Mileage Goal 2012 update

This year, as of tonight, I am at 363.07 miles. My goal is still 400 miles.

That means I have 36.93 miles left for the year.

13 days left means 2.85 miles per day to meet my goal.

Mileage goal for 2012

As of November 5th I have ran 316.18 miles in the year 2012.

My goal for this year for mileage is 400 miles.

To meet my goal of 400 miles ran this year I need to complete 83.82 miles before December 31st.

There are 56 days left in the year.

That means I need to average 1.50 miles per day.

I am hoping to get back into running and had a successful day today. Hopefully this is the start of getting back on track to meeting (and beating) my goal!

Christmas cards from Shutterfly!

So... I don't usually make my Christmas cards this early... but when I received an email from Shutterfly with a promotional 10 FREE cards, I knew I had to start Christmas cards a little early... At least 10 of them, right?! Shutterfly has FANTASTICALLY great personalizable Christmas card designs and I am happy to say I have purchased my Christmas cards for going on 3 years now. I would HIGHLY recommend them to you and anyone else who is looking for a creative and personal way to send out Christmas cards to your friends and family.

Check out my card!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Just Closed...[Gone Girl]

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually REALLY liked this book. It was not at all what I expected it to be and that is definitely not a bad thing. I liked how they transitioned back and forth between the two main characters and it was definitely easy to follow. A very psychological book and look at the demise of a marriage, the secrets people hide, and the horrors that can arise when people go off the deep end.

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Just Closed...[Beautiful Ruins]

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"The story begins in 1962. On a rocky patch of the sun-drenched Italian coastline, a young innkeeper, chest-deep in daydreams, looks out over the incandescent waters of the Ligurian Sea and spies an apparition: a tall, thin woman, a vision in white, approaching him on a boat. She is an actress, he soon learns, an American starlet, and she is dying.

And the story begins again today, half a world away, when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio's back lot—searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel decades earlier.

What unfolds is a dazzling, yet deeply human, roller coaster of a novel, spanning fifty years and nearly as many lives. From the lavish set of Cleopatra to the shabby revelry of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Walter introduces us to the tangled lives of a dozen unforgettable characters: the starstruck Italian innkeeper and his long-lost love; the heroically preserved producer who once brought them together and his idealistic young assistant; the army veteran turned fledgling novelist and the rakish Richard Burton himself, whose appetites set the whole story in motion—along with the husbands and wives, lovers and dreamers, superstars and losers, who populate their world in the decades that follow. Gloriously inventive, constantly surprising, Beautiful Ruins is a story of flawed yet fascinating people, navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams." [Book description via amazon.com]

Now for my review. I LOVED this book. I won't lie, it was a little hard to get into at first, but after it got going I devoured it. The last book I read "The Red House" did a poor job of linking multiple story-lines. This book did a FANTASTIC job. Even with going between stories it did so in such a fluid way and the author really connected the characters all to the main story. I was very moved by the book. I felt the happiness, the sorrow. I even caught myself tearing up at points. This story really captures the realities of life and how things can be so "beautifully ruined" and how while things may not often go according to plan, they often go in the ways that they should, even if its not what we initially hope for. Sometimes it is what we need.

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Just Closed...[The Mansion of Happiness]

The Mansion of Happiness: A History of Life and Death by Jill Lepore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. I thought it was an interesting way to write a "history" of rather mundane things. I would say that at times it was a little bit too technical, which is why I gave it 3 instead of 4 stars, but other than that, I really liked it!

View all my reviews

Just Closed...[The Red House]

The Red House: A Novel by Mark Haddon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was expecting more from this book. Not that I read anything by this author before (so I wasn't expecting like another such and such book or anything). But I did read great reviews. It wasn't that this was a bad book. It was just an "ok" book. It was a quick read which was nice, but it was too disjointed between the characters. It would jump from one person's perspective in one paragraph into another's, and that made it hard to follow for me. I also found myself confusing characters because of this... I think it was a good mix of characters and it made the overall "plot" good, but the subplots were often badly written. This is why I only gave it 2 stars.

