So..1 Year Out!

Hey guys!  I haven't written a post on here in a little over a year.  A TON has happened since I last updated everyone about my life, so here are the highlights:

-Once I returned home from Cape Cod, I had a month and a half of FULL TIME job searching.  It sucked.  I was stressed, depressed, and all around just not feeling great about myself.
-Eventually, I was hired by a local social service agency dedicated to helping seniors in the community.  I work as a Case Manager which is PERFECT, because that's exactly what I went to school for.  :)  It feels great being able to put my degree to work for me and get a little ROI (return on investment).
-Oct. 15, 2012 is when I started this incredible new job.  I'm almost coming up on my 1 yr anniversary here, so life has been wonderful.  I've learned a ton and absolutely love the work I'm doing.  Perfect fit!
-Ryan and I are no longer a couple.  But it's okay, I promise!  We're still extremely close and went back to being besties.
-In Feb. I had to get a new car.  Space needed new roters, brakes, brake pads, etc., etc., and it just wasn't worth it to keep throwing money into a '99 vehicle.  I ended up getting myself a silver 2010 Dodge Journey which is a large SUV.  The only 2 drawbacks are that (1) it is an automatic (I prefer 5 speeds), and (2) it is only FWD.  Since my job requires me to do home visits to many (most) of my clients, I am often traveling up back roads and up mountains, even in the middle of winter.  I wish I had advocated more for getting a 4WD vehicle.  Oh well, next time.  I am proud to say that I was able to get the loan for my vehicle all on my own (didn't need a co-signer!) so now I am truly able to say 'my' car and mean it! :)
-I've been to Washington, D.C. with Ryan last year for my birthday (my first time there)!  We stayed in a hostel for 7 days which ended up not having running water for 3 of those days, so we ended up having to get a hotel room about 2.5-3 days into that madness.  I think we almost reached our breaking point in seeing how long we could go without showering.  It was bad.  BUT we were able to see all of the main highlights and tourist attractions, so it felt great to cross all of the main monuments and museums off my bucket list.
-I've been paying HARDCORE on my student loans.  I crunched the numbers last night and by the end of this year if all goes well [I'll explain in my next bullet point], I'll have resolved $11,430 in my student loan debt.
-"If all goes well...."  Okay, here we go.  I have 3 different lenders for my student loans.  My federal ones through the US Dept of Education, some through VSAC, and one through this other loan mgmt company on behalf of my college called MyCampusLoan.  They are managing my Perkin's loan (instead of Champlain having to hire staff to work directly on managing every student's account).  Here's the deal.  There are certain circumstances in which you may be able to get your Perkin's loan forgiven.  You also have to have worked at your job for a minimum of 1 year.  I applied for deferment a couple months ago (because I only just found out that this might even be a possibility for me), and was approved--so right my now loan with them is not accruing interest.  YAY!  Before applying for deferment, my Perkin's loan was my first smaller loan I was really going after.  I wanted to get that totally paid off so I could snowball my payments and put the rest of the money that was going to my Perkin's payment toward VSAC or my federal loans.  But, since my Perkin's is in deferment and is not accruing interest, I'm working hard on my VSAC loans since they are still accruing interest.  Anyway, once I meet my 1 year anniversary at this fantastic job, I can send in a Request for Cancellation form.  I don't know if I will be approved, but I really hope so.  My other hope is that they will refund me the $1800 or so I've already invested in that loan.  Because I can put that towards another one of my loans.  So, if all of this goes my way, I'll be $11,430 out of student loan debt by the end of Dec. 2013.  GET IT.
-Ryan moved to E. Boston to continue his studies and get his Master's in Community Theater at Emerson College, so that's exciting!  I can't wait until I can go down to visit and spend a few nights with him.  I don't know Boston that well, but I imagine I'll be learning over the course of the next few years.
-Lastly, I'm trying once again to lose weight.  Now that I have health insurance through my employer (although I'm not sure how that's going to change once the Health Care Exchange takes over Jan 1), I have successfully lost about 30 lbs since mid January of 2013.  I went to Physical Therapy to have them train me in how to push myself, how to do which exercises with my body, and how to execute proper form with many of the different exercises they gave me to work on.  Besides exercising and trying to be more active in general, I have almost completely done a 180 on my diet.  I'm trying to stay away from processed food as much as possible, and focus more on fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, protein, etc.  There are still the days when I need to stop at McD's for a breakfast or lunch, because my job often has lots of time constraints, but I'm not making that the foundation of my diet any longer.  I can't wait to continue with this journey now that I have support from my PCP (primary care physician), and other local community agencies to help me reach my goals.  :)

Annd...that's really about it.  I'm sure I'm forgetting a few different highlights, but that's most of what has happened to me since August of 2012.

I hope I didn't bore you with all the minute details of my life for the past 13 months.  There's lots of exciting stuff going on, and I love being able to share all this with you.  :)

What are some of the main highlights of your life in the past year.  In what ways have you grown?  What can you do this year that you couldn't last year?

