jen

INDIA!

2011-02-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

I am currently sitting in the Admirals Club (the way to go by the way!) at the Chicago airport, waiting for my flight to take off to Delhi, India.

I am headed out with a classmate to a case competition (read: Quiz Show) in New Delhi at a business school called IIPM.

Here are some clips from last year:

this year's teaser video: (notice in the second video the ripping of the clothes and the guillotine on stage)

the guy who owns the school is SRK (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahrukh_Khan) and is one the most endorsed celebs in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D7UszxDjH8

Why you aren't married ... by Tracy McMillian

2011-02-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

(original link HERE)

Saw this article and thought it was worth a share to my single friends ... don't agree with everything but some points are fair.

You want to get married. It's taken a while to admit it. Saying it out loud -- even in your mind -- feels kind of desperate, kind of unfeminist, kind of definitely not you, or at least not any you that you recognize. Because you're hardly like those girls on TLC saying yes to the dress and you would never compete for a man like those poor actress-wannabes on The Bachelor.
You've never dreamt of an aqua-blue ring box.
Then, something happened. Another birthday, maybe. A breakup. Your brother's wedding. His wife-elect asked you to be a bridesmaid, and suddenly there you were, wondering how in hell you came to be 36-years-old, walking down the aisle wearing something halfway decent from J. Crew that you could totally repurpose with a cute pair of boots and a jean jacket. You started to hate the bride -- she was so effing happy -- and for the first time ever you began to have feelings about the fact that you're not married. You never really cared that much before. But suddenly (it was so sudden) you found yourself wondering... Deep, deep breath... Why you're not married.
Well, I know why.
How? It basically comes down to this: I've been married three times. Yes, three. To a very nice MBA at 19; a very nice minister's son at 32 (and pregnant); and at 40, to a very nice liar and cheater who was just like my dad, if my dad had gone to Harvard instead of doing multiple stints in federal prison.
I was, for some reason, born knowing how to get married. Growing up in foster care is a big part of it. The need for security made me look for very specific traits in the men I dated -- traits it turns out lead to marriage a surprisingly high percentage of the time. Without really trying to, I've become a sort of jailhouse lawyer of relationships -- someone who's had to do so much work on her own case that I can now help you with yours.
But I won't lie. The problem is not men, it's you. Sure, there are lame men out there, but they're not really standing in your way. Because the fact is -- if whatever you're doing right now was going to get you married, you'd already have a ring on it. So without further ado, let's look at the top six reasons why you're not married.
1. You're a Bitch.
Here's what I mean by bitch. I mean you're angry. You probably don't think you're angry. You think you're super smart, or if you've been to a lot of therapy, that you're setting boundaries. But the truth is you're pissed. At your mom. At the military-industrial complex. At Sarah Palin. And it's scaring men off.
The deal is: most men just want to marry someone who is nice to them. I am the mother of a 13-year-old boy, which is like living with the single-cell protozoa version of a husband. Here's what my son wants out of life: macaroni and cheese, a video game, and Kim Kardashian. Have you ever seen Kim Kardashian angry? I didn't think so. You've seen Kim Kardashian smile, wiggle, and make a sex tape. Female anger terrifies men. I know it seems unfair that you have to work around a man's fear and insecurity in order to get married -- but actually, it's perfect, since working around a man's fear and insecurity is big part of what you'll be doing as a wife.

2. You're Shallow.
When it comes to choosing a husband, only one thing really, truly matters: character. So it stands to reason that a man's character should be at the top of the list of things you are looking for, right? But if you're not married, I already know it isn't. Because if you were looking for a man of character, you would have found one by now. Men of character are, by definition, willing to commit.
Instead, you are looking for someone tall. Or rich. Or someone who knows what an Eames chair is. Unfortunately, this is not the thinking of a wife. This is the thinking of a teenaged girl. And men of character do not want to marry teenaged girls. Because teenage girls are never happy. And they never feel like cooking, either.

3. You're a Slut.
Hooking up with some guy in a hot tub on a rooftop is fine for the ladies of Jersey Shore -- but they're not trying to get married. You are. Which means, unfortunately, that if you're having sex outside committed relationships, you will have to stop. Why? Because past a certain age, casual sex is like recreational heroin -- it doesn't stay recreational for long.
That's due in part to this thing called oxytocin -- a bonding hormone that is released when a woman a) nurses her baby and b) has an orgasm -- that will totally mess up your casual-sex game. It's why you can be f**k-buddying with some dude who isn't even all that great and the next thing you know, you're totally strung out on him. And you have no idea how it happened. Oxytocin, that's how it happened. And since nature can't discriminate between marriage material and Charlie Sheen, you're going to have to start being way more selective than you are right now.
4. You're a Liar.
It usually goes something like this: you meet a guy who is cute and likes you, but he's not really available for a relationship. He has some condition that absolutely precludes his availability, like he's married, or he gets around town on a skateboard. Or maybe he just comes right out and says something cryptic and open to interpretation like, "I'm not really available for a relationship right now."
You know if you tell him the truth -- that you're ready for marriage -- he will stop calling. Usually that day. And you don't want that. So you just tell him how perfect this is because you only want to have sex for fun! You love having fun sex! And you don't want to get in a relationship at all! You swear!
About ten minutes later, the oxytocin kicks in. You start wanting more. But you don't tell him that. That's your secret -- just between you and 22,000 of your closest girlfriends. Instead, you hang around, having sex with him, waiting for him to figure out that he can't live without you. I have news: he will never "figure" this out. He already knows he can live without you just fine. And so do you. Or you wouldn't be lying to him in the first place.
5. You're Selfish.
If you're not married, chances are you think a lot about you. You think about your thighs, your outfits, your naso-labial folds. You think about your career, or if you don't have one, you think about doing yoga teacher training. Sometimes you think about how marrying a wealthy guy -- or at least a guy with a really, really good job -- would solve all your problems.

