April Goals

Goals at large are a good thing to have and in theory make life more approachable (anything you can check off a list as done is an accomplishment no matter how big or small). April is upon us, so I figured what better time than a beginning of a month (even if it is April Fools Day...) to take a few minutes and set forth some personal goals.  Simply put setting goals for myself I believe will allow me to become a better version on myself and the best way to do this is by setting attainable goals. So for the month of April I have set the following 4 milestones for myself:

1: Finish & Read – I have been slowly dabbling in what I will call a financial encouragement book which I plan to finish in the next week (by 1/7) And start and finish the book currently on my night stand.

2: Journal/Blog - With the recent effort to get blog on track (ha! get it, blog on track), I plan to start off with a post a week and see where I can take my efforts from there... 

3: Do What You Love - And I love DIY! I plan to add one DIY project to my repertoire this month and whatever that may be, I plan to share it with you! 

4: Run - Run more, fun faster and run longer! I am going to start with the run more and commit to running between 15-20 miles from Mon-Fri.    

Lost Your Waze? Blogger Reboot

This past weekend during a cross town trip headed back to the Westside, I enlisted the ever so trusted help of Waze to get us to where we needed to go when our in car guided assistant sounded off, “In 800 ft turn left on Fountain” Of all the shortcuts and all the redirect possibilities Waze could have offered, the irony of the guided navigation prompting me down Fountain to avoid Sunday drivers got me thinking… Thinking about something else in my life which could benefit from the Waze prompted trip down one of the most iconic short cuts of LA… if you guessed my blog, you are correct.

Usually people quit blogging on a site because they stop enjoying it or because they fall out of the habit… I am not sure which applies here because I don’t think I was really ever “in the habit” and there is no question as to whether or not I enjoy blogging.

I kept a journal most of my life and really I utilized a blog as the adult version of such. Whether its sharing my take on the latest jewelry trend, or musings from a recent outing with family or friends, I have always taken some small comfort in knowing that beyond the memories themselves my blog is where I can recount and share events (even if it just you reading them Mom).  A reboot of anything can seem difficult, daunting and at time even frustrating, but it’s important to remember that its almost always possible to restart, relaunch and refocus your efforts as time allows. And the excitement which follows is a rewarding feeling and who knew Waze would help me get there. This past Sunday, I took Sunset which led me Santa Monica (with a quick trip up La Brea) and I ending up Taking Fountain. 

Im thinking of a number...

Lets play a game! I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 100... Its an even number... It starts with a “th,”  and ends with a “y,” Oh yeah and it rhymes with “dirty.” If you happened to guess 30, you are correct (not that the above pic didn't give it away or anything)! I'm turning 30 this weekend, gracefully you hear and I will be the first to welcome myself to the club!

 

The truth is I have been anticipating this day with both dread and excitement. I think Im supposed to be freaking out or something according to those around me and their long winded reactions "th-irty huh! Wow! Big Birthday!"  And as I watch the last decade of my life fade into what seems to be some form of a mental rearview mirror, I can’t help but feel like I’m leaving an old friend behind... but only for a new adventure. 
 

My 20s were eventful, tough at times (but such is life), I made mistakes, and made some friends. I learned to cook and learned to take chances. I met an amazing man and rekindled some fizzling friendships and I am excited about my years to come! 
  
I've used the past 10 months to wrap my brain around the inevitable, but also to do my homework in enlisting my trusty friend Google to help me welcome this big day with open arms! So in no particular order the following is my web roundup of insightful advice to assist me in making this impending transition!

Oliva Wilde put it best! Do reap the benefits of accumulated wisdom. You're 30 after all. You know stuff now. Now you get to live with that knowledge under your belt. Also, make it a nice belt. You're 30. Stop dressing like a hobo.

If you lean in and meet life half way you can tango. Sometimes beautifully and often times like you have two left feet. Life has its incredible ups and downs, but for the most part we live in between the two extremes. Thank you Patrick Furlong, eloquently put.

