Six Sunday Links; Swagger & Sass

Six Sunday Links didn’t happen last week because I was busy celebrating my Gran’s 89^th birthday in Florida! Seeing her so irregularly now, when she used to be 20 minutes down the road, is incredibly hard – especially when I think about the fact that she’s living in a nursing home and only getting older.

There are moments in life that you know you’re going to want to remember. As they’re happening, you try to make a mental note of all the little details, scared that one day they’ll slip from your memory. You want to live in the moment but you’re already concerning yourself with what’s going to happen when that moment becomes the past. Maybe that’s why I took so many pictures! I tried soaking up the invaluable family time – it’s not very often that my mom’s side of the family gets to spend time together. We ate, we drank, we caught up – I tried my very best to coax the crew into getting a little sappy by sharing some of our favorite memories.

We also celebrated the fact that my cousin and his wife will soon be welcoming their first baby into the family. Gran’s going to be a great-Gran (she already is the greatest Gran, though!) I was sure to buy baby Emma her first NHL onesie. She’s going to look fabulous in it, even though it’s slightly masculine looking. Whatever, gender neutrality is all the rage these days, isn’t it?

In total I spent 20 hours traveling between Friday and Monday, but it was well worth it for moments like this:

Despite having off on Monday to fly home, the week seemed to last forever. But here we are at another Sunday. Instead of using your brain cells to think about the coming week (ugh) – how about checking out these six links? I think it’s a quality batch -  heavy on my own personal commentary. 

The Rise and Fall of Trading Spaces, theHome Design Show That Ruled the World

These days, I very rarely watch TV. Peter and I have made good progress on The Office (I know, I know – I’m behind) and for a while I was binge-watching Orange Is The New Black like it was my job. But lately I haven’t been able to make a commitment to the hour-long episodes. Sorry Piper, it’s nothing personal. 

It seems the only time I am truly a couch potato is when I’m visiting my parents on Long Island. And when I’m there – I’m all about the HGTV. Love It Or List It and House Hunters are my absolute favorites and my mom and I have no problems re-watching episodes that we’ve seen 20 times. But when I saw someone post this article on Facebook I took a total trip down memory lane, remembering the hours spent watching the original home makeover show from TLC – Trading Spaces. I’ll never forget the sleepovers where we stayed awake until 5 a.m. watching reruns. I’ll never forget the episode where Hildi makes one couple's room look like a circus tent.

This article blew my mind by pointing out that Trading Spaces premiere 15 years ago. Whoah. This is a long read – but a fascinating look at the life of the show, which was a precursor to many of today’s reality shows. And did you know that host Paige Davis played Roxy Hart in Chicago on Broadway?

 How Sports Gave Me Swagger 

First off – yes, I’m a subscriber to Lenny, Lena Dunham’s new feminist newsletter. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s (Love and Basketball) contribution.

When I re-read this article to write about it, I started highlighting which quote I wanted to start with. I highlighted the entire first paragraph. It’s like that standup comic who makes fun of girls studying for finals who go highlighter-happy in the library. Totally me. [Totally don’t remember the comedian.]

So, if you’re really not just going to click the link and read the article (it’s worth it, I promise!) here is at least the first paragraph. I have a feeling that, like me, you’ll identify with a lot of it and want to keep reading.

I am shy. I also have a big ego. Practically speaking, that means everyone is looking at me, and it makes me uncomfortable. Actually, "big ego" has a negative connotation. I'll say "healthy ego." Which, sadly, for women, still has a negative connotation. We aren't supposed to have an ego. It's unseemly. It's arrogant. It's not ladylike. Serena Williams was called cocky when she said she wanted to be the best in the world. Well, what the hell is she training so relentlessly for, to be the 37th best in the world? (No disrespect to the 37th best in the world.) A poster of Serena in mid–epic scream should be required on every little girl's bedroom wall so they can be reminded daily how beautiful it is to be a badass.

This reminds me so much of a conversation I’ve had multiple times with my mom since getting into running.

Me: “I’m REALLY frustrated that I’ve lost so much of my speed.”
Mom: “Well why do you care about being fast? Just do it for fun.”
Me: “Because I know I can be better, and I found something I’m actually pretty good at, and I want to improve.”

