What'd I Do Today?

Today's Challenge is to write about the timeline of my day.

That seems dull, but ok...

I wake up in the morning between 6:30 and 7:30, depending on if I have to wash my hair or not. I avoid washing my hair at all costs most days because, well, I would rather sleep than blow dry and style the mop on my head.

Anyways, so I get up, shower, brush my teeth, wash my face, and do my makeup. And hair if I have to. I am usually running late, so I blend a quick smoothie for breakfast, feed Juno and go running out the door. Half the time, I forget my lunch. I usually realize this about 3 stoplights from my parents' house.

I work from 9am-6pm most days, occassionally 8-5 or even better, 7-4. My work day generally consists of emails, reports, filing, and listening to residents whine about parking, rent, late fees, and anything else you could possibly think to whine about. At some point around noon, I eat lunch, and at some point between 5 and 6, I go home.

This is generally my schedule. Ironic, though, that this is my challenge topic, because today I went to work at 9:00am and am still at home, on my work email, coding invoices, and responding to owner requests...all at a property that isn't even mine! I suppose it could be worse, I could be in my office instead of at home, I could be still wearing work clothes instead of my jammies, I could not have Juno sitting next to me purring as I blast Carrie Underwood on Pandora and curse my staff as I work. But, despite that I am home, with jammies, cat, and music, it is still work and I am still annoyed as fuck.

It is moments like this one that I try to remember where my work ethic and my reliability has gotten me in my career. I try to remember that I have only worked for my company for 2 and a half years. I have only been a manager for 9 months. And yet, I have worked through a property takeover, I have managed a property through a sale process, and I have (yesterday) been given a senior manager position over 2 buildings. These are no small feats. These are not things that usually all happen back to back in a 33 month time span. I try to remember that I am moving up - and moving up fast - because of how hard I work, and because when I am asked to do something extra, I do it...even if it is someone else's giant mess that I have no part in and therefore do not even slightly deserve to be the one cleaning it up.

Ramona the Pest

I love to read. Always have. I could read when I was only, like, 2 years old, and was reading full books when I got to kindergarten. My teacher in first grade spent a lot of time looking for books that could both consume my time and challenge my reading level, but that I could still relate to at my 6-year-old maternity level. I read non-stop. I would take her a chapter book after 2 days, begging for another one. I just loved books. And still do. From very early on in my childhood, I dreamed of being a librarian, and it wasn't until a guidance coundelor at Portland State crushed my dreams at 24 years old that I gave up on that. According to her, schools no longer have librarians, they have teachers who work in the library during prep periods, and my dream job was minutes from being non-existent. Well, shit. I probably should have fought her on it and pursued the degree I was after, but instead, defeated, I said...alright, well then I want to change my major to whatever gets me out of school the fastest. Hence, writing. And don't get me wrong, I am happy with my choice. I took a lot of classes on editing which have made me a better writer, and I learned a lot about publishing...but I could have taken all of those classes as electives, just saying. F U Portland State.

My love of books did not stop in grade school, I was an avid reader through middle and high school, and even through college, and I am still obsessed with a good book. Once I am into a new book, you won't hear from me for days because all I do is work, sleep, and read. A new book just has that effect on a girl!

I tend to go through periods in my life where all I do is read, followed by stretches where I am too busy to pick up any non-work related reading. I have recently been in the latter...too tired, too stressed out, and just too damn busy to pick up a book and get lost in it. Yesterday, after months of work stress with my property being for sale, I was offered a promotion to a new property, one I can live on site at, to begin the day after the sale closes here at my current office. It was like a weight lifted, and I was finally able to exhale fully. I went home from work and ate dinner, then at about 7, said goodnight to my parents, scooped up my cat, and laid in bed until well after 11pm, just devouring my book. I read the entire thing! I had been picking it up here and there, and I was about 2 chapters in, and to just be able to lay in bed with Juno and just snuggle and read...it was heaven! The book was funny, entertaining, and kept me engrossed until the last page. That is the great effect a good book can have on me; pure relaxation at its finest.

My blog challenge here is to write about my favorite childhood book. Easy as pie. Children's books are my favorites. I love picking out books for baby showers or a kid's birthday party, and I have been known to browse the children's section at Barnes and Noble from time to time. And the picture books are a can't miss when I go to Powell's. I would love to someday have a house large enough to have a library of books, especially children's favorites.

