Thanks Jenn!

Thursday I will have all of the scoop on my Halloween eats and treats but here is a big 'ol teaser:
Here are some eats from the day (obviously there was also a breakfast (granola) and a lunch (kale salad) but you had seen all of them before so onto the "new")
What are your Halloween plans?? 
 
..but since today is almost over I guess i'll take it ;) Here are the things I am loving this Thursday!
New nail polishes / The Book of Mormon over the weekend (so much raunchier than I thought! but funny) / Another excuse for a dog picture / My hair is getting so long! I love that I finally blow dried it for work (for once I looked like a human) and I am kinda digging the length.
Now let's move onto some things I am not digging this Thursday...starting and ending with my knee. I have been doing so well with keeping up my running and pushing myself (but also resting and I even stretched once!) and now my knee has just reached the point where it is over it. I know I could run through the pain but I shouldn't. I know what the doctor will tell me (rest and do knee strengthening shiiett)..so I guess it's time for a little more bike and little less pounding (hahah). Oh well...I don't like doing long and whiny posts (even though I do enjoy reading some peoples..they are better writers than me I suppose).


Fun fact of the day: The picture of my dog? Ya' know the one right above where she looks so adorable and cute and innocent? Yeah this was right after she pooped on the floor (she gets "scared" to go outside at night/when it's cold/windy/the turkey next door makes noises/around dinner time/.....) and mommy stepped in it while trying to rush out the door to work. The job that mommy has to go through to buy her food and that cute little bed she loves so much. She slept through the whole show. She is lucky she is cute or she would be in a world of hurt.




What are y'all loving this fine Thursday??
 
Yes this is again another crazy night and on top of a crazy week so far so these will be recycled photos but I swear I did eat these things!!

Thanks for hosting Jen! Check out Peas and Crayons to get the full scoop on WIAW.
Okiiieee. A.) Bagel...duh. Basically a carby way to get cream cheese into me (which was the main goal) B.) Veggie lunch. There was actually about double this many veggies. C.) Diet Coke (and coffee and more coffee). I need my caffeine in all varieties. D.) This photo is actually from today. I got home from the gym and wanted mexican food (but not enough to go back out for it/deal with all the calories/drive) so I cooked up a chicken breast and mixed it with a 100 calorie pack of guacamole, 3/4 cup of black beans, HOT SAUCE, and some shredded cheese. Yum.
Recap of weekend/life tomorrow!


What did you whip up today to satisfy a craving?
 
In case you cannot tell I am BEYOND excited it is Friday. These weeks have been dragging for sure. I am pretty sure it has to do with work being so slow for me..the attorney's and everyone else keeps saying how busy they are and all I can't think is "give me something! I'll file that paperwork!" I am a desperate soul when I am bored. Anyway Onto the greats of the week:
Take it from the top! A.) Booze. Last weekend I went to see Perks of Being a Wallflower (finally!) and we stopped for some drinks and appetizers beforehand. Perfect way to spend a Friday night. B.) Coming home to a homemade Greek salad is a huge perk to still living at home. It did have HUGE olives in it, which are not my thing (I can eat 'em chopped but whole like that is just too much) but it was still so good. C.) Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have been rocking this pin on my wallet since this Summer and it just reminds me how fortunate my family is and how fun it was to get involved and help. D.) Casual Friday. Cuffed jeans and new Toms while lounging on my lunch break. 


As far as this weekend...it was supposed to be pretty low key. I work tomorrow at my other job and then Sunday would be a catchup day and gym. Today my Stepdad found out he could get tickets for "Book of Mormon" though, which I have been wanting to see since it came to LA and haven't been able to because it has either been sold out or crappy over priced tickets. So tomorrow (before work) my mom and I are going and we got seats within the first 15 rows! Woohooo! I am sad that I have to rush right from that to a crappy closing shift (why am I keeping this job again?? Oh right I'm a masochist) but it's fun all the same. 
Another great part of this week has been my workouts. I have gotten in 3 3-mile runs this week which is amazing for me. My legs are aching but I am taking the weekend off of running so I hope that helps them recover. It can't hurt 'em right?
Well that's my week / weekend. What are your plans? Anyone seen "The Book of Mormon"?
 

It's a quick one tonight because I am crazy busy trying to get my butt to bed for a busy day tomorrow (gotta get up and link up before work ya know!). Thanks Jenn for hosting!
(From top left): Hummus and carrot chips / Best lunch hour ever (turkey burger over salad, diet coke and Rolling Stone) / Yoplait and granola / "I hate being bored at work won't someone email me??" snack / Macaroni and Cheese.
These all weren't noshed on in the same day..the chocolate, lunch and mac and cheese were but the others were from today. Overall I know my meals are fairly balanced (I was practicing portion control with the macaroni... baby steps) I just need to either snack healthy or not at all. I usually am not even hungry I am just bored or annoyed...well usually bored. I have a better post planned for tomorrow I promise! I couldn't miss out on WIAW though so forgive me (is this a hit it and quit it? Booty call? Sorry for some reason this is all my brain can think of as witty at this point :/ )
How do you control boredom eating?? I can't be the only one to partake! 
 