Yes, I know I’m not going to be winning any races. But that doesn’t mean I can’t acknowledge that I’ve worked hard to improve my speed and endurance and that I am always training to beat the runner I was the last time I raced.

But, like Gina Prince-Bythewood – sports have played a major role in my life – teaching me to always give it my all. To leave everything out on the court, the field, the track, etc. Sports has taught me that if I settle, I’m really only cheating myself.

When I was on the field, I was never told to "slow down." No one ever said, "Don't be so aggressive." I was told to "run faster," "be more aggressive," "play harder," "go after it." So I did. And it was the most natural thing in the world.

These lessons translate into so many other aspects of a woman’s life – and I think that fitness in general, even if it’s not organized sports, can really help improve confidence and give ladies out there swagger. Which is sexy.

Amy Schumer’s ‘I’m Sorry’ Skewers A CultureThat Makes Women Apologize Constantly

So, I watched this video and I laughed. Another Amy Schumer video that perfectly captures some of the ridiculous things us ladies do…before becoming completely over the top.

But after I finished laughing, I started thinking. Because a few weeks ago, I got angry at someone. They did something to tick me off, yet at the end of the conversation I texted, “Sorry.”

We’ve all done it. And we’ve probably all been on the receiving end as well. A “sorry” text that clearly doesn’t actually indicate remorse. Well this time, the person on the receiving end called me out and told me not to apologize if I didn’t mean it.

When An Apology Is Anything But

So why do we do it? Why are we constantly saying “Sorry?” This article from the New York Times was SO intriguing to me and brings up tons of interesting points. That “sorry” text that I sent – it was actually the complete opposite. It was basically a text saying, “You did something that annoyed me and by saying sorry, I’m really trying to prove that I shouldn’t have to be apologizing to you.” And we wonder why sometimes, the things we say aren’t received and responded to in the way that we want.

The First Person To Run A Marathon WithoutTalking About It 

Let’s get a little less serious with this next link. I was cracking up at this video – which is such a sassy satire on marathon runners. I am SO guilty of this. And I also have zero intention of changing my ways next time I’m training for a marathon, PS. NO SHAME.

So You Want to Write a Food Blog

Another hysterical satire – this time about food bloggers. Gosh – runners and foodies – aren’t we just the worst? At least we can laugh at ourselves!

Quinoa is excellent for every meal because its texture is a reminder that life can’t always be smooth or digestible. 

I LOVE that people have been sending me interesting articles that they think would make for a good Sunday link – keep them coming! (Erin, Jess - yours will be coming up one of these Sundays for sure, loved ‘em!) 

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Six Sunday Links on Monday

This Sunday was spent cheering on friends running the Staten Island Half Marathon and celebrating their 13.1 miles with beers in the sunshine at Flagship Brewery. I'd say my first visit to Staten Island was a success! And I am beyond happy that we're still getting a fair share of sunshine and warmth - it's amazing how much cheerier I am when the sun is out! 

I was sad watching all the runners yesterday, and sitting around afterwards while everyone discussed their race and I couldn't contribute - but I'm happy to report that last week I ran 24 miles total! 

(I've been consistently going to Friday's NP workouts and we've had so pretty fabulous views!)

Since Six Sunday Links didn't happen - now you get them on Monday! 

1) Baked Apple Roses - This is definitely something I want to whip up this fall.  It looks so impressive, yet simple! Not to mention delicious.  

On Friday, I hosted a fall food themed potluck at my apartment and oh boy did I overeat! I couldn't help it, my friends are such talented chefs and everything was delicious. Kaitlin made a kale salad with chickpeas, butternut squash and a Tahini dressing. She even got fancy and massaged the kale. Kayla made maple walnut green beans and Rebecca cooked a delectable pumpkin mac and cheese! I made sweet potato/black bean/quinoa chili that was super easy and, I thought, super delicious! I will definitely be making this again one of these nights - the perfect thing to cook on Sunday and have all week long!  I also added some of my new favorite ingredient to the chili - nutritional yeast! A little salty/cheesy boost! 