I recently attended a first birthday BBQ for one of the little guys in my family. I am not generally one to make appearances at baby birthday parties, and I secretly try to get out of most baby showers. I don't like them. I live in the strict reality that, if I have seen one onsie, I have seen them all. But Thor and Danielle did a book party for Oskar, and I loved the idea. They were asking specifically to expand his little library. Now that is a party Aunt Veronica can get on board with! I had a blast shopping for the perfect book for his collection - I didn't want to get board books or lullabyes, because I assumed everyone else would. I also didn't want to get some God awful Calliou or Disney adapted crap, because I don't want Danielle and Thor to have to suffer through reading those to him. I spent a good hour in Barnes and Noble, browsing picture books, easy readers, and favorites of mine from when I was a kid. Finally, I went with a boxed set of "boy" classics - Huck Finn, Sherlock Holmes, etc. I was thrilled with my pick! I know that even though it won't be for a few years...like, 8 or so...there will come a day where Thor and Oskar will snuggle up on the sofa and take turns reading chapters before bed time. And that is exactly what I was after while I was shopping. It reminded me of my mom reading one chapter at a time of Black Beauty to Stace and I...which, by the way, is truly a sad book if you read it as an adult.

The same was true of DeLaina's baby shower for Shannon. They asked for books and I made a very similar purchase - I bought the first 5 books in the Boxcar Children series. I honestly think DeLaina and her friend Elizabeth were more excited than anyone over reading these ones. It was adorable.

The best books I have ever read, though, are Beverly Cleary's series, Ramona Quimby. I love Ramona. She's the best character ever. Snarky and sassy, mischievious, smart, and well versed, she is the best kind of kid. I love reading about all the ways she gets into trouble, the way she torments her older sister, and the way she is such a daddy's girl. Beverly Cleary is my favorite author, and she definitely wrote a winning series with the Ramona books.

Ok, Bye Now

It is so important to live a life that you can be proud of. Are you a good person? Do you work hard? Do you support your friends and your family? Are you compassionate? Are you kind? Do you give love to people who need and deserve it? Are you supportive? Can you see past the end of your nose? Do you try to make the world a better place?

Today's blog topic is, "What is your most proud moment?"

 

 

This one is a pretty easy one for me to write. While I can think back on some pretty proud accomplishments in my life, including the usual - high school and college graduations, first experiences, even overcoming my mountain of fear of public speaking to deliver my grandpa's eulogy at his funeral (biggest challenge of my life, hands down), the most proud I have ever been of myself is the day that I broke up with Kalib and moved out. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, this gesture of getting off my ass and actually packing my stuff and driving away won't go down in history, but I think the important thing to remember is how broken I was at the time - finding the strenth to get up and shower in the morning, let alone pack, break up with someone, walk away from a house I owned and a child I loved, and leave for good, was tough.

It started with Juno. You all like to tease me about how obsessed I am with my cat, but she really did come into my life with purpose - to get me away from my life. Based on the time stamps of the many photos I took of our new kitten, she officially had a home in our house on October 22, 2011. The first photo I took of her in my new apartment was taken on November 19, 2011...Juno lived with Kalib and me for 27 days before I had had enough. It only took that cat 27 days to show me what I had not learned in the previous 2 and a half years: Kalib was an ass hole.

My relationship with Kalib was never awesome by any stretch of the imagination. It wasn't like he went from nice to ass hole at some point, he was always pretty manipulative and was boring from the beginning. I don't need to bore anyone with the details of how I got sucked down the rabbit hole in the start of it all, but it wasn't long at all before I was staying most nights at his apartment and had met his friends and most important, his daughter. I met Rylie long before I ever should have, and I think he did that on purpose - nobody is going to have an easy time leaving when this poor little kid is stuck with this idiot for a dad. And at this time, I believed that her mother was physically abusive, because I had no reason not to believe Kalib, and that's what he said. So I was truly concerned about her; I felt that I needed to be a caring mother figure for Rylie as well as a provider of positive attentioon at her dad's, because from where I was standing, she was being mistreated by her mom (sorry, Bre) and then from her dad, she was either in trouble or ignored.

Anyways, so I've blogged the whole shit show before and don't need to rehash, but what matters for this blog is the end, the point where I found that inner strength to get out. And this inner strength truly did come in the form of a little black kitten who showed up on my front porch and refused to leave said porch until I decided we were keeping her.

Juno made herself at home right away. Kalib and I had agreed that we could keep her if I took on the financial responsibility for her, so I did. I quickly took her in for a vet exam, had her spayed, took care of her while she recovered for a few days, bought her food, treats, toys, etc. Rylie and I were very good about the litter box, and everything was peachy keen.