Happy September, everyone!  Here comes the next holiday season!!

x.o.x.o.
Megan

I'm a Big Girl Now! (Almost)

Hello, again Blogger.



Been a while since I last posted for you!  So, here's whats going on in my life right now:

• doing the whole job search thing
• still unpacking from college & from getting back from Ashley's where I spent the summer
• have successfully managed to visit a majority of my friends up in VT since I've been home
• trying to decide where I'm going to live; and if/when I can afford to move in on my own
• managing how weird it feels to not be moving back into college today

Originally the plan was for Rosie and I to get an apartment in Barre, but that's not a healthy decision for me for lots of reasons which I don't really wish to divulge to strangers on the internet.  Let's just say I have a past   with Barre and I don't want to put myself in a position where I will feel unsafe or ambushed.

SO-I am contemplating where I really want to be so I can start job searching in that area and figure out life piece by piece.  To start I'll be living at home and commuting to work wherever I decide is the area I want to reside, so I'm trying to be smart and realistic about what I can afford, how much commuting my car can take until I make the big move, and where the best place for me is in Vermont.  

In the meantime I'm daydreaming about what it'll be like to finally be on my own, to be a real adult working the typical American 40 hr week, and how incredible it'll feel to finally be financially independent from my family.  I can't wait to be able to pay all my own bills every month while chipping away at my student loans that will be coming due in a few more months!  However, step 1 is finding that first career-level job to put my degree to work.

Self-sufficiency at it's finest!!!

I'll need lots of luck so feel free to leave your well-wishes below.  Much appreciated!

If anyone has any suggestions or tips on searching for and obtaining a first apartment or what the first year out of college looks like-feel free to leave those below as well.

From my brain to yours,

xoxo Megan

It's Hot; I'm Melting. Here's My Thoughts on Religion?

I'm pretty positive I can swim through the air today on Cape Cod.  It has been muggy and hot and humid for the past two days, and tomorrow is supposed to be the same.  

I consumed an entire pint of my favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor: Chocolate Fudge Brownie tonight just to cool off, and it worked....for about an hour.

 

There are so many things going through my mind right now between boyfriend stuff, job stuff, and living arrangement stuff for the upcoming months.  There are going to be big changes, ones that I hope I am ready for, and some that I know I'm ready for.

Which is why I continue to be up so late on my days off, thinking about things and hoping for the best for myself.  There are so many unknown variables in my life.  Any decision I make at this point in my life is going to put me on an entirely different life path than I would have been on if I had made the opposite decision.  That's a lot of pressure, much like the episode "Turn Left" in Doctor Who, Season 4, Episode 11.  You can watch it on Netflix or probably look it up on Youtube in parts.

So many things are about to change and I'm about to embark on a completely different life journey.  I want to serve whatever purpose I have in this world and help, touch, and connect with the people I am destined to encounter.  I want to live a comfortable lifestyle, and make sure I do whatever I can to become fully financially independent from my family all the while creating a comfortable living atmosphere and environment for myself and whomever I choose to share my life with.  I hope to be the best person I can be, and to really immerse myself in the experience of living, and working hard for that living.  I want to know that I am earning every dollar I make, and that I am dedicating myself to being the best version of myself I can possibly be.

Life/Karma has a way of returning to you whatever you deserve.  I want to put as many positive vibes in the universe not just so that I can get something good back out of it at the end of the day, but just so that I know I am sending as much positive energy into this universe as possible.  Period.  I don't want to be the person that is good and does good because s/he knows that s/he will be getting a reward for doing so, but because I feel it is the right thing to do.  

I'm not sure why I'm having this huge deep, defining moment of my life at 12:30 am when I feel like I'm sweating out every single toxin in my body, or why it feels so New Age-y, but I suppose in moments of stress/distress is when a lot of "Aha!" moments happen.  Perhaps I work best under pressure?

I suppose I've always been a New Age spiritualist.  I was baptized Catholic as a child, but once my Mom and I moved on, we stopped going to church.  I do believe there is some higher power out there, but I don't necessarily think it is one all-encompassing god (or goddess for that matter).  I think of this higher power like a huge diamond in the sky, with many different facets.  These facets reflect down on the world  creating different perspectives; gods, and goddesses in all different regions across the globe.  However, each of these higher powers stem from the same source.  When I decide to do my form of "praying", I pray generally to all gods and goddesses, (1) because I'm sure in many cases I need all the help I can get, and (2) because I don't want to offend any gods/goddesses that do exist in case they do come in different entities.  

When I do pray, I try to keep myself in perspective and not wish for a certain outcome in a situation.  I ask only that I am guided to whatever path I am supposed to be on, and that things will work out for me in the grand scheme of things "for the greater good".  I know that sometimes life hurls challenges at you right and left, but they're to help you learn, grow, and become stronger for the next set of obstacles you have to face.  I feel like everything is all a part of a grand design.  Again, as I mentioned in a previous post, this doesn't give you the free reign to let the cards fall where they may.  You still have the ability to make choices, and to decide if you will step up to the plate and face the challenges that are coming at you.  You have the ability to live a better life and to make better choices for yourself.  