Howevs, a good wife, even a halfway decent one, does not spend most of her day thinking about herself. She has too much s**t to do, especially after having kids. This is why you see a lot of celebrity women getting husbands after they adopt. The kids put the woman on notice: Bitch, hello! It's not all about you anymore! After a year or two of thinking about someone other than herself, suddenly, Brad Pitt or Harrison Ford comes along and decides to significantly other her. Which is also to say -- if what you really want is a baby, go get you one. Your husband will be along shortly. Motherhood has a way of weeding out the lotharios.
6. You're Not Good Enough.
Oh, I don't think that. You do. I can tell because you're not looking for a partner who is your equal. No, you want someone better than you are: better looking, better family, better job.
Here is what you need to know: You are enough right this minute. Period. Not understanding this is a major obstacle to getting married, since women who don't know their own worth make terrible wives. Why? You can fake it for a while, but ultimately you won't love your spouse any better than you love yourself. Smart men know this.
I see this at my son's artsy, progressive school. Of 183 kids, maybe six have moms who are as cute as you're trying to be. They're attractive, sure. They're just not objects. Their husbands (wisely) chose them for their character, not their cup size.

Alright, so that's the bad news. The good news is that I believe every woman who wants to can find a great partner. You're just going to need to get rid of the idea that marriage will make you happy. It won't. Once the initial high wears off, you'll just be you, except with twice as much laundry.
Because ultimately, marriage is not about getting something -- it's about giving it. Strangely, men understand this more than we do. Probably because for them marriage involves sacrificing their most treasured possession -- a free-agent penis -- and for us, it's the culmination of a princess fantasy so universal, it built Disneyland.
The bottom line is that marriage is just a long-term opportunity to practice loving someone even when they don't deserve it. Because most of the time, your messy, farting, macaroni-and-cheese eating man will notbe doing what you want him to. But as you give him love anyway -- because you have made up your mind to transform yourself into a person who is practicing being kind, deep, virtuous, truthful, giving, and most of all, accepting of your own dear self -- you will find that you will experience the very thing you wanted all along:
Love.
Tracy McMillan is a TV writer whose credits include Mad Men and The United States of Tara. Her memoir I Love You and I'm Leaving You Anyway is now available in paperback from Harper Collins/It Books. She lives in Los Angeles with her 13-year-old son. Follow her on Twitter.

Almost done with Week 4!

2011-02-13T13:16:00.000-08:00

So far so good ... on Monday I will be 4 weeks sugar & gluten free.

This last week I added Quinoa into my diet ... I ate a lot of quinoa, chicken and veggies. and I mean ALOT. It was a really busy week so I didn't have much time to cook or be creative with me food, so I went with what was easy, healthy and quick. I made the quinoa in my roommates rice cooker and it literally could not be easier. I made a big batch, put it in a bowl in the frig after I mixed in some corn & green beans with a little salt and pepper.

I've been keeping with the smoothies for breakfast (strawberries, banana, plain greek yogurt) and they keep me full for a good few hours.

I found rice chips! YUM. And dangerous, especially with some hummus.

This week I'm trying two new foods
- organic brown rice noodles
- kombacha tea (MORE INFO HERE) to help with digestion as I prepare to travel for India.

Week 2 Complete!

2011-01-31T20:49:00.000-08:00

I made it through Week 2 of no sugar and no gluten! I even went out to a nice dinner and passed up the desserts and baked potato.

I didn't love the banana 'ice cream' but did freeze leftover smoothie for an after dinner treat.

Worst Temptation of the Week: At a networking reception at school there were these delicious looking brownies with chocolate frosting on them. I calmly walked away and tried to ignore the smell of chocolate-y goodness. I moved to another part of the school where my teammate joins me, with TWO brownies and says "hey, free brownies!" I politely decline while the brownie sat there and stared at me. Luckily, I went to a brownie-less team meeting. During a break, a different teammate walks in with FIVE brownies and says "hey guys, free brownies!" SAD.

Menu for Week 3:

Breakfast: Smoothies (my fav is strawberries and banana with greek yogurt -- 20 grams of protein per CUP!)

Lunches & Dinners:
BBQ Chicken Salad (homemade gluten free ranch dip from the Hidden Valley packets; corn; black beans; cheddar cheese; and slow cooker BBQ Chicken)

BBQ Chicken with Quinoa

Ground Turkey & Marinara Sauce over Veggies

Tuna Wraps (Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce & Tuna with Mayo)

Snacks:
Unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and almonds
String Cheese & Almonds
Hummus & Carrots & Rice Chips

hot yoga

2011-01-31T20:33:00.000-08:00

i forgot just how "hot" hot yoga is ... and how much i love going.

At 104 degrees and 50% humidity, I feel like I am about to die about 25 minutes in ... with 65 minutes to go.

Somehow I always make it through class and delight in the feeling of the cool washcloth over my face for the cool down series.

This is the studio that I am going to this week for an introductory special.

http://www.bikramdurham.com/

Middle East Trip - March

2011-01-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

I had my first class for my academic travel experience (GATE) trip to the Middle East.

Tickets are booked and here is our tentative itinerary

3/6 Fly to Istanbul

3/7 - 3/12 Istanbul ... company visits, cultural tours (Grand Bazaar) and a free day

(Hyatt Hotel, Istanbul)

3/13 - 3/14 Abu Dhabi ... lunch at the Emirates Palace Hotel and sightseeing

(Emirates Palace Hotel)

3/15 - 3/19 Dubai ... company visits, desert safari and a free day (read: GOLF!)

(Qamardeen Hotel, Dubai)

I can't wait! It's getting real now!

Week 1 Complete!

2011-01-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

I've been (mostly) gluten and sugar free for a week! I feel great and happy I made it through 2 parties and a dinner out. There have been a few slight mishaps (see Sushi mishap) as I am finding hidden gluten in places but overall its fairly minor.

Grocery shopping this week was easier this week and I'm getting used to a few websites to check on gluten free items and spending more time prepping before I get into the store.

Week 1 Observations:
- It's amazing how sweet fruit tastes when you aren't eating refined sugars
- I don't miss the sugar crashes
- I'm sleeping SO much better
- My body is getting used to exercising without too many carbs ... its coming along slowly
- I'm so happy (most) wine is gluten free :)

The menu for this week:
Snacks:
Sabra Spinach & Artichoke Hummus & Carrots
String Cheese & Almonds
Unsweetened Applesauce (Trader Joe's)

Dessert: Banana Nut Ice Cream (recipe from Heather: Puree two bananas, 1/4 cup almond butter, 1/2 T cinnamon. Freeze)

Breakfast: Fruit Smoothies - Assorted Frozen Fruit, Greek Plain Yogurt

Lunch/Dinners:
Traditional Pot Roast (recipe found HERE)
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken -- this has a bit of sugar in the sauce but its such a small amount I went ahead with it because its SO delicious and this chicken is great to eat on its own or in a salad.

