Do you believe in life after love?

According to my watch, there 44 minutes left to my favorite day of the week. 

Where did all the time go?

Oh, right. To my college education and the crazy commitment schedule it entails.

Wednesday was so wacky that there were times were I told myself, “You can either be late to this activity or this activity. Which one will have the better consequences?” (I chose being on time for an education department meeting at the price of being late to ballet, and later to skip a meeting for drinks to go to a study session. good decisions!)

But at the end of the day, I’m in a class titled “Life After Death.” So lately, I’ve been able to say “Carpe Diem!” with honest (and useful!) gusto.

That’s my…

“Whatevs, it’s after midnight, I’m still reading this article about the life of the prophet Muhammad, but it’s all good”

…reaction.

At the end of the day, when I can have a deep late-night conversation about religion with one of my bewildered (and slightly intoxicated) roommates and feel completely knowledgeable, I’m satisfied.

(I can assure you that I never inquire about his study of physics when I’m in the same state.)

At the end of the end of that day (which would be a new day!), when I can begin the journey of student-aiding in a local high school before my class for the day even starts, I’m thrilled.

9th grade English students might be a little unpredictable, but the 7 a.m. mountain view is always sure to inspire.

And at the end of the end of the end of the day (lost yet?),

there is always good food to fall back on.

Am I right?

Green monster, meet toasted coconut.

toasted coconut, spinach , 1/2 banana, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, almond milk

Coconut in smoothies. A new (and scrumptious) frontier of texture!

Rushed-for-time-college-student, meet to-go salads.

Another 1/2 bananarnar.

Leftover water chesnuts & almonds, meet mushrooms & skillet.

And goat cheese! Good match.

Fruit meets sunrise…

Oats meet sunshine…

Dining hall salad of goodness, meet my starving tummy .

Granola & cookies, you can meet my tummy too.

Carpe Diem, everybody! Don’t forget to

seize the day

no matter how stressful it may be.

I leave you with the wisdom of Cher.

(For the record, there is life after love. Yay!)

Fill in the blank: At the end of the day, I ___________.

🙂

Let Me Explain…

Hello wonderful readers! I apologize for my absence; let me explain!

At my college, students take one class at a time. (It’s weird, but it works. Trust me.)

Each class lasts 3.5 weeks, meeting for at least 3 hours every day.

This week marks that .5 week portion, aka “fourth week”; in other words, my class ends Wednesday at noon, so I’ve been hard at work writing my final paper. If you really want to know, it’s now finished and titled…

Saint Paul’s Afterlife Anxiety, Revealed by His Controversial Contradictions.

So yes, I had a steamy Valentine’s Date with Saint Paul. Not the best way to celebrate, but at least it was good conversation 🙂 In the past few days, I’ve spent a lot of time confined in this corner:

Evidently, the apartment has been too occupied to clean after Friday’s party!

We’re keeping the balloons around for a while 🙂

Friday night started off with a fantastic foodieness: Indian food!

I got the vegetable korma; this dish never fails me. Soooo delicious, especially with the crumbled cashews on top!

Dishes got passed around the table; I had some saag paneer (spinachy awesomeness) and a bite of someone’s lamb korma (the taste of which brought me right back to Jordan! Daresay I missed it a little?) but I mostly stuck to my veggie korma, rice, naan, and everyone else’s neglected veggies 🙂

We just barely got back in time for the start of our own party:

We totally forgot to take any photos other than this one, but we dressed up in Carnivale fashion because 2 of our roommates were leaving for Brazil the next day! My costume involved a tutu, wings, lots of pink and an excessive amount of glitter.

It was a fantastic night in more ways than one. The next morning, we ventured out to brunch in the dining hall:

Our food service rocks. There’s a reason why brunch is my favorite meal of them all….

Usually I go for sweet, but I was feelin’ some savory goodness this Saturday. What you see is spinach quiche, roasted carrots, tofu lettuce wraps, cheesy eggs, and a cheese blintz. I made a dent, but after heavy-drinking night, it was too soon for all that food! I hate when that happens.

Per usual, we also stole a boatload of fruit 🙂

(There was even more spread out on the dining room table; we’re animals!!)

The rest of the day was about friendship.

Getting ready to send some friends on their way…

(The previous night’s face paint simply would not come off. There are worse fates.)

I met a friend for a lovely walk in Garden of the Gods:

If you’re ever passing through Colorado Springs, you must go to Garden of the Gods. The rocks take your breath away!

It’s a great place to walk in nature and catch up. We must have covered at least 5 miles!

However, we were both in flats. Bad choice.