Well I guess it is only fitting that Kat's blog was the first health blog I ever saw and now she is the first one to ever include me for any blog connect/award/survey thing. Thank you! 

Here are the deets - 
Rules: 
~If you are nominated you must include the link in a blog, linking to the person/blog that nominated you~ 
~You must answer some questions and nominate 7 fellow bloggers and link their blogs in your post~ 
~Let the people you have nominated know that you have nominated them!~
1.) Who is your favorite philosopher?

Errrr... I really don't have one. I mean I am pretty sure most people my age don't but I just haven't thought of it ever. 
2.) What is your favorite number?

Oh here is one I have. My favorite number(s) are 7 and 21. 7 because I have always been drawn to it and 21 because it is my birthday day and wasn't 21 a great age? Even before I was 21 I figured it was the pinnacle of young adulthood. 
3.) What is your favorite animal?

Yay an excuse to post a picture of my dog! We just cut her nails today (and homegirl was not pleased) so it is only fitting she has her second to shine.
She loves me I swear
4.) What are your facebook and twitter?

I am a horrible journalist and do not have a twitter, I know, shame me now. My facebook is personal and really, no one wants to see my obsessive dog posts and work rants, I am really doing you a favor.
5.) What is your favorite time of day?

I am so a morning person. It runs in the family, all of the youngest females (my gma/mom, and me) are all the morning people out of the group. If we don't accomplish it by noon we might as well call it a wash. 
6.) What is your favorite vacation?

I am super lucky. I have had the chance to travel to quite a few places; almost every state (minus hawaii and florida), Canada, Mexico and have been to a couple countries in Europe. I really don't have a favorite vacation in spite of this. I have had fun in the South, Washington D.C., Canada (minus Quebec...they were mean), and of course my childhood family vacations to Maine. I can't wait to see where I head to next!
Family cottage in Maine :)
Harper's Ferry. Last spring's trip!
7.) What is your favorite physical activity?

Running. Hands down it is running. I started in cross country and track in high school and while I didn't fully appreciate it then it grew on me. The best workouts have always been long runs and the most calming feelings have always come after a good and long run.
8.) What is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

There are drinks besides alcoholic ones?? Kidding...kinda... Besides a good cocktail I do love coffee and Kombucha. Coffee has been the old standby and Kombucha is the new kid on the block that has me infatuated. 
9.) What is your favorite flower?

Hmmm I really have no definite ideas and preferences on flowers..I like 'em but as far as preferring one over another I just don't. I do take some nice iPhone pictures of them though ;)
10.) What is your passion?

Well the moral of this post is basically "Caitlin doesn't know" isn't it? Frankly I have no idea what my passion is...I graduated from college with barely an idea except knowing that I wanted to keep learning and find a job that challenged me and was outside of my comfort zone. I can't say I fully achieved that but it has taught me quite a bit. I guess my passion in life is growing and changing and learning. I don't want to ever become stagnant and content with where I am at. My passion is change and being constantly confronted with new challenges. (haha deeeep).
I am going to plead the fifth on nominating others for this at this time. I am still a little newbie to the blog scene and don't know anyone well enough to be nominating them for anything. I hope I am forgiven.

Have a happy week everyone! Let's hope it goes by fast!
 
Isn't this like the most common saying ever? I was thinking about it today and decided I have a better one to live my life based on: Rome doesn't have to be built in a day. I am becoming more and more type A as I get older and delve into my new job and I always want to be the one who completes things the quickest and does the best and is all around super employee. While I know this isn't a bad trait it is draining me. I am stressed out and the worst part is that it is all self imposed. I need to realize that no one expects me to finish something 5 minutes after they assign it to me and I am doing a great job. I know I am succeeding and I just need to breath and enjoy it a little.