Finally, my environmentalist side comes out.  I feel that all Earthly creatures come from the Earth, and are returned to the Earth (in both a physical and spiritual way).  When I die, I hope I am not buried in a casket.  I would like to be returned to the world in the most natural way possible.  I want to decompose directly in the ground without being protected by a wooden casket, be cremated, or (as terrible as this sounds), be returned to the ocean to be eaten by fish and sea creatures.  Seriously, what is the point of being protected in a casket?  You're dead.  Just let nature take you back.  I know this sounds like a grotesque, horror movie scene, but really, I don't want to use more of the Earth's materials to give me a "proper burial".  I just want to be left in piece(s) [see what I did there?] to be consumed again by nature, and folded back into the planet like a nice pizza dough.

I'm not sure whether I believe in reincarnation per se.  But I believe that we have a symbiotic relationship with the Earth we come from.  Just because we are human doesn't mean we have the right to overpopulate and destroy the miracles of life, peace, and solace on this planet.  We are no greater than the common squirrels, shrimp, or dung beetle that also exist on this planet.  In the grand scheme of things, we are all just a life form trying to survive.  So why do us humans continue to do nearly everything we can to ruin or spoil life-when so little of it already exists?  Greed.  Lust for power.  The power to feel "human" emotions.  The same components that "set us apart" from other life forms-a brain to think with and process complicated situations.  A brain with emotions when once corrupted, ruins life for all others nearby.

Sorry that this just turned into a very political rant.  But it's how I feel.  We come from this planet.  Ingesting all of these synthetic materials and man-made toxins are not doing us any favors.  Notice how you feel better after eating a wholesome turkey sandwich with cheddar cheese on whole grain bread and veggies over a McDonald's value meal?  (Don't get me wrong-I do love the taste of McDonald's food).  But the food is probably mostly synthetic.  It's bad for you, brings more toxins and salts/fats into your body that most people typically don't need, and leaves you hungry for more later on.  Whatever chemicals are used in the food create sort of an addiction.  Once you go to "splurge" once, it's hard to resist the temptation to do it again.  

Also, apparently the nuggets from McDonald's melt into liquid?  "One former McDonald’s employee warned against the chicken nuggets recalling: ‘I accidentally left a whole bag of about 100 chicken nuggets out on a counter for way too long. They melted. Into a pool of liquid. I never understood why. But they were completely indiscernible as being the nuggets I once knew."  Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173221/Chicken-nuggets-dirty-ice-dont-dare-touch-ketchup-bottle-The-dangers-fast-food-choices-people-work-joints.html#ixzz20qwB8iiP

Anyway-back to my point.  The reason you feel better after eating the turkey sandwich is because it's made of wholesome products coming directly from nature.  All of the nutrients are still in the food, and it doesn't leave you CRAVING more hours later.  You also feel better about yourself for making a healthy choice over the easy way out.  Plus, your body runs better once it has all of these nutrients coming more directly from nature.  

All of these things are suddenly coming back to the forefront as I'm thinking about my life and how I want to lead it.  So what, I'm most comfortable being a New Age spiritualist?  So what I actually own my own Tarot Deck (not that I use it often, but I hope to remedy that once I have my own place that isn't in a college dormitory)?  So what I perceive my "god" to be a little different than yours?  This doesn't make me a bad person.  This doesn't mean I'm messing with the dark forces of the universe and am opening doors that I don't know how to close.  This means I'm living life as best I can, and doing what I can to make my home on Earth as good a place as possible, while accepting a little help and guidance from my friends in the big diamond in the sky every so often.  

As soon as I am home with access to my candles again, I shall light one and reflect on every other person in the world who is at the same life transition place as myself.  We have lots of big choices to make, and not a lot of time to make these choices.  This is the biggest life transition of them all-leaving the house for good, spreading our wings, and learning how to fly.  We could all use a little luck and guidance right now.

From my brain to yours,

Megan

My Big Decision

Today is the day.

Friday the 13th, 2012.

I have officially written to The University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH to see if they can defer my acceptance for a year.  Which means....

I have decided to find an awesome full time job with benefits for at least a year, and to get an apartment in Barre, VT with Rosie!!!

I'm so excited!  I can't wait to find my financial foothold as a real adult and to finally be able to feel financially independent from my family!  I'll be able to afford my own things, my mom won't be stuck with my bills as well as hers anymore, and it'll just be much better for everyone, all around.  =)

I have been applying for jobs like a crazy person.  Hopefully one of them (a few, preferably) will want me and be willing to take me on.  I'd love to find at least one, but it'd be nice to have a choice, as well.  "The starting median salary for a social worker [is] $33,400" (http://www.socialworkersspeak.org/media/nasw-responds-to-article-on-worst-paying-college-degrees.html).  That's a $676 paycheck every week (before taxes), which is $17.41/hr if you work a 40 hr week.  I mean, according to the article it's 'supposedly' one of the worst paying college degrees, but $17/hr is more than I've ever been paid in my lifetime.  Clearly, I will be very excited about this kind of paycheck.