View all my reviews

August Fitness Goal - Weekly Plan

So, as you have seen, I ran a total of 5 miles in July. Just 5.

I recently decided that for the month of August I would like to try to run (or "wog") every day! 

ACCOMPLISHED

Sunday - 40 min wog + Day 5 Strong Like Susan = 41:00 for 2.90 miles

Monday - 40 min wog + Day 6 Strong Like Susan = 41:00 for 2.90 miles

Tuesday - 40 min wog + Day 7 Strong Like Susan = 40:00 for 3.20 miles

Wednesday - 40 min wog + Day 8 Strong Like Susan (rest) = 40:00 for 3.06 miles
Thursday - 40 min wog + Day 9 Strong Like Susan = 40:00 for 3.01 miles
Friday - 40 min wog + Day 10 Strong Like Susan
Saturday - 40 min wog + Day 11 Strong Like Susan

Weekly Miles (Thus far) = 15.07

A new month means it's time to get back on track!

Last month I ran a total of 5 miles.

Yep.

A measly 5.

I will not be doing that again this month! No siree!

Today I did a jog/walk combo where I did 10 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk, 8 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk, 6 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk, 4 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk, 2 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk.

Hopefully I can do this again tomorrow and maybe even cover a little more distance? :)

In addition to starting afresh with my running, I have also decided that I need to do start the Strong Like Susan abs program that I had signed up for last month but failed to ever start.

I didn't even do 1 day.

That will not be the case this month!

Plan for the rest of the week...

ACCOMPLISHED

Wednesday - Wog 40 min + Day 1 Strong Like Susan

Thursday - Wog 40 min + Day 2 Strong Like Susan

Friday - Wog 40 min + Day 3 Strong Like Susan

Saturday - Wog 40 min + Day 4 Strong Like Susan (rest day)

Project Zero - 101 in 1001 (update end of month 6)

Well, here I am, late again... but I did make a LITTLE progress this past month on my 101 in 1001 so here is my update! Really hoping once I'm not in Bar exam doom and gloom I will be able to maybe make more progress on this list!

Bold = DONE
Italics = Began
** = Worked on this month


Start Date = Monday January 9th, 2012
End Date =Monday October 6th, 2014



1. Pass the Oregon Bar Exam
2. Participate in NanoWrimo
3. Compete in and finish a marathon!
4. Open own solo law practice
5. Write a book (or short story) 




6. Find a church to attend in Salem - DONE 3_25_2012
7. Re-read the Bible in a year using a program like before
8. Join an online Bible study - DONE 1_15_2012
9. Spend a month actively praying for family and friends and keep a list of people and keep it in a visible place [0/31]
**10. Organize my notes from when I read the Bible all the way through in 2011
**11. Do at least 10 more devotionals of varying lengths from my Bible [7/10]
12. Plan a time with Aaron and my mom and sister in which to get my niece dedicated and baptized at our community church
13. Buy Selena her first Bible




14. Pay off my quad - DONE in Month 6
15. Pay off both of my credit cards (Amazon and B of A)
16. Make my own coffee ONLY for 1 Month [31/31] - DONE 5_20_2012
**17. Start couponing for groceries
18. Establish an emergency fund of $5,000
19. Keep track of all spending for 1 month [0/31]
20. Donate to my undergrad
21. Buy a house
22. Buy a new car
23. Buy a new couch and recliner



24. Go on a hiking trip to Silver Falls with a friend or group of friends
25. Go camping with girlfriends (without our boys)
26. Go one week without caffeine [0/7]
27. Go one month without fast food [0/31]
28. Floss every night for one week [0/7]
29. Run 20 miles in one single run
30. Go skiing or snowboarding for the FIRST time
31. Give up soda for 1 month [31/31] - DONE in Month 5
32. Give up sugar for 1 month [0/31]
33. Try all of the classes at the gym at least once
34. Grow a garden in the planter boxes - DONE in Month 5
35. Go to bed by 9pm for 1 week [0/7]
36. Get up and out of bed by 6am for 2 weeks [0/14]




