Defy Nature

     Where did this cut-up leg come from? Snow. Yes, that's right, snow. I went for a run, just like any other day. Considering it was 60 degrees outside, I wore a pair of shorts. All was good and well until I reached a particularly shady spot on my running trail. It appeared the snow wasn't quite gone there. But it wasn't until I broke through the surface and discovered myself nearly waist deep in the snow that I realized just how weak the sun really was.

     Despite the battle wounds, I felt just the tiniest bit adventurous and, dare I say, badass climbing my way in and out of piles of snow in shorts and a T-shirt. It made the snow, and the run, just a bit more bearable. 

Live Your (Mini) Dream

     If I had my wildest dream, I mean beyond what I could ever imagine my life being, I would have my own TV show. Not like the sitcom of my life or Jersey Shore, Evergreen, Colorado style (although I admit, those would both be equally as entertaining), but like Oprah, Anderson Cooper, and Ellen. I would get to chat it up with celebrities, dabble in some real journalism, and entertain simply by being myself. Am I quitting college and banking on having my name on the silver screen? Not quite. But there's nothing wrong with dreaming, right?
     And yesterday, I got a chance to have just the tiniest taste of that dream. My friends and I attended the taping for Anderson Cooper's daytime talk show. I was asked by the producer if I'd be willing to ask a question to the day's guests: the Basketball Wives. When we arrived at the show, we were taken into a special section where we were seated and interviewed again by a show manager. We were then taken to our seats, where a name card had been placed down for us.
     During the taping, Anderson came to me and I got a chance to ask a question. What was my question and what was the answer? I honestly couldn't tell you. All I knew was that I had to keep my cool: don't fall, don't throw up, don't pick your nose. And I succeeded.
     And as if that wasn't enough, during the commercial breaks, Anderson asked if the audience had any unrelated questions for him. I asked if he had any journalism advice for a student like me. That's right. I got personal journalism advice from Anderson Cooper.
    I left the show totally thrilled. And maybe my wildest dream is pretty far away, but being in that studio overlooking Central Park, I realized wild doesn't mean impossible.

My friends and I in the "special section."

Southpark Workout

   
 Through this workout does not require South Park per say, it has become my choice for this specific workout. Choose any 30-minute show with 2 commercial breaks (most 30 minute shows do). When the show starts, start crunching. Do 50 sit-ups, then a 1-minute plank, then 3 sets of 20 side-crunches; any abs you can think of. The idea is that you just have to keep going until the commercial break. When the break rolls around, you go to cardio. Run or jump rope in place until the show starts again. At this point, you start on legs. It's the same process: squats, lunges, leg lifts. Then cardio. Then move onto arms: push-ups, tricep dips, etc. Since the amount of show between breaks decreases as the show progresses, you will end up spending a generous amount of time on your abs, a little less on your legs, and a little less on arms. And when the show is over, ta-da! You just got an excellent workout.

Daily Calendars

     I believe so firmly in the power of a daily calendar, I have two: The Daily Bitch and 365 Days of Shoes. Even my dad keeps his daily Sports Illustrated Calendar on his desk. Having a little giggle or smile in the morning is a great way to start off your day. But the only way to do it (as childish as it sounds) is to not peek. Looking at days ahead just means that you have a new picture to see every morning. But when you discover a new picture every morning, it automatically puts you in a good mood and gives you something to look forward to when you first get up, however small that something may be. Put it right by your bed and do it first thing when your alarm goes off. It makes getting out of bed just a little less painful.
     And then to keep the fun going, my hall takes the best ones and hangs them on our Bitch Wall. We can relive the laughs day after day.

Make Your Space Your Own

     Like most college students, in my dorm room, I have space for me and three outfits. That would be about all I can fit in this hole of a room. But when you sit, sleep, eat, and hang out in such a small space, you can drive yourself crazy. Even if it's on a small scale (a really, really small scale), you have to make your living space your own. Fill it with things that make you happy, even if that means being just a bit more cramped.

     All 3 of these stuffed animals were given to me by friends. I've added glasses from my sorority, a hat from a friend's birthday, and a necklace from Mardi Gras. Everything in my little corner has a special story that I can remember every time I see it.

     Not only do these flowers smell great, they make a college dorm room look a little more classy.

     Most of the papers on our door are inside jokes or silly pictures. They serve as great conversation starters, and they're fun to come home to after a long day of classes.

     I'm a neat freak as much as the next person, but I'm also a firm believer in letting yourself be messy every once in a while. As you can see, that once in a while is right now. Maybe it's a bit more difficult to move around, but at least everything I need is somewhere I can see it.

Power Study Session

No, unlike my picture, children are not required for a good healthy study session. But I just happened to channel the crazed energy of the girls I nanny for into a power session of book-reading and note-taking. When it comes to anything in life, misery loves company. Whether it be your friends or your children (or in my case, someone else's children), do what you hate together. It makes the pain a little less.

It seems that my last post was well received...