I'm also SUPER EXCITED to start my first ever apartment hunt!  Luckily Rosie is also looking for a new place to live right now, so we're trying to find a nice 2 bedroom and split all the costs for rent/utilities/etc.

Probably what we'll have to use for furniture at least to get started...

I can't wait to start my real adult life and to live in an apartment which for the first time, I'll finally be able to afford!  AHH! 

Please wish me luck in all my endeavors.  I have a lot to learn and get used to as I get ready to embark on my new life path, so I'll need all the well-wishing I can get!

My goal is to get moved into a nice cozy apartment (with heat included in the rent price) before the snow flies in Vermont.  If you have any advice please leave it below!

I'm Poor.

Ah, Ramen.  We've all fallen into your grasp at one point or another.

My apologies for lack of a more creative title for this post.  I'm very stressed lately because of how broke I seem to continue to be.  And there's no light at the end of the tunnel for at least another 2 years-once I can complete my Master's in Social Work degree and FINALLY MAYBE start my real life as a fully grown, financially independent adult.

I still have about $300 more worth of textbooks to purchase, an estimated $300 parking pass to purchase and that's not including my $70/month phone bill and $40/month credit card bill, or gas for the car, oil changes, etc.  You know, basic life stuff.  And the thing is, I really don't actually have that many bills.  Just phone and credit card-and my credit card payment is really cheap (because I have a Discover Student Credit Card which gives me a credit limit of only $500-thank God).  My problem is that I don't have enough money to feel comfortable making my monthly bills.  There literally aren't enough hours in the day for me to work enough hours to make enough money to feel really truly secure.  

I just want to live comfortably.  I'm not looking to become a millionaire and hoard my millions of dollars away from society forever.  I want to spend a little to have fun every month, get by on bills, and still have enough extra to put away in a savings account just in case of a huge life emergency.  I REALLY don't think I'm asking for a whole hell of a lot.  Unfortunately I need to take out $80,000 in loans to get my Master's degree which will help me get an adequate paying job in order to support myself for the rest of my life.  

What's even more stressful is that my family isn't able to help out at all with grad school.  They've already done so much to help me get through undergrad that they're pretty much tapped out.  I feel bad that I'm part of the reason they're so strapped right now, but I also really can't help it that society has deemed it necessary to not only have your high school diploma, but a college degree (Master's preferred in most cases) in order to get a job that will sustain you.  

I'm really starting to resent the Capitalist system.  The 'survival of the fittest' or 'each (wo)man for his/her self is ridiculous.  We're all human, we're all in this together.  Everyone needs to make a living, everyone needs to survive.  Collectivist societies have the right idea, I think.  I'm just so sick of America and how the poor and downtrodden continue to be trodden upon regardless of how hard they work, while rich floozies can sit on their laurels and become famous for being dramatic idiotic a$$holes.  In WHAT society does that make sense to anyone?

I'm seriously considering moving to Canada once I have my Master's.  I want to check out Toronto, and some of the other fun Canadian cities.  After a few years, I'd like to apply for citizenship and be free of America while I try to make a comfortable living for myself.  I refuse to be forced to eat Ramen for the rest of my life (as good as it tastes occasionally-when you're not having to LIVE off the stuff), and I refuse to be swallowed up by student loan debt for the rest of my career-track life.  I want to be a healthy, happy person.  I don't deserve the short stick.  Not this time.

Love you all.  Hope life is treating you the way you deserve to be treated!

Have any of you ever visited Toronto, moved to Canada, or know someone who has?  I'd love to hear your stories!

From my brain to yours,

-Megan

Stream 3: A Proposition

I was talking with Ashley recently about plus size fashion and how frustrating it can be for me to go shop for new clothes.  Pretty much my entire wardrobe comes from Lane Bryant.  This isn't inherently a good or bad thing-but obviously it severely limits my style, choices, and affordable options.

I would enjoy looking through and shopping at a Torrid or Forever 21 (F21) Plus, but those don't really exist in Vermont.  Also, Torrid is in about the same price range as Lane Bryant, which means my family (mom and gram, specifically) buy pretty much all my clothes for me.  We're always in the store together so I can still get the clothes I pick out, but I can't wait to be financially independent and able to afford to buy my own clothes.

Smaller women have so many more options on where to shop.  This allows them the freedom to create their own sense of style, dress how they want to be perceived on any particular day, and have the flexibility in price ranges.  Not so with plus size women.  Bodies come in many different shapes and sizes.  Why should those of us who are bigger be left out of the fashion world because smaller women are more readily accepted as be beauty standard in society?

As it stands, unless you want to dress in bulky unflattering sweats purchased from your local drug store or wear skin tight clothing 2-3 sizes too small, you better have the money to afford the $50-$100 price range for a typical, average piece of clothing.  See?  Things can get pretty desperate.

So--I propose a revolution.  Plus size women and designers, gear up and take Fashion Week by storm next year.  Let's team up with some other INCREDIBLE designers and find or INVENT new cuts that make us look smokin'.  A-line, empire or high-waisted dresses do not always fit plus size women the way that they are intended to flatter smaller bodies and frames.  Let's get creative, think outside the box, and make something incredible for the plus size ladies.