Day 4 - Sushi mishap

2011-01-21T22:12:00.000-08:00

I've been doing really well with no sugar and no gluten ... until tonight.

I went to Sushi thinking it would be a relatively easy meal ... I knew that Soy Sauce was a no go but then after reading (which I should have done BEFORE i went) that wasabi & spicy tuna are a no no.

Lesson learned ...

Day 2

2011-01-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

So far, so good.

Breakfast was tough since I didn't cook or bring in the new blender yesterday so it was carrots and hummus on my way out of the door to Pilates.

I spent a few hours cooking today ....

Broccoli/Leek soup
Spaghetti Sauce with Turkey & Grilled Eggplant (apparently spaghetti squash is out of season already)
Mashed Cauliflower
Tuna Salad

Should be enough food for the week!

Day 1

2011-01-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

Day 1: Sugar Free, Gluten Free

Brunch: 2 Eggs, Tomato, Onion, Cheddar Cheese Scramble
Dinner: 3/4 C Hummus, 2 C Carrots
Evening Snack: 2 pieces of String Cheese
Workout: Zumba + 20 mins arm weights

I'm surprised at how NOT hungry I am today.

I went shopping ... but didn't have time to make any food yet. That is tomorrow's task

This week's menu:
- Broccoli Leek Soup
- Spaghetti Squash with Turkey
- Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Shopping was time consuming but I managed to buy enough ...

sugar free/gluten free ... can i do it?

2011-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

i'm considering going gluten free .... at least for a month.

i'm committed to going back to my sugar free eating (yikes!) and thinking about cutting out gluten as well.

any good sugar free, gluten free recipes or blogs that you know about??

Christmas Break

2011-01-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

I've been hanging out with friends and family. Eating In and Out, working it out at the gym and just hanging out.

Becca came down from Nor Cal .. and we spent New Years Eve at Disneyland and then playing Tourist in LA for a few days, including a quick stop at the Wax Museum and the Hollywood sign.

Family Dinner's

2011-01-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

Misa and I decided last term to start doing "Family Dinners"

Here is our first dinner ...

Sarah, Mark, Dan and Anthony

Fuqua Prom

2011-01-06T16:15:00.000-08:00

Lest you think I'm not really back in school ... we had a PROM! ha ha ha

here are some photo's from the event ...
Section 6 friends

my team! erica, chu and peter

the girls ... jess, emj, erica, sara and i

pre-party at our place ... jessie, anthony, alicia

Thanksgiving

2011-01-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

I didn't make it home for Thanksgiving this year but my sister drove down from DC and I hosted a few friends in Durham.

I also stopped by a friends place. His parents drove up the yummy food from Georgia!

MN Case Competition Nov 4 - 7

2011-01-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

My team (below) Emily, Jessica, Erica, Mark and I flew to Minneapolis, MN for the University of Minnesota Elite Eight Case Competition.

We won 3rd place!

on the road again ...

2010-10-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

... seems like I just got back in to Durham for a few days of doing absolutely nothing! i read a book (David Baldacci's True Blue), watched a movie (swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), and caught up on TV and sleep.

now i'm headed back to the RDU airport for a trip to Cleveland, OH for a second round interview and then a hop to San Diego for my TEN YEAR COLLEGE REUNION!?! Going to meet up with my old roomies for some tailgating and (hopefully) a win over the Oregon Ducks.

best thing about the RDU airport ... the $4/day park and ride that gives you a free newspaper, water and CARWASH! love it.

Fight On Trojans ... Let's get a W, for old times sake!

Chicago - NSHMBA

2010-10-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

(Tony the Tiger with Alexis)

(pizza from Pizano's)

I spent the first part of fall break in Chicago at the NSHMBA (National Society of Hispanic MBAs) recruiting conference.

Highlights:

Deep dish Chicago Pizza
Interviewing with a top companies for summer 2011 internships
breakfast with Liz Heinitz and Kelly Shaw after braving the bus to the north side of the city
spending the afternoon with LeAnna Fries and Erin Mounger
taking my picture with Tony the Tiger
being asleep by 9am after the conference was over

Good news from one company and waiting to hear from one more this week.

DIY Flowers

2010-10-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

How cool is this?? DIY paper flowers. Instructions can be found HERE

October Ongoings

2010-10-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

I'm winding down my first 6 week term of classes .... Micro Econ, Stats & Probability, Finance and Management Communication. Finals are next week and then I'm on Fall Break!

A few fun updates:

1) Viva Chile y Argentina! I'm headed to Chile & Argentina for two weeks after Spring 2 (before my internship)

2) Maybe Middle East or South Africa? I'm on the wait list for the Middle East Trip during Spring Break (#2 on the list!) so I'm tentatively scheduled to go to South Africa if I don't get off the waitlist. Just hoping for a few people to forget to turn their money in by the deadline which is today :)

3) Minneapolis, MN. My team (4+me) won a marketing case competition to represent Duke at the Elite 8 Marketing Case Competition at the University of Minnesota in early November. My goal is to get as many free trips to as many cities as possible in the next two years :)

4) Chicago, IL. I'm headed to Chicago for Fall Break for NSHMBA, which is a hispanic recruiting conference. I have an interview scheduled with Nestle and I'm doing a phone screen today for Kraft, for a potential interview spot with them as well.

5) San Diego/LA. Its my 10 year college reunion (I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!) so I'm headed back to Cali for the weekend of Oct 29-31! Can't wait to tailgate (and PRAY the Trojans pull out a win against the Ducks) and see dear college friends. and also give my pepper dog a big belly rub!

Life is great ... living the MBA dream.

this is one of the grossest things i've seen ... i just threw up a little in my mouth

2010-10-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

guess what this is a picture of?

CLICK HERE to find out ....

campout

2010-09-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Duke has a tradition of making its students (undergrad and graduate) campout for the privilege of entering a lottery for basketball tickets. Having only attended one basketball game in four years at USC, I'm not so sure about this.

However, in the spirit of getting into Duke athletics, I signed up with 13 other people to rent an RV for the weekend. Here will be my home for 36 hours, beginning Friday Night at 7pm to Sunday 7am. I'm sure there will be some fantastic pictures to share :)

BUGS!

