Things to think about Thursday

I found an app on my iPod Touch called WTFacts. I've spent WAY too much time going through the random facts on it, and thought quite a few were post-worthy. I've split them into categories, below. Enjoy!


EXPERIMENT-WORTHY

Mosquitoes are attracted to people who just ate bananas.

Who wants to be the guinea pig for this one?

Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backward.

"I may not be able to walk backward, but look,
I'm so pretty."

All porcupines float in water

Get me a porcupine. Stat!

Chewing gum while peeling onions will prevent you from crying.

I don't believe it, but you better believe I'm going to try it.

If you keep a goldfish in a dark room it will eventually turn white.

Then technically wouldn't it then be a 'whitefish'?

It is possible to lead a cow up stairs, but not down.

"Oh crap."

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven times.

Ummm...BUSTED!

THINGS I COULD HAVE GONE MY WHOLE LIFE WITHOUT KNOWING

The average human will eat an average of eight spiders while sleeping.

This reminds me of a show I saw once, where a boy was brought to the hospital with a cockroach in his ear. Great, now I'm going to be afraid to go to sleep. And I love sleep!

The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1.

I wonder if this is still true, with obesity on the rise in the U.S. And also, how did they find this out?

Mosquitoes have 47 teeth.

 ...and commence heeby jeebies.

RANDOM WONDERS

A one-day weather forecast requires about 10 billion math calculations.

...and they still can't get it right!

Fish cough.

Oysters can change genders back and forth.

The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows.

The average American will eat 35,000 cookies in his/her lifetime.

I bet I can beat that!

When the moon is directly over you, you weigh less.
You weigh less at the top of a mountain than at sea level.

I must find a doctor at the top of a mountain, under the moon.

In a year, the average person walks four miles making their bed.

Really? I would've guessed more like four hundred.

 And I leave you with one more to ponder.....





A whale's penis is called a 'Dork'.

 Yep, I went THERE! 

Happy Thursday!

Fun finds

This morning I was fortunate enough to come across Sapling Press on etsy, and I think I'm in love. They create letterpress cards, stationery, and the like with fun, cynical sayings on them.

A few examples:

"We go together like butt cracks and plumbers."

 These two are from the "Cards From Men" collection :)

...swoon...

 

 

 

 

 Exciting news! (Well, exciting to me anyhow):

Guess what's out on DVD today?!

LOVE this movie.

AND THIS comes out in theaters on Friday! Now I just need to find someone who will go see it with me :)

Annoying things people do at the gym

I had a somewhat traumatizing afternoon at the gym yesterday, and I thought this would be a fun subject to write about. I've put a lot of thought into this through the years. Please feel free to add to the list!

• Girls who come to the gym all dolled up. I mean I guess if you're trying to tell everyone that you're not serious, it works. But otherwise, why??
• Anyone who comments on your form. I had some guy once say to me, "Wow, you're flexible." CREEPY!
• The couple who gym together and flirt the whole time. The rest of us want to hurt you. Badly.
• People who take up a machine and don't actually do anything.
• Guys who grunt, yell, or throw the weights around. The rest of us can hear you and we think you sound like an idiot.
• The guys who stand around the weights talking and laughing. DO something!
• People who take up more than one machine at a time and act all put off when you use one in the middle of their sets. It's a public gym. Get over it.
• Guys who act like their workout is more important than yours because you're a girl. (This happens to me quite frequently. If the gym weren't equipped with cameras, I might try to "accidentally" trip a few).
• People who use the gym as social hour. If you're going to work out, go to the gym. If you're going to socialize with your buddies, go to a bar. It's probably a lot cheaper than the gym membership.
• When people have consistently bad form and the trainers don't say something before they hurt themselves. 
• People who try to talk to me when I have my iPod on (which is the whole time). Unless you're asking me something gym-related, take the hint.
• People who smell of perfume/cologne OR Body odor. Go for the happy medium of just not smelling at all. Showers and deodorant are awesome and perfume has no place at the gym.

Add away!

Today's random photo:

Hilarious!

Dogs are people too

I don't like electric fences. I don't believe in leaving your dog outside on a chain. I think that if you're going to get a dog, he/she should be part of the family. Anyone who has a dog sibling or child or even niece or nephew knows what I mean.

My entire family owns dogs and always has, and the majority of those dogs were rescued. Why? Because, to me, it only makes sense. Why breed and breed dogs when there are tons of dogs out there who are put down every day because they can't find homes?

Well, I'm not going to preach on the subject. That's just my two cents. Actions speak louder than words, right?: case-in-point

Not only the entire site, filled with dogs who need homes, but the featured story about Spike, a dog left outside while the family was away and was (I assume), hit by a car. I don't know anyone who would leave their sibling, child, niece, or nephew outside while they're away and then leave them at the hospital to be put down when they couldn't afford the damage they indirectly caused them.