Look at skinny mini Juno!

 

It wasn't long though, before Kalib became strangely jealous of Juno. Yes, of the cat. He was mad that I was coming home and greeting her at the door, snuggling her, and that I was disciplining Rylie when she was too aggressive with Juno...because apparently you should not teach kids to be nice to animals? It wasn't like I was spanking her or giving her time outs, I would simply explain to her that she was being too rough, and then I'd put the cat away in the bedroom. I know, what a bitch. Anyways, so we were already fighting about the cat, and it'd been what, 2 weeks?

 

 

Finally, I'd had it. Kalib left for work and I was off - we had different days off at this time - and was frantically packing boxes. I'd pack something, and then put the box in the back of my closet. I don't remember exactly how it went down that I involved my mom and dad, but my dad came out while Kalib was at work with the Explorer and his trailer, and he helped me pack everything I was taking with me, which wasn't much. The only thing I really cared about was Juno, and I definitely took her with me. And that was that. One day of packing and hiding boxes, and the next day I was gone. I think what sealed the deal was, instead of planning to go to my parents' house, I went out that morning, looked at an apartment, and rented it. On the spot. Paid the move in cost and signed a 12 month lease. Then when Kalib came home and all my stuff was gone and I was getting ready to leave, he was crying and begging me to stay and I was able to say, well I signed a lease, I have to move in now. Nevermind that my company let me out of that lease 2 weeks later when my engine, like, exploded and cost me $5,000. At the time, it was just the backbone I needed.

 

And so, that was that. I took Juno and walked away, never looking back. I was stronger on that day than any other in the entire relationship because his tears, his pleading, his apologies, truly meant nothing. I was done. I had the innocent animal who he threatened to take away and a signed lease as all the strength and courage I needed, and that was that. I was proud of myself the moment I drove away, and have only been prouder and prouder ever since.

First day of our happy home

 

 

I May Not Remember...But Stacey Will

My cousin Stacey remembers everything that happened in her life from the day she was born until the day she turned about 15. I swear, she remembers the weirdest things!

Stacey: Remember that time when we were 3 years old and we were playing with blah, blah, and you said this and then I said that? Remember it, you were wearing that shirt you loved and I had my hair in a ponytail?

Me: No. I don't remember that. And you're really weird.

I feel like Stacey is the abnormal one here and that it is totally normal that I don't remember details of my life and what I wore when I was 3 years old. But I totally love that she remembers things, because then she can tell me about them...because I think I am equally as weird in the fact that I can't remember anything that ever happened before I was like 25.

 

 

Today's blog challenge is to write about my earliest memory. I don't know what I remember first in my life. What I do know is that almost every single memory I have from being a kid involved my cousins and me playing - always outside - at either Grandma Stacey's Kelvin Street house, Grandma Whitmore's house, or the beach. I remember very little about my classmates in school, while I remember a million things with my cousins.

 

I feel very lucky to have had so many best friends just built in with having a big family with so many kids so close in age. I remember crowded birthday parties, busy weekends, and always having a friend to play with, because my cousins were all around.

 

At Grandma Whitmore's house, it was always me, Tony, Paul and Cory...who ironically I no longer speak to (Paul & Cory, I mean, I still talk to my brother). Grandma used to babysit Paul and Cory, and we'd go over to play fairly often. Grandma had a great climbing tree in the front yard, but she also had an amzing "jungle" on the side of the house...it was just her side yard, which was totally overgrown, but the bushes closed us in with a canopy and it felt very jungle-like. We played back there for hours. And when we weren't in the jungle, we were walking a tightrope on the neighbor's concrete wall, or we were figuring out new ways to climb onto the garage roof. Bad kids! On the rare occassion that we were ever inside, we were upstairs in the little room playing dress up with Halloween costumes, or throwing things down the laundry chute to the basement.

 

In our adult life, I don't speak to Paul and Cory. There's no real reason that I don't see Cory, other than that I refuse to see his mom or his brother. So my memories with them basically take a screetching halt at a point about 9 years ago.

 

On the Stacey side, I not only have great memories of being a kid with my cousins, but these good times do roll over into adulthood, as my cousins remain my very best friends even after all these years of knowing each other. :)

At Grandma Stacey's house, we were also very often outside...its like they kicked us out of the house! We played in the far back yard, where there was both a tire swing and a rope swing, and I remember the whole ground being covered in little sheep turds and thinking it was so gross. But we loved the far back. Stace and I always felt grown up playing back there, like we were so far away from the house. We could swing for hours back there.

And then there was the honey tree in the front yard, where a kid could spend a whole day just climbing. Best climbing tree of all time. Seriously, so great. We'd climb to the top, too, just because the older boys could. There were places to sit and rest, places to swing from, and even a few places to jump/fake fall from. I remember more times spent in that tree than anywhere else as a kid...I don't know if you could call it my first memory, but it is definitely one of my best.

In the winter, all we ever did at Grandma's was sled. And walk down to the dinky, which would be frozen over with ice, where we could "ice skate" on our tennies. The dinky was good for berries in the summer, and for sledding in the winter. The whole family used the Kelvin Street hill to sled, not just the kids...in fact I think some of my uncles were more excited about it than us kids ever were, and I know my dad was!

I am fortunate, even in adulthood, to have a very close bond with most of my cousins - at least most on my mom's side of the family. My dad's family is more...um...not close. I don't have much of a cousin-ly bond on my dad's side except for Karen and Laura, and I try to maintain a relationship with Carolyn, but we don't see each other much. I've gotten back in touch with a couple people I haven't talked to much via Facebook, but it just isn't the same as it used to be with that family. On the other hand, I continue to get closer with my Stacey cousins all the time, and I love it.

 

 

 

 

What's in Your Fridge?

Todays Challenge: What's inside your fridge?

 

This seems like a timely entry, as it falls smack dab in the middle of my 10 day Advocare cleanse, which requires very clean eating...which for me, comes mostly in the form of smoothies. So in my fridge (and by my fridge, I mean my shelf in my parents' fridge at the moment), you will find...

* Odwalla green juice/smoothie mix
* Bolthouse Farms berry + carrot antioxidant, vitamin B packed juice
* Organic eggs
* Sliced, ready-to-eat cucumber and yellow/orange peppers
* Cherry tomatoes, both red from my dad's garden, and yellow from the store
* Brocolli
* Cauliflour
* Green beans, my fave
* Raspberries
* Ground flaxseed
* Wheatgrass
* Fresh plums
* Nectarines

In addition to the shelf in the fridge, I also get to keep my non-fridgey foods on some shelft space, and there you'd find...

* Cliff crunch peanut butter granola bars
* Protein powder (because as you can guess, I do not eat enough meat)
* Advocare 24 day challenge supplies, including Spark drink mix and a bunch of supplements
* Unsalted mixed nuts

So, there's that. I am loving blending up a smoothie for breakfast and another for lunch, and I am finally starting to see the results from this healthy eating lifestyle change that my friends have been pointing out to me. I can see it in photos mostly, not really yet when I look in the mirror or try on clothes. But I'll get there. I've done it before and I am doing it the right way this time. No fast crashes, no daily cardio.

Breaking Bad Habits

Day 10: What are your worst habits?

I don't have those. End blog.

 

I'm kidding...

 

 

My worst habit is something totally beyond my control...I grind my teeth. Only when I am asleep, but still, it is so gross and sounds so gross and has resulted in 2 full crowns already. I also have a bad habit of not wearing a night guard to protect my teeth from all the grinding...which is just me being a dipshit when you really think about it. Would you rather wear a piece of plastic in your mouth while you're sleeping, or would you prefer to wake up with a sore jaw and then follow that with $1800 worth of porecelin in your mouth? Uhhh...gee, I don't know.

 

I also pick skin off of my lips in layers. Before you go throw up, hear me out. I only do it when I am under an unmangable amount of stress...I used to do it all the time, so it has definitely gotten better. And I am more conscious of it as I am doing it than I once was, so I am able to be like, uhhh stop you spaz. I used to just peel it off without even realizing I was touching my face until I tasted blood. So. Gross!! I can't believe I'm admitting that I even do it. It is I guess technically a form of self-mutilation, according to my counselor, and I should be very aware of what I am doing when I notice myself doing it. I have discovered that it happens when I am stressed, usually by myself. I suppose there are worse things I could be doing, but it looks gross. And hurts. Plus it is totally weird.

 

My dad would tell you my worst habit is the frequency of which I use the word "like" as filler in my sentences. But, like, my dad is, like, just crazy. Like.

 



My Favorite Thing About Fall is Wearing Ugg Boots

Today's blog challenge: List 15 of your favorite things.

 

 

1. Juno Cat. She is my favorite furry thing to snuggle with, my favorite to baby talk to, and my favorite to worry about. As you may have read in a previous post about how much I hate dogs and children, you can see I am not an animal lover. But I do love my fat cat.
2. Tillamook Vanilla ice cream topped with sunshine-warmed fresh off the vine raspberries. This is my favorite dessert and my favorite way to remember Grandma and Grandpa Stacey. I could eat a whole 1/2 gallon of ice cream topped with a flat of berries if it was humanly possible.
3. Books. Reading is my favorite way to be lazy. In my yoga pants & a hoodie, under a blanket, preferably with some Keith Urban on the iPod, with a book that sucks me in.
4. The beach. Pacific City is my favorite place.
5.  A smoothie for breakfast.
6. Zumba. Dancing is my favorite workout, and I am obsessed with Zumba.
7. Days off at a farmers market. I love the fresh produce, the flowers, and the company of my friends.
8. Movies. Especially funny ones, or the ones that are so romantic you forget that most guys are douchebags. Kidding.
9. Vacations. My favorite. I love traveling and wish I could do it more often.
10. Being right. I love when I'm right.
11. Long drives with no traffic and loud music. Driving is relaxing. Driving long distances is refreshing and always leaves me with a ton of time to think (or talk out loud to myself). A long drive is my favorite way to process a big decision. But paying for gas is not my favorite.
12. Sex.
13. And kissing.
14. Dressing up. I don't get to dress up fancy very often, so when I do, it is one of my favorites. I love feeling fancy.
15. Weddings. I fucking love weddings. Indoor, outdoor, destination, I don't care. Weddings are my favorite, when I can dance, drink, and laugh with 2 people who just had the best day ever, its my favorite.

Ways to Make Me Much Angrier Than I Need to Be

Day 8 of my Blog-a-Day challenge is to discuss my pet peeves. As you all know, I love to complain about the things that annoy me, so this post is pretty much right in my wheelhouse. There are about ten million things that people do to piss me off, which is probably why Rachel and I decided last night that I could totally be the next Jenna Marbles..I love her. She is so sarcastic and angry, and I admire that. :)

I am seriously annoyed by people who stand really close to me in line at the grocery store. It probably makes me more irate than anything else in the world. Its just like, seriously back the fuck up. Don't stand on top of me in line, and I won't accidentally on purpose ram my elbow into your stomach. I don't need to feel anyone's breath on the back of my neck. For Christ sake, if you are close enough that when you exhale, you see my hair billow out like the inside of Fred Meyer is windy...take that as a sign that you are far too close to me than you need to be.

I also really, really don't like when people stop texting in the middle of a conversation. Our text chat may be totally irrelevent, but it is so annoying when you're chatting away and then its like the person you were talking to, dies. A stupid thing to find annoying, but annoying nonetheless.

People who judge other people's parenting. This annoys the living shit out of me, so its gotta piss off people who actually have children. Not everyone does things like you. Not everyone believes spanking a kid will fuck it up for life. Not everyone believes spanking is ok. Not every mom will breastfeed, and not every dad will go back to work 7 days after a baby is born. What it boils down to is, if your child is safe and well loved, it is no one else's fucking business how you raise, educate, medicate, vaccinate, or discipline your child. Do I think you're out of your mind for not getting your kid a polio shot? Yes. But its your kid! Would I spank my kid for running into the road? YES. But you don't spank, so go on with the time out. Whatever works, people. Stop butting in where your big ass does not belong.

It is also really fucking annoying when people get all judgey that I am single. Of course I'm single, men are fucking stupid and I am not into girls. Ohhhh but you're 30, if you want to have a kid while you're young, you really need to get married. Listen ass hole. One, I don't want to have kids. Two, I am not old. Three, if I want to have a baby and don't have a husband, I'll just do it with one of my friends like they do in the movies. In any instance, I. Will. Be. Fine. I do not plan to die a miserable old shrew, nor do I intend to settle for a dip shit just because he's available and I am desperately seeking a spouse. But let's seriously think about it for a minute, shall we? First there was Kalib, who required therapy to move on from, and then there was Mark, who broke my heart. I'm in no rush. I like my space, I like my alone time. I like the casual dates I have, and really, if I have an...itch that needs scratched (sorry mom), I have that too. So if you are worried that my eggs are going to dry up before I pop out ten children, just please remind yourself that I don't actually really like kids all that much for more than 3 hours at a time.

Lying. Holy fuck I hate people who lie.

A messy office.

People who complain that my car is dirty. Yes, it is. Its truly a pig sty. But its my car, so shut the fuck up.