2010-09-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

one thing i have yet to get used to in the south is the bugs.

they are big.

and weird looking.

and make noise.

this guy was hanging out on my tire one morning as i left for school. he's like an army bug or something.

Duke Football

2010-09-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

Leaves a little to be desired ....

I went to my first Duke football tailgate and game. They were playing Alabama (#1) and by the end of the first quarter it was 28-3. At least Duke put some points on the board??

type

2010-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

for all you font snobs ... this is awesome.

for more info click HERE

great quote

2010-09-09T22:12:00.001-07:00

image found here

Orientation Video

2010-08-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

Here is the link to the Orientation Video ... warning its kind of long ... but after a minute or two, you'll get the picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElWsqVD-6qE

P&G Brand Camp

2010-08-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

I flew out to Cincy with three of my classmates, and 4 UNC students to meet up with about 34 students total from Michigan, Stanford, Wisconsin, Texas, Cornell, Virginia, etc.

We spent the week meeting with P&Gers to understand the culture and work environment. They split their business into three sections: Beauty & Grooming (Olay, Venus/Gilette, Cover Girl, etc), Health & Wellness (Secret, Pepto Bismal, Iams, etc) and Household/Family Care (Pampers, Tide, etc).

Monday: Heard from several SVPs about the company and learned how P&G does Marketing
Tuesday: More speakers, Met with Sales, Store Visits
Wed: Heard from the CEO, Interview Prep, Day on the Brand (I was on Baby Wipes/Baby Care)
Thursday: Cincy City Tour! They took us to Reds stadium where we get a tour of the stadium, went on the field and sat in the dugout. We did a walking underground tour, where the brewery's built an elaborate underground tunnel system. We did a scavenger hunt and saw some of the famously decorated "flying pigs"
Friday: Interviews & Closing Lunch

I had an opportunity to interview for a summer internship on Friday, and am still waiting to hear back from HR on their decision.

NC to CA: Day 5

2010-08-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

Nashville, TN to Durham, NC

588 miles, 8.5 hours, and a stop to find Elvis

Biggest Surprise: Graceland is in a sketchy part of town.

Best View: Driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Ashville, NC.

After arriving in Durham, and multiple trips to Target, Walmart and Home Depot, we clocked a total of 2,839.6 miles!

CA to NC: Day Four

2010-08-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

Sulpher Springs, TX to Nashville, TN

660 miles, 11 hours, 3 states

Arkansas Highlights:
- Cleanest bathrooms
- Stereotypical political signs in front of a random house (see below)
- Home of President Clinton

Tennessee Highlights:
- Seeing the Bentley's and meeting Dylan

- Finding a best buy in Memphis to buy the iPhone!

CA to NC: Day Three

2010-08-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

Austin, TX to Sulpher Springs, TX

277 miles and 4 hours later ... we left Austin and found ourselves in East Texas.

Best Discovery: Sulpher Springs doesn't smell as bad it sounds.

Grossest Discovery: Jumping crickets and LOCUSTS. I completely thought those were Old Testament bugs. but nope, they still live and scare people.

Best Moment: Seeing Jamie's baby bump!

CA to NC: Day Two

2010-08-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

Day Two: Las Cruces, NM to Austin, TX

Glad to leave Las Cruces, we headed out for a 10 hour, 622 mile trip to see Austin, TX.

So glad to have a few hours with my favorite Texans, the Bunch's. We had dinner at Chuy's which included real texas queso and brunch on Congress Street. Saw UT and drove by the capital.

Favorite Sign: Don't Mess with Texas
Most Sighted Item: Texas state flag
Best Eats: Chuy's Queso and Chips

CA to NC: Day One

2010-08-07T21:14:00.001-07:00

Day One: Carlsbad, CA to Las Cruces, NM

6am .... left home and headed towards New Mexico. We drove 710 miles in 11 hours .... arriving in Las Cruces. We stayed at a fairly sketchy Best Western (thanks to Priceline for a $35 hotel!).

Best part of Las Cruces = My first experience with a Wal-Mart Super center.

Worst part of New Mexico = EVERYONE smokes in these parts and there were flies everywhere.

Durham, NC!

2010-07-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

After 5 days of driving ... we arrived in Durham, NC!

My mom was able to stay for a few days to help get me all set up. She flew back on Saturday, July 19th.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Math Camp ... 8 hours of math a day ... yeah, it was as bad as it sounds.

I'm headed out tomorrow morning to Cincinnati to attend Brand Camp at Procter and Gamble for the next week.

I'll have a more detailed update next week ... but I'll leave you with a few tidbits.

1) Did you know that locusts still exist? I thought they were a bug from Old Testament days

2) The trees in NC make a lot of noise ... BECAUSE BUGS LIVE IN THEM. ewwwwwww.

3) The humidity is terrible. I'm pretty sure I sweat more in a normal day here than I did while completing my last marathon

4) People talk to each other here. Just.To.Say.Hi.

i've joined the cool club ....

2010-06-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

and am finally an apple user!

this is how i feel about monday

2010-06-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Station Nine Apartments

2010-06-23T11:35:00.001-07:00

I have a new place to live!

Station Nine is where I will be spending the next 21 months of my life. I have a new roommate, Misa, who I actually met at the University of Michigan admitted students weekend.

Look ... there are TREES!

Duke!

2010-06-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm headed for a new adventure ... July 10th I am driving away from humidity-free, always 72 and sunny, Carlsbad and will stop in Durham, NC.

I'll be attending Duke University for my MBA.

This was the going away happy hour invite from my dear friend Skye ... and it sums up eveything quite nicely!

10) Did you know that North Carolina is SOUTH of the Mason Dixon?
9) She will have to pay attention to sports teams outside of the Pac 10
8) There is a significant probability that she will need to buy a coat
7) She looks better in Cardinal and Gold than Blue and White
6) The closest Islands Restaurant is 1,669 miles away in Boulder, CO
5) She'll learn what it's like to start sweating as soon as you exit your home
4) She won't own a TV (how will she keep up with Glee!?)
3) "Weather" is a bit more serious than a few rain showers and some June Gloom
2) She might actually have to start watching Basketball. (Duke's 2009 football season ended 5-7; the closest the school has come to bowl eligibility since 1994.)
1) No beach. No Disneyland. No endless summer. And none of us. ...Well, maybe she's happy about that last one.

talk nerdy to me

2010-06-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

$1000 in One Month?