Let's not be defined by our limitations.  Let's dress the way we want, the way that brings out our inner beauty, our inner strength.  Let's make plus size clothing and fashion affordable.  And lastly, let's remember that every body is beautiful.  Every woman deserves the chance to showcase all the beauty that her body holds.

From my brain to yours,

Megan

Stream 1

Because I suck at finding inspiration to sit and write about, I decided to get started with a stream of consciousness piece.  Here it is:

I believe everything happens for a reason.  Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  One door closes, another opens.  Insert a multitude of other such cliches here.

Often it is hard to see past the negative aspects to this crazy, dramatic thing called life.  One word has hardly ever held so much room for interpretation or emotional turmoil.  Some see life as a blessing or gift, others as a curse.  How is one's lot in life determined?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Is Karma broken?  Is Karma real?  The human race has often wondered about its place in "the grand scheme of things", as they say.  Are we alone in the universe?  Does a god preside over all of creation?  And what does that say about those who choose to believe in such a power that may or may not exist?  What does that say about atheists?

Are humans meant to be strictly logical creatures, living as empirical scientists?  Are we meant to be intuitive, emotional creatures--living passionately and without law or governance?

Many say that in order to survive you must be able to adapt.  Why is it then, that little pebbles survive longer on this terrestrial planet than living people, who are always searching for self-improvement?  The adaptability theory seems flawed.

These are big questions about life and the human experience.  I don't know the answers.  Maybe I'm not supposed to.  Maybe I can't; human comprehension only goes so far.  We don't even know how to use the entire capacity of the brain's ability to function and process information.

All I really know is who I am and how I experience the world around me.  I live both passionately and rationally, I believe in Karma and I believe that there may be some power, god(s) or goddess(es) in the universe overseeing the grand scheme of things--making sure that the balance of the universe is always in check.

I do not, however, believe that this is an excuse to lay back and let the pieces fall where they may.  All humans have power in that they can make decisions.  If you want your life to be different, then have the courage to make the necessary changes.  Be an active participant in your life.  If you want something, go after it!

Sometimes even after putting in all that hard work things will not go the way you envisioned.  You know what?  That's okay.  It wasn't time for you to go down that path yet.  You have more to learn and more experiences to obtain before taking that path.  Have faith in your life.  Believe that you are exactly where you are meant to be at exactly the right time (even if "exactly the right time" means you are currently 10 minutes late for work).  Things happen for a reason.

Live your life the way you want.  Do the things you want to be remembered for.  Be fearless, and love and respect yourself.  Never stop learning, never stop growing.  Adapt if you need to, remain stagnant if you want to.  The possibilities are endless.

From my brain to yours,
Megan

First Week Back

Ashley showing school spirit by wearing copies of the latest edition of our school newspaper, The Current.

Left hand blue?

This picture is stunning of all three of us!  (Me, Ashley, Cassie).

Kitchen party!

Ashley and I looking adorable.

I successfully survived my first week of my last semester of college!  Whoo hoo!  My classes are mostly so-so, so far.  Hopefully I'll develop more of an affection for them as we move further along in this semester.  Unfortunately senioritis has definitely set in starting from Day 1, so I'll have to stay strong for the remainder of this school year.

Ryan will be joining our party tomorrow when he comes to move back into UVM!  I miss that boy, so that will be fantastic.

All but one of my textbooks have gotten to me in time for class, so I'm waiting patiently for things to get in order.  I have also been selling my textbooks on half.com.  Can I get a HOO-RAH for extra cash?  :D

In other news, my fish are all still alive and doing fairly well.  My plan for when my guppies, Killer and Diana Ross die, is to go to Walmart and get a new set of 5 and create a new bond with new family members.  <3

I don't have much else to report except for that I'm poor and waiting for my refund to come in from the school.  Ryan is going to help feed me over the next few weeks until I have money to go grocery shopping again.  (I love that boy.)  :)  Well will make it through!

What has your first week back to school looked like?

Mismatched Cups

You know what's frustrating?

When you have a million mismatched cups and mugs in your kitchen cabinet and things don't fit quite right because of it.  But on the other hand, some of those cups have sentimental value, and you couldn't imagine yourself parting with them.

Welcome to college.

As I stood in my kitchen the other day putting dishes away, I had a flash-forward of my life.

My darling Ryan and I were happily en route in our life together: married, no kids yet, and I was still putting dishes away.  But we had an actual dish set.  Dishes that went together, that matched.  No more thrown-together plastic and glass dishware that consisted of my current dishware.  (And no more cheapie silverware from Walmart [5 for $1, anyone?]).

I'm really excited and ready to push beyond my mismatched THINGS in college life.  I'm ready to have my own place where I can own a complete dish set if I want, where I can host Christmas cocktail parties and serve alcohol because I'm over 21, and where I can really get a snapshot of what the rest of my life is going to look like.  (And make some changes if necessary).

As for the mismatched cup era?  Well, it was fun.  Developing relationships with half plastic/half glass dish sets has been a good time through the hilarity of college.  But, I'm ready for something better.

