Weekly Therapy: missing packages

- Mel

the week:
The post office seriously just delivered my “missing” package from March 23 (you know, that package when I went to my local office to pick it up, was not there). The delivery person was “confused” as to why the numbers weren’t matching up. Uh, BECAUSE IT’S NOT THE SAME PACKAGE. The other missed package (my Sprig Box!) to be redelivered this past Saturday: no attempt at redelivery (even though I’ve now scheduled it twice). What is it that does not compute for these postal workers?! So frustrating that I’m ready to never shop online with any company who uses them to ship.

There are probably bigger things that I should worry about…

PCBW crew

weekend:
Volunteering on the Beer Barge, as part of PCBW.
DIRTY BALL! The best party of the year.
Then tailgating on Sunday (and game, of course) for the Pittsburgh Power.

52 books in 52 weeks:
Remember that reading plan? Yeah. I’m back at it. And have some MAJOR catching up to do.
#11 Gone Girl – read it in less than 2 days. Couldn’t put it down, but mostly because it made me SO ANGRY. You should read it.

seven things, seven days:
1. Scored a really fun Kindle cover and tiny ear buds at Five Below (and workout shorts and a sports bra and… man this store gets you!).
2. Loving our CSA so far, but our egg share was missing the last two weeks. Kind of a bummer.
3. League headshot day! Naturally my hair did not cooperate. I need some new hair-spiration.
4. We’re making plans for a road trip to Wisconsin in June: beer and friends and cheese and derby. EXCITE.
5. I’m sporting two sets of blisters this week on both feet from my new casual slip-on tennies. PISSED. Mostly because they were so comfy when I tried them on before purchase.
6. Time Management Tips for Those with ADHD from PsychCentral.
7. Psssst… Zoya Giveaway via The Beauty of Life

Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week: the celebration continues!

- Mel

It’s Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week! The hangover on this 30-something is a doozy. But there’s still a few days left to celebrate.

Sort-of started the celebrations last Saturday with my friend’s bachelorette party, hosting brunch at my house and then attending a Venture Outdoors programs — a hike-meets-beer-tasting (beer from Max’s Allegheny; not an official PCBW event, but it coincided appropriately). We had a really good time (me, especially so, shopping for her honeymoon attire). The lingerie gift idea was fun (a piece for every night of the honeymoon), and you could totally tell a little personality from each friend in her gift.

Sunday, amid some errands, we stopped into Bocktown for their 17th tap and delicious lunch. They were featuring a Black IPA from a local home brewer. It was awesome. Plus, they finally added the kielbasa reuben to the permanent menu.

beer founders brunch pcbwpappy beer pcbw

I also decided to spend my day off (how convenient!) with friends at the Founders brunch at Piper’s Pub. Yes, there was a lot of KBS. Too much. I really enjoyed the Doom though. Boxty breakfast soon turned into Liquid Lunch, followed by trips to two more bars to find the PCBW collaboration brews, then getting SOAKED in the afternoon rainstorm. Damn you, new shoes for giving me blisters.

When I finally got home, I napped (epic), then woke up for ANOTHER beer tasting happy hour at James Street — this one, paired with local chocolate company Sinful Sweets made with the Brooklyn beers. I have the hangovers. Bad.

Looking forward to a few more events though: tonight, #asistradition (a few Southside bars have tasting events plus I wish I could participate in the underwear ride — alas, practice); Friday, the Beer Barge (we couldn’t get tickets, so we’re volunteering). We’ll round out the weekend with a home Power game and tailgating with some of our fave craft beer peeps.

I consider this week a success. Did you participate? What were your favorite events?

Also, read my Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week {part two!} article and column in the recent issue of Craft Pittsburgh. Find at your favorite craft beer bars.

Group therapy: put down the electronics!

- Mel

Months ahead of my social media hiatus (coming soon: this September!), I’m recognizing a trend in “advice” columns and articles and what-not, all about putting down your electronics. Stow your cell, and enjoy the life and people in your presence. Be. Present.