2010-02-27T21:34:00.000-08:00

One June 6th 2010 I am planning to run my FOURTH marathon with Team in Training and aiming to raise $1000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As a mentor for 10 participants (8 of whom are first time marathon runners) my role is provide encouragement, direction and support. I also have weekly duties including some administrative work, getting aid station volunteers and bringing water. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see people accomplish their goal of running 26.2 miles as well as fundraising for an amazing organization.

The North County Run Team’s goal is to raise $325,000 between the 200 members. It’s amazing how much support they provide patients and their families, as well as education and policy advocacy. It’s an honor to be a part of finding a cure for blood cancers.

If you would like to donate to my fundraising, the easiest way is to visit my fundraising website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/rnr10/jengomez. If checks are more your speed, you can send them directly to me. I'd like to accomplish my fundraising by March 31st.

Also, if you'd like to make a donation in memory/honor of someone, I would like to wear their name on my race day jersey (even if you dont make a donation I would still like to wear their name).

DIY: Poms

2010-02-25T13:45:00.001-08:00

I found these and can't wait to try them ...

http://www.oncewed.com/24140/wedding-blog/diy-wedding/diy-fabric-poms/

Marathon #4 - San Diego Rock and Roll

2010-01-23T10:52:00.001-08:00

I had my first TEAM in TRAINING meeting this week .... we are FIVE months away from the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.

Looking forward to another season with the TEAM and completing Marathon #4!

ice and snow festival

2010-01-09T16:54:00.001-08:00

my favorite photo blog, the big picture shows an ice and snow festival in china.

more photo's here

life in the corporate world

2010-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

image from here

Happy twenty-ten!

I'm looking forward to a year of new challenges and unexpected blessings.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

wishing everyone the warmest wishes for this Christmas!

what i'm trying to believe ....

2009-12-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All things pass; God never changes. Patience attains all that it strives for. She who has God finds she lacks nothing: God alone suffices.

St. Teresa of Avila

christmas confession

2009-11-21T18:59:00.001-08:00

i've been listening to christmas music for over two weeks ... and thanks to pandora i unwittingly have been feeling that holiday cheer thanks to britney spears and mariah carey. eck!

Light the Night

2009-11-21T18:55:00.001-08:00

Friday night, I was a part of the CuresRock! team for the LLS Light the Night walk.

Julie and her crazy friend Mike are doing a CURESROCK Ultra Run ... Mike is running from San Diego to Pheonix in 17 days. 500 Miles. 17 Days. 1 Man. To see more check out their site http://www.curesrocktour.com/

Quiz: Name That Logo!

2009-11-16T22:35:00.000-08:00

a fun quiz ... i got 32 out of 36.

click here

proverbs

2009-10-07T23:10:00.000-07:00

i'm doing a bible study on proverbs with my girls and enjoying studying the practice side of faith and wisdom.

i've been meditating on proverbs 3:27&28 this week

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"
when you now have it with you.

More often than not, it is within my power to act.

homemade bows

2009-10-07T23:05:00.000-07:00

i'm always looking for creative ways to re-use what i have and this post is right up my alley.

its how to make bows out of old maps/magazines, etc. check out the website below for complete instructions.

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-gift-bow-from-magazine-page.html

i think i'm in love ...

2009-10-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

with OPI's

Black Onyx nail polish for the fall

gotta love disney

2009-09-29T10:04:00.001-07:00

starting 1/1/2010 you can sign up and volunteer for one of the supporting charities and receive a free day at the park. you can sign your family up too!

www.GiveADayGetADisneyDay.com

disneyland half

2009-09-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

i've had a serious lack of posting lately ...

but here are some fun pics from a 1/2 i ran over labor day with some team friends.

can you guess what princess i am? i'm pretty sure she'd never wear a callaway golf hat :)

we ran through Angel's stadium.

Mary Poppins

Check out that BLING!
(belle, minnie, aurora and aurora)

peopleofwalmart.com and fmylife.com

2009-09-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

i have been missing out.

i didn't know about the following two sites:

www.peopleofwalmart.com

and

www.fmylife.com

HILARITY!

Seattle RNR Update

2009-07-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

Starting at the beginning

Lisa and I flew up to Seattle Thursday night to stay with the Team at the W downtown

Friday we headed to the expo

Friday night was the pasta party were we sport our purple and green gear and cheer on all the participants.

Race Day:

Alarm Set for 3:30am and we get on a bus to head to Tukwila to wait for the 7am race start.

Trying to stay warm pre-race with Lisa and Bree

the run was a tough run for a number of reasons ... mentally & physically.

about mile 5 i knew i was in trouble

by mile 9 i fell behind my girls and started thinking about doing the 1/2. there was a diversion point at mile 9 but i kept on the marathon route only because i knew there was another diversion point.

by mile 15, i stood at the final 1/2 marathon diversion point for about 5 minutes, with tears and REALLY really thought about doing the half. a few girls i barely knew from last season found me and literally pushed me into the marathon route.

miles 15-19 i spent cursing said girls and myself for actually listening to them

mile 21 i caught a second wind and seriously contemplated joining the 'marathon manics' whose requirements are to either a) run two marathons in one weekend b) run two marathons in 13 days or c) run three marathons in 3 months. at that point i was running with two maniacs who told me i could do it ... the delirium lead me to believe i could do it .. until mile 22.5

about mile 23 i met up with a college student who was running her first marathon and we finished out the marathon by run/walking (or maybe walk/running)

mile 26.2 i crossed the finish line 20 minutes slower than San Diego about 5:30 minutes.

i'll be honest, i was pretty disappointed my time. i really hoped to be closer to San Diego ... although i am thrilled i finished two marathons in less than one month and am pretty sure that i wont be doing that again

after the race i and a GREAT time; pike's place, seafood, experience music project, visiting downtown portland and the osborns, and celebrating lisa's bday.

kissing the pig in Pike's Place

we were in town for the Happy Pride, Seattle's Gay Pride Parade

celebrating Lisa's 33rd birthday with a big bucket of crabs (in THEIR SHELLS! ewww)

Lance Armstrong Dedication

2009-07-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

... to my dear friend Julie.

Stage 2 Dedication: Julie Westcott -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

cancer survivors day

2009-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

yesterday was cancer survivor's day ... and i'm thrilled to know of a number of people who have managed to kick cancer to the curb.

my dear friend julie posted this on her blog ... its worth a read.

click HERE

running until there is a cure,
jen

PR! 5:09

2009-05-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

i set a Personal Record today!