At least, no dog I know would do that their owner.

Dear Mr. Groundhog: I demand a recount

I'm officially convinced that Mother Nature needs Prozac. Or chocolate. Or perhaps a little lovin'.

A week ago we had 80 degree weather. I was walking to my car from kickboxing last week in shorts and a tank top. This morning I had frost on my windshield and currently ice is falling from the sky.

  
Duuuuude!
My Summer heart is hurting. My flip flops are looking at me from their place in my closet with those sad eyes. I have flowers to buy and I want to wash the Jeep! I'm ready to dropkick Ms. Nature. Seriously.

SERIOUSLY!



...and end rant.



So, I think (along with Mother Nature), I've gone off the deep end. I went to the outlet mall this weekend with Amanda and Erin. One of the stores at the outlet mall is Coach.

 Say "hello" to my new work bag. (*ahem* 80% off!)

 AND my new Winter purse (ALSO 80% off!)











I'm still feeling a little crazed. I also bought a few items of clothing and some other small items that have been on my wish list for a while. My work award money couldn't have come at a better time, and I hope my mom is glad to know I actually did spend it on things for me! I'll share some of the other items a little later.




Monday's random photo:

It occurred to me last week that jelly bean season is fast approaching and it is officially the only candy I have any interest in consuming for Easter.

Sugar highs, here I come!

Fill-in-the-blanks FRIDAY

It's that time again! YAY Friday!

1. My most prized possession is  hmm.. this is a toughie. I really don't know how to answer it. I'm going to be lame and leave it at that. Or I could be even lamer and say, "my family, friends, and my health," but those aren't exactly possessions, they're just really awesome.
   
2. If I could be one age for the rest of my life, I would want to be  probably the age I am now. I like me at this age. I didn't like me at many ages in life (hello, teenage years. ick!). I wouldn't want to be a kid, either. I get to eat dessert first now if I want. As a kid I didn't have that option; I had to eat three bites of meat and all my green beans first.
   
3. The best way to spend a weekend is  let's see...this weekend will be spent with family, friends, working out, shopping, cooking out, hanging out, sleeping in...I think that's pretty much the makings of a perfect weekend to me! The only thing that would make it even more perfect is if all of this were taking place at a warm, sunny beach (and also, if the weekend lasted forever).
   
4. My outlook on life is  I have many. I think everything works out in the end and worrying isn't worth it. I also believe that what goes around comes around (aka-karma). And, to quote Dr. Seuss, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”
   
5. If you want to annoy me, just  This could be a whole post in itself! Spit in public or make that gross mucussy noise in your throat, chew with your mouth open, cut me off in traffic and then drive slow, don't mind high-beam etiquette, use bad grammar, bicker with your significant other in public, PDA.....(I think I really do need to do a whole post on this topic!)
   
6. I am completely defenseless when it comes to  dessert. I don't know what happened, but it's like my sweet tooth just grew in and is very adamant about getting what it wants.
   
   
7. When dressing for the day one should  always put on underwear because you just never know, and also because if you don't it's just kinda grody.

 (courtesy of thelittlethingswedo)





I hope everyone has a fantabulous weekend!!

Kickboxing:1 Me:0

Last night was kickboxing night; my favorite night of the week (not including Friday and Saturday, of course). I was excited, I was feeling pretty good, and it was 80 degrees out. It was going to be an awesome workout!

And then it was like my body turned off. I'm normally pretty good at pushing through the rough times. I know it won't kill me. But yesterday I kept getting the feeling like I was going to pass out and I had no balance. Now, I'm not a very graceful person, I'll admit, but I couldn't even do side kicks or roundhouse kicks without losing my balance. Also, my feet kept sliding in  my shoes, so parts of my feet were really hurting. I complete 45 minutes of the hour-long class and that's all I had in me. I stretched a little and peaced out of there.

Today I am exponentially more sore than I normally am the day after kickboxing. I don't get it. I understand that every day is different and some days are great workout days and some are a struggle the whole way through, but this is ridiculous.

Does this ever happen to you? Any thoughts or words of wisdom?



My random words of wisdom for you today: Don't search Google images for "Ouch". (I know you're gonna do it now, because curiosity is a crazy thing, but don't say I didn't warn you!)

Here's a random sample:

It kind of puts my muscle pain in perspective, no?

Shameless plug

(my design :)

 Every year, The School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill (aka-the place I work as a graphic designer of the most awesomest designs in the universe ;-), has an Annual Awards and Service Celebration luncheon, where everyone comes together to enjoy a catered lunch and we celebrate the work of all employees. Also, awards are given out.

The awards are:

• Performance Excellence Awards
  3 award winners (prize: $2,000 each and a certificate)
  
• Extra Mile Awards
  9 award winners (prize: $750 each and a certificate)
   
• Star Heel Awards
  4 awards provided by UNC-Chapel Hill for outstanding customer service. (prize: $25 gift cards each and a certificate)

All awards are earned through nominations by coworkers.



Are you ready for the fun part?





Are you suuuuuure you're ready??





Positive???





Ok ok...

I couldn't believe it! I am still sort of in shock (in a good way :). I always just assume people think of me as 'that girl who designs things', but *ta da*! I guess you could say I was super-duper surprised and excited. The marketing division (which is comprised of me and my three immediate coworkers; one of which is my boss), put together all of the materials; certificates, program, nomination forms, and digital sign images, for the event. That means they worked super hard at keeping this a secret from me. It worked!

The text at the bottoms reads:
"in recognition of exemplary effort and contributions to the general success of the School of Government as demonstrated through accomplishments, dedication, helpfulness, and cooperation with others."

...and yes, I received a hefty check of a little more than $600 after taxes, which I've spent about twenty times over in my head (but haven't actually spent it yet. I'm waiting until after my paycheck hits tomorrow and before I pay my bills to think, "wow, It's been a long time since I've had that much money in my account!") And then I'll have to pay my bills and I may actually spend part of my winnings on a few things I've been wanting but couldn't afford (like new gym shorts and a pedicure...I like to live large :-).

For some reason i was thinking I was going to get maybe $150. I asked my boss how much the check was for and when she told me, after the shock wore off, I said to her, "I can pay off my credit card!" Yeah, I know, the dumbest thing to think about and then to tell your boss. Oh well. (I do not plan to use it to pay off my credit card. My mom always told me that when you get a gift of money, you should use it on something for you. Thank you, Mom!)

This morning in my mailbox at work, I received the nominations in an envelope. It was a thick envelope with my name on it and I was hoping it wasn't, like, all the hate mail I've accumulated or something. It wasn't. Guess what. I received five nominations. FIVE! As in the number after four. As in one, two, three, four, five! I definitely owe it to my coworkers for receiving such an honor. Three of the nominations were for the award that I received and two were for a different award.

(My employee picture is terrible, but I had to
use it.)

Amazing.

Pooh love

It was suggested to me today that this is probably one of my workout videos. It's not, but I do love me some Pooh. He has trouble thinking, is always hungry, and exercises. It's like a video about me! (Except that I've never ripped my pants from being too plump. Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself!)

Cheater cheater, ice cream eater

Yesterday I started out with great intentions to stick to the post-vacation "diet". Here is a rundown:

Breakfast:

• Brown rice (leftover from Monday night's dinner), with almond milk and raisins, heated.
• 1.5 cups of coffee

I decided that I like oatmeal much better for breakfast than rice, but I wanted to try it.

 Lunch:

• Salad: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, peas, yellow pepper
• Small can of tuna (eaten on top of the salad)

 Dinner (after a tough, but good gym workout):

• Tilapia (left over from Monday's dinner), with lemon on top
• Glass of Pinot Grigio
• Quinoa (made with chicken broth) mixed with peas, broccoli, and carrots

 I brought half of the leftover quinoa mix for lunch today.



 I also had a few snacks during the day:

• A banana
• An orange
• A handful of almonds

And then, I fell off "the wagon" not once, but TWICE yesterday! (I know I know. I hang my head in shame).


First, I was starving around 2pm and I had no 1-2 ingredient snacks left. The Balance bar in my drawer was burning a hole in me, so I gave in.

I was so hungry, I couldn't even wait until after I took the
picture to open it.

And now comes the after-dinner cheat-fest....ice cream. I've mentioned before how I'm obsessed with the Skinny Cow ice cream cups. Well, this one was burning a hole in me from the freezer. (And I'm not talking about freezer burn).

170 calories
3 grams of fat
4 grams of fiber
100% cravable

And of course, during the day I also drank tons of water, as usual.



So there it is...I'm a cheater.

Giuliana would be so disappointed.

"Crazy of the day"

I have tried to let this go, but I just can't. It's just too epic. (and by epic, I mean epically aggravating and ridiculous).

Giuliana Rancic. If you haven't heard of her, she's an E! News host and she and her husband star in their own reality show. This is what she looks like:

Yesterday a friend brought this to my attention. It's her "meal plan," in her own words. Some of the highlights:

"I'm at the gym by 5am so i don't have enough time to eat and digest before i get on the treadmill. Therefore, since i DON'T drink coffee, I drink a tea called Yerba Mate."

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, dummy...especially before a workout. Even a banana would work. I doubt she has enough energy to work out too hard anyhow.
 