Aren’t we all a little bit guilty of this? That, Always Being in Touch. I find it difficult, given the appeal of online personalities (most of which are friends in real life too). Because social media has some great benefits — say, like finding friends in a new city or something fun to do at the last minute — there’s not anything drastic we’re going to suggest here. But we should be conscious and conscientious of being around our friends and significant others — of being in the moment. Of getting to bed at a reasonable hour (and potentially curbing insomnia caused by the glow of screens). Or not being consumed by an electronic device. I mean, didn’t you sit around long enough looking at a computer at work all day?! I love my Kindle, too, but make sure that I alternate with reading actual books too. Social media addiction is serious business.

Your twitter timeline will still be there when your happy hour with friends is over. Facebook status update eye-rolling once the workday is done. I’d go so far to say even TURN OFF THE TV since it’s obviously replacing quality time and conversation with your significant other. Hello, hulu! Most of all, don’t take your phones to the dinner table. This is a new rule that I’m putting in place in my house. I mean, it’s hard enough that I work from home full time AND my boyfriend continues to work once he’s home. We could at least enjoy dinner in silence, right? Ha.

Have you made your own “rules” for electronics and cell phones in your house? Have you found ways to lessen your addiction to social media?

Weekly Therapy: Oh hey, Ohio!

- Mel

the week:
We started the week in Columbus (with HOCKEY! and BRUNCH!). It’s always nice to take a mini-vacation to Ohio and see old pals. Too bad I couldn’t get up to Cleveland for the Indians home opener.

This chocolate place in Columbus is SO GOOD!
This chocolate place in Columbus is SO GOOD!

weekend:
Bout day! These back-to-back bout weekends are certainly a challenge in getting my body to move in the mornings. Heh.

Spring (finally) in Ohio
Spring (finally) in Ohio

seven things, seven days:
1. We (the boyfriend and I) just found out our mutual friend — the one responsible for finally getting us together — is moving to Pittsburgh. SO EXCITED!
2. We also picked up our first CSA (Penn’s Corner CSA for those in the Pittsburgh area).
3. Enjoyed a nice, solitary morning in the park… and then a goose came over and nipped my shoe. Dick.
4. Was so great to catch up with one of my old college friends.
5. Starting a day off with hot yoga: one of my favorite ways to wake up.
6. Did I mention Baseball Season? BASEBALL!
7. Once again, I missed skipping my justfab selections, so I have to pay for yet another month of crap. For whatever reason, I still don’t get their emails announcing the new month picks (even though my settings say otherwise), and there’s NO WAY to cancel online. You have to do it by telephone. And well, NOBODY’S GOT TIME FOR THAT. {/rant}

Weekly Therapy: April!!!!!!

- Mel

the week:
This week, I started my April 30 Challenge to “do something new every day.” The opportunity is there to do some amazing things… but a few things will be kind of ridiculous. And by ridiculous, I mean, I NEED IDEAS! Won’t you leave some in the comments?

Also this week was my annual skin cancer screening. I had to have a biopsy ON MY FACE. Thankfully, it was tiny, so I didn’t need stitches. BUT STILL: ON MY FACE. For the record, it wasn’t a mole either, which makes it all the more scary. Ladies, if you haven’t stopped with the tanning beds and vacations full of sun exposure, I feel it’s my purpose to tell you STOP. NOW.

skin cancer screening
Don’t look at my blackheads! Also, don’t look at my balding eyebrows.

And don’t forget the sunscreen.

weekend:
I’m taking yet another road trip to Ohio this weekend. We have a game on Saturday, so I’m making a mini-vacay out of it: dinner (and carb load) with an old friend on Friday; hockey game on Sunday. Plus, we’re seemingly out of the season of 800 layers (woo).

