chocolate

Weekly Therapy: A week off to recharge!

- Mel

the week:
WOO-HOO, VACATION! We’ve been hopping (driving) around to a couple cities in the Midwest on a little road trip this week. And I can cross off visiting the state of Nebraska! We drove over the border from Kansas City, MO, so the boyfriend could cross off Kansas, too.

I wish that I could’ve signed up for a race somewhere while traveling, but not much of that happening during the week. There are quite a bit of “new” cities that are only a couple hours drive away from us — so in the next year, I’m going to start looking at races in some of those other cities.

weekend:
Enjoying the last couple days off work. It felt good to finally get caught up on sleep last night IN MY OWN BED. (Surely, the cat still woke me up in the middle of the night, just as though we never left.)

seven things, seven days:
1. The cats seemed to do well with the new sitter; though Big White Cat hasn’t left my side for 15 hours. I also had all three cats in the bed with me when I woke up. <3 2. Speaking of cats and vacation: on one of my job alert emails this week, a position for "two spoiled cats that need extra attention while we are out of town” MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD.
3. There is still a gluten-free Godiva cheesecake in my fridge that we forgot to serve from our 4th of July party. #breakfast
4. On nightshades and inflammation — something that I’ve struggled with for years (including a two-year abstinence diet from); my cravings for tomatoes and spicy foods has never gone away. SIGH.
5. I considered joining the Kansas City November Project workout this week while I was there. And I’m really bummed after reading this article that I didn’t (though I dislike the “cult” reference in the title). I discovered the amazingness of November Project too late after the “pop-up workout” in Pittsburgh last year, and I really wish that there was a tribe in Des Moines! This type of fitness community chatter, though, makes me miss my CrossFit family a lot.
6. Being a go-getter is no fun {via The Atlantic}
7. Appropriately, Easing the pain of returning back to work after vacation {via HBR}

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something: Week 58

- Mel

Blogger Tribe_Sunday LatelySunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy). Every Sunday morning, the Tribe shares a small glimpse into the last week — and I’m sharing along, too. Every week, a new theme is released for all of us to post and share links through one of the host’s post. All are welcome, so if you’re a blogger looking for his or her Tribe, click through and join us in the Blogger Tribe Facebook group. Today’s Lately is, well, a little later than usual because my ass woke up for an early long run today.

30-something SUNDAY LATELY Week 58

This week’s themes: Creating, Finding, Switching, Forgetting, Craving.

Creating: Am I the only one who creates piles when cleaning a room and moves those piles to a different location? I’m in Purge Mode again, so stacks of books-to-be-donated are on my dining room table, picture frames to be packed away are in another pile. Creating some kind of organization from the chaos… eventually.

Finding: Now that the contractor is finished with some of our house projects, we’re finding residual dry wall dust EVERYWHERE. I mean, we knew it would happen but I’m always a little shocked at how much lingers in the air and settles even after we’ve completely Swiffered a room.

Switching: Switching mindsets from buying to selling, as we put our little old rowhouse on the market this weekend. Yes, this is HUGE news, but more to come on that… soonish.

Forgetting: Forgetting about all of my failures so far in training and looking forward. Gasparilla is for FUN (I know my definition of “fun” is warped!), and I have plenty of weeks to make sure that I’m in top form for the Pittsburgh Marathon (which is also for fun, WHO AM I?!). But for now, we do something of a fake taper for the next two weeks, and I’ll come back strong.

Craving: Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went to the Sewickley Chocolate Walk, and one of my favorite items on the taste tour was a chocolate-covered cherry smoothie from Sincerely Yogurt. My second favorite was black cherry balsamic-drizzled ice cream from Two Rivers Olive Oil (as per the chocolate walk, they were featuring their dark chocolate balsamic, too). I’m basically craving everything cherry flavored now. Now, now.

Cherry Blossom 10-miler: Training Week 5

- Mel

Short and sweet and to-the-point wrap-up today.

Monday: I tried out a new CrossFit program at my local YMCA; since I already have a membership, and the first three classes are free. And, well, let’s just say I’ll stick to my old CF home. (I did degrade my monthly membership though, since I wanted to focus on my running training — but still want the option to drop in once a week.)

Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: STRETCH/ROLL
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST

Chocolate milk recovery 4 LIFE
Chocolate milk recovery 4 LIFE

Saturday: What was most important this week was that I got my long run in. Originally scheduled for Sunday, once I was out on my run, I felt good enough (and the weather was amazing!) to extend my mileage. As per the tip on the Cherry Blossom’s training plan, I ran at a super-comfortable pace — about 11 min/mile, which made me feel as though I could run forever. Even though my left knee started spazzing out on me around mile 4, I picked up the pace as I approached my couple miles back home (the pace I originally hoped to race at the Cherry Blossom).