I also served some goat cheese with apple slices and Pepperjack cheese, PUMPKIN TORTILLA CHIPS from Trader Joe's that are phenomenal, Harvest Salsa that's also pretty good, and guacamole! 

Steph created these beautiful caramel apple jello shots, Sam and Sara provided  wine on wine on wine and dessert was Melissa's apple crisp (+ vanilla ice cream, drool) and Kayla's pumpkin brownies! 

Fall cooking is wonderful. 

2) Confidence with an Asterisk - This article made me feel the feels.

3) I don't remember where I found this exactly - but it's kind of genius! I've been struggling with my boots falling all over the place in my closet. Now, where do I purchase pool noodles in October? 

4) Keep Austin Weird  Monday of last week I realized I had 6 vacation days to use before December 31. I started Googling flights and thinking, "Hm, where can I go in December?" New Orleans, Charlotte, Arizona, and Denver were all considered until I landed on Austin - cheap flights, an awesome city, and warmer than New York in December. Plus, a half marathon on the dates I was looking to go! I messaged Melisa and Peter and by Friday night our flights and AirBnb were booked. I am so excited to explore this city! 

5)  35 Brilliant New Books - I perused this list awhile ago and just finished reading one of the books on it The Heart Goes Last. It was...interesting. I didn't LOVE it, but I also couldn't put it down. 

"A married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse join The Positron Project – which guarantees them a home and a job for six months of the year. On alternating months, they must leave their home and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to home. At first, this doesn’t seem like too much of a sacrifice. But with each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled."

6) Read this wonderful post written by a wonderful human being who I am so proud to know! 

(This is my friend Liysa and she is BADASS)

*I met Lolo Jones last week.

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Happy Hockey Season! A Few Words.

The day has arrived...the 2015-16 NHL season officially kicks off tonight, 114 days after the Chicago Blackhawks won their 6th Stanley Cup on June 15 on home ice. 

An impressive feat, no doubt - but I would just like to remind everyone about the Islander's reign, winning 4 Stanley Cups in 4 back to back seasons. Sure - it was a couple, er, 15, years ago - but it is still impressive. And likely never to be accomplished again. 

What we do know is that the Islanders will never win another Stanley Cup in the Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum on Long Island - because tomorrow night they open their first season played at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. 

I have a lot of feelings.

Inevitably, when I tell people I'm an Islanders fan, they ask what I think about the move. The first thing that happens is my brain floods with memories from the coliseum. Sure it was slightly hideous, but it was home. 

(And the sunsets were beautiful!)

I've been going to Islanders games at the coliseum since before I can remember, but I still remember the first time I knowingly attended an Islanders game. My dad told me we were going to eat dinner with my mom at her work, so imagine my surprise when we walked inside the coliseum! My first response was, "But won't Mommy be sad we aren't eating dinner with her?" 

There were the games watched from suites that my dad got through work. You would think I would feel like a queen sitting up their in the catered cubes - but I always complained that no one up there cared about hockey. I wanted to be down in the bleachers, in the mix with real fans. 

I wanted to be jumping up and down trying to catch a shirt blasted out into the crowd by the ice girls - even though I knew they were all XXXXLs that I would never wear. I wanted to be taking pictures with Sparky, and staring up mesmerized at the ceiling as the blimp floated around the rafters, dropping down gift cards to lucky fans. I wanted that moment when my face appeared on the jumbo tron, or they released streamers into the crowd after a playoff win. 

I got all of those things on memorable nights where I stayed up far past my bedtime - indulging on Dip n Dots and wondering what my dad found so appetizing about the damn peanuts. 

There was of course the raucous fans around me yelling things I wasn't allowed to repeat - instead we constantly told the Islanders to, "WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!"

If there was anything I learned being a young Islanders fan in the 90s it was to remain loyal. As a 7 year old, there were nights I was convinced my personal presence in the coliseum was causing the Islanders to lose. Would I ever experience that joyous win? Surrounded by fellow passionate fans? 

Down 7-1 with 2 minutes left in the third period, I would beg my parents not to make me leave - I needed to stay with my team until that final buzzer...you simply never knew what was going to happen! Hockey was unpredictable, exciting, thrilling, fast and furious. 