Meg Jay's rhetoric that "30 is the new 20" trivializes what is actually the most transformative period of our adult lives is right on! 30 is NOT the new 21. And if you haven't watched her TED talk, please do!  

It important to know by this point in your life who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take things personally.

Its still ok to channel your inner nine-year-old self and get excited about going to Disneyland and holidays like Halloween and Christmas as long as you continue putting one foot in front of the other.   

If you haven’t realized it already, than its time to recognize the obvious. Nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long. So pick a healthy habit and stick to it.

I plan on treating 30 like any other birthday. I'm going to put on a fun dress, have dinner with some close friends and family, drink myself silly with a little champagne and then tuck myself in, all the while being content with not knowing what is going to happen next.

So when I wake up on Sunday morning, I plan on channeling Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles and yet as I study myself in the mirror instead of looking for breasts, I will be searching for wrinkles. After all I'm turning 30, that's what you're supposed to do right (wink wink)!


  .

Music Month By Month: January Playlist

January 2013 from jessburgs on 8tracks Radio.

Lets start by pressing play above...

Do you ever find yourself stumbling backwards in time after hearing a certain song from your past? Whether that past the song has taken you to is a particular afternoon cira 1999 or maybe even yesterday, there is something so majestic about how music can induce such nostalgic feelings.  It’s as if we have these memories of events just inaudibly napping inside our heads waiting for a certain something  song to wake them up… and sometimes when those memories are awoken from their afternoon nap they come knocking on our doors bearing good feelings, ones worth reminiscing about. This got me thinking about the importance of music in my life… and how listening to a single song can make such a difference in my day. I’m not sure why but every few weeks or so I kinda get stuck on a certain set of songs… Im sure my nearest and dearest can attest to my cd burning obsession in my earlier days… I literally had a mix for everything… even one for cleaning my room {not a joke and I actually still own the majority of these…} This year I have decided to create a playlist a month… not sure that at the end of the year these playlists will be entirely made up of nostalgia inducing songs, but we shall see… Above and below {below complete list} are my songs for the month of January!  Here’s to a playlist a month {both old and new} of my most played –most listened to-and most loved jams... enjoy!

Sometimes its better to just listen...

 

52 Weeks of Saving in 2013

If grade school taught us one thing other than to always share it was that there are 52 weeks in a calendar year. One thing it didn’t teach me was how to effectively save and budget my money, so now that I’m older I love hearing {and sharing} operative and simple ways to budget.  Most recently after my return from our holiday hiatus I spent some much needed time catching up with my office go to gal {yay Verna!} who got me up to speed on a little 52 week savings plan she had put to order for the new year! After some chatting and a little web surfing as on the how to of putting this plan into action, I found it actually quite simple and kind of fun if you ask me. While we are not sure who the original author or creator of this little plan is I have noticed around the web peeps referring to it as the 52 Week Money Challenge. I like to think of it as 52 weeks to my 2014 Oh S#*% Account. The simplicity behind this plan is such; for 52 weeks beginning with week one you put money away each week. The weekly dollar amount directly corresponds to number of the week it is. For example, week one you put away $1, week two you put away $2 and so on with the maximum amount you will be putting away in a single week is $52! Check it out below!

So if you take a look at the Account Balance that corresponds to week 52 (bottom right corner above), assuming you stick by the plan come December of this year you will have $1,378.00. I'm not suggesting that this be the only savings you do throughout the year, but this is a fun and simple way to have a little cushion after the holidays going into 2014! Whether you plan on saving each week just for yourself or you decide to put away for you and your children, grandchildren, significant other, brother, sister etc. who wouldn't want $1,378.00 extra?! Get creative with this, save in jar, save in a safe, only make a bank deposit every time your balance hits $100.00 execute this savings plan in a way that works for you. Maybe even use it as a learning tool for your kids and get them started early teaching them saving is not only important, but fun too! Not to worry, its not too late to start, we are only coming up on week 5 so if you put away $15 today you're already caught up! Happy Saving!  

