be a vacation but also a meet and greet. I am kinda nervous but excited at the same time. We are driving so it will be a 9 hour drive which will be made better due to us both driving my car. I am praying that my car will make the drive. I am sad that I can not bring Buddy so he will be boarded, but I am thinking this will be a great trip. Well this is all for now, I will give an update once I return.

Going out to California way

Just got my birthday present a mere 38 days before the BIG 30!! I am heading out to California to visit my friend Terri. I will get to see her, husband Jim and her little baby boy Aidan. I am super excited.

I was a little worried that I would not go. I have been planting the seed with my friends since February and last weekend I emailed both Terri and Thu to check and make sure it is still okay. Unfortunately, Thu canceled on me, and I thought the same will happen to Terri but it is still a go. I am on my way out to California way.

This is so exciting. The ticket was only $259.30 so not too bad. I will be staying with Terri so room and board is free. I will probably bring about $250 for the 4 days I am there. That should be enough (hopefully). Maybe I will even get to see Liza from Boston College. I am so stoke, never been to California and that will mean that I traveled to 6 different states this year. I am loving life right now. Until I write in you again...

My marathon journey

So I completed another wonderful activity by running in the First ever Cincinnati Half Marathon on October 23, 2010. How awesome is that :) Let me recreate this journey.

I started running with the Running Spot in July with the goal of running in the Oxford Marathon September 26. Ann and I joined this club totally afraid and wondering what did we get ourselves into. I never thought that I would be able to run but I raced with my running group which was HARD. I used to hard core run on the treadmill but taking that to the outdoors is difficult. As time went on during my training, running on the treadmill got boring and all I craved was to run outdoors. During my running my right ankle would hurt but after running a certain distance the pain would go away (apparently that was my endorphins kicking in). But one morning, August13, I decided to run up Dixie Highway for a total of 11 miles. It took my 2:45 minutes. I was proud of myself and felt good about myself and my upcoming race.

The downside is that after that run, my right ankle began to hurt constantly. Nothing I could do would help the pain. I stopped running for weeks which turned into months. I went to a clinic and was informed that I should not take part in the Oxford Marathon. I cried and came to grips with the fact that I can't run. I spoke to Caleb and Danae and felt better and in time decided to do the Cincinnati Half. I decided that doing the Cincinnati half would be the best thing to do because it was the first ever for Cincinnati, close to my home, and the course was advertised as being flat.

I registered for this race, Danae registered and I decided that I needed to train again. Too bad that I decided to train 2 weeks before the race. The cool thing I kept telling myself is that I ran 11 miles before, I can do it again.


Race day 10/23/10 went off well. Caleb, Matt and Doreen saw Danae and I off. Around mile 3, Maggie was on 5th Street cheering me on, I saw Doreen around mile 5, I saw Joe my coach around mile 8 and at the finish line I saw Maggie and Ann cheering me on with a completion time of 2:53. I could not believe it. I did the race that fast, under 3 hours. I felt so amazing and I pushed myself but not too hard. I met up with the rest of my friends 20 minutes later or so. I felt so accomplished and the thought in my head was that I will never run a half again, but then again I decided that maybe every year I will take part in the Cincinnati half. I don't know, it is too early and I am in too much pain to commit.

Danae ended up finishing too, so proud of her and every step of the way she had a smile on her face and tunes on her iPod. After taking pictures and coming down from the great high, we all left the area. We had a celebratory 22 oz of Woodchuck and Caleb took me to Zip's for the best burger ever and dessert at Aglamesis Brothers. It is amazing how great the day was and how far I have come to make this journey. It was a great end to the perfect day.

The reasons I...

I hate you for many reasons and it is time that you understood why. I hate you because you are beautiful, I hate you because you want to be who you are, I hate you because you are everything I am not, I hate you because I am selfish, I hate you because I do not understand, I hate you because I am bored, I hate you because you don't look like me, I hate you because the Bible justifies it, I hate you because I am one of the elite, I hate you because I have nothing better to do, I hate you because I am afraid, I hate you because it makes me part of a group, I hate you because it is easy, I hate you because I believe I am doing God's work, I hate you because of my twist on the past, I hate you because I can not move on, I hate you because your religion is different then mine, I hate you because deep down I hate myself in some way. Even after this tirade of ignorance I am still wondering why people have hatred?!?!?!

I love you because you are beautiful, I love you because you want to be who you are, I love you because you are everything I am not, I love you because I try to be selfless, I love you because I understand, I love you because I am interested, I love you because you don't look like me, I love you because that is the best thing to do, I love you even when I am afraid, I love you because it makes me a better person, I love you even when it is hard, I love you because you are one of God's creatures, I love you because the events of the past, I love you because I can see your faults and accept that, I love you even if our religion differ, I love you because deep down we all want and need to be loved, I love you even when you make me cry, I love you when you don't understand me, I love you when your not around, I love you because I want to, I love you even when you hate me, I love you because that is all I know how to do. What a wonderful world to live in if we were like this.

Hopefully my love will touch others and hate will disappear. No I am not naive, I know hate exist in the world and I am sadden by it. The hate in the world if it win out would prevent me from having the life that I have now. If hate prevailed, the people in my life would not be in my life and that would make life unbearable. There is nothing positive that can come out of hate, but the possibilities are endless if there is love.

