Weekly Therapy: Crazy Pants Time (a salute to the hectic holiday season and the need for a little extra warmth)

the week:
I completed the Capital Striders 100 miles challenge with 101.7 miles!

weekend:
This morning, I ran another trail race — the Sycamore 8 in Des Moines. Tonight, we’ve got a neighborhood holiday party and another invite to a fellow Rock Boater’s house concert party on Sunday!

I’ll be sure to fit in my 2-hour post-race nap though.

seven things, seven days:
1. Pretty sore for a couple days after running Hitchcock preview last weekend. Next weekend will be interesting!
2. One of my favorite food items on Thanksgiving is a gluten-free cranberry bread that my boyfriend makes. He made me a second loaf to continue my food coma into another week. ?
3. Where my Winter Warriors at?
4. This made me laugh: 18 tips to give a horrible presentation
5. The psychological benefits of endurance running {via Huffington Post}
6. Playing in the NFL at 38 {via NYT}
7. How to feed a runner {via NYT}

Weekly Therapy: “There’s a huge difference between losing and being a loser”

the week:
It’s time to make the introductory rounds of new doctors in Iowa – I had my dentist appointment this week, and I get to meet my new PCP on Monday (morning. At 7am. WTF was I thinking?!). From that appointment, I need to get referrals for a new gyno, a new dermatologist for my annual skin cancer screening, and a trip to the Ortho (hopefully continuing my luck of having hot sports medicine doctors).

I also apparently got poison ivy while I was on an urban vacation… SERIOUSLY. So I had to cancel my pedicure this week. And there’s a possibility that I might have some kind of stress reaction in my foot. At least there was good news with no new cavities!

tl;dr – I’m falling apart. Bring wine.

weekend:
I got an amazing care package from ToGoSpa this week (their Ice Water EYES product is wonderful!); so in my earlier promise of self care, I will be relaxing with some face masks and bubble baths. I’ll also probably go outside a LOT because it’s 73 degrees and BEAUTIFUL right now.

seven things, seven days:
1. There are 33.814 fl oz in a 1000ml water bottle. #tmyk
2. After a pretty shit week at work, I was SUPER excited to receive an invitation to National Root Beer Float Day (yes, free root beer floats for employees in my department). BEST DAY EVER!
3. We went to an AMAZING Penfolds wine tasting at the country club. And brought home more than a few bottles.
4. Started AND finished “Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?” this week. Probably one of my favorite books of the year. I really loved Timothy Caulfield’s writing style and humor, and his compiling of research really had an impact in how I think about the health and beauty industries (especially the myth of “anti-aging”). 30-something approved!
5. “There is no such thing as perfect”: Female athletes fight expectations for perfection online {via Reebok}
6. Since I’m a creature of habit — and now mostly settled here in Iowa — I’ve been really looking at some of my routines, and if they’re really “working” for me. Here are some signs that your routine might be getting in your way. {via The Muse}
7. James Clear with another wonderful essay: Motivation is Overvalued

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something: Week 65

Blogger Tribe_Sunday Lately It’s Sunday morning and the Blogger Tribe is sharing their Sunday Lately posts. The prompts for March 27 (Week 65) are: Completing, Visiting, Repeating, Writing, Scheduling. Read my past Sunday Lately posts and join the Tribe!

Completing: We are finally seeing the end of boxes and packing paper! Most of the interior of the house has been unboxed, if you can believe it. Around our Easter eating plans, we’ll be focusing on the unpacking what’s left in the garage. And then, all those dang boxes will need to be broken down.

Visiting: GUYS. Remember that gluten-free bakery that I was talking about that’s just a few miles from my house? Well, we visited Sweet Rewards Bakery in Waukee this weekend and I got my maple-glazed doughnuts. We also bought a loaf of French bread and a piece of angel food cake. SO GOOD.

Repeating: “I’m new to the area…” — this phrase has been used ad nauseam.

Writing: To-do lists after to-do lists. One for house needs. Another for little things that need repaired or cleaned in the new place. Still another for personal priorities, like registering the cats, and getting a new ID and car plates, and finding a place to get a massage (woof!). Now that my forwarded mail is starting to come to the new house, I realized how lax I was in changing the address on all of my accounts. WHOOPS.

Scheduling: This week, I’ve got the piano tuner scheduled to come back — he says the piano needs more work and he needs to find a replacement string — and our house cleaners will be visiting for a meet-and-greet. I have quite a bit of actual work to catch up on, too. And then I have an appointment with a recruiting firm. Another full schedule!

52 Books in 52 Weeks: 30s Life List and Reading Challenge

I read 52 books in 2015, and it’s something that I can finally cross off my 30s Life List. This was no small feat, as for most of the year I was reading my textbooks alongside reading for pleasure (and writing papers and running marathons). For the purpose of this project, I did include my textbooks because I read that shit at length and in full!