BOOTCAMP: Cant Stop Wont Stop

2013 is here and so is the 28^th session of Yardo’s Bootcamp Golds Gym Downtown LA and while I am not one of the relentless few, lucky enough to have been a part of this unique group since day one I am in my second year, which means I have attended 6 consecutive boot camp sessions at 6 weeks a session (w/ a one week break between each). I began during the last weeks of session 20 back in Dec 2011 and am now confident enough to invest some time to share with you our journey through session 28 of bootcamp ! For me, Ive known for a while that there is so much more to boot camp than the kick-A$$ early morning sweat… The camaraderie of bootcamp goes far past the actual 6AM meetup 3 days a week and it certainly starts with having a fearless and devoted leader… Adam/Yardo, please stand up! So for the next 6 weeks I intend to share with all of you our bootcamp journey as we each strive be the ideal walking business card for Adam (quote in quote) kidding but in all fairness we kinda are… right?! Nonetheless I hope our journey motivates, inspires, awwwes, scares and just plain informs those of you who don’t know about Yardo’s Bootcamp a group which is based on commitment, forged by good friendships  and undoubtedly bound in Camaraderie. And with that said...

Week One Day One:

Monday morning typically start out with a weigh in around 6:00 am. This can be a little brutal, especially right after the weekend, but for the most part I like to believe it keeps me in check (most of the time) This past Mondays weigh in was after 3 weeks off and facing the scale was like an exercise out of an episode of Fear Factor or something... And the work out (WOD seen in pic above) went a little something like this:

Welcome Back to Torture

• Weigh In

• Stairs 16 flights up and down as many times as possible in 15 min (I was able to cap at 4 x's up and down) this was followed by a 2 min break

• DLs (deadlifts) & Push Press - 15 x's each as many rounds as possible in 8 mins followed by a 2 min break 

• Squats (20) Tuck Jumps (15) Pushup Row (10) 8 mins as many rounds as possible followed by a 2 min rest

• Burpees 4 mins as many burpees as possible- DONE! 

Day Two: 

 I'm pretty sure day two kicked all of our As$es! Its a little difficult to see the deets of the WOD but the following is what made us sweat:

2 ROUNDS

• 100 Air Squats 
• 50 OH Lunges (25 lb plate held over your head)
• 50 DL's 
• 50 Curls 
• 50 Chest Press (lying on the mat with a 25 lb)
• 50 Burpees 
• 50 Bicycle Crunches 
• Stairs (up and dwn 16 flights)

And then do it all again! In the words of one of my nearest and dearest... "Aggressive!" 

Day Three:   

 

Here were all are killing it wearing our ankle weights. This mornings workout was a circuit based on exercises that incorporated the use of ankle weights. We did a lot of jumping around and kicking our legs (as seen above) We stared off on the treadmill for a warm up, I was only able to get in a mile and a half (not used to wearing ankle weights and they were making my ankles itch... higher socks are a must!) Once warmed up we headed into the room and our hour plus circuit went like this (not sure if I'm referencing all the exercise we did by the correct name but for the most part you will get the idea): 

10 Stations- 1 min or so at each- remember we have ankle weights on:

• Squat Jumps with 10 lb bar 
• Sumo Squats upright Row with Kettle bell (i just know thay s*#% was heavy)
• Mountain Climbers 
• Alternating Front Kicks (think Rockettes)
• Burpees 
• Ab Roller of Death (as Adam calls it)
• Step Up's w/ 15 or 17 lb weights
• Jump Rope 
• Hip Raises on the mat with the yoga block (squeezing the yoga block between your knees) 
• Leg Extensions

Overall our first week of boot-camp was a success! Great energy great effort and awesome workouts! More to come next week!

   

My Spending Hiatus...