5 Hours and 9 Minutes.

My goal was to run under 5 but it wasn't my day. I went out and had a great pace for most of the race.

I was on track until about mile 21 to finish under 5 but those last stinking 5.2 miles got me! My good friend Lisa TOTALLY got me ... I was so finished and in SUCH a bad mood when she found me at mile 22 ... she had a great attitude and keep me running all the way to the finish line!

at mile 22 (hating life) with my mom and sister

Shirt with names of the people I ran for

after the race. i felt as tired as i look!

NOW we are preparing for Seattle June 27th!

3 days

2009-05-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

thursday
friday
saturday
then .... SUNDAY!

i have a mantra on my desk:

"i am ready. i have trained enough. i will run under 5 hours"

now i am just waiting to believe it :)

friday night i am going to have a puzzle night with a good friend
saturday is the expo and the TNT pasta party where i have to dress up and be crazy to thank my mentee's for a great season.
sunday .... wake at 3am to be in san diego by 4:30AM!

T Minus 6 Days

2009-05-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

The San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon is 6 DAYS AWAY!!

Schedule for the week:
Tuesday: 4-5 Easy Run, No Hills
Wed: OFF
Thursday: 4 Miles (middle 2 at race pace)
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 20 minutes

I, of course, do not feel ready or that i've done enough to prepare. This week is the mental battle ... to believe i've done enough, that i can do this, that i am READY!

anger. grief. sadness. tears.

2009-05-22T00:15:00.000-07:00

this nightline report left me in tears ... angry, sad and full of grief. and hard to find any bit of solace in believing God will bring justice to these evil, evil men. 'pastors' claiming to be following the holy spirit by abusing, torturing and breaking little children.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7650941
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7650970
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7650988

Boston

2009-05-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

The day after the race I'll be heading to Chicopee for work and luckily get to spend the weekend in BOSTON!

I'm looking forward to walking the freedom trails, hopefully seeing a Sox game, hanging out with Betty Ann, grabbing a drink with Heidi and riding the T.

I am going to pray I'll be able to walk. After the last marathon, I spent the day after at the SPA, not on an airplane!

palm springs

2009-05-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

this weekend was full of phase 10, time by the pool, dinner at yard house, shopping at the outlets and good times with miss zoey! what a great weekend.

18 Days till San Diego RNR

2009-05-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

only 18 days till San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon. here are a few pics from our 20 miler. i ran with Gary, Lisa and Bree.

This is about mile 17 and I'm not so sure about the rest of the run but trying to be positive.

6 Days to 20 Miles ... 27 Days to Race #1

2009-05-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a lovely picture to show JUST how early we were up for the Train Run (5:45 arrival to the train station...it was dark....seriously)

This past Saturday we ran along the San Elijo Lagoon (for the record: i HATE, LOATHE and DESPISE trail runs). I surely will never be convinced to feel otherwise.

Grace shines upon me because THIS Saturday we are back on the coast! We start at Moonlight beach to run our 20 mile stroll at 6:15am.

In other news, I recently purchased TWO new pairs of shoes to carry me through TWO marathons. I signed up to run the San Diego Rock and Roll in May! I am hoping to run both full's but the Seattle distance will depend on my recovery from San Diego.

18 Miles!

2009-04-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

(picture put together by one of my TEAMmates ... the yellow hat is our coach)

this morning, i ran 18 miles with the TEAM on the "train run" and it went something like this:

5am wake up
5:30 leave
5:45 arrive at solana beach train station
6:45 get on train and head to oceanside train station
7am arrive, warm up, hear a mission moment
8am start running
9am keep running
10 am keep running
11 am almost done
11:15 DONE! (thats 3 hours and 15 minutes!)
11:30 stand in the ocean

lisa, bree and i kept up a 10:30 pace the entire run!! consistency is the key in the training runs.

we backdown next week, in two weeks we'll run 20 and back down before the san diego rock and roll (which i've registered for).

yeah ... after a yummy breakfast and a big nap, i'm ready to start the weekend!

Carlsbad 5K: 28:40

2009-04-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

I ran the Carlsbad 5000 last sunday ... and ran it in 28:40! My splits were: 9, 9:20, 10:20. The last mile was a little slower :)

livestrong

2009-03-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

this morning, i had the privilege of waking up early and serving my friends who are training for the Boston Marathon. For those who dont know, Boston is THE marathon to run .... you have to qualify. For my age, i think i'd have to run about a 3:45!!

My dear friend Julie (you may remember her from last year's marathon training). she has fought and beat cancer THREE times. most recently, at the end of December she found out the cancer was back for the third time. she went through 8 weeks of cancer treatment (while STILL training!!) and found out about 8 weeks ago she was chosen to run the Boston Marathon with Lance Armstrong's Livestrong team. In addition to Julie, Colin (also a cancer survivor) and two of our Team in Training coach's (Bill & Pattie) are also running with them. This is a BIG BIG BIG deal to have them running in the most prestigious marathon event!!!

To support them a group (see above) woke ourselves WAY too early for a Sunday AM and set up aid stations along the way. We jumped in to run with them along the way (running 18-21 miles by yourself STINKS!). Lisa picked me up and we took off for Cardiff State Beach to set up an aid station with cheez-its & gatorade. Lisa made these fabulous signs to cheer for them as they stopped for refreshment.

Captain Greg with Colin (who ran an 8:30 pace!!...could he qualify for boston AT boston?)

Here is coach pattie at our aid station - you can see the signs Leese made!!

After Julie came to our aid station, I took off to run with her the rest of the way. She had already done about 14.5 when we saw her ... so we needed to finish the last 3.5 miles. Julie was about done - like stick a fork in me done but i am SO proud of her because we finished strong. we have to play a game to get us from point to point during the long runs (thinking about running 18 miles at once is simply too much). We played run from the trashcan to the light....then run from the light to the bench ... then run the bench to street sign. you get the point. Suzanne came back to run with us ... and Aimee joined in on her bike (she's been fighting with an injury)

Jules is my inspiration! if she can train through radiation ... i can train though my laziness. if she can run after spending friday's with her oncologist for 8 weeks, i can run after a week of work. she is a diehard fundraising ... vowing never to stop until there is a cure. like i said, she is my inspiration! its been an incredible privledge to be a part of something bigger than myself. i am very blessed to know these folks who give so much to raise money to kick cancer to the curb. the community is amazing and these folks have taught me much about community, service and sacrifice.