Moving on...Things I am loving this Thursday :)
The weather today. Even though I missed all of the storms because I was in a soundproof office and LA traffic was even worse than normal (give LA people some clouds and rain and they go batshit, can't drive for anything) it is amazing and gloomy. I also love the complex clouds (this is a bad picture example), there are dark ones and sun peeks out and different shapes and...well y'all know what clouds are like I suppose.
This app and website are cool. I am slowly trying to get into budgeting and managing my money and this makes it easy to see where it is going. My only complaint is that my credit card company isn't linked up with them (c'mon 1st financial bank!!) so I can't track my biggest money drain but I have been meaning to switch companies anyway (they charge me a damn fee! again, c'mon 1st financial bank!!)
My longest plank ever! 'Nuff said.
So I don't actually have this shirt but in addition to plank-a-day I added 20 squats to my day. I have only been doing them since Monday but I already feel a bit sore (which is incredibly sad). 20 is so easy and manageable and while I know it won't give me a butt to brag about it is better than nothing.
Today I am taking a day off from the gym grind just to let myself breath. I know my body can hang and could easily complete a run but I just don't want to and I shouldn't feel like I HAVE to. So I can curled up in bed in my flannel pajama pants (that I may or may not have stolen from an ex, because we all know stolen clothes are the best) and catching up on WIAW and other happenings in the blog world. 
Enough about me ;) 
What are you loving this Thursday??
 

These weeks are dragging! Oh well at least this is a little fun in between all the work :) thanks Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting!
Ohhhh what is this?? Did Caitlin really take photos of what she ate FOR A WHOLE DAY?? You are right smarty pants! I guess there really is a first time for everything. I do have a little clarification for these eats though (obviously this was too good to be true) and also an explanation for what I actually ate (cause my dark iPhone photos are obviously not very good indicators).

Breakfast was supposed to be the Chobani with granola but in the same vein with my post on Monday I wasn't too down (no worries I ate it today!). Breakfast actually ended up being coffee and then a mid morning snack (the Cheez its and water). Lunch was the tupperware of veggies (that I steamed at work) and a veggie chicken patty. Dinner was roasted sweet potato with ketchup/sriracha and a turkey burger and dessert was kit kats (way more than 2..).

My pride and joy are those sweet potatoes there. I can never seem to muster the patience to cook something all of the way (you know until brown and not mushy and weird) and for once I did! They were a bit crispy and oh so good. This better have not been a fluke.
My babies right out of the oven :)
I think I did fairly good this day. Obviously I should have eaten breakfast and probably stopped after 6 kit kats (I have issues when candy is around if ya couldn't tell) but I got a lot of veggies and healthy protein so I think it wasn't a bad day.
What is the best thing you are this week?? Anyone else have patience issues when it comes to cooking??
 
Did that just send chills down your spine?? That phrase never means anything good does it? oh how many mornings have I woken up that from my parents when I was in high school...err scratch that, I was a great kid ;)


Anyway I need some opinions. I realized lately (or finally came to terms with it) that I tend to have a bit of odd and distorted eating habits. Nothing too bad thankfully but I guess I just have a bad mindset about food sometimes.

In a way I feel like I have to "earn" my food. 

When I was in school I didn't really notice this feeling because I was walking from class to class or staying up long hours at work or basically doing something that so that I could "justify" eating. Now that I am at a desk for 9+ hours a day I don't feel the same. I know that you have to eat to run your brain and for fuel to keep you alive and all that good stuff, but when I am sitting for hours on end I just don't feel like food, or a healthy dosage of it, is necessary. 

This is an issue. I know it is not healthy to go "why do you need breakfast? your not going to the gym or serving or doing anything besides sitting your butt in this chair and working on a computer." I do eat, and I eat really healthy when I am at work, but I don't feel good about what I am eating until I get home from the gym and eat dinner. 

It is hard for me to really convey this feeling because I just realized it over the last few days and I am still analyzing it myself...I am not worried about it per se but I know I need to change my mindset real quick because this isn't a good road. 

wow...that felt pretty great to lay out there and analyze. wheewwww! Small weight lifted off my shoulders :)
Happier stuff to come later this week I promise! I even have a crap ton of photos and some actual cooking photos! (and yet I applaud myself over the littlest things... lol)
Anyone know where I am coming from? Any experience with this kinda mindset would be greatly appreciated!
 
a.k.a. my titles are either nonexistent or super long....
Pink running shoes and neon pink/brown running shorts. I also just wanted an excuse to show off my best angle. 
Nail polish. I love it and it's unhealthy and I repaint my nails twice a week. I am a loyal consumer slave to Essie. 
Love it. I am scared for it to end because I love it so much. It is funny and inspiring (in the kind of "I don't want your job but it is amazing and 'you go girl' kind of way").  
I feel like reusing this photo is okay because I just repainted my nails the same color and the can was consumed at the same location. I love me some diet coke. I have coffee in the morning and before I leave work but in between I need my caffeine, and this fits the bill.
I love that this soundtrack. It got me through my mountain of paperwork and my graphic designing duties of the day. 
My new phone case, and yeah it's a screen shot, I love my Mac. It can do anything. 
What are you loving this Thursday?!