**37. Use and improve my Spanish
38. Identify 100 things that make me happy [0/100] - started 1000 gifts 4_20_12
39. Learn 1 thing new every day for 1 month [31/31] - DONE 3_21_12
**40. Try 50 new recipes [8/50]
41. Join Toastmasters
42. Learn how to play PS3 so I can play Call of Duty with Joe
43. Make a pizza from scratch 
44. Learn how to knit
45. Learn how to crochet



**46. Clean and organize office/spare room
**47. Organize pictures
48. Delete duplicated songs off itunes and find names for all unnamed songs - DONE 5_18_2012

49. Get all photos into albums
50. Get everything of mine from mom's house and organize it
51. Help mom get her house in order
**52. Clean and organize garage



53. Attend a music festival
**54. Try 10 new local restaurants with or without Joe [4/10] - Ventis, Orupa, Thai Beer, La Perla
**55. Replace movies we only have on VHS with movies on DVD or Bluray
56. Go to the ballet
57. Go to the opera
58. Go to a comedy club
59. Join a couples' pool playing league with Joe
60. Buy a companion African Grey parrot for Harrison

 

61. Befriend someone new
**62. Visit with a friend in person at least once a month [6/33]
63. Meet a blog friend
64. Attend MY 10 year high school reunion
65. Attend Joe's 10 year high school reunion with him
66. Host a games night
67. Host a dinner party
68. Have a mother/daughter day
69. Have a niece/auntie day - DONE in Month 4



**70. Read 100 NEW TO ME books [23/100] - as of 8_01_12
71. Read a book of poems
**72. Finish reading the entire Harry Potter series [6/7]




73. See all of AFI's top 100 movies [19/100]
**74. Discover 10 (new to me) musicians [2/10] Fun, Trevor Hall,
75. Learn to drive a stick shift
76. Learn to drive in Joe's BIG truck comfortably
78. Buy someone a gift off Etsy - DONE 1_18_2012




79. Find places looking for volunteers and volunteer somewhere once a month [0/33] - missed first 6 months
80. Send a family member a care package
81. Send a friend a care package
82. Give a gift "just because"
83. Choose 3 organizations/causes to contribute to financially [2/3]



84. Watch the sunrise 10 times [0/10]
85. Take walks with Joe after he gets off work every evening for a week
86. Meditate for 30 minutes every morning for 1 month [0/31]
87. Write a letter to a future me :)
88. Spend a whole day painting
89. Spend a whole day drawing



90. Visit Joe's aunt and uncle in St. Croix
91. Go to NY - a BIG dream of mine
92. Go out of the country (never been)
93. Take a road trip with some girlfriends
94. Plan a trip to see a family member I have never met before (or cannot remember ever meeting)
95. Visit 3 NEW TO ME national parks [0/3]
96. Visit Mount Rushmore
97. Visit Central Park
98. Go to Times Square
99. Shop in downtown NYC
100. Run a race somewhere out of state
101. Visit with Katie in Las Vegas

Just Closed...[Hemlock #1]

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I checked out this book on a whim and I am so glad that I did. It is definitely not your average para-normal fantasy book. Yes, it has werewolves, yes it has a kick ass protagonist, but it is definitely not like the other cookie cutter books out there. It had so many unexpected twists and turns and I love how it left on a cliff hanger that will set things up nicely for the next book!

View all my reviews

Just Closed...[Insurgent]

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic follow-up to Divergent. I cannot wait to read the third book once it comes out! Tris is a great protagonist and I really enjoyed getting to learn more about all of the other factions, since they weren't really described in the first book.

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Sometimes I wonder if I will ever succeed...

And then things happen that remind me to be positive and to keep trying, to keep striving for my dreams.

After a hard first day of the Bar exam I am trying to unwind in my hotel room. I have done 18 practice MBEs and reviewed my MBE tips for all subjects. Even though I am not on Facebook right now, I can still access it through Harrison's account. Tonight I wanted to take a look around and let me just say, I am definitely feeling the love....