Lisa, Jen, Coach Pattie and Suzanne at our aid station.

no train run is complete without Pizza Port (i'm not sure what i'm doing ... other than NOT paying attention to the camera)

all in all, a great day to support and celebrate my friends!

GO TEAM!

3 months and 1 day until Seattle

2009-03-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

i can't believe we are in week 9 of training ... 3 months and 1 day until Seattle.

sunday i ran the pasadena half marathon, through the rain and up the hills. it was my least favorite races i've run ... i am a wimpy southern california runner. as soon as the rain started falling, thoughts of going back to bed were all i could think about. at 6:20 (10 minutes prior to the start) we were all standing in the corral waiting to begin when the downpour unleashed its fury. it wasn't little wimpy san diego misty rain, it was angry, big, fat, soak through your shoes rain.

i bow to all people who run in weather.

happy st. patrick's day!

2009-03-17T11:08:00.001-07:00

Its a day to celebrate my favorite things -- all things ireland!!

enjoy the day!

TNT Week 6

2009-03-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we are in WEEK 6 of the Team in Training schedule!!

We are running 10 miles this weekend ... and i just registered for the Pasadena Marathon 3-22!!

Here are a few pictures from the season so far ...

Running in Escondido ...

Running along PCH in Solana Beach ... and posing for a Live-Strong pic.

ash wednesday

2009-02-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

for some strange reason i really enjoy the Lenten season. for the most part, i blame my love for liturgy on being a recovering fundamentalist.

i went to an Ash Wednesday mass at lunch to receive the distribution of ashes. i am giving up something i hope will bring balance and restore some much needed space.

i am mindful to start the lenten series with the reminder to return to the Lord knowing He is gracious, merciful and slow to anger. the acceptable sacrifice to him is my broken and contrite spirit. he will restore my soul.

enjoy the readings from today's service:

Joel 2: 12-18
12	"Yet even now," says the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13	and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.
14	Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God?
15	Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly;
16	gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.
17	Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare thy people, O LORD, and make not thy heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'"
18	Then the LORD became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.

Psalms 51: 3 - 6, 12 - 14, 17
3	For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4	Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.
5	Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6	Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
12	Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13	Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.
14	Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.
17	The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Matthew 6: 1 - 6, 16 - 18
1	"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2	"Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3	But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4	so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5	"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6	But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
16	"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
17	But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18	that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

TNT: Week 3

2009-02-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

Julie, Jen and "Project Glow Worm" (Julie's Code Name for her cancer treatment)

hope in chaos

2009-02-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

taken from here

Pam Best 1.31.09

2009-02-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, I found out Pam Best passed away from inflammatory breast cancer. she fought for almost 3 years.

Among the grief, news of her death has motivated me in two ways

1) i am even MORE inspired to fight to find a cure for cancer. i know the economy is tough and people are losing their jobs or fear losing their jobs, but cancer doesn't slow down. every little bit helps research that will someday find a cure ... or at least help make life easier for cancer patients. i hope you consider donating to a cancer charity - American Cancer Society, Susan G Komen, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ... and really every $5 helps!

2) i hope and pray that i may always make the most of EVERY opportunity given to me to live life to the fullest ... to live deeply ... to live passionately ... to live proactively ... to fully LIVE.

i am sad, but i am hopeful. hopeful that the doctors learned something by her cancer that will help others and hopeful that is she is in a place with no more suffering.

January Race: Carlsbad Half 1.25.09

2009-02-01T11:17:00.001-08:00

My January Race was the Carlsbad Half Marathon, 1.25.09

Chrisi, Cathy and I at mile 10.

I'm done!

Mom and I at the finish line!

history

2009-01-19T20:57:00.001-08:00

tomorrow, along with millions of americans, i am going to witness history.

we are getting up at 3:30am to layer ourselves with many many many layers and head into the city. the plan is to drive, hop on a bus or metro and land a spot within distance of the jumbotron. i was scanning craigslist hoping for a cheap ticket but the cheapest we found was $400/tix for the back section.

it feels almost unreal ... the city is buzzing, the police are towing (cars not heading the warnings), the bars are packed and people are in a most delightful mood.

this is a huge blessing and i am a thankful.

computers crashing

2009-01-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

i encountered the blue screen of death today. 4 times.

it took me over a 30 minutes to get my computer to boot up into safe mode. and literally my heart started palpitating and my palms got a little sweaty thinking about my computer crashing. almost NONE of my data is backed up ... personal or work ... and the thought of losing all my photos and two years of work documents was almost too much.

my thursday confession: my name is jen. and i am a addicted to my computer.

p.s. in safe mode i was able to back up my data. whew.

live life fully

2009-01-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

i am reminded tonight of the fragility of life ... and the need to live life fully.

there are many things i get caught up in ... the amount of emails in my ever increasing inbox ... the drama at work ... the full laundry basket ... my bank account ... how many calories i burned on the stairmaster ... how many times pepper needs to go outside ... and in those moments miss what is happening in and around me.

i once heard a friend describe another friend as one who lives life deeply and passionately.

that inspires me because:

i want to be a girl who lives deeply and intentionally ...
i want to be a girl who celebrates the little things. all the time ...
i want to be a girl who can stop and listen to even the quietest voice ...
i want to be a girl who knows when to stop doing the mundane & non-urgent and just be with people ...
i want to live life alongside of people, in their joys, hopes, fears and dark times ...
most of all, i want to be a girl who loves well, not matter what else is going on

mostly this blog is about me ... but i have two things to ask you for today:

one, if you pray ... please be mindful of two of my friends who are not well. one will excluding a miracle not be well again this side of heaven. the other, i am hopeful for.

two, take one moment in your day to do something meaningful for someone around you. you just never know.

Little Things, Discipline & 2009

2009-01-01T23:52:00.000-08:00

As I’ve been contemplating 2009 the one constant is the amount of discipline required to accomplish my goals. A majority of my goals requires me to consistently choose to be disciplined in the little things.

here are some goals i have for the new year....