I never really thought about being hated. Maybe I just had rose colored glasses. Looking back on my 29 years of life, I have been called the "n" word several times, I have been overlooked, I have been talked about negatively just for being black, I have lost communication with people because of the choice I made regarding who to spent time with, and when I think of that I have cried but I never get angry because I know that I am not WRONG and I will continue to be who I am. If you can not accept that, that is your loss. So for the people who choose not to get to know me because I am Black, guess what???? You are losing out an knowing a great person if I say so myself :P

I think that who you love and who you are is something wonderful, special and unique with the only thing I have to say to that is be true to yourself and know that I love because I do....and if you doubt that just revisit the reasons why I love list :)

July's Specials

So I have a new love affair with Chicken Salad. Granted not everyone makes it so yummy but I just love how creamy, and just how awesome it is. So for my first July meal I wanted to make a cool and tasty Chicken Salad with all of the ingredients that I wanted in it. So this is an original and it was very good. As Caleb would say, "I should open a restaurant".

Here are the steps to follow to make Keyta's Awesome Chicken Salad:

1lb of boneless, skinless chicken
2 TBS of olive oil
2 stalks of celery
1/4 cup of diced green onions
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
3 TBS of chopped pecans
2 TBS of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash and dice chicken into cubes
2. Boil water and place chicken and 2 TBS of olive oil into pan (special note, I remade this reciep in October and instead I used bone in chicken with the skin and I baked it-I still put the olive oil on the chicken, by baking it the chicken is more juicy but either way baked or boiled this is great, the only thing is after baking let cool, remove skin and then cut chicken off the bone and continue following directions).
3. Drain chicken and place in medium bowl
4. Add sour cream and mayo (more can be used to make salad creamier)
5. Add dry ingredients (pecans, celery, cranberries & green onions)
6. Enjoy because it is good ( I added cheddar cheese and placed on a warm tortilla wrap)




My next meal was Ribs, Greens, Macaroni & Cheese. I wanted to do something different to my ribs so this time I marinaded them. I also just wanted to make some side dishes to make a filling but delicious meal.

Ingredients:
1 pk of Collard Greens
1 small hamhock for seasoning
2 TBS of olive oil
1 pk of Pork or beef ribs
For marinade (1-2 cups of red vinegar, salt & pepper, garlic powder, brown sugar)
barbecue sauce
3 cups of macaroni
2 cups of cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 TBS of butter
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash greens and place in pot of water with hamhocks and 2 TBS of olive oil (total cooking time is 3-5 hours)
2. Mix together ingredients for the marinade then place ribs in for 35-45 minutes
3. After ribs have marinaded, bake for 1-2 hours, take out add barbecue sauce and put back in the oven for 25 more minutes
4. Cook macaroni as directed on box
5. In skillet mix butter, sour cream, milk, cheese, salt and pepper until you have made a cheese sauce
6. Mix cooked macaroni in skillet and add to baking pan
7. Add more cheese if desired and cook for 35-45 minutes
8. Remove from fire and enjoy your meal
*9. I did not make the corn muffin but it made an excellent addition.

My 10 on 10

So I decided to do a 10 on 10 on the best day ever 10/10/10. I got this idea from my bestie Kara who got the idea from some other smart individual. That is the beauty of blogging, you have your idea and you look at others and gain inspiration. But, today was a fun filled day that I truly enjoyed and it was even better capturing it all in picture form.

This will be a day that I will remember and one that I will cherish. The highlight as always is that I got to spend the day with my guy Caleb and I had the opportunity to go to my second Bengals game of the season. Even though the Bengals lost terribly, it was still an interesting day with the best guy a girl can ask for. So here is my day, from the first thing I see in the morning, Buddy Jo to my awesome Phillippe rounding out my day. So please enjoy my day, because I did :)


The first sight I am blessed to see every morning :)

Caleb helping me make some breakfast...yummy


Wanted to grab some items from the local CVS before heading downtown.

The Bengals game is about to begin :)

Get it together boys....


My favorite picture of the day :)

Ref made a BAD call... but that still would not have helped us

While still at the stadium, I needed to capture something pretty after an ugly loss.

The fountain of knowledge....

Last pic of my day

June's Masterpieces

So I decided that instead of following someone else's how to I wanted to be creative all on my own. This month I made some Chicken Fried Rice and Chicken Pesto Pasta. I was more impressed with the Chicken Fried Rice. I will totally make that dish in a heartbeat. The Chicken Pesto Pasta is something that I need to restructure and do over. I am not saying that it was bad, because who wants to say that they made a horrible dish, I am just saying that it could have been a LOT better. A note, the meals below are single serving but just add more in order to accommodate the crowd you are feeding. Well, without further pause here are the creations I made in June.

Chicken Fried Rice: hopefully the picture does this dish justice.



Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice
4-6 oz of boneless chicken
1 egg
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1/4 cup of soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse off chicken and cut into bite size pieces- rinse green & red bell peppers- slice and cut into pieces- in heated skillet add Tbsp of olive oil, chicken, red & green peppers-add salt and pepper as desired. Cook rice for 10 minutes then drain.
Once chicken is cooked, add rice and another tbsp of olive oil. In separate bowl scramble egg and add to skillet. Cook until egg is done, add soy sauce and ENJOY!!

Chicken Pesto Pasta



Ingredients:

4-6 oz of boneless chicken
1 cup of pasta
3 tbsp of pesto
2 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Romano Cheese

Directions:
Rinse off chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Cook pasta for 7-10 minutes, until tender. In skillet add olive oil, chicken, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes and add drained pasta. Add pasta to skillet and add pesto. Cook for an additional five minutes. Put on plate, add cheese and enjoy your pasta.

Guess what?!?!?

