Peace Out

So a lot has changed in my life in the last 2 months! Yep you guessed it, broke up with my boyfriend. Amazing how life changes in an instant. I was living with him and thought I had my life together and figured out. I was very happy, found a job at East West Resorts, loved my boyfriend, did lots of fun stuff this winter and last summer and then boom, just like a canon went off things were forever changed. I hadn't been treated very well in the last few months of our relationship and then when he didn't come home one night I pulled the trigger, moved out that morning. Guess where I moved..... back in with the parents. After a few weeks of devastation, heart ache (my heart really did ache, such a weird sensation), not feeling hungry and sleepless nights I have made a full recovery! Ophhh I hope to never go through that again. I am confused, one moment you are completely happy and in love and the next driving with a packed car with tears running down your face. How do you ever know what everlasting love is? I know it is better now to go through this then to get divorced but seriously how do you know???? This is question I am not sure anyone can answer... Peace Out Satchele!

Mountain Biking

Starting a new sport can be very challenging. No one wants to be bad at something but you have to start somewhere. I began my journey last month learning the sport of mountain biking. The first test began just 5 short weeks ago with a intermediate trail. The single track loop starts off with a fairly steep climb with numerous switchbacks. Being that I have only road biked I found myself with a whole different strand of concentration. I was constantly shifting my weight and focusing on keeping my tires aligned with the tiny dirt strip that lay below. After numerous falls around the tight corners and a few expletives I had made it to the top, a feat that made me smile. In the back of my head I knew that this was only half way over, what goes up must come down. After a sip of water and a quick picture I began my decent. Immediately I found myself clenching the metal levers as fear set in. I remembered the advice I was given, "look ahead and trust the bike." I repeated these words as I eased off the breaks. A few rock piles had me defeated as I hopped of the bike and and walked around them. As I came to the pavement I knew I had made it. I had conquered my first mountain bike ride.

The elliptical is for sissies

This thought has been on my mind for a while now so I thought I would get it out there for everyone to ponder. After training for a Iromman 70.3 by myself I have a whole new outlook on what working out really is. Now I am not going to lie I have been that skinny little girl shaking her butt on the elliptical for a half hour (well let's be honest minus the skinny part). This is NOT working out. When I was training for the race I worked out at least 2 hours a day, running on the treadmill for up to 2 hours at a time. Or doing a intense spin class that leaves you unable to walk. I am not saying this is what you have to do but if you want to get a good work don't use the elliptical. Wonder why you never see fat people running on the treadmill but you see them all lined up on the ellipticals? You can't get away with being lazy on a treadmill, I picture a porker falling off and slamming into the wall behind..... haha not trying to be mean but you get the picture, the elliptical is for sissies!!

Wine

Lately I have been taking a liking to wine. Before I used to drink it because it looked good sipping it out of the fancy glass and I felt "classy", although how classy was it when the only wine I could afford was Franzia, and also one of my Facebook interests was "taking wine to the face".... Hmm that pretty much sums it up. Still with my entry level job salary, my price point ranges from $9.99-12.99. Surprisingly there is a large selection at this price point but of course I usually go for one that is on sale or the one with a cute label. Yes I often fall into the consumer marketing trap. I rarely purchase white, I feel like the cheap whites taste cheap, probably the same in life...hehe.
So my next question is when is drinking wine appropriate. If you ask my dad he would say anytime, lunch, dinner, weekend, weekday, a glass, 2 glasses..... I on the other hand have a few times when I don't feel good about drinking it. By myself, I am slowly getting over this but I think wine is a beverage that should be sipped on in the company of others. The other time is when I am going out to Partay, it is hard to chug Red wine... Back to work, please leave comments:) Next blog post "To pee or not to pee in the shower, that is the question" We had a lengthy debate on this the other night. Until next time..... I will try to write more frequently:)

Plants

First it's being able to keep a plant alive, then maybe you can have a dog, then a house then maybe you are ready for a baby (don't worry I am no where near that).... Somewhere in there insert a man. I am at step one, plant! For Valentines day I got 2 plants from my Dad. I tried hard to keep them alive but both died within the month. They were neglected on weekends and barley tended to on weekdays. I thought I would give it another shot. I recently purchased a basil plant and within a day it went from caprese salad ready to wilted, brown and sad. So I thought to myself maybe it was just the plant. Just one more.... This time a healthy mint plant to make mojitos of course. Purchased on Monday, watered Tuesday, Thursday, forgot Saturday and Sunday, dead Monday!! Clearly not the plant's fault. Moral of the story I should not get a dog, house, baby or man... Maybe the 5th plant is the charm, or should I get a cactus, no need to water....???

Volunteering

I spend an hour a week volunteering at the Samaritan House, a shelter for homeless that helps people get back on thier feet. My position is "clothing room attendant" basically I am a personal shopper for the homeless, the fashionista in me comes out. Really I just chat with people and help them find what they are looking for. Most of the people are in such good sprits too. I love talking with them and hearing thier stories. One lady was an engineer with 2 degrees making oodles of money and was laid off. She clearly made some poor financial decisions to land herself in the shelter but it's tough out there! Another guy yesterday said he went to the doctor to get the battery replaced in his pace maker but they won't replace it for him becuase he is a recovering addict.... hmmm not sure about this one, this touches the health care subject which I really don't want to get into right now. Anyway, I love talking to these people, they always lift my mood! If I am having a bad day, or week it is always refreshing to hear their stories, see thier smiles and know that I got it pretty good.
Cheers,
Lauren

Drive and Flirt

So my commute from work has been the death of me lately. I get in the car happy to leave work and get out of the car trembling with traffic anger! So I have been trying to come up with solutions to make it better. One I have been practicing the past few weeks I like to call the drive and flirt..... I have been going so slowly that I actually have the time to roll past cars and check out the person in the vehicle. So if I roll past someone good looking I try to keep up with them, if that means a few lane changes so be it, you gotta do what you gotta do. Then I will go with the wink the second time around (ok ok so I haven't really gotten to the wink stage) but maybe it will happen one of these days. Or should I make a sign saying "get off the next exit, your cute..." Thoughts??
So I actually came up with a real solution to this traffic jam chaos. I joined a gym next to work so I can go directly after work, avoid rush hour, save some of my sanity and still get a rockin bod. Finally all that college is paying off.
Newly single coming up with ways to meet people can be tricky. I mean I met my last boyfriend at Safeway, random I know (clean up on isle 3 just bumped into eachother). I actually think the grocery store is a great place to meet someone. Throw out the line "what are you cooking for dinner tonight" or "oh wow I see peppers in your basket, you must be a spicy kinda guy" haha nice lines Lauren, I am sure those would work... NOT. I don't believe that this drive and flirt is going to make the cut either... I need something else. Meeting guys at the bar, not so great especially after a few cocktails when everyone looks a little better and they become funnier as the night goes on. I joined 2 soccer teams, no one has caught my eye, mostly an older crowd. Hmmm not sure but I welcome any suggestions and please do not say Match.com.