Countless games later and the place continued to feel more and more like home. I knew the chants, I knew the familiar sound of the organ. I knew that no matter where I was sitting, I'd likely be able to move down a bunch of rows and even if I couldn't, the view was great from everywhere. I knew the bathroom lines were going to be horrendous. I knew that if the team scored 3 goals I'd get free chili from Wendy's the next day. I knew Goldie - the man who was always there. 

Mainly, we were there for games, but I also attended American Idols Live concerts, Disney on Ice shows, maybe a Josh Groban concert...not to mention my 6 year old glee at watching an exhibition gymnastics show from the Gold Medal winning Atlanta Olympic team. 

Last season, each trip to the coliseum got a little harder as the end drew near. The night I got to work at the game collecting content for social media - up close and personal with the players and building -was a night I will certainly never forget. 

I'll also never forget this epic pre-game, crammed in a hotel room with so many people who mean so much to me. The rain kept us from tailgating in the parking lot, but I'll hold those memories forever as well. 

When the end of the season arrived, I didn't shed a tear as I expected that I would. Perhaps because I was satisfied with that final season at the coliseum. I had experienced another year of memories, the team had performed well, and I had gotten to say my goodbyes. 

Perhaps I won't shed that tear until reality sinks in tomorrow night and the puck drops on a difference sheet of ice. 

But, whenever someone brings up the Islanders moving to Barclays, the first thing I need to make clear is: 

I will miss the coliseum. 

A lot of other people have echoed this sentiment more eloquently than me, but I needed to add my personal take on it. 

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Six Sunday Links

Here we are already at another Six Sunday Links. Before you drag yourself out of bed for laundry and grocery shopping and all the other chores you couldn’t bear to do on a Saturday, check out these articles, videos and photos that entertained me this week.

1)  I am beyond obsessed with these Amy Schumer videos – which point out major issues with women’s self image/body issues/dieting/exercise etc. in a completely HYSTERICAL way. 

I'm So Bad "“I ate a ball of mozzarella like it was a peach.” 

        Nutritionist "I can tell by looking you're not the least you can be."
Compliments  "Little? I'm like a size 100 now. Anyway, I paid like $2 for it, it's probably made out of old Burger King crowns. I look like a whore locked out of her apartment."

        2) I just read about comedian Kevin Hart and the surprise 5Ks he is organizing across the country! It’s really great to see a celebrity using his status to get people up and out! I loved his quote: 

        “I have a platform where I can motivate and inspire," Hart said. "What better way to do that than running? Running is something that everybody can do, all over the world, regardless of race, shape or size. It brings people closer together."

    Couldn’t agree more, K. Hart! 

 3) I was SO BLOWN AWAY by this article. 50 Ironman distance triathlons in 50 DAYS?! If this doesn’t become a book, I’m going to be SO disappointed.

4) Anthony Bourdain is planning to open a GIANT food market on Pier 57 that dwarfs Chelsea Market. It will be modeled after an Asian street market – meaning it will be open all hours with tons of interesting stalls. Sometime it’s a little ridiculous the number of food-focused spaces there are in NYC. Between Smorgasburg, Flea Markets, Eataly, Chelsea Market, City Kitchen, Brookfield Place and outdoor spaces like Madison Square Eats and Penn Plates – I think it takes away from the excitement of them when you can now get an Arancini Rice Ball not just at Smorgasburg but at about a million stalls around the city. But it doesn’t seem like a trend that will be slowing down any time soon – so bring it Bourdain!

5)  This movie trailer really piqued my interest! Burnt

6) Last but not least, a friend posted this photograph titled “Generational Differences” and it really made me stop and think for a minute. Before returning to Instagram on my phone…No but really. It’s a pretty strong image, especially after that “sorority girlsat the baseball game” fiasco this week. 

Anything you think I should check out, please share :)

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Friday Funk

Happy Friday to y'all!

I should be smiling - lots of great things happened to me this week. But it's cold and rainy and there's a hurricane coming and for some reason I just feel super BLAH.

I'm not sore. I don't have any "injuries" per say. I just have zero motivation or energy and everything feels achy - like I have the flu minus the cold symptoms. So I'm not really sure what's up.