Kate also convinced me to try a cherry limeade from Sonic. Not my thing, but drive-ins are so much fun!!

But for the most part, nutritious eats were far and few between for the remainder of the weekend.

Yes, there was whole wheat toast with daiya cheese and spinach

But at the same time…

Yes. Ice cream sandwich for dinner.

(Does it sound better if I say it was a lemon cookie with lavender vanilla ice cream? I thought so.)

A pretty pear.

I finally got back on track this morning (while finishing my paper) with a green monster. Of course!

1/2 banana, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, a ludicrous amount of spinach, almond milk

Now I’m finally free…

I can finally relax and laugh about how wonderful life is. Even when I step on melted chocolate…

Eew. Really?

I’m ready to go off and enjoy the mountains. Happy late V Day to you all! Show yourself some love. I sure am!

Question: How do you tackle a big assignment? Do you tend to procrastinate or dive right in? I am a huge procrastinator, but if the motivation is powerful enough, I can get it done quickly. I knew I had rugby practice today, and I didn’t want to get beaten up AND have to work afterward. Therefore, it gone done early!!

Sleep When I’m Dead

This always happens.

Whenever I come back home to Connecticut, I am just dandy for most of the break. Then, when I have a few days left and realize I haven’t seen everyone I need to see, I load my schedule with a bit more than I can handle.

Of course, I could just say, “I could see you this time and this time and maybe then…” but since I don’t have anywhere I legally need to be (I opted out of work tomorrow. done!), I get tangled trying to work around other’s schedules. It’s all out of love, I swear!

Love can be messy:

The oats jar just fumbled out of my hands. Much like the saran wrap container that I fumbled this summer and managed to slice open my pinkie finger. Long story short…don’t underestimate any exposed blades.

But I digress. I made Beth’s Carrot Cake Oatmeal! And yes, I did use those oats pictured above. The boiling process cancels out the germs, right?

Carrot Cake Oatmeal (adapted from 2 servings to 1)

• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup milk (I used almond)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 banana
• splash vanilla
• cinnamon, lots of it
• 1/2 tbsp ground flax

Throw those in the pot and cook for a few minutes, until nicely melted together. Then add:

• 1/3 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp dried coconut (i put some on top too)
• 1/2 tbsp nuts (I used walnuts)

Top with plain greek yogurt and more cinnamon.

If Beth ever opens an oatmeal shop, I will be on the next train to DC.  Thanks girl!

No breakfast is complete without some reading material, even if it is Seventeen. Who says I’m 20?

After breakfast, I was…well….dead. So I slept.

Truth be told, I was struggling through both BodyJam and Bodyflow today. My muscles feel so much better at the end of the day, but they were not happy campers this morning. But that nap was fantastic!

After enjoying one of my sister’s banana chocolate chip mini muffins, I had to run an errand, which was the perfect excuse to run a quick mile at the track afterwards.

Instead of sprints, this year my rugby fitness test (the cardio component) will be a timed mile. I’m ecstatic about that, but I haven’t been running much. Dance has captured my cardio heart for now! But a while ago I busted out a mile:

(This was the last attempt, 1.5 weeks ago. I have new kicks now! And less sunlight.)

And so I did today! I felt a million times faster. I’ll photograph next time.

I took my post-mile blueberries out for a photo shoot:

Oh, Connecticut.

You are so chilly and barren.But of course I’ll still miss you.

Before I knew it, the time had come to take my Dad out for dinner. 70 years old! Holy crow.

I (shamlessly) take advantage of any opportunity to dress up, so I was going to wear a new dress from Banana Republic. However…

I got stuck with the one type of security tag that is impossible to take off yourself! I’ll have to bring it in. Grrrrr.

I opted for the same heels, but with a jean pencil skirt and pearls instead.

20.

And 70!

We went to a vietnamese restaurant, which prompted discussion of many wars, including Vietnam, during which my Dad was in the navy! I love hearing about it. He was in such good spirits that he almost ordered a tofu dish. Voluntarily!! He was DEBATING BETWEEN TWO TOFU DISHES. Who is this man and what has he done with my raw-steak-eating father?!

We got the vegetarian spring rolls and dumplings to start.

(Sis was already makin’ a move)

Squid Sautée for me!

The squid are the white things that look like caterpillars. This was my first experience with them; another seafood crossed off my list!!

I don’t feel the least bit dead, but I have a breakfast date in the morning, so I’d better act like it.

G’night!

What kind of seafood/fish do you like best? Though I don’t eat any other animal flesh, I’m trying to incorporate fish into my diet. One day, I’ll work up to liking salmon and trout! For now, I’m rolling with easy things like shrimp and scallops.