  

Friends

I miss Ashley.  I miss Velvet.  I've missed Eden.  And I miss Ryan again.

Whyyyyy???  We should all just buy a house and live together.

Ashley is getting ready to have an awesome and amazing time in Ireland. 

Velvet is livin' the life in New York.

Eden is making bank in Plymouth.

And Ryan is stuck home with no internet and TV.

Poop.

I hope everyone is getting ready to have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  Also, I'm excited to begin a new year.  Start fresh, and all that jazz.

In parting, I'll leave you with "Baby It's Cold Outside."

Also, I JUST LOST THE GAME!!!!

<3

Looking Down: I See Boobs!

Soooo....some of you may be baffled at the title.  Understandably so.

Here's what I mean.

When I came to college, I was overweight enough where when I looked down the front of my body, I saw boobs and then a few inches of protruding tummy beyond that.  Now when I look down...I just see boobs!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!  This means I've probably lost some inches on my tummy area, but I'll be able to validate that more when I'm able to find some quiet time to strip down and take my measurements.  (It's really rather difficult in college with people around all the time.)  I'm not knocking it though, all summer I craved more interaction with people my own age.  Well, now I've got it.

I'm very excited for weigh-in on Sunday.  Also, I've gone in to reset my WW points.  I had been allotted 32 points per day, but now that I've indicated that I'm walking most of the time, I'm allowed 37 points per day.  No WONDER I've been starving at the end of the day.  I'm doing some serious calorie burning by walking everywhere (especially to Ryan's dorm room-which is 5 stories up-and elevators are not an option.)

To add on the subject of my diminishing belly bulge, I feel like I can account to the other reason I've lost some of it.  First, there's the exercise portion which obviously helps, regardless.  But then there's the food choices.  Case in point:  I looooooove warm bagels with cream cheese.  They taste so good, and it's essentially a comfort food.  However, bread expands in your stomach-therefore creating extra pudge and bloat during the day.  I've been really careful about choosing lots of fruits in the morning for breakfast (I need to start working more protein in in my breakfasts as well-but I'm working on that,) and having at LEAST 1 salad a day with either lunch or dinner.  I like to try to have a bigger lunch because then your body has the entire rest of the day to digest that.  Dinner should be something simple yet effective.  Half a plate of veggies or fruits, 1/4 plate of protein/fiber, 1/4 plate of whole grains. 

I'm having a bit of a battle with the "whole grains" thing.  The prepared meals I've been getting are more geared either towards straight up carbs (lunch), or lots of veggies/healthy stuff that'll digest within the next hour or so (dinner-usually.)  Maybe I should work on making deli choices for lunch instead, and then asking for whole grain bread.  That may help.  :)  Plus any cold cut means will be protein.  Hmmm...excellent.

Also-on a side note.  I splurged last night.  It's been around 90 degress EVERDAY of college so far.  It's sooooooo hot.  Vermont is NOT supposed to be 90 degress.  Ever.  Okay, maybe one or two days out of August, but not for weeks at a time.  It was in the 70s and 80s before I left for college back in Lyndonville, and now that I'm back in Burlington where the weather is naturally about 5 degress warmer than home anyway, the temp decides it needs to skyrocket.  Because of this, I had a chocolate creemee for desert yesterday with Hershey's chocolate sauce.  I don't regret it.  :)

Anywho, I've got to wrap up this post for now because I have class in a half hour and I'd like some time to center myself before going up to campus for 3 classes.  To everyone out there-good luck with your weight loss plan or with your making healthier lifestyle choices plan!  I'm always here...going through the same process with you.

Chin up, kids!

<3 Megan <3

The "E-Word"

In hopes of getting my blog back up and going again, I've decided to post something oozing with my personality.  Sarcasm and wit aside, there is some really good information in here.  Please take the sarcastic remarks with a grain of salt, and focus on the information that you should be getting from this post.  <3

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Show of hands.  How many of you have heard of the E-Word?  Anybody?  Hellloooooo....echo, echo, echo.  Okay, well let me expand.  Take a look at this.

Ring any bells this time?  Good!!!  We're getting somewhere!

Remember these people?

(Jane Fonda)

(Richard Simmons)

Ahh yes, glorious times.  I mean, who DOESN'T have perfect legs like Miss Jane, and who ISN'T always as happy and perky about everything as Mr. Simmons?  Psh, totally not even an issue.

So, exercise.  First off I want to point out that the word 'exercise' is SO difficult to spell.  Like, it shouldn't be that difficult!  It took me up until a year or two ago to begin spelling it the way it is supposed to be spelt. 

We should be getting a work out just flipping through the dictionary to find out how to spell exercise!

Whew!  Anywho, where was I?

Oh yes, right.  So, is anybody here tonight an avid exercise fan?  YOU SIR, IN THE BACK!!! GET UP HERE AND GIVE ME A HI-5!  YEAH!  That guy knows where it's at.  Nobody else?  Okay, well, let's see if we can change that.