People who complain just for the sake of complaining. I was asked to write this blog, just let's be clear.

Dogs. Just in general.

When my friends ditch me for a guy. If you want to sop being my friend, make plans with me and then bail on them to go on a date or stay home with your boyfriend.

When idiot drivers rear-end my car. Like, at least one time per year.

When the person in the car next to me is smoking and its coming right through my air conditioner. Gross. Keep that lung cancer in your own car.

Apparently, I am easily annoyed...

I'm Homeless, Don't Judge Me

I have always carried a large purse. I apparently carry a lot of crap on me at all times. But recently, since I am "floating" from living space to living space, I have a larger bag, filled with more crap than usual. This brings me to Day 7 of my blog challenge: What's in your handbag?

Oh man...In my awesome got-it-at-Ross Betsy Johnson over the shoulder purse, I am currently toting:

- 3 Burt's Bees chapsticks. Yes, 3. Of the same flavor.
- 1 lipstick
- 1 lip gloss
- 1 itty bitty, lipstick-application, can-only-see-my-lips-in-it, mirror
- Birth control pills.
- Other birth control items. Apparently you can never be too cautious as a single homeless unemployed lady. Because single, homeless, and jobless qualify me as quite the catch right now.
- Tampons. A girl's gotta be prepared.
- 2013-2014 planner. Purple. Already packed full of important life details. I am a planner, afterall.
- Sunglasses. Must have.
- Deodorant and lotion. Again, you never know.
- Allergy pills and vitamin D, plus the pills packs and fiber packets for my cleanse. When you don't know quite for certain where you will lay your head each night, you need the next morning's breakfast essentials on hand.
- Wallet. What's in there is another complete blog. The usual.
- Car keys. Office keys. House keys. Kattie's apartment keys. Rachel's apartment keys. Keys to my mom's house. Keys to my aunt's beach house. Just so many keys!

Sensory Overload...Not Really

Day 6 Blog Challenge: Your 5 Senses Right Now

I am not feeling entirely motivated to write on this subject...especially because I had to actually sit and think, wait, what are my 5 senses??

Oh yea, go back to 1st grade for a second. Sight. Hearing. Smell. Touch. Taste. Duh.

What I See: Well, I am at work. So I see the inside of my office. It is only going to be my office for 10 more days, so it is looking pretty barren. I have removed our awards, shelves, thank you letters/cards from residents, and team news boards from the walls. Its sad! I have come a long way with my job in the last 7 months at this property, and I have had a hell of a time with my amazing team. I am truly appreciative of them and the way they have pulled together to make our property shine through this sale process. We have made a huge financial impact here and I have no doubt that they will all continue to find huge successes at the next properties they go to. That said, I am going to miss them SO much, and I wish I had a new office, new property, that I could take them all to with me.

Anyways, what I see...I see my computer, my desk, my phone, my empty smoothie cup. I see my ever-growing to-do pile in the corner and I secretly wish I could just throw it in the shredder. I see a ton of work to be done in a short number of days, but I see the organized greatness we are about to hand off to the new company. Like I said, we've mad an impact here and I am proud of the way we are leaving this office and this property.

What I Hear: Uhhhh, my favorite Pandora staion...1990's Pop Radio! Currently I am rocking out to Ace of Base, "The Sign," and thinking that I must add a myriad of 90s pop to my workout mix. Love it!



What I Smell: Weird. I don't really smell much of anything...my own body spray I suppose? My windows are closed and my office is pretty empty, so there's nothing of consequence to really smell...sorry, that's lame.

What I Feel: I am touching the obvious...my keyboard. Cold, hard plastic of a keyboard that desperately needs cleaned by the manager who eats lunch at her desk daily. Occassionally I stop clicking away at the keyboard to read a text, at which point I suppose I am touching still a keyboard, but this time a touch screen one with a nice big crack down the center of it.

What I Taste: I just finished a smoothie, so I was tasting that. I am on Day 2 of my Advocare challenge, so my smoothie consisted of Watermelon Spark, peach-flavored chalk (aka Fiber), unflavored protein powder for my don't-eat-enough-meat self, greens, vitamins, and lots of berries. I've been doing the blended green smoothies for breakfast for a couple of months now and I just love it. It gets me all the essentials for a healthy jump start to the day without having to "make" breakfast; I pack the blender full of yummies before bed, then just have to blend it and pour it into a travel mug on the way out the door in the morning. Easy peasy and not a breakfast sandwich, which is great for a girl trying to minmalize her carb intake.