The holiday months can often times send you into somewhat of a spending bender if you know what I mean… and what better antidote to your empty feeling pocket books than a No-Spend-Month (In my case I'm working on 3 consecutive months of this, within reason) Its not always easy being mindful and disciplined about the money I spend, so during this No-Spend-Month/s which is basically short for “No Spending Except For Basic Essentials” I will not be spending on anything non-essential. Non-essential meaning things like:

Clothes/accessories
Personal Training
Electronics
Lunches/Dinners out
Online Purchases (Guilt, Amazon)
iPhone apps, iTunes, lottery tickets and any other $1-$2 finds
Manis & Pedis
Starbucks & Pete's

 So for the next month while I’m shopping my very own closet to recreate “new” outfits and giving homemade gifts & cards or offering my services for those of you with upcoming birthdays I am hopeful that I may just find that keeping track of the amount of money I’m saving (toward a specific financial goal) is motivation enough to stick with this spending diet for more than just 30 days.

 I plan to give myself a budget of $100 per week and this money can only go towards essentials! By no means am I trying to deprive myself, but more so help myself reconnect with my $$ so I am able to learn to further value and appreciate every single dollar. I will only allow myself to dip into this $100 on designated spending days (which for now will be Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday) By creating designated spending days I will force myself to plan out my spending meaning I will have to know what I need to purchase and wait until a spending day to buy it. I am confident that this will eliminate cashing out for foolish items and actually having to wait for that chap stick/lip gloss I was trying to convince myself I needed on a Monday night, come Wednesday (a spending day) I most likely will have forgotten all about it. I plan is to allot my $100 budget towards the following: 

Groceries & eating out (occasion based)

Gas
Household items (paper towels, tp, light bulbs, toothpaste etc.)
Entertainment (like I said not trying to deprive myself)

There are a ton of 30 day no spend month challenges all over the blogsphere so looking to google and my fellow bloggers for tips and/or inspiration won’t be a prob and should you also get a wild hair I would like to suggest the following:

half dozen daily

growing slower
bankrate.com

And with food in my fridge, gas in my car and my bills and rent paid for the month thus far let the spending hiatus begin…
 

Intent... Play for Keeps in 2013!

 Just 7 days into the New Year and Im sure a lot of you have your New Years Resolution/s on the mind… And with all of these resolutions and goals flying around me lately, I stand by the idea that we don’t need a special day whether it’s a Monday or a New Year to make changes in our lives… I'm sure change has been on your mind as much as mine over the past week and Im confident that 2013 is promising... bringing a brand new year and a clean slate. Good news is we can use the marker of the New Year to provide us with a measurable time frame for progress which can be very empowering. What we are able to effectively measure we can positively change! I want this New Year to be different from any other year and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that it will be!

How do I want to make this year different you may ask… Well, change is a tough thing, but a good thing nonetheless. In order for this year to be different than any before, SOMETHING(s) have to CHANGE, so without creating some list comprised of two scoops of obsessive and eager enthusiasm sprinkled with a bit of unrealistic expectations all with a cherry on top I will instead create one that is perfectly in line with ideals I feel I already adhere by… and then choose one little word to invite into my life which will remind me to play for keeps in 2013!

My word for 2013: Intent

Intent/ aim, meaning, determined, committed   

I will live with it. I will invite it into my life. I will let it speak to me. And I plan to follow where it leads me. The possibilities are endless.

Resolutions 2013: Intent
Be Strong: work out 3-5 mornings a week without question.
Be Healthy: become a connoisseur of quick and healthy meals. Remember to eat healthy snacks between meals. take a vitamin/s h2O
Be Smart: embrace new opportunities. They help you grow.
Be Happy: remember to be grateful, treasure the small things.

Be Wise: "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do."
Be Motivated: shower and get dressed, i know... sounds simple but stuff actually gets done when you do.
Be Organized: just do it 

Give Thanks... Its Good For You & Forgive

Thanksgiving... a time of the year which reminds some of us to be more aware of the things in our life which we are thankful for. While it may not be on daily basis, I count my blessings year round as I believe gratitude is a powerful emotion and being grateful just plain feels good to me. Growing up, my mom would come into my room each night to tuck me in to bed and we would say I simple prayer together:

 "Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the lord my soul to keep, if i should die before i wake i give the lord my sol to take..."