Today I registered for the Cincinnati Half Marathon. Yippee :) I was a little bummed that I could not do the Oxford, but the more I thought about it, with my injury it just made sense to not attend. Ann did and I am happy for her, but I feel more comfortable and eager to do Cincinnati. Caleb will still be rooting me on and Danae said that she and Matt may walk it with me, so I am happy. So October 23rd is race day. I got new shoes and tomorrow I will be going to the podiatrist and hopefully he will give me 2 perfect thumbs up. Well this posting will be short, but I am super excited that I registered and I am ready. Well hopefully. but I believe that I am :) Until I write in you again...

A bit scared

So this post will focus on my thoughts. The problem is that these thoughts although they have been plaguing me as of now they are not very fluid but I am trying to piece them together. I am scared and that is not easy for me to admit. I worry about so much that I think it puts a damper on my otherwise goofy personality. I don't know what to do or say and that is not normally like me. My heart is very heavy and my mind is racing and trying to put things together. I am trying to breathe but it is not helping ease my being afraid. What can I do? Where should I go? Goodness, I need an answer but would I like the answer. I am crying and it is not cleansing me but only making my tears flow more. I need help, I need guidance......I just need well I don't know.

Slacker no more

So guess what I did????? I finished my doctoral portfolio. I am so excited and pleased with myself. It took large amounts of typing, proofreading and being creative. I worked so hard on it and I am proud of the finished product. I wish that I completed this earlier but I guess I needed the inspiring 30 by 30 list to motivate me to finish.

I met with my committee chair Dr. Watson today and he briefly looked at it and told me that he can tell that I have been working really hard on it. The next step in the process is he will look it over and we will meet and discuss his thoughts. Once we meet and I make the corrections I will turn it into a memo type book and give it to my committee. They will then read it and we will have a meeting and that will be the time in which I orally defend what I wrote and how I have achieved competence in the field. I can not wait and I am dreaming of the day when the nickname Dr. Keytabell is true :) Well this is my entry for the week, I really wanna write more on different topics but my hand is sore from hours of typing so....until I write in you again.

Sunset on the Beach

On August 27th I drove from Covington to Pentwater Michigan to witness the union of Michelle and her long time boyfriend Colin. This weekend was the first time I got the meet Colin, who I accept as my brother in law :) Being here also gave me the pleasure of spending time with Michelle since our Florida trip in 2008.

In regards to my list, I wanted to see the sunset on the beach. This is something that I am pretty sure I have done before in passing but to actually sit and watch it is so beautiful and calming that even the most harden person would melt. Watching the sunset off of Lake Michigan was able to wipe away the horrible 8 hour drive (through Indiana) and ease the sadness of being in a romantic and beautiful setting without my date.

But when your with loved ones, your never alone. Thankfully, I had a nice runner up for the sunset watching. My buddy since January 2000 Michelle. She stopped what she was doing to watch with me as the sun set off of the water. It was so breathtaking and peaceful. I fell in love with nature all over again by witnessing that sunset. I felt a sense of wonder and I said a prayer of thanks for giving me the opportunity to see this beauty.

Here is another shot of the sunset, to give you a mere glimpse of the beauty. I am so happy that I put this item on my list. Granted I love every item that is on my list but this one truly made my heart smile.

Tears and doubts

So I received some bad news at the clinic yesterday at The Running Spot. The doctor informed me that I should strongly reconsider doing my marathon on the 26th due to an injury. I cried so much when he told me the news. I have been training so hard, but not the proper way. I don't stretch and my shoes are a bit older so that combined with having a previous injury (fractured my foot in 2007) I should not be surprised that I hurt myself.

I am now at a crossroads. Should I run/walk on the 26th and risk hurting myself more or should I bite the bullet and just do one of the races in October. Granted the doctor said that even to run in October would be risky but it would give me more time. Decisions, decisions. I don't wanna hurt myself, but I made myself a challenge and a goal and I can't go back on that.

Last night, I told myself that I will make my final decision by September 18th. That is a week and a day before the race, the day I could pick up the race day registration information and the last day the race will be $40. So in two weeks, I will know. I will take the doctors advice, I will rest for a week, engage in low impact activities, stretch twice a day and ice when needed. Everyone out there, please wish me a speedy recovery and luck. Until I write in you again...

Take an art class

For my 30 by 30 I wanted to take an art class because I wanted to reengage in finding my artistic side. I feel that the only creative side of me is writing, but sometimes I can be artsy and I proved it. On Saturday, August 21 I took part in an art class at Baker Hunt called Leaf Sand Casting. This class was awesome and I loved every minute of it. (What is pictured is not the actual finished product, I have to peel the leaf off but you get the idea).

For you individuals who are interested in taking an art class, I would recommend Baker Hunt. My class was only $30 and was 1.5 hours. It was so easy and fun that I actually want to look into more classes to enrich my life and rev up my creative juices.

Materials:
1 Large Leaf
Portland cement or Stucco Mix
Bag of fine sand
Bag of coarse sand
Coarse weave burlap
Large box that leaf will lay flat in

Directions:
1. Trace leaf on the burlap and cut it out. Trim all edges to make about 1/4 in. smaller than the leaf. Soak in water while mixing cement.
2. Fill bottom of box with coarse sand.
3. Place leaf upside down on coarse sand. Mold sand into shape you want the finished product to look like. Can leave flat if you want the leaf to lay flat.
4. If using Portland cement, use 1 measure of cement to 3 measures of fine sand. If using Stucco mix, use 1 measure of stucco to 2.5 measures of fine sand. Water as needed.
5. Mix dry ingredients in container until well blended. Add water a little at a time until mix makes a moist ball in your hand. (The mixture should resemble creamy peanut butter).
6. Apply wet burlap cut out, on top of cement. Smooth and lightly press into cement.
8. Mix another batch of cement and apply another 1/2 in. layer of cement on top of this.
9. Clean all edges. Let dry for about 24 hours.
10. Leaf may be painted with any out door paint. May be left outside all winter if you put a coat of cement sealer on it after it is thoroughly dry, about 1 month.

This is a fun project and I hope that I am able to continue on with finding my creative side. Until I write in you again....

A flower for the people I care about....

To all of the individuals in my life, this flower is for you :) Well, I intentionally put the people I care about on my 30 by 30 because I feel that we as a society do not take the time out to actually tell the people in our lives how we feel unless we are at a wedding, a funeral, birth, or drunk. I have so many people in my life who I care deeply for. But do you know that? Granted by my actions I would hope that you can tell, but is that enough, can you really tell? Does my actions leave you with the impression that La'Keyta loves you and cares about your well being?

I feel that I am a hard person to know. I believe that I am an pessimist playing the role of an optimist. Caleb told me that he doesn't believe that, he knows that I am a good and genuine person... but am I? Side note: for the individuals reading this, this is not a ploy to have you tell me that I am a great person, or that I suck, etc, this is just my ranting and ravings.

I keep myself hidden from people who love me because I am constantly afraid that they won't like the true me. The true La'Keyta Inez Rayford is moody, jealous, imperfect, envious, depressed, anxious, sometimes hateful, dependable, loyal, funny, caring, a friend, a sister, a daughter, co-worker, affectionate, insecure, honest, scared, impatient, weird, humble, spontaneous, adventurous, impish, calm and so much more. Can you love me knowing that? For the few individuals in my life who has seen this true vision of me and still love me, thank you for loving me.

My 30 by 30 is to tell the people that I care about how I feel about them. So here it goes: for every individual in my life, by fate and by the grace & love of God, just know that I hold you in my heart and wish nothing but the best for you. I pray that God blesses you in all of your endeavors, that he illustrates to you the goodness in others even when they frustrate you, and that you truly realize what you have and be thankful.

I love all of you who are in my life, of course in varying degrees but I love you nonetheless and am so happy that you are in my life. Because I have so many individuals in my life, this posting is for you. Even if you don't read my blog, I am showing you and the world that I love and care about you.

Granted some of my loved ones will get personalized letters (starting soon) but adhering to my list, I hope that by writing this blog and my little stunt on Facebook (which will be having a different posting each day on the groups of people in my life) will let the people in my life know that I care about them.

4 Months down 4 more to go

Oh my goodness, I can not even believe that 4 months ago I started my list and my first blog posting. So much has changed, and I feel that I have accomplished so much. I am super proud of myself and can't wait to see the progress with the rest of my list and what the remaining portion of the year will hold.

As for my list, I have accomplished 8 items. I went hiking, got my birthstone ring (aka Philippe), visited a different state (2 actually), stocked my wine bar, enjoyed 3 cultural events, took a road trip someplace new, did my crazy thing and I have not been letting my anxiety take over. I still have my anxiety moments, but overall I have been doing well.

I still have so much that I need to do, 23 actually, but of that total only 10 of those I have not even started. I don't let it get me down because I have come so far in these 4 months. Besides coming so far, I can not even tell you how much fun this has been. Of everything that I have done, the best thing is that I am doing this list with people that I care about. My visiting a different state: for West Virginia I spent it with my best friend Kara & on my travel to Atlantic City with my other best friend Danae. Both are women that I truly enjoy being around and whose friendship continue to shape me into the person I am today. In addition, I have completed some list items with Caleb. He has been one of the bright spots of my year and in the completion of this list. :) I am truly happy and hope that he and I can do more things on this list and future endeavors. Well, I hope that the same can be said of my friends too.

I guess for now I can say that I am in a good place and that I am truly proud of my life and accomplishments. I am blessed to have people in my life who I love and who love and care about me. I will continue to make the best of this year, I will continue on and push myself and be the best person that I can be. I continue to thank God for each day that he gives me, the people in my life and the blessings he bestows on me. I love life and I am loving the end of my twenties (never thought I would say that-lol). Well, goodnight and until I write in you again.....

Let's get it started :)

About to head out to Atlantic City for my trip with Danae to see the Black Eyed Peas. I am super excited and can't wait. Pictures and a description of my trip will be addressed once I return. Until I write in you again....

Is my anxiety cured?!?!

So, one of my best friends from Alma is getting married. I am so happy for her and can't wait to attend. I told myself that since Michelle is getting married I will not only be at the wedding, but I will be smaller and have a date. I have been more outgoing and not letting my anxiety get the best of me so by dating Caleb I thought that he would definitely be the guy I go with. But it was so hard to ask him. I never knew if the timing was right, if he liked me, if he would even want to go.

Since knowing that I would ask him, since June, I have had vivid dreams of how I would ask him, in what setting, his possible reaction, etc. The reoccurring dream was him at my house watching a movie and the mail would come and one piece of mail being the invitation. That way it would just feel right and the invitation would have been the conversation starter.

As time progressed between Caleb and I my anxiety got more out of hand. I could not ask him yet the dreams kept coming and haunting me to just do it. So the Wednesday before our Saturday date the invitation came (timing a bit off in real life). For our date Caleb asked could we just stay at my place and watch movies (yikes part of the dream is coming true) and I had his birthday gift. That put more anxiety and pressure on me. I was so afraid that if he said no, how could I go on with the date without being humiliated? My friend Colleen told me he would say yes but it is so easy for an outsider to think he would.

Our date was going great, we watched movies, I gave him his birthday card and gift and after 20 minutes of freaking out (yes I really was freaking out and unfortunately it was externally) I asked him and he promptly said yes. There was no hesitation, no doubt just a yes. I immediately felt so much better. He did not even mind that it is an away wedding. Granted since we have been talking in March he knew that her wedding was in Michigan (it's like I was planting the seed all along). The only downside is that he may not be able to attend due to softball tournament. I would love if he can go, but if he can not I won't be too upset because he said yes originally. I'm so happy :)

Well this is my update on how I am not letting my anxiety take over. Life is going so well right now that I am just on cloud nine. I am very happy and can not complain. The next step in our relationship is having "the talk". We plan activities in the future and we can just enjoy each other's company without doing anything. I think, well I can only speak for myself, I consider him my boyfriend but until we have that talk I can not assume that we are (even though he gives me plenty of indicators that we are). Well, here is my posting for the week, and until I write in you again......

My pretty new birthstone ring...

So one of my 30 by 30 was to buy my birthstone jewel, be it a ring, bracelet, or necklace. I figured of the three the ring would be most optimal choice because if I got necklace, I would have needed to get the matching earrings which would make the total more expensive. I decided on the ring, because I don't wear rings and this list is to push me to do new things.


So my friend Danae sent me a text of a beautiful ring from Macy's. Originally $600 but on sale for $199. How the crap could I not take advantage of this offer. Initially when I made the list I went to Rogers Jewelers and priced rings and decided that based on their prices ( I figured of jewelry stores their prices would be higher), I was willing to pay up to $350 for a ring. With taxes and sizing the ring it was less than $250 (a $100 saved). I love the ring, it is just gorgeous and blue (one of my favorite colors).

Here is the ring description: Blue topaz and diamond ring in 14k white gold. This ring is beautiful and it compliments my finger so well :) Well I guess that is all for now, until I write is you again....

Less of me this week

This posting will be short but it is meant to highlight the fact that I am losing weight. As one of my 30 is to lose 20lbs, as of now I am 12.6lbs away from reaching my goal. Go me :) So excited.

As of training for the 1/2 marathon, I am doing well. Tomorrow I have to run about 8 miles which I am dreading but once it is done I will feel so accomplished. I don't really have much time before the 1/2 so I just hope that I can keep up the momentum and finish my race. Well until I write in you again.....

My 5 month late update....big smile :)

I swear I get behind on blogging on the actual 9th of the month. I don't know what my problem is. Hopefully in August I will be right on time with my 4 month update.

I have less than 5 months until I am 30 and to complete my 30 awesome activities. It is so fascinating and at times frustrating how time flies. I can remember writing my first blog on April 9th marking how I have 8 months to go and here I am 3 months down months writing about 5 more months left. Good goodness where does the time go.

Now on to the ever lovely update of my life and list thus far. Since you can view my 30 by 30 list by looking at my initial post I will not rewrite all of that stuff like I did before. But let me give you a glimpse of my life since last month:

I visited a different state!! That puts my total up to 16. Kara, Heather and I went to West Virginia where I got the awesome nickname Little Sizzle. Thanks to a news broadcast and our love of American Gladitors we all came up with names. I love my nickname so much that I think I embarrassed Kara by singing "I'm a little sizzle" while at Snowshoe, WV. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but it was super funny. Due to this being an update and suposedly brief, I will dedicate an entire posting to West Virginia later this week.


Anyways, while in West Virginia I did my crazy thing. The definition of crazy takes many forms, but the one that applies to any activity that I decide to do would be: foolish or impractical; senseless. So what did I do you wonder? I took part in The Mystery Hole located in Ansted, West Virginia on July 3rd.

Why was it crazy? Because it just was. I went in a happy, energetic person and walked out feeling like I was drunk without the fun act of getting drunk. It was horrible and the feeling of sickness lasted pretty much the entire day and night. Granted the feeling got better as the day wore on, but honestly going to bed for the night was the only relief. I was so thankful waking up the next morning feeling 100%. It is so weird how that activity really impacted me. But I was happy that I was not the only one. Heather handled it like a champ, but me and Kara were not so lucky. For the entire day if someone mentioned Mystery I felt like I was going to puke. Like I said not a good feeling, but crazy activity is marked off. Don't get me wrong if I come across another activity that I deem crazy I will still do it, but I can rest easy knowing that crazy activity is complete.


So what made this activity crazy, foolish, senseless, or impractical? Well because I paid $6 to get sick. I paid $6 to go to the bottom of the shack and even though I was vertical, I was at a slanted version. It was really weird. There was one point when I wanted to push men, women and children out of the way so that I could get out. But I refrained. Kara on the other hand made a boy a man by grabbing his head and securing it on her breast. By far the funniest thing that happened in the Hole. I really can not explain the activity, which is why I attached the link. It was bizarre, sickening, and horrible. I would never do that again. Ever.

Another activity that I made progress on is cooking my meals. I made 2 awesome dinners over the weekend. Yummy, yummy, I will blog about them later on also. I feel like I have so much blogging to do now. :)

As for more accomplishments, I weighed myself today and after my month or more hiatus of working out and eating better, I am back on track. I lost 2.2 lbs last week putting my total lost at 5.8lbs and needing to lose 14.2lbs more in less than 5 months. I would say that I should have challenged myself into losing more weight, but I know me and my patterns. 20lbs will definitely be difficult but worth it and attainable.


As for the marathon, I did post about that my progress last week but in our running group on Saturday, we ran for 7 miles. I am so proud of how far I have come. Granted I did not run the whole time, I am still in my 3 and 1 group but I survived. I am even strength training 3 days a week to hopefully get my body toned and let's face it, everyone knows that strength training is by far the best way to lose weight. I also have been doing my shake weight which has been helpful also. It is a trial basis, if I don't see improvement in my chest and arms by September 3 it is going back. That will give me 60 days from the time I brought it to see a difference. I do hope it works because Kara laughed at me when I bought it.


I guess that is really all for the updates so far. I am making progress and am very happy with my results. I still have a lot more to accomplish (I have truly only completed 6 activities) but I am optimistic that I will get it done :) Well, until I write in you again.....

How my world is shaping out

So let's see... things have been going pretty well in my world. Granted I lost my boo boo a couple of weeks ago, but I am getting better. I did my running group last night and could not help but notice how every Wednesday is about the hottest day of the freakin week. But I ran and survived. While running with the 3 and 1 group I was talking to a co runner and she was informing me of the 1/2 marathon she is doing in September a week before mine. It is located in Dayton so not far from me and the price is a bit higher than the one I want to do in Oxford, but the good thing about Dayton is that I would have a running buddy who trained just like me and I will get this marked off my list a lot sooner than expected (well a week but still).

I am really considering doing this. The race I think is about $70 which is $30 more than Oxford so I guess I would just really have to weigh the pros and cons. I really want to do it but I feel like I am not even ready for my potential race on the 26th of September. Ahh decisions, decisions. Maybe I can talk Ann into running the Oxford with me but we are on two different levels so I am not sure if that would be more helpful for me. I wish that I would have took Caleb's offer and have him train with me. Good grief.

But I will do a 1/2 marathon, be it with Elizabeth in Dayton, by myself in Oxford or if I don't feel ready I will do it in October in Columbus. I kinda don't want to do that one because of the distance, the price and the fact that I just don't wanna.

I am trying to revamp my workout schedule. I have been dropping the ball a lot with working out and eating right. It is like I forgot that one of my 30 by 30 is to lose weight. Weighing myself on Monday I have gained roughly 5lbs that I lost for the 20lbs but I still have the 2lbs gone so somewhat of a success :)

This month I have been taking an inventory of my spending, my eating habits/patterns, working out, just about everything. I spend so frivolously that I am sickened by how much I waste monthly. The purpose of ASAP was to help decrease my bills, instead it increases my spending because I have the extra cash. I am trying to get back to a place where I survived off of a monthly pay check and the other income I get will be for savings and paying off extra bills. Unfortunately I can not do this until my August 31 check due to my two upcoming vacations to Atlantic City and Michigan. Both trips are booked and will be somewhat costly but it should be fine.

Well, I guess that I will continue to set goals and work on them. Hopefully this blog will keep me in check and hold me accountable. Let's see how it goes :) Until I write in you again....

Remembering Spunky....

This posting is dedicated to my boo boo Spunky Lee. I can remember coming home late at night in February 1998 with the sign on the front door saying be careful walking in. I did not know what to expect when I unlocked the door but in the living room was the cutest littlest light brown puppy I have ever seen. His eyes were so big and brown and his tail never stopped wagging. I dropped my shoes on the floor and got down and played with him. My mom decided to name him Spunky because he was so full of energy and he has always stayed true to that name.

Spunky has always been a bundle of joy, love, excitement and cuteness. I loved that dog like he was my child. I always told my mom that Spunky was my heart because I could not imagine my life without him. It was hard when Geoffrey passed away a few months after Spunky's arrival in 98 but having Spunky made it bearable. It was additionally hard for me going to school in Michigan in 1999 because I had to be away from Spunky but I loved coming home from breaks and playing with him.

With going away from school I told everyone that my mom had custody of him because when I came back in 2006 she decided to keep him even though I was back in Ohio for good. I still got to see the little guy and play with him but to ease my loneliness I got Buddy in 2007. Buddy and Spunky played together and it was the cutest thing. Spunky has been afraid of other dogs since he was attacked by another dog so I was happy that he played so well with Buddy. Even though I had Buddy, Spunky was always my heart and my boo boo.

On Friday, July 2nd my baby had to be put to sleep. Even as I write this I cry to think that I will never see my dog again. I miss him so much that it is painful. I sit in silence just looking at his picture and thinking about him and how he felt before being put to sleep. Did he wonder where I was, did he think I was coming, or was he in so much pain that he could not think. I tell myself that he is with Geoffrey playing as he did as a puppy. That thought does bring some happiness to me. I kinda wish that I got to see the little guy one last time, but if he was in that bad of shape like my mom said, I am happy that I saw him when he was okay.

My boo boo was not quite 12, and I just believed that he would always be around. He would get excited when I locked my car because he knew that I was coming to see him, he would wag his little tail and just seem so happy. My baby, I miss him so much that it hurts to even think that he is not here. I know that my mom and sister are not taking it well either. But instead of focusing on the fact that he is gone, I will focus on the love he brought and the memories I have of my Spunky. This is just one of the few videos I have of my baby, which makes me feel happy knowing that this little doggie had such a wonderful impact on my life. I love you Spunky Lee and I am happy that you are at peace little one.

May meals

Here are the two meals I made in the month of May: Macaroni, Spinach & Cheese: To make this meal you would need:

1 box of macaroni

1.5 pk of shredded cheddar cheese

1pk of spinach

4 slices of bacon

2 tsp of flour

2 TBL of bacon grease

1/2 c milk

pepper

salt

1. Cook macaroni as directed

2. Bake 4 slices of bacon at 350 degrees (roughly 20 mins)

3. Cut bacon slices into small pieces

4. In saucepan add bacon drippings, flour, milk and cheese until creamy

5. In pan cook spinach

6. In backing pan add macaroni, spinach, cheese sauce and mix together

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

8. Eat and enjoy the yumminess

Meal 2: Rosemary Chicken & Potatoes

4 chicken breast

garlic powder

rosemary

oregano

4 medium potatoes

olive oil

1. Clean chicken

2. In bowl dice the potatoes

3. Add chicken to bowl

4. Mix olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary & oregano

5. In baking pan put chicken & potatoes

6. Cook for 45 mins

7. Cool & enjoy the yummy goodness

8. I added asparagus just because I wanted something green

Well here were my two meals for May, I enjoyed making these meals and eating them. I can't wait to see what June has in store. Until I write in you again....

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Saturday was great, I went to the Greek Festival with Caleb which was really fun. Granted it was hot as Hades out side even though we went at 8:15pm, and it was also crowded. This date actually was not about to take place because I threw a major tantrum. Yes, I am a 29 almost 30 year old grown woman and I threw a tantrum. Somethings you never grow out of.

Anyways, this is how my peaceful Saturday started. I got up and at 8:30am I decided to go running 5 miles to Newport and back. It is actually really cool that I live that close to Newport. Anywho, thanks to my friend Doreen I had my runner's fanny water pack. At first it was weird but I got used to it quickly. It was roughly 75 degrees so not very cool but not that hot yet. I ran, walked, cried all of the above but I finished and was pleased with myself. I noticed that I really need to work on my pace. I am going slower than I think I should be which makes me wonder if I am pushing myself or just getting lazy. I give myself many excuses as to why this or that. But in my defense it is really hilly running to and from Newport.

The ending degree was 86 so a dramatic increase of 10 degrees. My run took 92 minutes (18 mins) per mile I told myself that this is unacceptable and that I need to push myself more (I can walk faster than that). So today is the day that I will push myself but not to the point where I injure myself. I want to be faster not crippled.

To prepare for tonight and because my hair just looked horrible, I had a hair appointment at 1:30 but did not get there til 1:50. I was peeved at myself until I walked in and saw that she had 3 unfinished heads in front of me. Due to her being so behind I did not get in her chair til 2:45. Why do I keep going to this lady. UGH Thankfully I had a book, #4 called "The Memoirs of Helen of Troy" quickly becoming one of my favorites :)

Anyways, originally I thought that my hair would be finished at the latest 4pm, which would give me time to meet him at 6pm go bowling then to the Greek Festival. Not so. I did not get done until 5:35 and was super pissed. This is where my tantrum came in. He and I are on the phone and he still wants to come down and I am mad and telling him I hate my hair dresser and so on. Being the nice guy that he is, he listened to my ranting, venting and tantrum and still told me he would like to come down to see me. How cute, I think I will keep him (lol).

After the tantrum, I had some time to cool down before he came down and we had a great time.
The night went on with dessert, lovely music and great conversation.

Anyways, we are suppose to meet for dinner and the screening of The Last Airbender on Tuesday so hopefully the weather will be much nicer. But we will be inside so I guess the weather really does not matter.

Well I must go, until I write in you again :)

My very late 6 month recap :)

Today is actually a funny day. I am at work and should be working hard but I am having a hard time being motivated. I will just count this blogging as a 15 minute break :)

Well I decided to look at my list and I was getting a little bummed because I have less than 6 months and I have only completed 5 things (in bold) off of the list. That just did not seem right and so I looked at my list and my mood significantly improved. It has improved because even though I have completed 5 things, 14 activities (symbolized by *) are in progress. That is just MAJOR!!! Here is my lovely breakdown and recap of my activities:

1. Be a vegetarian for one week-this will take place after my 1/2 marathon in September
*2. Train & participate in a 1/2 marathon- even though I am still working out at the gym, I joined a running club and the marathon is scheduled for September 26th
3. Go hiking-this was completed on May 29th at Old Man's Cave (see A Hiking we will go post)
4. Go camping-this will be either late summer or early fall possibly during another hiking trip
*5. Visit a different state (so far I have been to 15)-I am going to West Virginia, New Jersey & California - maybe the remaining states will be on my 40 by 40 list ~lol~
* 6. Upgrade my wardrobe (10 new outfits)-I purchased 6 dresses mostly summer in nature and 6 causal shirts for work or a night out- let's face it, this activity will never be complete I love clothes
*7. Cook a new dish at least twice a month-32 meals total required, as of now 5 meals cooked
*8. Learn a different language-I am learning Spanish through an online program called Mango Languages
9. Take chances (don't let my anxiety take over)-even though I completed this, this is something that I will continue to do throughout my journey
*10. Drop at least 20 pounds-I haven't weighed myself in a while because I can get really obsessive so I do have the starting weight at home, I will weigh myself starting Monday to get a figure and then go from there. I don't think I gained weight but you never know I
*11. Save at least $500- so far I have $230 saved - man times have been HARD
* 12. Pay off at least 3 credit cards-one is paid in full so two more to go :P
13. Switch my license, my plates and tags to Kentucky-this has to be done before my birthday
*14. Start a blog and write in it weekly- I have been doing that, currently 14 posts out of the needed 36 but some weeks I wrote in it more than once, so per the calendar this is the posting for week 12 so 24 additional weeks to go.
15. Stock my wine bar- so I did not do the 3 different types breakdown but I still completed this and I have a nice variety of flavors to keep the masses pleased
*16. Finish decorating my house- I want atleast 3 more artworks (one is in process of being purchased), 2 area rugs, possibly a comfy bedroom reading chair, and more picture frames- hey I gotta capture my 30 activities :)
17. Go to an away sports game- I plan on traveling to see the Bengals play Indy or Atlanta
*18. Read at least 8 new books- so far I have read 3, I am on #4 and I listened to one on tape
19. Have a total spa day (full body massage, get my hair done, mani & pedi)- I am thinking this will take place the day before I leave for California (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME)
20. Visit/take part in at least 3 cultural events- completed by me going to the Cincinnat Museum Center (I am pretty sure I have a posting on that one), a music recital & the Butterfly show -both events I will post about later
21. Take a tour of a winery- not sure when or where I will do this but it will happen
22. Take a road trip preferably to some place new- I went to Hocking Hills, Ohio to hike and next week I am going with Heather and Kara to West Virginia and I will be driving to Michigan and Atlanta or Indy so this event even though complete will continue on
*23. Finish my doctoral portfolio- I gotta to get better with this one, but I have started. The deadline for this is August so that in September I can sign up for Dissertation credits (people give me the motivation to make the Dr. Lbell nickname & potential license plate true)
*24. Buy my birthstone jewel, either as a necklace, ring or bracelet- I decided not to put this as in progress even though I did go to the jewerly store in Kenwood and looked at jewerly and priced them. On second though I am counting this activity so I now have 15 in progress
*25. Take an art class- I am signed up and paid for a class starting on August 18th
26. Make something, be it a pillow or quilt- I will start on this next month hopefully once Kara and I can come up with some dates to meet
27. Watch the sunset on the beach- with all of the cool places I am going, this should not be so hard, I will either do this in West Virginia if we are near or visiting a beach, Atlantic City since we will be staying on a beach or in Michigan for my girl Michelle's wedding on the beach-either way the possiblities are endless
*28. Do one crazy thing-to be determined later- this will probably take place in West Virginia
29. Take my grandmother to lunch or dinner- I have not scheduled this yet but I will
30. Let the people in my life know that I care about them- I was just gonna do a blog a week on all of my friends/family members but not many of them read my blog, and then I was just going to do a week tribute to friends/family on facebook but then I realized that I would not do that for everyone on my friends list so that idea was quickly killed, so I will come up with something else which will be good and private. so just wait

Well that was my update which turned my frown upside down. I am making progress and I am doing well. For the things that I have not even started, I at least have concrete plans and timelines so that makes me feel great. Even though I have only 5 months and 2 weeks all is not lost. I still have time, determination and great friends to share this journey with :) Until I write in you again.....

This is my list....I just gotta remember that

So I am posting tonight so that I can still be in good standing with my 30 by 30 activity. Things in life are going well. I am trying to find a "crazy" thing to do and Kara being the helpful friend that she is suggested heroin. I laughed so hard that I almost peed myself. But that idea has merit, I would be a totally crazy, unKeytalike thing to do. I gotta give that some thought. :)

But I have so many things that I think would be crazy but why I am basing it on what others think. I was thinking of white water rafting, gun shooting, bungie jumping, sky diving, rock climbing, etc. All of these things I am thinking about, I wonder if it would be something cool and would people say "wow, that is soooo cool, I wish I did that". For me, getting another piercing would be crazy because I am still maybe one of the few with one piercing in each ear. I hate needles and I have always been fine with just the one piercing but to get another one would be crazy for me.

When thinking of my list, it is a combination of several things. The list is suppose to broaden my horizons, rebuild activities that I once loved or took for granted, and to push myself to do different things. I need to remember that this list is for me and no one else. No one can tell me what is crazy, what is cultural, how to show people in my life I love them, etc. I need to be more assertive and do things that I wanna do because ultimately the list is for me. I wanna look back on this list and go, yeah, I did that because I wanted to and I had so much fun.

The more I think about it, I may get a piercing or a tattoo ( I know, where did that come from?) Whatever the mood takes me. There is so much for me to decided that I am happy that I have until December to make a decision. Well since I have not decided what my "crazy" thing will be, I guess you will just have to stay tuned. Until I write in you again.....

My brief update

So I realize that writing in a blog once a week was probably too big of a goal to make. I feel that blogging is losing it's appeal (well if it every had any). Life has been going well so far. Both jobs are good and my health has gotten better. I am still working on my list, I just checked off two more things, I have a fully stocked wine bar (so thirsty now) and I have finished my third book (five more to go). I have continued to cook meals, I will fully write on that later on and I went to the Running Spot and found out about the running club and I'm about to sign up.

This list is taking me places where I never thought I would be, and for that I am grateful. I am happy that this list is pushing me to have set goals and go for them. Oh, the best news of the week is that I bought my plane ticket to Atlantic City!! This will take care of the goal of going to a different state. I have less than two month before the best concert ever!! Danae is taking care of the hotel and I got the tickets so the only thing I have to do is save up some money for food, drinking and shopping. My goal is to bring atleast $500, I don't wanna go there and feel like I could not buy anything that I wanted. Well I am still sleepy and thirsty so I'm gonna go. Until I write in you again....