* find a way to be active against human trafficking
* to spend less and give more
* to learn more about investing
* to run … 12 races in 12 months, including a marathon
* to improve my golf game … no excuses!
* to be intentional about my health
* to try new recipes
* to enjoy the ups and downs of dating
* to gain clarity about my career path
* to read more and watch less tv
* to pray consistently

to these goals i say, BRING IT! i'm up for the challenge ... i'm looking forward to tackling the little things and i'm excited to see how these little things amount to something BIG!

time off

2008-12-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

a week and a half off with a few plans

- christmas festivities. check.
- not setting my alarm to wake up
- good work outs. i'm loving the medicine ball
- visit to pasadena to see friends on Sunday
- visit to pasadena to the rose bowl ... go trojans
- new years eve party at skye's
- finish "i wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families, stories from rwanda" and bhutto's memoir "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West"
- make a gingerbread house
- write thank you notes
- put away the christmas decorations
- review 2008 goals and think through 2009 goals

christmas pictures

2008-12-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

the table :)

with my sister and pepper

Grandma, Mom, Liz and Mariana for Christmas dinner

2008 Christmas Tree - Teal, Hot Pink, Purple and Lime Green

Happy Christmas!

2008-12-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Happy Christmas!

Christmas Dinner

2008-12-23T08:57:00.001-08:00

As I have begun to really enjoy cooking, I'm planning and cooking Christmas Day Dinner.

Here is the planned menu:

Appetizer: Crab and Spinach Dip

Main Course: Spinach/Artichoke/Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
with Twice Baked Potato’s
and Garlic Asparagus
(for my sister) Green bean Casserole

Dessert: Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

i have a delic apple pie recipe from Paula Dean for Apple Pie I can't wait to try! I'm doing a trial run tonight to see how it goes ... homemade crust and all!

Rock and Roll Seattle!

2008-12-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

I've done it again!

I'm going to run the inagural Rock and Roll Seattle Marathon with TNT in June!

November Highlights

2008-12-05T10:02:00.001-08:00

a few highlights from november

thanksgiving

liz joined my mom, sister and grandma and i for thanksgiving.

i did most of the cooking this year!

More Football Games ... it was really cold out as we BEAT THE IRISH!

wine tasting with liz in temecula

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-12-02T15:47:00.000-08:00

I am compelled to post this recipe. It is DELICIOUS!

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Paula Deen, from FoodNetwork

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon.
Add melted butter.
Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices.
Add flour and vanilla.
Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust.
Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

City of Angels 1/2 Marathon

2008-12-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

This was supposed to be Race #4 but is really Race #3 due to the cancellation of #3 Pasadena 1/2 last month.

Dec. 6th
Start: LA Zoo
Finish: City Hall, downtown LA
Time: 7:30am

I'm running with my fun friend Emily (we ran the human race with Sarah S in August)

Pumpkin Bars

2008-11-25T10:28:00.000-08:00

Every year I like to try a new pumpkin dessert. Last year it was gingerbread pumpkin trifle from Paula Deen.

This year I tried these and I HIGHLY recommend them!

Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

thanksgiving food!

2008-11-25T10:22:00.001-08:00

i am so excited for thanksgiving i can't even stand it!

i am doing most of the cooking and can't wait ... so in anticipation i'm sharing with you the menu

butternut squash soup
spinach salad with cranberry, feta and almonds
spinach artichoke stuffing (unbelievably delicious)
creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes
green bean casserole
turkey & gravy
tart cranberry sauce
pumpkin cheesecake

yum. is it thursday afternoon yet?

sidenote: luckily, i found out there is a TKB class at the gym ... sweet, i can start the meal with a calorie deficit!

1/20/09 in D.C?

2008-11-17T10:51:00.001-08:00

I am contemplating flying to DC for Obama's inauguration!!! My sister lives out there so I have a free place to stay (although I don't have tickets ... ALL sold out) and says its going to be a GIANT party.

cancelled!!

2008-11-16T21:44:00.001-08:00

the pasadena marathon (including the 1/2 & bike tour) were cancelled today due to air quality.

:(

sadly, the air quality was due to the many many fires raging around so cal and many many people have lost their homes. my heart is especially heavy for the 500 mobile homes lost in sylmar. i think of those folks who may not have fire insurance ... and have lost everything.

somehow the disappointment of not running a race pales in compared to the devastation around the state.

Pasadena 1/2 Marathon

2008-11-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Race #3 out of 12

Pasadena 1/2 Marathon
Sunday, November 16, 2008

I am running this sunday at 6:30AM (i know, how early is that!?) through downtown pasadena. my Bib Number is #3912

I'm running with Melissa Mills and we are going to aim to finish in 2.5 hours (due to time constraints I haven't really been able to train too much so I'm aiming for an 8/2 interval pace). My lovely friend Liz is going to be there cheering us on with Amy and we are all planning to go to breakfast afterwards. If you are in the area and want to join us for breakfast, call me (i'll have my cell on me during the race).

saturdays in the fall

2008-11-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

usc v washington it FULLY poured rain on us. no, i was not in washington. i was in LA. yes, LA. rain in LA. my mom has wanted to bring these $1 Wal-Mart poncho's to the games and i haven't let her ... least we be ghetto like that. instead, we stood in line for an hour to pay $5 EACH for these lovely yellow ponchos. we were soooo wet and cold but dang 66-0 feels good!

i ran into my freshman roommate and fellow 'dido girl, Jackie Arrowood! I always run into her sister Katie in the most random places. She is a world traveler as her husband's job lets them roam the globe.

last week, i went to the Cal game with skye (sorry no pics) and meet up with some fellow mba-ers for the game. I'm next to Matt, Lance's girlfriend & Lance.

i love love love candy corn

2008-11-10T16:40:00.001-08:00

Long overdue Vegas Pics!

2008-10-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

i spent my 30th bday weekend in Vegas! Becca, one of my best girls from college; Lisa, my running diva and Skye, one of my best girls in san diego joined me on a fab weekend. we stayed at the MGM Grand and lived it up. we ate, drank, danced, saw Love, floated in the lazy river, ate, drank, danced, and had a BLAST. thanks girls!

dancing on the stage at a bar ...

the girls at dinner at the bellagio buffet

becca jen and a boy we met

look i found callaway and top flite stuff in vegas!

at the lazy river with lisa and seriously HUGE drinks

out on the town

its water, i promise!

jen and becca

cupcakes!!

2008-10-17T16:29:00.001-07:00

i just bought this! and can't wait to make cupcakes!!!

a few funny politics pics

2008-10-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

taken from here