Once we finished the prayer I would then go through a list of people, in my head, family members, friends and sometimes even neighbors who let me play in their yard or my favorite teachers who always made class fun, my dog Heidi and even my hamster Jimmy {im sure you get the point} I would talk about all things that made me happy to have these people in my life and how thankful for them I was. Sometimes at night I still go through this childhood ritual as it feels to be an age old routine and I give thanks... Through the years I continually find more things to be thankful for and more ways to show appreciation for those things, tangible or not...

I recently read a quote which reminded me of quality I confidently possess, which I am most thankful for:
True forgiveness is not an action after the fact, it is an attitude with which you enter each moment...    -David Ridge
This quote brings to mind the cliche line that no one is perfect, and while I know this to be true it seems as though sometimes we continue to punish ourselves and others for the smallest deviation from this so called perfect path. Forgiving all deviations is not always a possibility, but why punish yourself and sustain the anger inside that a grudge beholds? I am thankful to not be one of those people {one that holds a grudge} but with that said, I am completely in tune with the truth that of all people, I myself, am nowhere near perfect. The opposite of taking things for granted is to be thankful for them... and when you are thankful for the good in your life, the good grows and we have more of it. Sadly, the opposite of this is also all too true... when you fail to appreciate the good, when you take the good things for granted, the good depreciates... As being thankful is good the soul, forgiving is good for the heart... and the body as well as the soul. When you appreciate the good, the good appreciates...  There's no playbook for forgiveness, no manual to getting past betrayals, disappointments or hurt, but more over it is a life skill most anyone can possess. Forgiving is good and I am thankful I posses this quality in life...

Ghosts of Halloweens Pasts...

Halloween is always a tricky time of the year…  Besides for the obvious reasons such as having to figure out or decide upon what amazing party you will attend (what could possibly top last years… see video below) but also the fact that I have to decide on a costume in an effort to avoid questions such as “what are you?" or “why did you choose that costume” and at the same time attempting to avoid awkward or offensive moments…

Last year, while the graveyard party was a success, my first attempt as Sophia Grace was an epic fail and thus my last min reality tv Ah ha moment to be a Dance Mom was thrown together as an attempted "costume" yet was also a fail. Clearly it provoked the above what… and why… questions seeing as I meerly dressed in a sheer pink top (which I have definitely worn since), black leggings (which I frequently still wear) wearing a crown and carrying a microphone... Some Ah ha moment huh?! right...

While my post college goulie activities have been limited to none over the past few years, I am looking forward to Halloween this year!  With about 22 days left to figure out my above concerns and I will not be going as Max from Where the Wild Things Are as suggested by a brief and wildly inaccurate quiz I recently took on BuzzFeed… Max-For-Adults romper... Do NOT want!

My past years costumes have been a bit iffy as they were typically thrown together and/or made/bought last min… This year I am planning on doing things different... the key word being planning and if it goes off without a hitch I will consider throwing in the Halloween towel in an effort to preserve good feelings about my future with this holiday… Below are a few of what I would like to call My Ghosts of Halloweens Past!

{Meew! Cira 1990}

{Half homemade Greek Goddess 2002}

{Care to guess this one... }

{If you happened to guess Mia Wallace of Pulp Fiction... din-ding-ding!}

{off with their heads! I'm not entirely sure this was Halloween... either way I went as my very own version of Alice in Wonderlands Queen of Hearts}

{I think the orange shorts say it all...}

What ever the night may bring I would like to put my money on topping last years... the venue doubtful... but the costume guaranteed! 

Cool "ber" Months: Fall Favorites

I always welcome the cooler temperatures of Fall with open arms and long sleeves! I simply love the warmer colors that also come along with this time of year.  However, I am not terribly enthusiastic about the seemingly shorter days that accompany the end of daylight savings time nor do I enjoy leaving my apartment in the morning while the sun is still resting its head.  Fall outfits are the favorites in my wardrobe. My preferred comfort foods also seem to taste better during the cool "ber" months. The following are top 5 fall favorites!