My Top 3 favorite books of the year:
#1 Elite Minds by Stan Beecham
#2 My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hancock
#3 So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

And the WORST:
#52 Five Weeks in the Amazon by Sean Hayes
#51 The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane von Furstenberg (so bad that I had to go back to look up the title!)
… and the several books that I started (one, I even got 35% into) and never finished.

Book that surprised me the most (AKA: Fiction that I actually liked):
Judy Blume’s “In the Unlikely Event” — to be honest, I had low expectations of this book upon receiving it in a PopSugar MustHave box, aside from being a total fangirl of Blume’s books from my childhood. But I sincerely loved this story and its characters.

Book that I really, really wanted to like but really, really didn’t (AKA: the MEH Award):
Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck

I likely won’t pursue quite so lofty a reading challenge in 2016, but this goal had a purpose of getting me back to books and loving reading again — and that’s exactly what I accomplished.

Every 30-something needs… happy, healthy joints.

Are you a daily supplement user? How do your joints feel during — and after — activity? Research indicates that active people should take glucosamine daily for joint health. I only recently started reading about supplements for my bones and joints because of my severe Vitamin D deficiency and the side effects of such. Glucosamine supports the function and mobility of joints.

Breakfast of Champions: coffee, Joint Juice and leftover cranberry bread from Thanksgiving! :)
Breakfast of Champions: coffee, Joint Juice and leftover cranberry bread from Thanksgiving! 🙂

The producers of a product called Joint Juice® connected with me recently to tell me about their products that supply a full day’s worth of glucosamine and chondroitin. Originally developed by an orthopedic surgeon for pro-athletes, Joint Juice® contains 1,500 mg of glucosamine in each of its products. Even better, their ready-to-drink supplement has 400 IUs of Vitamin D3, along with Vitamin C and other antioxidants. This daily drink is a convenient way to keep joints healthy and happy so you can do what you love and continue being active in your 30s and beyond. I received samples of the cranberry pomegranate-flavored drink from Joint Juice, which is tasty, though I did detect a slightly off-putting aftertaste. Kind of like when you chew vitamins — a necessary but temporary suffering.

So, what is glucosamine? Glucosamine occurs naturally in your body, which we tend to produce less as we age. That’s where supplementing has been shown effective in maintaining healthy joint cartilage. Glucosamine also works to lubricate your joints by helping cartilage tissue absorb water and to perform its job of cushioning and mobility.

What is chondroitin? Chondroitin is an element of healthy cartilage. So, taking chondroitin with glucosamine supports joint function.

Bonus: Vitamin D Recent research indicates that Vitamin D is essential for a number of cellular activities and most people don’t get enough. And I need all that I can get!

30-Something Approved: I’m an active person, so I am also actively concerned with keeping my body healthy and working properly. If you’re interested in trying Joint Juice®, it can be purchased at Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, and the Joint Juice online store. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re in Pittsburgh and interested in trying, I have a couple samples that I can share too.

Disclaimer: Premier Nutrition sent me a case of Joint Juice® in exchange for review as part of the FitFluential network. All opinions herein are my own.

{guest post} A 30-something Landing Among The Stars

Today’s guest post comes from somebody who I spent an entire blog-cation with in Cleveland last summer OMG THAT WAS ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO?! Anyways, I’m a huge fan of her blog: The Steel Trap, and naturally, I was excited to see that she was assigned to guest post for this April 1 annual blog swap. I’m over at PGH Happy Hour today, with my review of this week’s awesome fun from Arts & Drafts.

I’m thirty-five. I have two failed marriages, a career that doesn’t pay me nearly enough, and no human children. That’s right. I shot for the moon, and I missed in three major “grown-up” areas. To many people, I am a failure; and even sometimes to me, I am a failure.

I wanted this post to be something poignant and witty about how life in the thirties is so damn grand. But to tell you the truth, it is tough. My experience in the thirties is literally like being alone on the front seat of Disney’s Space Mountain, flying through “space” in the dark unknown territory and trying to stifle screams; it seems somewhat familiar because you know you are somewhere at Disney World, but every movement seems alarmingly uncharted as well.

When my first divorce occurred at twenty-eight, I bounced back relatively quickly because I felt as if I still had time. My second divorce is occurring now, and I feel as if I might never truly bounce back because I do not have the time. That’s where the notion of failure comes into play because I admittedly had a hand in not one, but two divorces; I work additional jobs because my career doesn’t pay my nearly enough money to afford my college loans that I accrued to get said career; and I have a small ache wondering what kind of mother I could have been, because no matter how much I love my dog, and no matter how much he contributes to my daily contentment, he is not my actual child. Who wants to go down like this?

And so I have to remind myself that just because I didn’t land on the metaphorical moon to which I so hopefully shot myself with the best of intentions, it’s going to be okay eventually. Y’all have heard that quote, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.”? Well, the little things in life have become my “stars.” Thus, here is a list of the top ten “stars” in my life, the things that make being thirty-five and in my situation more bearable:

1. Castro Mojito, my soon-to-be three-year-old dog and the best sidekick I could ever have. No one could ever love a dog as much as I love him. On the days when I feel like I cannot possibly continue with my routine and my stress overwhelms me, there he is… happy, overjoyed to see me, and ready to just let me hold him until the moment passes or until I fall asleep.

2. My family and friends. As cliché as it seems, my they are of paramount importance to my well-being. They are an interesting bunch of hilarious personalities, representative of Uniontown, Pittsburgh, and a dozen states; thus, some of our gatherings are not as frequent as I would prefer. Our memories are more treasured because we value them so much across the miles, and thank goodness for texting, social media, FaceTime and the U.S. Postal Service because we are able to stay connected. With my family, sometimes it’s a midday group text about something Disney; a package in the mail with something nostalgic; or a FaceTime about who is enjoying some of our most favorite treasured family recipes. With my friends, sometimes it’s a midday group text about one of our exes showing up on Tinder without a shirt on in his profile picture; a sleepover reminiscent of our younger days; or simply sharing in the weddings and births and doctorates and any other milestones that we reach.

3. [Some of] my coworkers. There are a dozen or so people from the span of my career that truly know me and know just how to pick me up when I am down. These people are invaluable as I spend close to sixty hours a week at work; they can catch my eye or watch my body language and know that I am totally “not myself.” Sometimes it’s a gift in my mailbox; spotting me in Jeans Day because I forget to get cash; or calming me down when I am feeling anxious about everything. Regardless of the gesture, they are quite invaluable.

4. Living close to my workplace. I spent eighteen months doing a twenty-five mile commute through two tunnels. When I say that it sucked the soul out of me like a Dementor, I am making an understatement; so being close to work has eased my daily stress immeasurably. It also is pretty convenient on days when I bend over and tear the crotch of my favorite jeans and have to run home to put on a new pair before anyone sees me. Sidenote: RIP to my favorite jeans… ten years old, perfectly worn in, reliable and trustworthy.

5. My health. Despite my aches and pains from being thirty-five, I value being able to go to the gym or go run stadium stairs with little to no difficulty (other than fatigue). I love that I am able to see everything clearly (with my contacts of course) and hear music every single day.

6. Sugar Free Red Bull. Little Debbie snacks. Ramen noodles. Slice and bake cookies. Red gummy candy. Rice Krispie Treats cereal. Late night McDonald’s. Yup. I know that these are all totally bad for me and might contain more sodium than the Dead Sea. But there are days when all it takes is a bite of junk and I have a smile on my face.

7. Surprises. I am rarely surprised but when they do happen, it’s as close to blissful as I can feel anymore.

8. Brunch. Who knew that this meal would become one of the most enjoyable parts of my week? Not the twentysomething version of me that’s for sure. Bloody Mary bars, bacon galore, and the company of good people? That’s contentment.

9. Television! Shows on the small screen weren’t nearly this great in my twenties. At the end of a particularly trying day, knowing that I can go to my DVR and find something wonderful (General Hospital, Grey’s, Scandal, Revenge, How to Get Away With Murder, Empire, Jimmy Fallon, reruns of Beverly Hills, 90210, etc.) to watch is certainly one of the best little things in life.

10. Lastly, my blog The Steel Trap. No, this isn’t a shameless plug of my online labor of love. It is one of my primary creative outlet, and it has afforded me countless opportunities to meet new friends, travel, and enjoy Pittsburgh from a different perspective.

The eyes have (and need) it: finding a new mascara

If my eyes are not defined, I look tired, puffy, washed out… old. I’m sure most 30-something women can relate.

I was an avid Cover Girl user, until their mascara “formula” changed — this, after I used their Professional (and then, Remarkable) for nearly a decade. I knew the end was approaching when I found sale tags on their cosmetics. This was no fluke. The old “formula” was being discontinued. And I say that, because the “new” stuff with its fancy colors and change in packaging was NOT the same. I made the switch for a couple years, but I was never as happy with the new as I was with the old.

How about THAT loaded statement!?

I have basically been on a mission to find a new mascara for the last two years: Lancôme (ok), Benefit (good for nights out), Blinc (yuck!)… There are a LOT of eye products out there, and only so little time and money in the bank account to try them all.

After falling in love with Laura Mercier’s powder and primer products from samples, I decided to give the brand a try in terms of mascara.

best mascara for 30-somethings

And I am. in. love. It defines; it volumizes; it lengthens; it curls. Its awesome wand grabs those little guys that like to stay un-make-up’d. IT STAYS ON DURING THE ENTIRETY OF A ROLLER DERBY BOUT! And it doesn’t clump one bit (I even tested it with four coats. FOUR! NO HAIRY SPIDERS!) I also don’t need eight quarts of eye makeup remover to get the stuff off. This is so important for our time-sensitive eye area!

Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara: 30-something approved!