Whenever I hear the word exercise, I sometimes still cringe.  Who wants to get all sweaty and gross, out of breath, red in the face, and bent out of shape while trying to get in shape?  I mean, there's GOT to be an easier way to do this, right?!  Wrong.  You put on the pounds baby, you get to take 'em off.

Now, I know it would be toes awesome if we could all get one of the butt jiggler machines:

...and maybe sip some iced tea while we're at it?  But...

unfortunatley exercise doesn't work like that.  Ahh, that hit the spot.  Yep.  Letting a machine jiggle your butt or stomach fat for a few hours while chowing down on more calories is totally going to do a lot for you.  (Sarcasm, folks.  In case you can't detect it.)  Nope, unfortunately, if you're going to lose the weight, you've got to put in the hard work.  (I know, sucks, right?) 

Well, to make you feel better, let me show you what you DON'T have to do:

Mmmm...I love flipping my legs above my ears in the morning.

Let me get at some of that toe jam before I grab my early-morning glass of OJ & PB on toast.

Oh!  I love me an early morning sprinting marathon or two!  Wakes me right up!

(Okay, so notice I mentioned 'morning' in all three....I promise you don't have to only ever exercise right when you roll out of bed.)  HOWEVER, maybe that could be the best time for you?  Is the rest of your day jam-packed, and are you completely wiped out when you get home at night?  Why not try starting out with an easy (slow) 20 crunches in the morning, and try your hand at one full girly push up.  (On hands and knees, feet in the air.)  [Note: if you can do more, go for it!]  Doing something to get your blood pumping is a fabulous start to the day.  It gives you that fresh pink glow (which looks awesome on everybody, but especially awesome on girls,) and aids in your natural beauty throughout the rest of the day.

Are you more of an afternoon exercise person?  Find somewhere to go on your lunch break.  So, it might look awkward doing crunches in your cubicle or in the middle of the sales floor where you work as a cashier, but here's some other fun stuff that you can work on without anybody else being the wiser about what's going on.

Work on your posture.  This has lots of awesome benefits.  First off, notice how when this guy slouches over, he looks like he has more of a tummy?  That's what happens to you too.  When you stand up comfortably straight, your body returns to its natural alignment.  But beware, you don't want to look like you're strutting around like a peacock on Adderol (sp?).  Improved posture helps with circulation, with breathing (which is kind of important, I mean, if you're into that kind of thing,) and makes you look you're actual size.  (Always better than the negative alternative.)  Also, you actually ARE working some muscles.  Soon your abdominal muscles will probably start to feel a little sore.  That's a good thing!  It means you're using the proper muscles in your body to hold yourself upright.  Keep doing that!

Another thing for you afternoon people.  Do you have any stairs?

This guy knows what's up.  Okay, so I'm assuming you don't have an amphitheatre or ballpark stadium in your work vicinity.  However, even a small set of 10-20 stairs could really work to your benefit.  If you've got 5-10 minutes before you have to go back to work, why not climb some stairs?  It's a great way to get active.  Also, if you climb them really fast (or do that fun bouncy thing that a lot of athletic people can do when they climb stairs,) you'll boost your heart rate, which will get you breathing faster and get your blood pumping again.  Blood moving through your body is a good thing!  It brings all that wonderful oxygen you're breathing to all the nooks and crannies of your body and refuels them to help work for you and make your body a happier and healthy place to live in.

My third suggestion?  I've recently (well, okay, my mommy bought them for me,) invested in Sketcher's Shape-Ups.  Yes, yes, I know.  They run about $100/pair.  BUT, if you don't have stairs in your area or are in an industry that requires you to stand for a majority of your work day, these shoes could be your best friends.

It all comes down to how bad you really want to do this weight-loss thing, I suppose.  I mean, I definitely understand that not everybody has an extra $100 cash lying around that they can just fork over for a brand new pair of shoes.  BUT, the moral of the story is that you need to start making some sacrifices somewhere.  The good news?  It's a sacrifice you will be making for yourself.  It means that you respect yourself enough that instead of driving next door to McDonald's for lunch, you're willing to walk to Cumberland Farms across the street and getting yourself a grinder instead.  Your body in turn will throw a huge party.  It won't have to digest as many fats and unhealthy particles, and it will maybe have some veggies *gasp!* with which to get something out of.  Seriously.  Rager in your tummy.

All you evening and late-night exercisers.  You are harder to categorize because once everyone is out of work, there's no telling where you all will go.  If you don't mind walking in circles, maybe check out your local high school's track.  Try speed walking, jogging (if your body can handle it,) and don't forget to stretch out before ever doing anything strenuous with your body.  

If you need something closer to home, why not utilize what you've got in your house?  Just because I poked a little fun at Richard Simmons doesn't mean you totally can't use his exercise tapes.  I mean, yeah he's a scary-looking dude, but if he is what motivates you to make your body strong and healthy again, who am I to knock that?  Exercise videos are awesome as long as you're paying attention to your body, and not pushing yourself too hard.  Always keep plenty of H2O on hand (I'll mention this again later down in this post.)