I was overwhelmed by the positive messages people posted for me, even in my absence!

"Please continue to think good thoughts for my sister who will be enduring her second day of bar testing tomorrow. She is such a trooper and I can't imagine doing what she has done to fulfill her dreams. I love you sister!" - Status update from my sister

"Keeping some dear friends in my heart today & tomorrow as they are taking the bar. Eek. Love you all♥" - Status update from one of my best friends

"Jenna is in Portland spending the night before the start of her 2-day marathon State Bar Exam tomorrow & Wednesday. Please channel good thoughts her way the next few days! I ♥ U All!" - Status update from my dad

And, last but definitely not least... Joe has been sad with me not home and he has been sending lots of texts... here is a back and forth we had tonight...

"I hope you stay with me if you pass" - Joe
"I hope you stay with me if I fail" - Me
"I will always be here, win or lose" - Joe

I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, they have never gave up on me, even with this being my third time taking the Bar. I really hope this time is the time that it clicks, the time that I pass.

Wherein I apologize for not posting anything substantive, only to post something unsubstantive...

I have sure been MIA with any substantive posts lately, and for that I am sorry. For those of you who still read my blog, which I think is like 2 of you (if I'm even that lucky) unfortunately this post isn't going to be really substantive either.

It's not that I don't have things to blog about. I have tons of things!

Various experiences during my work for Kenneth Cole, which is now complete, different thoughts and rants regarding Bar study, exercise (or my lack thereof) rants, just to name a few. I am just popping in to say that I am still here.

I am sorry I haven't been keeping up with many of you lately, I am so behind in reader, but I am trying to get through chunks at a time and at least starring the posts that I will comment on, eventually.

The Bar is this upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday. Then I will be gone camping from Friday through Monday. All of this being said I am hoping to be back with more substantive posts after all of this madness is over.

 Please keep me in your thoughts as I review over the next couple days and especially as I take the exam on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hopefully this is the last time I take this thing! I am so ready to be done!

Just Closed... [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think this was my favorite of the series so far, at least tied with the Goblet of Fire. I cannot believe how weepy I got at the end of the book, definitely one of the more emotional things that has happened in this series. I won't say what I am referring to for fear of spoiling it for anyone who may not have read it yet, but for those of you who have, you know what I am referring to. It has been so exciting to follow these characters and watch them grow. I am so excited for the final book but I am also sad because it means that I am almost done with the series. I know that I was super late getting on the HP wagon, but consider me a huge fan! :)

View all my reviews

Weight-Loss Wednesday #4

I'm back for week 4 of my weight-loss Wednesdays! If you haven't seen this weekly thing I am now doing, you can check out my first entry HERE. As I mentioned in week 1, I am going to be sharing Bob Harper's Skinny Rules over the course of the next 13 weeks and I am going to share my progress on meeting his rules and trying to incorporate them into my life! 

Last week I shared Rules 4 and 5.

All of that being said, I am now moving on to the next rule.

Rule #6 - Eat apples and berries every single day. Every. Single. Day!

Bob's section for this rule included some helpful tips that I wanted to share regarding fruits and vegetables. 

Worth it organics

-          Apples

-          Asparagus

-          Celery

-          Cherries

-          Lettuce

-          Nectarines

-          Peaches

-          Pears

-          Spinach

-          Strawberries

-          Sweet bell peppers

-          Tomatoes

Not worth it organics

-          Avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, frozen peas, kiwi, mangos, onions, papayas, pineapple

Berries and apples are good because they have phytochemicals that restore balance. Also Bob talks about how frozen berries are just as good as fresh and can often be cheaper, if price is your main issue. Just be sure they don’t have extra added sugar!

Just Closed... [The Skinny Rules]

The Skinny Rules: The Simple, Nonnegotiable Principles for Getting to Thin by Bob Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. I thought the "rules" were straight forward and very helpful. I also liked all of the recipes and meal ideas that were including in the second half of the book.

View all my reviews

Lose a Marathon Challenge - Week 4 (in progress)

Weight as of Monday July 9th = 165 (1 pound lost)

#6PackMarch - WEEK 4

Day 21 (Monday, July 9th) - 65 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, 100 seconds plank

Day 22 (Tuesday, July 10th) - 70 sit-ups, 27 push-ups, 105 seconds plank

Day 23 (Wednesday, July 11th) - 75 sit-ups, 27 push-ups, 110 seconds plank

Day 24 (Thursday, July 12th) - 80 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 120 seconds plank

Day 25 (Friday, July 13th) - Rest day

Day 26 (Saturday, July 14th) - 80 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 120 seconds plank

Day 27 (Sunday, July 15th) -  85 sit-ups, 30 push-ups, 135 seconds plank

#LoseAMarathon - WEEK 4

Day 21 (Monday, July 9th) -

Day 22 (Tuesday, July 10th) -

Day 23 (Wednesday, July 11th) -

Day 24 (Thursday, July 12th) -

Day 25 (Friday, July 13th) - 

Day 26 (Saturday, July 14th) -

Day 27 (Sunday, July 15th) - 

Total Miles = ??

**Blue = Accomplished

**Purple = To be Accomplished

Lose a Marathon Challenge - Week 3 (completed)

Last weight (June 25th) = 168 pounds
2nd Weigh-in on July 2nd = 166 pounds (loss of 2 pounds)

**Needless to say I fell off the wagon this week. With working full time for the next couple weeks and studying when I am not working, my exercise has indeed suffered. Hopefully once my life calms down a bit I will be able to get back on track.


#6PackMarch - WEEK 3

* Day 14 (Monday, July 2nd) - 45 sit-ups, 18 push-ups, 70 seconds plank

Day 15 (Tuesday, July 3rd) - 50 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 75 seconds plank

Day 16 (Wednesday, July 4th) - 50 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 75 seconds plank

Day 17 (Thursday, July 5th) - 55 sit-ups, 22 push-ups, 85 seconds plank

Day 18 (Friday, July 6th) - Rest day

Day 19 (Saturday, July 7th) - 60 sit-ups, 22 push-ups, 90 seconds plank

Day 20 (Sunday, July 8th) -  60 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, 100 seconds plank

#LoseAMarathon - WEEK 3

* Day 14 (Monday, July 2nd) - 3 miles 1.50 miles in 21:30 (14:00 pace)

Day 15 (Tuesday, July 3rd) -

Day 16 (Wednesday, July 4th) -

Day 17 (Thursday, July 5th) -

Day 18 (Friday, July 6th) -

Day 19 (Saturday, July 7th) -

Day 20 (Sunday, July 8th) -

Total Miles = 1.50 miles

**Blue = Accomplished

**Purple = To be Accomplished

Weight-Loss Wednesday #3

I'm back for week 3 of my weight-loss Wednesdays! If you haven't seen this weekly thing I am now doing, you can check out my first entry HERE. As I mentioned last week, I am going to be sharing Bob Harper's Skinny Rules over the course of the next 13 weeks and I am going to share my progress on meeting his rules and trying to incorporate them into my life! 

Last week I shared Rule 3. I have ate protein at every meal, just probably not as much protein as Bob would suggest. Sometimes I find it difficult, so I need to work on finding quick and easy ways to incorporate a good amount of protein into my daily meals.

All of that being said, I am now moving on to the next rule.

Rule #4 - Slash your intake of refined flours and grains

If they are at all “refined” they will make you fat. Even if they state that they are heart healthy, low fat, etc.

Grains are a lot like liquid calories once your body processes them.

Farro to barley are good grains that you soak.

Bread should say “whole grain wheat flour” or “sprouted whole wheat”

Check to see that no sweetener is included in the first five ingredients!

No more than ½ cup of brown rice at a time (will be hard for me)

 
Rule #5 - Eat 30 to 50 grams of fiber a day

Fiber is so important. Bob emphasizes that whole grain fiber diets are associated with lower BMIs. He highly recommends fruits and veggies with high fiber contents as well as some cereals and beans.