 

Fall Running

Fall running is fabulous. The cool weather and crisp air make for great for running conditions. Not to mention breaking out a new pair of running shoes to herald the Fall months!

 

 Pumpkin Everything (Scented & Flavored Included)

Oh the Pumpkin Spice Latte and pumpkin pie... yum! And if you don't already have your seasonal pumpkin scented candle warming your homes I suggest you get one!  

 

College Football

8 Count... U * * * C * * * L * * * A* * * UCLA FightFightFight!!!!

 I truly love college football and the Saturdays in Fall all filled with feisty fans and epic tailgates! I love this time of year!

 

Oversized Sweaters & Long Sleeves

The September issue brings it in and the cold weather keeps it around, I love everything about Fall fashion!

 

Bangin' Boots

There’s a love in my life that’s lasted for years. This love has seen me through all seasons; kept me warm on chilly nights; flattered me; walked through the hard times with me; and always made me feel happy, comfortable and beautiful. My boots were made for walking!   

This week I'm thankful for...

A few weeks ago after a rough couple of personal days my mom gave me some insightful yet simple advice... "You should make a gratitude list in your head each morning when you wake up..." {I'm not sure those were here exact words however that was my take away} And while there are things I am thankful for everyday of my life, here is a round up of the things I am thankful for this week...



1. I am thankful for Adams always amazing/challenging boot camp Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings are a sure bet to kick my a$#!

2. I am thankful to have clean laundry even if it is just all gym clothes...

3. I am thankful for my new boots which are comfy and were on sale!

4. I am thankful for hot yoga {it saves me!}

5. I am thankful that I prepped for my BPC which I am starting Monday! WoooHooo

6. I am thankful that after parking at the Alexandra hotel my car didn't end up like this!

7. I am thankful that it is no longer in triple diggies here in LA! shhew

8. I am thankful that I got to visit the little muffins yesterday! So in love!

9. I am thankful that I was able to catch a piece of history today as Space Shuttle Endeavour coasted right over the Paramount lot and by the Hollywood sign before its final landing at LAX after a three-decade career in space and bringing an end to NASA’s space shuttle program.

 

And thats what I'm thankful for... what are you thankful for? Have a great weekend!

 

We Think. You Drink. BPC

We Think. You Drink. Thats the Blue Print Cleanse motto and for the next 5 days while I prepare for my 3 day juice cleanse I will be cutting out the following: coffee (which i have already cut out staring this past Sunday) carbs (oatmeal bread wheat thins... you name it) sugar and meat. And I couldn't be more excited to start my cleanse after preparing the right way this time! Starting Monday, I am jumping into the Renovation Cleanse so I’ll be living on fresh, raw juices sent directly to my front door from BPC. 6 16 ounce bottles of juice each day for 3 days and its designed to help turn your body from acidic to alkaline with raw juices. Why is this so important? On their website, they explain that their line of drinks will help you remove the build up of toxins in your system because “disease cannot live in a alkaline body.” The BPC juices are fashioned to supply you with “vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are quickly absorbed and easy to assimilate.” Stay tuned to hear details of my  process. From juice flavors, to my energy levels to weight loss and how hungry I feel at the end of each day...  I’m ready to let you in on all the details.

And that's all my iPhone has to say about it...

One of my favorite things about being home is my Bay Trail run! Its between 6 and 10 miles and sometimes its just what i need... this past trip home i took a spill during one of my afternoon runs which im still suffering for as you can see below {pretty obvi} I also love spending time with family and friends and who can forget about baby kitty my little cuddy buddy! Cant wait to get back to my city by the bay... Alameda!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing Pain: Old-Fashioned TV Wisdom

 

“Maybe the past is an anchor holding us back. Maybe, you have to let go of who you are to become who you will be.”

 

Ok so this quote is so unbelievably relevant to my life right now and when things like this hit so close to home what do i do? Blog it! And its no surprise these wise words of TV wisdom came right from the one and only Carrie Bradshaw... "Anchors Away"