My 52 Weeks Project

I'm doing a different sort of 52 weeks project. It came about when I was making my New Year's Resolutions. Of course, I had the normal first thoughts--eat healthier, work out more, get more organized. The problem with such broad resolutions is that when can you ever feel like you've accomplished them? Sure, you could have like a weekly task of making menus, going shopping, and packing healthy snacks to bring to work--yet your goal still isn't really accomplished until the end of the year. So yes, I have some abstract resolutions--take more pictures, do more arts/crafts, actually 'get ready' in the morning, blog more, keep a budget, make menus, workout, visit my grandparents more often...okay, I guess that's a lot!

I've actually been doing FAIRLY well with I would say half of those. I've been making menus and keeping a budget, working out, blogging, and visiting my grandparents. Working out and eating healthy is not always the easiest thing in the world to get started on, but once I actually do it I feel way better. Yesterday I ran 1/4 mile without stopping!!! I know some people can do way more than that but it was a great start for my previously somewhat sedentary life.

I'm the kind of person who 1) likes making lists and 2) likes the feeling of accomplishment when you get to cross things off your list. That's why I've made a list of 52 Goals for the year. Some of them are things I've been putting off forever that I really just need to do for myself like:

-Finish my Jillian Michaels DVDs-Clean out my closet/drawers and get rid of clothes I don't wear-Contact Appointment-New glasses-Be able to run a mile-Don't cut my hair-Stop biting my nails-Take a gym class at USF-Change my passwords to a positive goal of mine-Talk to an advisor about an internship-Get a tattoo-make DIY christmas giftsThese are all things I've been saying I'll do for literally all of 2011 to no avail.Then there are more fun goals that actually involve getting out of the house such as:-Go to Pizza Fusion (new pizza restaurant)-Explore the mines/preservers-Go to Daytona over the summer-Go on a ghost tour-Visit the new Dali museum-Go to Rocky Horror show-Sunset at the beach with subs-Go to a roller derby match-Disney movie marathon in bed!-boardgame night w/ my mom-bake vegan cookies w/ my grandma-go rock climbing-picnic @ the Disney Wilderness Preserve-tube down the Rainbow River-rent the 2 person surrey at Hillsborough River State Park-have a vegan bbq/cookout/party extravaganza-mystery dinner theaterAnd then some other stuff that's half things I've been saying I'll do forever and half just other random things I think it would be fun to do, make, or eat:-Have a yardsale-organize my car-actually get oil changes when I'm supposed to-organize my cd collection-save $5000 towards paying back my student loan-make a green smoothie-make the heart cutout sweater posted here-make moussaka for Dena (my boss)-make a Garfield cake for Marc-make a youtube video-reread the Harry Potter series-make a pressed flower book-make bike pattern friendship bracelet-send letters and pictures to my grandparents in massachusetts-make Hello Kitty pizzas-brew dry tea-learn to knit and knit something-learn a whole song on guitar..for real..the whole 5 minutes or so and be able to play it-beat a video game-finish altering all the clothes that have been sitting in a pile of "clothes I love but are too big for me"-send a care package to my aunt w/ my brotherSo, I just have to accomplish one of these a week. Some are silly, but I'll update you about the details after I've accomplished them. And yes, a couple of them are sort of abstract--the no nail biting and no hair cutting but I still put them on my 52 weeks goals.Oh yeah, and I'm currently on book 4 of Harry Potter so I think I can make it! :DWorking out also goes along with going to Daytona this summer. Beach body!! hahaHave a great Monday :)Kristi(E)

Giveaway over @ TDS!

Hey everyone. Happy Monday--I'm actually off from work which is amazing :)

I wanted to come share this awesome giveaway with all of you, seen on The Dainty Squid. It is for a $50 credit to Maie Dae's shop!!

Head over to the Dainty Squid for details!! Entries close on February 5th.

Good luck :)

kristi(E)

National Kazoo Day!

TODAY IS NATIONAL KAZOO DAY!

I feel the need to write an entire blog about this because the first job I ever had was working at the one and only plastic kazoo manufacturer in America, Kazoobie!!

This was definitely the most enjoyable job I've ever had and I got to work with a great group of people. Oh wait, is anyone unsure of what a kazoo is?

This is a kazoo:

And you hum into the big end to make the kazoo noise!

It's pretty cool because Kazoobie does custom imprinting--we used to do a lot of wedding kazoos or promotional kazoos for companies to hand out/sell at events.

And they sell other "noise-making" items such as:

Acme Horn - very loud :)

Nose Flute - a personal favorite...you blow out your nose and move your mouth in different shapes to make the sounds.

Mouth Harp - which I find most interesting because I'm awful at playing it--there's videos on youtube though and it's pretty cool.

So there it is!! Happy National Kazoo Day!!!

Kristi(E)

What I'm Watching

I was going to try to make a list of my favorite movies from 2011 but as I did so, I realized there were still some candidates that I needed to watch! So here's what I've been watching recently:

Limitless

I'm not always the biggest 'drama' fan but every now and then I want to sit down and watch one. I thought this was pretty good--interesting at least. There is a large proportion of our brain that we never tap into so it's fun to think what we could be capable of.

Tangled

This movie was pretty cute and made me want to have paper lanterns at my "wedding." OK so whenever Marc and I go to weddings, we spend probably half the time (or at least I do) talking about all the awesome stuff I would incorporate in my wedding. Organizing/planing is my forte. I'm not always the most artistic if I have to make things myself but I'm very good at putting things I already have together!

Friends with Benefits

This is my favorite from the list!! It was actually a comedic romantic-comedy. Even Marc thought it was funny :-P I actually even watched it twice. This one isn't instant on netflix but you can normally google a free blockbuster/redbox code. I think this is the most 'truthful' romcom I've ever seen and that's saying something--they're kinda my guilty pleasure!

Our Idiot Brother

This one I would say is about being yourself--and being honest with yourself and those around you. It was kinda dorky but overall I really enjoyed it. My roommate is in like with Zooey Deschanel so naturally he loved it.

What have you been watching? They re-released Beauty and the Beast in 3D and I really wanna go see it--I'm pretty sure I wore out my VHS when I was little and even had a cassette tape of the songs I would listen to!

Have a happy Thursday, time for me to go to work.

Kristi(E)

The Handwriting Game

Here it is-me and my nothing special handwriting. I remember in 1st grade we had to do these handwriting packets. They were comprised of a bunch of that paper with the three big lines (middle one dashed) with letters that you had to copy down. We had to do this every day in 1st grade and it got graded on how PERFECT your letters are. Now, my letters are pretty simple but way sloppier because I write extremely fast. Basically, I blame my lack of fun and unique handwriting on my 1st grade teacher.

Ehem, so here's how it works:

1. your name and blog name

2. your url

3. write "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

4. your favourite quote

5. your favourite song: right now and all time

6. your favorite artists

7. something you say a lot

8. who you tag

Leave a link if you do one!

Kristi(E)

Super Sunday!

Alas, the end of the week. So what have I been drooling over recently? Here you go:

Hoot Stole the Cookies via Modcloth

This pouch from The Dainty Squid via etsy

Record Mail Holder via Pinterest

Floating Vase via Cupcakes and Cashmere

Heart Sweatshirt DIY via Amy Morby

EOS chapsticks

OTHER LINKS:

This awesome YouTube video on 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf.

These tricks on 25 ways to make life easier.

This video of a guy who shoots 1 second of each place he visits all around the world and puts the images together into a video-check it out!

Craft Night!!!

Did you know today is National Popcorn Day? I'm really not a fan of popcorn (is that normal?) so I don't see myself participating...

However, I am a fan of this:

Guess what Love Elycia posted!? Craft Night! Click the picture to go to her post explaining it but I'm really excited. Check out My Girl Thursday's blog as well!

Today is my "get-all-my-homework-done-today-so-I-can-enjoy-my-Friday-day." Wish me luck!

Kristi(E)

Chana Masala

Guess what!? I made Indian food!!! I am so excited that I finally made my own. Amy's frozen dinners are delicious but they can get a bit pricy (and I don't have a microwave right now so there goes the quickness of a frozen dinner). I sorta kinda followed the recipe on the Post Punk Kitchen but I didn't have half the ingredients, or the urge to make my own spaghetti sauce after twelve hours of working retail so this is what I did:

Took a can of crushed tomatoes, added a generous sprinkle of ginger and cumin, threw in a few shakes of turmeric and ground cloves, a few shakes of cinnamon, some paprika in lieu of cayenne pepper which I do not own (I have the paprika from making chili). I added that all in to the tomatoes. Oh! Since I was somehow out of fresh garlic, I poured in a few shakes of garlic salt. I know, I know, the horror! But it tasted good.

As a side note, my grocery store only sells the big 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes but I only used half being that I was making the recipe for two.

Then I added in a can of chickpeas and some flavored tofu I found at Whole Foods--it was actually "masala" flavor which is what made me want to make Indian in the first place!!

Heated that up and boiled some jasmine rice.

Dinner is served! It was honestly delicious. Even Marc loved it!!!

Let me know if you try it or what your favorite Indian inspired dish is!

Kristi(E)

New Pizza Place!

I know I was supposed to come back here with delicious pictures from Grassroots but guess what!? They're a catering/meal plan delivery business now!! No more sit down restaurant. I hope it works out well for them but will I miss their food!!!! I live too far away to get their meal plan otherwise I would totally do it one week!

So instead, we tried out this new pizza place called Pizza Fusion! I have to admit, I forgot all about Grassroots for a while.

One of the cool things is that the pizza comes in a big rectangle. I don't know why I like that but I do. Also, they had a good amount of toppings instead of the three pieces of something you would order at a big chain restaurant (I've ordered extra toppings before and the pizza is still sparse). Also, for any Tampa vegans, they give you the option of soy cheese (I'm guessing Follow Your Heart) or Daiya.

So I got a pizza with cremini mushrooms, fresh garlic, spinach, and artichoke hearts!! It was so good I ate the entire large pizza that day.

After that we went to IKEA to get a TV stand for the house--the Expedit I have been wanting for years now! :D So exciting. I will have to upload house pictures later--the walls are still pretty bare but I guess houses are always sort of a work in progress.

Also, look I backed into a parking spot! Marc will never believe it :-P

Kristi(E)

Introduction

Well hello there and thanks for stopping by!! As my introduction to the left states, I'm Kristie!

I'm here because I want to be a blogger--and that is the most glorious thing to want to be because anyone can do it. As soon as I hit "publish post," I will have accomplished my goal. It's a start!! If you have a blog please leave a comment so I can follow you too. I have a special spot in the mornings saved for a big cup of tea and my macbook and would love you to be a part of it.

I plan on posting about my crazy life as a full-time working and full-time college student. How I manage to stay productive and put aside time for some of the things I love: cooking, crafting, and those days I manage to get out of a building and go explore the world!

Today I'm hoping to visit my favorite raw vegan restaurant: Grassroots!! I'll be back with a post and some info for any of you who have never been to a restaurant like this. :)

Here we go!