I do know that I failed at completing all 3 Kayla Itsine's workouts this week for the first time in 7 weeks. I did legs on Monday and Abs/Arms on Tuesday but Abs/Cardio? I did the first 7 minute circuit this morning and then I quit. Yep - complete honesty. I was feeling grumpy and lazy and achy and I laid down on the floor and I tapped out.

I'm trying to give myself some grace. It's very unlike me to get started in a workout with a plan and then not to follow through. I'm trying to give myself the benefit of the doubt - listening to my body which is very clearly saying, "WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. We want to lay in bed and binge watch Orange is the New Black!"

I get it body, message received. In a few short hours we will be home spending quality time with Piper and the crew.

So here are a few reasons why I should turn my frown upside down.

1) Tuesday's run felt pretty OK which is all I'm really asking for at this point. I let my brain get a little carried away, and somewhere around mile 2.5 I decided, "Ok, you're wrapping up 5 miles with a sub 8:00 pace." While that may have been totally do-able 4 months ago - it is certainly not realistic at the moment. And you know what? Instead of feeling really discouraged by the actual pace I finished at - I felt satisfied that I had pushed myself and gotten in a run at a solid effort - no phoning it in, no saying "I'm slow now so it doesn't matter." The past few weeks getting back into running, it's been really easy for me to settle for a slow, easy, casual run just because that feels comfortable. But Tuesday's run pushed me outside of my comfort zone which in turn gave me a much better mindset for the rest of the day.

2) Wednesday I challenged myself again - with the goal of swimming a total of 1 mile at the gym. Though it definitely wasn't continuous, I accomplished my goal!

3) I GOT A GOPRO and my Instagram game is going to go WAY up ;)

4) The running store won a Brooks contest and I get a free pair of sneakers. I'm excited to try out the Pure Flows! I know, I know - they're neutral and everyone in the world tells me I should be running in a stability shoe. But both sneakers I trained for Pittsburgh in were neutral sneakers and I made it through relatively pain and injury free - so I'm just going to keep on keepin' on that neutral flow. For now.

5) Peter and I's Date Night this week was my first time seeing an IMAX movie in about a million years. I'm pretty sure the last time I went was in high school to see Harry Potter. We saw "The Walk" about Philippe Petit who walked a high wire that he illegally rigged across the Twin Towers. I thought the movie was really well done, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was great and now I MUST read the book ("To Reach The Clouds").

6) I had a dream last night that I actually remembered when I woke up- which is very rare for me. In the dream, I was just doing Greek things on Paros Island (where I took a 3 week photography class back in 2011). It made waking up a little bit harder, but it was nice to take a few minutes to remember what an amazing opportunity it was to visit Greece. It was also a reason to spend some time flipping through the pictures in my (Facebook) albums and remind myself to make an ACTUAL physical photo album of my pictures. 

Speaking of pictures - I used to be so so interested in photography, and I've been missing it. Taking my DSLR out is usually a pain in the butt but I DO still try to some ~artsy~ pictures with my iPhone. I liked these two that I took this week. They're kind of boring on their own - but as a little mini "pop of pink" series I like 'em.

7) Last week I discovered the joys of picking a salad theme and stickin' to it when I created an Asian-inspired salad. This week, I went for Greek (hmmm, wonder if that's why I had the dream about Paros?) It was pretty damn delicious if I do say so myself - I had it Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night - and still have ingredients to make one more salad tonight! 
Here's what it had:
Peppers
Carrots
Sundried Tomatoes
Plum Tomatoes
Olives
Feta
Cucumber
Chick Peas
Sprouts
Spinach
Balsamic Vinegar for dressing 

One day I'll figure out the proper leaf to topic ration but until then, I will continue to essentially eat bowls of salad toppings. 

8) Avocados exist and were 99 cents at the grocery store this week. I've been digging half an avo mashed with feta, chili flakes, sunflower seeds, sundried tomatoes, olive oil and sea salt! 

9) I got free coffee for National Coffee Day AND my box of Quest bars was delivered - although I've already eaten half of them... (did everyone see they have PUMPKIN PIE QUEST BARS for a limited time? I mightttt need to order a box!) 

10) New snack alert! 2 new snacks this week. The first was an idea from Georgie at In It For the Long Run - nut butter dates!  I didn't make mine as pretty as fancy as hers - all I really did was dunk a date in peanut butter and call it a day -  but it was delicious and sweet and satisfying after my run and before I had time to sit and eat a real breakfast! The other snack was this DIY Kale Chip bag - in theory it's great - open the bag, pour in the olive oil, bake, voila! In execution - the chips still came out a little soggy. But texture aside, I dressed them up with some sea salt and NUTRITIONAL YEAST (cheesy, mmm) and they were pretty bomb.com. 

In other news, I'm really trying to make this blog more than just a running account of my life. I really enjoyed writing Wednesday's post and was happy with the feedback!

I've been brainstorming some other post ideas - but if anyone has any suggestions or anything they'd like to see on PB is my BF - please feel free to share your thoughts :)

In the meantime, here are some blogs that have been really inspiring me:
arunnarounddlife
Just The Elevator Pitch 
The Real Life RD
In It For the Long Run 

Any other favorite blogs I should check out? 

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Small Talk

I’m convinced I’m an ambivert – but regardless of whether or not I’m an introvert or an extrovert, one thing I know I am is awkward when it comes to small talk. Friends tell me I’m not awkward, but a) that’s because we’re friends and I’m not awkward around them and b) even if I’m somewhat successful  in not coming off as awkward – I feel awkward when I’m forced into small talk.

Recently, I’ve been kind of sort of most definitely obsessed with this blog called Just The Elevator Pitch. You kind of sort of most definitely NEED to check it out. You’ll be hooked and probably never have time to come back and read my blog, but that’s a chance I’m willing to take because Nicole’s blog is just that damn great.

Anywho – she came up with a genius way of figuring out, “AmI Good At Small Talk?”

Going into this exercise, I am fully expecting that answer to be a big fat nope. How am I going to find out? Going through the Google Trends page to see what the most searched topic of each of the past 30 days was. And seeing if I know anything about it at all.

 Facebook Privacy 

        Unfortunately, my newsfeed has been overrun with people under the false assumption that anything they put on the internet is private. I truly question the collective intelligence of our society when trends like this pop up. And I’m shocked that across the country, “Channel 13 News” is discussing these “changes” to Facebook’s privacy policy. Because where I’m from, I’m pretty sure that channel 13 is PBS and all they’re showing is Arthur and Curious George. 

        Mars

        I know now that boys are not from Mars. And that Mars Bars are quite delicious. I’ve also heard the news that there’s water on Mars.

        Lunar Eclipse

        As my dad texted me on Sunday night, telling me I HAD to look out my window and look at the moon, I had a sudden moment of sadness when I realized if I got out of bed and looked out my window – all I would see were buildings.

          iPhone 6S 

        Why people think it’s fun to stand in absurd lines on the day new Apple products are released I will never know – they do know there is such a thing as pre-order right? Then again, I spent hours at the local Borders to get my hands on Harry Potter Books the second the clock struck midnight. So who am I to judge?
 Thursday Night Football
 My football knowledge leaves much to be desired. 
 Autumnal Equinox
 I don’t know what it means scientifically except that my favorite season is over and it’s going to get cold out. And also that when engaging in small talk – it’s best to avoid talking about the weather unless you want to seem seriously inept.
 Scream Queens

        I got nothin’. A Google search (ironic) informs me that it’s a movie – I’m not a movie person. Which would be the perfect small talk topic in many situations. Bummer.
 Autumnal Equinox 
 #1 Trending Search twice in a week? Still not something I’d bring up at a party.
 Emmys 2015
 I don’t go to the movies and I don’t have cable – so my ability to discuss things in the world of popular culture is extremely limited.
 Alabama Football

        I got nothin’.
 Zoey 101 

        Hey, I know what this is! No clue why it’s a trending topic though…not to mention that if I were to bring this up in small talk in would almost certainly result in awkwardness.  
Denver Broncos 
Can we just get hockey season started?
Republican Debate We watched the first one as a fun family vacation activity, but the second one – no thanks.
Snapchat Update 
YES! I could definitely sustain a conversation about the new Snapchat selfie filters for a solid 5 minutes. I would also mention that I recently captured an EPIC video for my Snapchat story which involved a biker SCREAMING at a cabby.
49ers 
Sheesh. Whatever happened to baseball being America’s favorite pastime?
NFL Scores 

        I’m done.
 Mayweather

       No.
 Serena Williams 

        Serena Williams is a BEAST in the best, most badass way possible. So she lost. She’s still epic.