6.42 miles

Sunday: Swapped my long run to Saturday, so today was an easy 3 miles. Not-so-easy on my knee. I’m starting to freak out.

R.I.C.E. (and it's been a while since I've sweat outside like this!)
R.I.C.E. (and it’s been a while since I’ve sweat outside like this!)

Total runs this week: 2
Weekly mileage: 9.43 miles
Total training mileage: 21.13 miles + 9.43 miles = 30.56 total miles!

Weekly Therapy: taking care of old business

- Mel

the week:
The background colors and layout here at 30-something Therapy were bothering me for a long time. I contacted a few designers about tweaking the blog, but got some serious sticker shock. I decided to figure it out on my own…

So, check out my new site layout — mobile-enhanced now too! And please let me know if something is wonky.

Speaking of new layouts, we met with a contractor about possibly recreating the space on our second level. It’s a weird layout and really doesn’t define a first and second bedroom, mostly because of 12 foot glass doors separating the two spaces, but also because of a terrible bathroom addition. We can’t really do much with our attic space either because of space (and possible historical) constraints. He had some great suggestions, and would solve the problem for us using the space we have — AND only 3-4 months of stress! Next up is a meeting with an architect.

weekend:
A little happy hour with derby buddies on Friday night and an EPIC bottle share with friends on Saturday. Hangover on Sunday, natch. True story: we had to go buy two more dining room chairs to fit our anticipated party size.

seven things, seven days:
1. I am love with this all-natural hot chocolate mix from Silly Cow.
2. Is there nothing better than coming home to a professionally-cleaned house? Especially so when you plan to host 15 guests on the weekend.
3. Finally had x-rays for lingering, nagging derby injuries on my left hand and foot. No visible fractures, so likely ligament damage on each (blargh). So much healing time.
4. Signed up for unlimited month at CrossFit, which includes a strength training program. Did you know that I can deadlift 133 pounds?! Me neither.
5. There is a thing called rice nog from the brand Rice Dream (I use rice milk in my cereal). I *squeed* a delightful squee when I found it in the grocery store. And thoroughly embarrassed myself in the presence of strangers.
6. Special order: Bulleit boubon truffles from Sinful Sweets. Mmm-hmm, that’s right.
7. Who are the “Masters of Sex”? I’ve been wanting to download and watch this Showtime series about Masters and Johnson. Sunday’s hangover might be the perfect opportunity.

Weekend Therapy: playing The Chimney Song on repeat

- Mel

the week:
It’s state (car) inspection time in this 30-something household (and for the 2nd year in a row, it did not pass; this year, exhaust issues, which is not entirely terrible). As much as I swoon over the 2013 new Ford Escape and dream of trading in my ’05, the reality that my car is paid off in 6 months has much more clout. Whatever this type of maturity is, I can’t even.

weekend:
Is everyone relaxing before Christmas, or is it just us? I picked up an extra shift at my part-time job for Sunday, seeing as how I have both Monday and Tuesday off (hooray!).

The boyfriend and I had a date night Friday and checked out new restaurant Root 174 (at least new to us) in Pittsburgh, as well as a new chocolate shop Sinful Sweets (we ate the chocolate as our appetizer at a bar while waiting for our originally-intended restaurant to open, which wouldn’t seat walk-ins).

Then we went downtown to check out our holiday market (it was freezing & Santa wasn’t there), but I found this:

cat ornament
A Rudy Cat ornament!

We also intended to check out the new Speakeasy in town. But again, our plans were foiled, and they wouldn’t let us in. *sigh*

Sounds like the date night was full of Fail, but we actually had a fun time (we’re committed to having a date night at least once a month — and hey, look: spontaneity!). Our “replacement” restaurant ended up serving an incredible meal — I won’t stop talking about that tomato-fennel gorgonzola soup — I can’t wait to return!

52 books in 52 weeks:
Finished #5: Sex & God at Yale. While mostly an interesting (debaucherous) read, the book itself went on WAY too many long-winded personal tangents. As an adult, did I really need an entire chapter devoted to the definition of “hooking up”? No. But maybe some out there do…

seven things, seven days:
1. The psychology behind organic labeling – from Science Daily
2. We got carolers at our house! On the one night I was gone this week… whomp.
3. But yay, team bonding! (over cider and cookies)
4. Holidays are meant for spiked milkshake happy hours… err, lunch.
5. As I write this, the cats are destroying the tree and presents beneath it. Broken ornament count: 2
6. I am an avid ponytail wearer – For winter, I need this Peekaboo Ponytail Hat!
7. We all seemingly made it through the End of the World! I suppose that’s something worth mentioning.

Have a happy pre-holiday weekend! I wouldn’t wish any last-minute shopping at the mall on my worst enemy!