Dear Monday

Dear Gridiron Classic 4M, I have been horrible at preparing to run in the cold. Let's hope I can push through.

Dear sister, good luck and wishing I could be there to cheer you on for your first marathon. Glad you can have family and friends there.

Dear (this past) weekend, you were dull to say the least. Glad this coming weekend is filled with a birthday celebration, running the 4M and Super Bowl.

Dear Super Bowl, let's go 49ers! As a previous San Francisco resident, I am happy to see the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

Dear snow, I am glad you are here but let's stick with real snow not just flurries or no snow at all. Although I will admit we are getting more snow than last year and I'm ok with it.

Dear house, you are incredibly warm. Yes it's winter, but you are seriously feeling like a sauna. I need to fix that somehow.

25 Things to Do Before I am 25

So I have decided to make a list of 25 things to do before I am 25. This is combination list of general life things and things in New York City.

1. Travel to a new state/country - after all the traveling I did last year I didn't adventure to a new state/country. I made it to Georiga the 2nd week of the New Year.
2. Go to a (on) Broadway show - every one who lives in New York should go to a show. Almost two years later, I still haven't.
3. Try something new. I have tried both yoga and pilates for the first time thanks to a Living Social deal.
4. Donate blood - I have donated once in college and the blood donation woman encouraged I donate often because I give blood easily.
5. Visit my long distance friends in San Francisco/Bay Area - this hasn't happened since I was still living in Southern California and I missed them so much. Booked for the first weekend of May!
6. Read a classic novel - ideally I want to read at least 2 classics.
7. Go one month without drinking beer - enough said. I am giving up beer for lent.
8. Decorate my apartment - my first apartment was not decorated and my current roommate has done a great job of decorating my current place. I am currently in the process of hanging photos of friends and family. I want to add art soon.
9. Pick up a hobby - I plan to make this a hobby I used to do, cross stiching.
10. Have a FUN all nighter - enough said. Dinner and Planet Rose Bar too fun until 6am.
11. Learn to make cake pops - they are a new craze that I want to learn how to make.
12. Visit the Bronx Zoo - everyone says it's a must in New York, but when the weather is warmer.
13. Go wine tasting - I am not a huge fan of wine and have never gone so let's do this!
14. Pay off debt - debt is always a personal problem but it will be accomplished. DONE!
15. Visit the site of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Park
16. Go ice skating in New York City - Rockefeller Rink would be awesome.
17. Visit Top of the Rock - it's practically where I work.
18. Go sledding - when there is enough snow of course. Went to NYCSSC's snow day and had a blast.
19. Go to the Hamptons - I hear it's goregous.
20. Attend a NBA game in NYC - there are two teams, this shouldn't be a challenege.
21. Walk the High Line. Goregous weekend with my mom.
22. Try Grey's Papaya - Finally had it after celebrating a birthday.
23. Go to Lord & Taylor - Finally went one day after work.

Greetings from Georiga

This weekend I went to visit my sister in Georgia (a new state for me!). She lives outside of Atlanta, in Athens also the home of the University of Georgia where she works. After arriving Friday night, we went over to downtown Atlanta to pick up our running goodie bags and bibs for the Hot Chocolate 5k/15k that we were running on Sunday morning. The expo was efficient and quick to get through which was nice after coming off of the plane. With a quick stop for dinner, we headed back to Athens and I finally got to see Molly after not seeing her since she was 6 months old (now 4 years old!).

Saturday we woke up, lounged around a bit then got ready to adventure around Athens for the day before heading back to Atlanta for the night. We took Molly to the dog park, went to the State of Georgia Botanical Gardens (which would have been gorgeous with everything in bloom), walked/drove around University of Georgia with fun facts from my sister and ended the afternoon in downtown Athens for a quick bite. The university is HUGE but gorgeous with all the old style and brick buildings, green landscapes and fountains. I think I would get lost going to school there. Wandering around Athens, it reminds me how much I love big cities and probably couldn't live in a small college-focused town. That night we headed back down towards Atlanta to stay with my sister's friend Heather who was also running the race.

Sunday morning we woke up bright and early to head to Turner Field, Home of the Braves, to get ready for the race. I was running the 5k so I left first while Heather and my sister were running the 15k and would be leaving half hour after I did. The 5k started at Turner Field, ran under/by the Olympic Rings and torch near the parking lots, past the Capitol building, around Georgia State University and looped back to the other side of Turner Field for the finish. My sister had forewarned me about the hills I would probably expect so when the first small hill came I wasn't too shocked. It was the largest hill about half way through that really got me but I managed to run to the top of it with as much effort as I could. Getting to the mile 2 marker I checked the time and realized I was making under a 13 minute mile so I was thrilled! Pushing with all my might, I powered through the last 1.26 miles (turned out to be longer than the 5k =3.1 miles). I knew from the official time maker at the finish line to cut at least 15 minutes off since I was in the 2nd to last group to leave the starting line. So overall: 40 minutes and 9 seconds. I was so excited since this was my first official timed 5k. With post race chocolate-ness I ate and waited for my sister and Heather to come through the finish line.

Spontaneity kicked in on our way back to Heathers to change, shower and relax. My sister and I ended up buying last minute tickets to the Atlanta Falcons vs Seattle Seahawks playoff game! I was so exhausted so being able to sit and enjoy the game was my plan. But once we go to the stadium and our seats I realized that wasn't going to happen as much as I planned. The Georiga Dome is amazing and the crowds are just as fun and friendly avid fans. The energy in the stadium not only could be heard but felt through the floor vibrating with all the contagious energy. What a great way to end my trip in Atlanta. Post game we headed over to the CNN Center to stop at the Atlanta Braves store to pick up something for my bosses son who loves the Braves. Deciding that walking around the Coca Cola world was not appealing since we were exhausted my sister and I grabbed dinner and then dropped me off at the aiport.

All in all, a whirlwind of a 51 hour trip to Atlanta but definitely one for the books. Next time I will have to be more touristy in Atlanta.

Dear Monday

Dear NHL, I am so happy you are back even if it is for half a season. I can't wait to see the Kings play the Rangers in NYC this year; I'm going!

Dear work, you have been aggravating today with little things that have been going on. Let's make this first full week back since the New Year a good one.

Dear sister/Molly, can't wait to see you both this weekend in Atlanta. I am so excited to be visiting Georgia for the first time and who couldn't love Miss Molly.

Dear Atlanta Hot Chocolate 5k/15k, I am excited to be running a race partially with my sister this weekend. Although I haven't done much running outdoors in the cold, I am hoping to keep a good pace.

Dear 2013, you haven't started off horribly so I can't wait for all the things this year has in store for me and my life.

Dear trivia, I am so glad you're back for the season. It has been too long since the trivia crew has played together. I can't wait to see everyone weekly again.

2012.. the Year of Miles Traveled

Happy New Year everyone! I have a feeling that 2013 will be a wonderful year full of laughter, joy and amazing memories to cherish. I have been thinking about New Years resolutions both personally and work related, check them out on my page. 2012 was a definitely the most roller coaster of a year I have had in a long time. Between traveling a lot due to work, a personal death in the family and two wonderful weddings, I think I have reached over the 25,000 mile mark. On the way to Christmas Day with my grandparents and uncle, my dad asked my sister and I numbers. So here's the breakdown:

• January/February
• JFK to LAX - 2470 miles
• LAX to JFK - 2470 miles
• March
• JFK to MCO (Orlando) - 945 miles
• MCO to JFK - 945 miles
• JFK to Austria - 4220 miles
• Vienna, Austria to Budapest, Hungary - 133 miles
• Budapest to Zurich, Switzerland - 498 miles
• Zurich to JFK - 3920 miles
• April
• JFK to SLC (Salt Lake City) - 1980 miles
• SLC to LGB (Long Beach) - 588 miles
• JFK to LAX - 2470 miles
• LAX to JFK - 2470 miles
• May - I actually didn't fly!
• June
• JFK to CHS (Charleston, SC) - 637 miles
• CHS to JFK - 637 miles
• July - I didn't fly!
• August
• JFK to LAX - 2470 miles
• LAX to JFK - 2470 miles
• September
• JFK to CVG (Cincinati, OH) - 587 miles
• CVG to LAX - 1890 miles
• LAX to MSP (Minneapolis, MN) - 1530 miles
• MSP to JFK - 1020 miles
• October - I didn't fly!
• November
• JFK to AUS (Austin, TX) - 1520 miles
• AUS to JFK - 1520 miles
• December
• JFK to LAX - 2470 miles
• LAX to JFK - 2470 miles

Whew that was long... so the grand total is: 42,330 miles in 9 months of travel. I can't believe how many miles those trips have added up to, crazy! Let's see if I can get some free perks off of those miles one day soon now that I have added some frequent flyer programs to my list.

2013 so far only has three plane trips on the list so far, next Friday to Atlanta to see my sister, San Francisco in September for the wedding of my sorority/pledge sister Megan and back home for Christmas in December. Let's see where the rest of 2013 will take me!

Day 26-31

Days 26-31 are going to be short and sweet...

Day 26: Birthdays are always a fond memory. From trivia friends to kickball friends, I have been fortunate to celebrate those who I care about and in return where there for mine. Here's to next year when I turn 25 and hopefully will be celebrating up in Ithaca before a friend's wedding.

Day 27: A weekend trip to Fire Island with some of my close friends was also a blast. Hearing so much about it, I finally was able to go and enjoy the weekend at the beach. Who wouldn't love doing that? I miss the beach here more than ever so it was amazing.

Day 28: Meeting new friends is always a great memory from whether meeting them through others, at bars or through the many things I do with NYCSSC, I truly value all those friendships I have maintained and formed this year. I can't wait to continue those friendships in 2013.

Day 29: Moving/getting out of debt.. enough said.

Day 30: Family time has been a surplus this year and I have cherished every mintue of it.

Day 31: Spontaneous plans that have worked out whether planned as we go or thought out a couple hours before hand. New Years Eve was a great example of this. Originally just thinking dinner and chilling watching movies, Tiffany and I decided to try to find a bar that wasn't charging cover and try to enjoy the night. Trevor, Kerri and Ann Marie met up with us at the first place and Christie and Kimo at the second. All in all a great way to end 2012.