Chairs.  Anybody ever have a problem doing squats because your knees, legs, and feet aren't always able to hold your weight?  (I don't mean squatting down just to pick something up, I mean those long, strenuous squats you do specifically in an exercise class.)  Yeah, about that......haha.  Well, as a good back up, try squatting over a chair.  If your legs give out, you won't have fall to far to sit on your butt, and you'll have a place to rest for a few minutes if you need to catch your breath, etc.  Chairs are awesome!  (Also, you could do this over the sofa facing the tv.  That way you're still catching Grey's while getting some exercise in!)

All's I ask is that you please stay safe and be smart about what you're doing.  DON'T go for a three mile walk after dark, DON'T push yourself beyond your limits, and DON'T EVER continue to do an exercise if it's painful to you.  Pain=you're not doing something right OR you're doing something your body isn't ready for just yet.  If you're into lifting weights (not free weights, the other heavy-duty kind,) ALWAYS have a spotter.  Injuries are no fun.  Trust me.

Some quick DO's?

This kid's got the right idea.  Drink water...and lots of it, especially if you've been perspiring (that's a big word for sweating.)  :) 

ALWAYS remember to break in new sneakers before taking them out with you to a full-fledged exercise session.  We don't need to add more pain to the already (hopefully) sore and tired muscles we're about to create.  Wear new shoes around the house for a few days before taking them out to guide you through your exercises.

DO bring some buds (whenever possible!)  Having someone there walking beside you helps the time go by faster.  It's important to always be listening to your body, but having someone there with you to help you finish that last lap around the track for the night, or to chat with you while you're walking your three miles on the treadmill makes it seem not that difficult.  Plus, it'll be awesome to know that you have the support of someone close whenever you feel that your motivation is slipping, or when you need someone to help get you back on track.

At the end of the day, you need to do what's best for you.  If that means waking up at 5am to do yoga and Pilate's 4 times a week, awesome.  If that means walking an additional 20 miles a week, wonderful!  Whatever changes you make are ones that need to fit into your life.  Otherwise, you're going to find yourself stuck very quickly, and possibly extremely frustrated.  Work with someone who knows you best to decide what changes are possible for you and your body, and what things can't be budged. 

The E-Word really isn't so bad after all.  Just take it one step at a time.

Write me if you need moral support!  (I know I do.)

<3 Megan <3

P.S. None of the pictures featured here are mine.  All were found on Google Images.  (Just needed something to demonstrate what I was talking about.)  =)

Mr. Scarborough: Part 1

Hello, my lovelies!  The past few days have made me feel more alive and excited than I have in the past 5 months.  Why so?  Well, it's Mr. Scarborough.  He's perfect.  Seriously.  In every way possible.  I really want to get to the point where we can have our first meeting in person, because I'm completely smitten.

Soooo.....here's some things we have in common.

1) Favorite colors
2) Shampoo shopping (if we ever go shopping for shampoo together, it's going to take forever.  hahaha!!)
3) What we're looking for
4) Movies we like
5) Books we like
6) Genres in general of movies/books/music that we like
7) WE CAN COMMUNICATE!!! (Wait, that can happen?  ......wait...what?)
8) He likes to cuddle
9) We both want kids someday.  (Lara and Phoebe, anyone?)  Hehe.
10) We both like Ryan (LMFAO!)
11) We're both in the process of losing weight together.  Awwww.....fun in the sun date, anyone?
12) He's a Pisces.
13) ...ok, so there's a TON more.  But basically, he's me in a guy body.  He's basically everything I want all wrapped up in one awesome package.  Now if we can just get to meet in person, I think we'll really be able to decide where we stand with each other.

I like that all my friends seem to love him just as much as me so far.  I know Velvet stalked him on FaceBook (she's good at that,) and Ryan had said he would turn gay for him. Haha! <3  As for Ashley, I haven't talked to her in a few days! :(  I think she's really happy for me though, and maybe she'll stalk him on FaceBook too. 

Bottom line?  I really think this could work.  I mean, it sucks that he's 3.5 hrs away from me here in Lyndonville, but, I'm sure we can make special arrangements.  It's going to be much worse when I go back to college, but maybe there will be some weekends where he can come spend some quality time with me in Burlington.  (Ohhhh, Snowball 2011, anyone?)  :)  (And/or vise versa...except I don't have a car to get me up there on my own.) 

Oh well.  RAWR.  At least we both have phones, unlimited texting, and MSN.  MSN has video chat....soooo....yeah.  I'm just really bad at AIM.  Hahahaha.  <3

Anywho, I'm ready to take the leap.  After this first meeting, I feel like we'll both have a pretty good idea of whether we'll make it or not.  And you know what?  I'm psychic.  So, I'm going to say yes.  Trust me, I'm good at this sort of thing.

I just hope he's as taken with me as I am with him.  Time will tell.

Tell me what you think so far. :)

<3 Megan <3

P.S. I know I'm supposed to be focusing on weight loss, but when really good (and sometimes really bad) things happen in my life, I'm going to blog about them here as well.  It shows you I'm still human, and I have things that come up while trying to work through the process.  I'm NOT a robot! <3