I wanted to know what yerba mate is, so I found online that "Some studies indicate that people who drink large amounts of yerba mate over prolonged periods may be at increased risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, esophagus and lungs." (A small price to pay for looking anorexic, I guess).

"After my workout, I head to my 6:30 morning meeting and I drink a 16 oz bottle of water with lemon and a pinch of cayenne pepper in it. This is a great way to wake up your body and get it ready for the food you will soon put into it."

I don't know about you, but my body needs no prepping for having food put in it, especially after a workout. And also...cayenne pepper in water. Yeah, that's normal.
 

"Coffee can actually hold onto fat whereas green and oolong tea flushes fat out (love that)."

 Dear Giuliana, you can't just make stuff up to make yourself feel better. Coffee does not hold onto fat (whatever that means), and there is nothing you can consume to "flush out" fat either.

"I also open up a bottle of GT's Kombucha ... I sip this throughout the day because it is very good for you and it totally helps with hunger cravings."

So does eating.
 

"At about 7:15am I have an ORGANIC grapefruit. This is an amazing fruit that helps keep you regular and also helps flush out fat."

Again with the flushing of fat. Methinks someone needs an edumacation.

"And i ALWAYS say NO BUTTER, NO OIL...instead tell them to cook it in a light mist of Pam cooking spray."

She mentions several times that she uses no butter or oil. Some oils are good for you. You know, with the Omega-3's and all. Maybe she doesn't care since she's going to get cancer from her tea anyway. Also, she says many times to "tell them". I guess she thinks we all have personal chefs.

"I looooove dessert but I used to love it too much. So much so that I had to completely cut it out for a while. Now, I will have a bite here or there but I find it is easier to just pass instead of getting that sugar in your bloodstream and then going nuts and chowing down the whole pie. Instead, I order berries after dinner or some sort of fruit."

I'm convinced she's alien. In my experience, a bowl full of berries does not get rid of a chocolate craving. Also, completely cutting something out of your diet that you loooooove? Dude, life is short!
 

"I used to be obsessed with Frozen Yogurt but I found that it is better on your body and weight to have a scoop of real ice cream than a cup of frozen yogurt since the fro yo is all chemicals and your body doesn't digest it properly."

Really? Because I know people who are lactose intolerant but can still eat (and digest) frozen yogurt, but not ice cream. I think she's reading from the "fake facts" encyclopedia again.

"I will enjoy the "cheat" food by having a little bit of it and giving the rest away. For instance, if i just MUST have pasta, I will let my husband order it and have some bites of his. Or I will order a healthy dish and ask for a half order of the pasta on the side. I will eat half of the side of pasta and pass the rest around the table so my friends can try it to. That way you are impressing the table with your generosity and cutting lots of calories."

First: A bite of pasta is not a cheat. Second: How much do you think her husband hates going out to eat with her? Third: Sharing a plate of plain pasta with your friends will not impress them. Share a brownie instead and then maybe (or give them money. That's sure to impress them).

"I overcame my sugar cravings!"

If you say so, lady. I'm sure if I dangled a huge piece of cake in front of you, you'd want to take a bite.

And, so, my "crazy of the day" award goes to Giuliana Rancic. Her reward? A tip. EAT SOME FOOD!

"I need more coffee" is an understatement

I'm back from vacation and very tired. That cup of coffee this morning was just not enough. The time away was exactly what I needed, though; very relaxing and there was no drama. That's right...six people in a house for four days and NO DRAMA! It was wonderful.

Of course, along with all that relaxation was lots of eating crappy food. Well, let me clarify...delicious food that was nutritionally crappy. You know, "vacation food".

Cupcakes!

So, one of my friends who was on vacation decided she is going to try a post-vacation diet of eating only things with one or two ingredients for a week. The purpose is to get back on track. Now, I'm someone who doesn't believe in the word "diet". It's a four letter word for a reason. I believe in eating healthy for life and everything in moderation. BUT, we all trip up every now-and-then and since I do want to get back on track, I'm going to try this plan as well. Today is day one and so far so good, but it is only 9am. Tomorrow I'll try to remember to take a picture of everything I eat. I have a feeling I'm going to be hungry and cranky this week.



In more fun news, I found a picture of the dress that I got at the Merrell outlet store at a 70+ percent off!

I actually got it in black, and the back of it is the most awesome part. You can see other views of it here. (Yes, I'm super stoked about this great deal!)








What else did I get at the outlet mall, you ask?



dun du na naaaaaaa.....


The COACH PURSE I've been saving up for! My first "big girl" purse. At outlet prices plus an extra 30% off, I got one for less than a third of the original price. Outlet shopping rules.

What was that? Oh, you want to know which one I got? Well....You get to guess!

...if you know me, you already know which one ;-)