If you’re looking for something to do in Pittsburgh, check out this Awesome Events post from I Heart PGH.

seven things, seven days:
1. One of my reviews made it into the Weekly Yelp!
2. Speaking of Yelp, we went to a performance at the new Arcade Comedy Theater on Monday courtesy of the social network. So much funny.
3. BASEBALL!!! (you’re going to get a lot of that from me this time of year)
4. Second year in a row that I won some cash from the scratch-off lottery ticket in my Easter Basket. BINGO!
5. I don’t know how I got subscribed to The Red Bulletin magazine (from Red Bull), but it’s my absolute favorite right now for its stories of travel and wonderful articles on adventure-seekers.
6. I applied for a job at google… kinda blew my mind hitting “send” on my resume. Why not, right?
7. Can you believe that more than HALF of Americans shop in order to feel better? {StyleCaster article} Ahem. I am one of you.

Making friends and Yelp: people, parties and part of the “new”-ness of April

- Mel

When I was a newcomer to Pittsburgh, I made many wonderful connections online. The majority of my friendships started on Twitter, and others I met through Yelp. I highly recommend if you’re relocating to start following and conversing online with people from your new city before your move.

Nearly every metropolitan area has a Yelp page specific to its city, with a great Talk board to get suggestions from the locals. I was already using my (former) blog to write about new places and experiences, so transitioning those reviews to Yelp was nothing different than what I was already doing. I love telling visitors about my favorite places — and giving my opinions and advice on being a newcomer in the city gave me a unique voice to others who have been here their whole life. The best part of being a Yelper though are the parties; being an Elite has some special perks.

We have an amazing Community Manager, Rachel, who connects us with local businesses and other users… and she hosts some super-fun parties. Plus, we were able to work together last year on a sponsorship-slash-event with my derby league — Yelp loves roller derby, and that only enhances my love of the site. There have been events at the Toonseum and Penn Brewery, happy hours, nights out on the Gateway Clipper, free tickets to live performances (I saw both ballet and Electra last year) and cool swag (I seriously have a Yelp chapstick in every coat pocket). Last month, the boyfriend and I joined fellow Yelpers for a performance of “You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up” (which paired well with complimentary beverages and cheese plates), and this week we went to the new Arcade Comedy Theater downtown to watch their cast do a rendition of Yelp’s Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews event (sooo funny).

I like being in the know. And being a Yelper was sincerely helpful for this 30-something to find her way — and find some new friends — in a new city.

Do you Yelp? I’m Mel U. — let’s connect! Have you made friends IRL that you originally met online?

And as they say, SYOY!

March 30: a lesson in emotional eating

- Mel

No sweets. NO SWEETS FOR 30 DAYS. I knew this would be a difficult month, but really didn’t anticipate HOW HARD keeping desserts away from my pie hole would be. It was a long, cold month.

Within the first week of giving up sweets, I had a four-day headache.

Then I had a tooth pulled and continuously craved ice cream during the healing process.

St. Patrick’s Day and my anniversary happened… this was my first “cheat” day: an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, which, naturally, included a dessert table, a bananas foster table AND a make-your-own ice cream table. The ice cream felt so wonderful on my gums that I almost tossed the entire month-long challenge in the garbage right then-and-there.

I was determined to finish strong, however; intsead using my “free” day at the end of the month (originally planned for Easter) to make up for the one-day lapse.

Each day for the last week of the month, the breakroom at my part-time job was filled with cookies and doughnuts and candy.

Then I had a death in the family and was surrounded by sugary gifts from friends and neighbors. Sigh.

Basically, after giving up sweets for 16 days straight, on the 17th day I fell to my sugar cravings because of a flaw in the emotional eating segment of my psyche. I pressed restart for another few days, then succumbed again. I didn’t just stumble, I GONE TRIPPED AND BROKE MY WILLPOWER. All of it.

And then on the 31st day, at the sight of my first period in several months, I celebrated my failure with a crushed Samoas cookie vanilla sundae. Because that’s what 30-something females do: we eat away our PMS and feelings.

What you missed:
Read more about my 30-day challenges for 2013.
January: no alcohol!
February: it’s wake-up time!

Weekly Therapy: grieving, traveling, remembering…

- Mel

the week:
This week started out rough, with my grandfather’s viewing and funeral. So much sadness. I’m sure you’ll pardon my absence.
I have to add though that it was wonderful seeing my sisters and family all together, considering the gloomy circumstances. I wish I could see them every weekend…

We found this letter to my grandmother on the back of a photo (a picture of my grandfather in his military uniform).
We found this letter to my grandmother on the back of a photo (a picture of my grandfather in his military uniform).

weekend:
Trying to get back to a hint of normalcy (and catching up on work). We have Book of Mormon tickets for Friday night. I’ve been anticipating this show for nearly a year. So. Exited.

Saturday, our home team had some “closure” with an end-of-season brunch, which I’m hosting. And I’m much less stressed out socializing in the morning than the evening. Weird, right? #partybrunch

Alas, on Easter I’m working (hangovers!), but the boyfriend promised to bring me home some hrutka. SOMEBODY better also bring me some Cadbury eggs.

seven things, seven days:
1. FINALLY got reservations at Cure — and wow, what a meal! (SALUMI. All Caps.)
2. Remind me to tell you about the time the gate came crashing down onto my car in the EZpass lane on the turnpike.
3. One-point loss in our Detroit game. An amazing game for us, nonetheless. Bonus: after party at Atwater Brewing!
4. Received my Spring Mystery Box from Julep. I am completely obsessed with their polish and products!
5. And then the post office lost YET ANOTHER box that I “missed” being delivered to my house. Their answer: “We don’t know where it is.” SERIOUSLY.
6. Side note: ALL OF THE DESSERTS. I cannot resist you.
7. Your psychology refresher from PsychCentral, the Five Stages of Loss and Grief (Kubler-Ross model)

Weekly Therapy: healing from the littlest baby tooth that could

- Mel

the week:
I seem to be healing from my tooth extraction. Ready to move on from eating meals with baby food-consistency.

The boyfriend and I had a fun, mid-week date night. We had dinner at Braddock’s downtown and then saw the performance You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up! at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Theater (thanks Yelp!). The show is hilarious — and runs through May 5.

weekend:
Busy couple of days! Friday is our monthly bowling league night (I’m still hovering around a respectable 105 average per game); tomorrow I’m skating in Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day parade (pending weather; we might be walking instead); afterward, our group will be celebrating at the Toonseum for their ‘Stache Bash.

A full weekend of activities, culminates into the big celebration of our anniversary on Sunday (the lovely story of when two drunk Irish people hooked up on St. Patrick’s Day). Sadly, our special occasion restaurant is closed on Sundays, so we’ll be looking for somewhere new (or making sushi at home) to celebrate FOUR YEARS. Where has the time gone?!

First “date”: St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago 2009. Yep.

seven things, seven days:
1. Squee! Alert: my current obsession, thanks to bird breeding season, are nest cams. Pittsburgh has its own eye on Peregrine falcons at the Cathedral of Learning! And then a friend sent me the link to these adorable Barn Owls.
2. We won our home opener last weekend, but my home team lost the championships (and I nearly lost my head with too many sits in the penalty box).
3. Painting my nails at least once a week, thanks to Julep! {if you access via my referral link, use code 8563093 at sign-up!}
4. Craving fish fry and alcoholic milkshakes… SO RANDOM. But definitely experiencing some sweets-withdrawal.
5. Another AWESOME Sprig box this month (hello, carrot cake cookies — I cannot wait to enjoy you after March 31!). This company is opening my eyes to so many amazing companies making raw, organic and gluten-free snacks.
6. Is anyone else completely freaking out about the retirement of Google Reader this summer?!
7. Seemed appropriate: The Psychology of Flossing

Love and salt-water rinses (blech). And shots of Jameson. Sláinte!