        9/11
 I think we all could have a conversation about where we were on September 11, 2001.
 NFL Scores
 Original.
  Stephen Colbert 
 An incredibly talented guy that I wish I watched more of. I had the chance to attend a filming  of Colbert Report a few years ago, and it was definitely an awesome experience!
 Ohio State Football
 Yawn.
 Venus Williams 
 If my sister beat me at tennis, I wouldn’t be a happy camper!
 Alabama Football 
 Oy.
 Serena Williams 
See above – she’s epic.
 Tom Brady 
Deflate Gate 2015? I didn’t follow it, but I’ve obviously heard about it. I don’t live under a rock.
 Frontier Airlines
 I book travel for people at work, and this airline comes up in my searches every once in a while. I have no idea why they are a trending search topic though – which probably means I don’t skim the homepage of the New York Times often enough.
 Google logo History 
Every now and then I’ll take note of the Google logo on the homepage and take a second to appreciate the creativity. Other days I’m like, really? That’s what you’ve got?
US Tennis Open 
One day I want to buy a skort and go to the US Open. I went to tennis camp when I was younger and my mom played in high school and wanted me to follow in her footsteps. I wasn’t awful, except that field hockey was during the same season. So, sorry Mom! But tennis is fun. And fancy. And I like when it gets some love. (Get it, love?)
Miley Cyrus 
YES. Let’s chat about Miley, shall we?

So I think the moral of the story is that if anyone tries to bring up football during small talk – it’s going to be a very awkward conversation. Same with any movies and likely television as well. Which, apparently, is what everyone is the world is Googling in their free time.

I can discuss Miley, Snapchat filters and how annoying it is when people post the Facebook Privacy status.

Good thing my weekend plans involve my best friend’s birthday, quality time with my sister and limited interaction with strangers.

And maybe I should watch some football. 

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Are You "That" Girl?

She holds a fancy Starbucks drink in one hand while the other masterfully flips through the pages of the latest book from the New York Times bestseller list. “That” girl. A Michael Kors bag is perfectly perched in the elegant space between her wrist and her elbow and her outfit looks like it was thrown together effortlessly despite the fact that it could be featured in the pages of Vogue. Her Essie manicured nails are perfect  - not a chip to be seen. “That” girl. Straight from your Pinterest board.

How did she juggle her morning coffee, her book, her purse and her metro card to step through the subway turnstiles like she was walking down a runway? How does she only have one small purse to get through the day, while I’ve felt like a bag lady since the second I moved to Manhattan? Because she’s “that” girl. A different species from you entirely, right?

Her hair is long and gleaming in the early morning sun and she’s outfitted from head to toe in Nike gear. This season’s newest fashions, of course. She looks like her morning miles in Central Park should be used in a commercial. “That” girl.

She’s floating, and girls and guys alike can’t help but follow her with their eyes as she makes the rolling hills of Central Park look like an enjoyable amusement park ride instead of a pain in the ass. “That” girl is who you will never, ever, manage to be – right?

We’ve all seen these women, and chances are you’ve asked yourself, “How do they do it? How do they make it seem so easy? So natural?”

Each and every morning I try to figure out how to somehow read my book (very rarely is it a New York Times bestseller – more like something I’ve pulled from the shelves of the New York Public Library), answer text messages I’ve failed to respond to, and get my metro card out from its Vera Bradley change purse. The change purse which resides in my backpack – not a Michael Kors purse that sits perfectly in the crook of my arm. But what does sit in the crook of my arm is a reusable bag filled with my food for the day – since I definitely can’t afford $12 Chop’t salads and $10 fresh squeezed juices every day. