Ancient

I just realized I'm gonna be 27 a month from Sunday.

27!

When did that happen???

Seriously for a second I thought I was going to be 26, but nope 27. That's like "mid-ta-late" twenties. I kinda had a quarterlife crisis moment:

I haven't traveled outside the US yet
I'm poor with a barelythere savings account
I have way more grey hairs than I'd like
I'm too old to try out for MTV's Real World
The only things I truly own are like a dog, bed, couch, clothes and an obscene amount of music
Far too many people are starting to get married and/or have babies - both of which terrify me

But then while I'm having a pity party for myself I realize:

I'm finally taking control of my health and fitness
I love my career
I have the most wonderful friends in the world
I'm taking more risks in life and not caring what other people think
I'm gearing up to start a doctoral program in the near future
and most importantly I'm becoming the best version of myself

Summer Yummies

I have some healthy food recommendations for all of you. They are really mostly year 'round foods, but I think they are even better in the summer. I also purchased all of these at Publix which is my new favorite store (sorry Trader Joes - you are too far from me).

greek yogurt
yes it's thick, but it's also yummy and low sugar/cal and high protein.



fresh berries (blue, black, rasp)
so yummy and cheap when they are in season.



steel cut oats
more nuitrious than regular oatmeal, takes longer to prepare, but worth it.



*Also mising the oats with the greek yogurt and topping it with berries is a breakfast treat from heaven.*

diet iced green tea
green tea is really good for you. I both brew my own or drink this watered down.



true lemon/lime
these are real crystallized fruits in a little packet. they a great way to amp up your water, there also is an orange one that i have yet to find.



planters’s nut-rition bars
good like snack item to keep you full.



roasted red pepper hummus
serious hummus where have you been all my life. I am become hummus obsessed the last year. hummus on my sandwiches, hummus wiht stacy's pita chips, hummus with carrots!



avocados
avocados are not a new treat for me, but i love them nonetheless. they are packed with such good stuff for you.



Anyone have a good guacoamole recipe for me (codi i'm looking at you).

I highly encourage you to try any or all of these items.

Summer TV & Music

Summer is OFFICIALLY here and so are summer shows. Obviously True Blood is a favorite....I'm actually heading over to my friend Ashley's in a bit to watch last night's episode. I also am loving all the Bravo shows: Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List, Top Chef: DC, and Work of Art. I also am loving Next Food Network Star and about to get into Design Star. Finally I recorded The Gates on ABC, we shall see.

I have been so busy I haven't listen to much music lately. I need to make some new running playlists (especially for my 10K). Anyone have any music recommendations for me running music or otherwise?

Heaven and Hell

The past few days I've had a bit of both.

Heaven: I had my 1 hour massage yesterday. My last massage was last July, I can't believe I went that long without one. It was glorious, my body needed it especially after all the running and training I've been doing lately. I got my massage at the Med Clinic on campus so it was $60 for the hour - not too shabby. I may try and do 30 minute massages every other month or so - we shall see.

Hell: I mean Hell in the best way possible. Sunday was the Season 3 premiere of True Blood! Last summer i was completely immersed in True Blood. I got addicted to season 1 just in time to watch season 2 (via jenky online websites) and read all 9 Sookie Stackhouse books. Well I'm glad I get get my fix back. I'm currently reading the 10th Sookie book that came out and it's like reuniting with old friends. I was really pumped about the Season 3 premiere - I feel like each season is getting better and better. However I had hoped to watch the premiere at my grad assistant's place since she has HBO, but she as out of town for the weekend. I plead my case on facebook and luckily my friend Ashley is a fan and invited me over. It was great to watch it on a big flatscreen HD tv with surround sound and it was REALLY fun to watch it with other people to comment with. We actually were pretty quiet during the premiere, but then we REWATCHED it right after thanks to DVR and commented throughout. VERY FUN! I excited to have True Blood be my major summer show. TEAM ERIC!

Hybrid

I have mentioned on here I am fan of rocker type guys. Tattoos, musical, artsy, etc. Well I also have come to realize there is another type of guy that has really piqued my interest. Athletic/outdoorsy. I have really enjoyed being more active and I was looking a listing of fitness activities and there are so many I'd like to try:

Kayaking
Kickboxing
Golf
Handball
Mountain Biking
Paintball
Paragliding
Snowmobiling
Rowing
Adventure Racing
Snorkeling
Whitewater Rafting

I really don't have a lot of friends that do stuff like that and how fun would that stuff be to do on a date with a boy who does that stuff. I'm extremely adventurous and competitive; I'd be totally game to do that kind of stuff.

I was telling my friend Christina who lives in Idaho all of this and she says: "Seriously, why don't you live here. NW boys are all about that hybrid. it's hot."

I mean come ON how hot would like Kayaking be with a dude with tattoo sleeves and a lip ring. So if you know anyone who fits the bill of rocker/outdoorsy hybrid send them my way!

I'll Tumble for You

Another blog post for me...WHOA! I know, with work calming down I can write more yay. Well this is a tale from a week ago that I thought I'd share. It was a rainy day in Auburn and I was going home for lunch. I changed out of cute work sandals into flip flops for the walk to my car. As soon as I walk out my office I almost bust my butt on the brick outside. Whoa crisis averted. So I walk towards the parking lot and go to cross the street in the crosswalk right in front a cop car and a few other cars and one step into the white painted cross walk and I BITE IT. Slip and fall to my hands and knees. I'm embarrassed, wet and bruised. It takes a second for me to stand up due to the shock of falling. The cop rolls down his window and asks if I'm okay. I saw I'm fine, but really I'm horrified. I kick off my damn flip flops and walk to my car barefoot. The ONE thing I'm thankful for is the fact that I had my phone in my purse. I NEVER have it in my purse, I usually carry it as I walk to my car. Seriously if it was in my hand and I fell I would haven't broken my phone hardcore.

So luckily I was fine, but ever since I've taken up running I'm like terrified of getting hurt and not being able to run. I've never broken a bone or gotten stitches and I feel like it's too late in life to start. Did anyone else like desperately hope for glasses, braces and/or a broken bone in grade school? I like purposely wanted to fail eye exams or throw myself down stairs (not really) because all the "cool kids" aka NOT ME had at least one of those three things. I ended up with none of them. I'm not complaining, but I feel like I missed out on a right of passage.

These says all I want are some veneers for my teeth instead. Anyone want to sponsor them for me. They are about $700 a tooth. Let me know!

Nashvillain

I mentioned yesterday that I'm doing a 10K in Nashville on the 4th of July. Well now it's official that my bestie Sara will be joining me on vacay in Nashville. She is going to be flying in for the weekend and is even thinking about running in the 5K race on July 4th. I'm so excited to explore "Music City" with another music lover.

Also as of this afternoon my friend Star and her husband are going to be in Nashville for the 4th too! Star was thinking about it and being the master persuader that I am she booked her plans!

Granted I've been to Nashville for a quick weekend trip mainly to crash a conference and see my friend Christina, so now I'm ready to really hit up the sights and sounds of Nashville. Suggestions on what to do, where to go, what to eat/drink? It's gonna be a fan-freaking-tastic weekend already I can feel it.

After work today I'm off to the gym to pound out another 4 miler and then work my core/abs. Race day is getting here fast and I want to make sure I'm in the best shape I can be for it!

Lately

So basically Camp War Eagle has owned my life for the past month....no joke. Don't get me wrong I LOVE it, but I'm looking forward to a week without Camp. We are in the middle of session 3 which was a back to back session with session 2. After tomorrow I am Camp free until June 16! I'll still need to come into work, but I'll get to actually clean my office, work on some other projects and sift through my hot mess of an inbox.

Really the only other thing outside of Camp that I've had time to do is work out, but it's because I've MADE the time. Waking up early to run, missing pool time to go the gym, working out when I'm tired etc. I wish I've had more pool time, but it seems the past 2 weeks that anytime I've had a day off it has rained!

Running is going well however. I signed up for a 10K in Nashville on the 4th of July and I am pretty pumped. I'm turning it into a whole weekend. I also officially started half marathon training last week. The plan is to do a half marathon in September...more info on that to come once I finish the 10K. I actually got up this morning at 6am to do a running tour of campus that we offer for parents. I had an 13 hour day yesterday and a 17 hour day today, but I needed to run, so I did it. I also got my ass kicked by a bunch of 50 yer old parents, but whatever...I'm a new runner. Everyday I run is the hottest day I've ever run in...especially in June in Alabama. I hope to continue to work on breathing control in this heat (yes even at 6:30am)!

Also on a random sidenote a Publix opened in town last week and I went this past weekend, it is glorious. TONS of great food that regular supermarkets down here don't carry. I lost my mind a bit and spent too much money, but it was SOO worth it.

I must get going to a staff meeting. Hope to blog more in the interium between camp sessions!

The Funny

Camp War Eagle session 2 starts today so while I'm running around like a chicken with ym head cut off for the next 2.5 days please enjoy this video. This drummer is my new hero!

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Thank you David Cook for tweeting this video and making my day!

Rejected

Confession: I went on a job interview at the Berklee College of Music in Boston a few weeks ago.

Confession: I found out today that I didn't get the job.

Confession: I'm okay with it, but I learned more about myself in the process.

As most of you know I don't plan on being an Alabama resident forever. I have LOVED my time at Auburn and if I was in a different point in life or if Auburn was in the Northeast I may never leave. However it's time for me to start putting my personal/social life first.

A while ago I said to myself the perfect time to start a new job would be January 2011. That would mean I would have 2.5 years at Auburn under my belt and that I would have another FOOTBALL season to enjoy as well.

I have been VERY selectively job searching this spring because hiring for the summer is a hot time in higher ed. I had a phone interview for a job that didn't work and I was okay with it and then I see the Berklee job. I don't know if many of you know, but one day I would LOVE to work at an arts/performing arts school. Berklee is in Boston and the job looked great. I had a phone interview and then was quickly invited to campus. I really enjoyed being back in Boston and Berklee as a whole. I really thought if they offered it that I would take it - so much seemed perfect. However I knew whatever was meant to be will be.

So today I got the call that I didn't get it and I figured as much since I should of have from them 2 weeks ago if I did get it, so I pretty much accepted the fact. It was nice to have closure at least.

However I have learned in my next job I DEFINITELY want to either work in a city or be able to live in a city or both. I have expanded my city list from Boston, NYC, New Haven to also include Baltimore and DC. I also really would like to be back at a private school, I've never worked at a private, just attended. There aren't tons of arts schools around, but I would LIKE to work at a liberal arts school. Finally in my next job I want to start a doctoral program so I need a school that offers one or has agreements with neighbors schools to go for free/low cost.

Now let me get one thing straight I don't want to compromise my work, but I'm open to more than just orientation. I know I'll always have my hands in orientation, but I'd love to work with peer mentoring, leadership, even a res life live off job.

One thing I will not settle for is money, I know how much I'm worth and how much I want to make. The job offer is the best time to negotiate salary and that is a top priority for me.

I've kept most of this information to a small circle of people and my heart already breaks at the thought of leaving Auburn, but what I want more is a life with my friends and enjoying a city while we're all still young, unmarried and childless!

Please keep my job search in your thoughts and that what's meant to be will be.

LOL...Literally

My sister made me this ecard today and it's so perfect. I'm crying laughing.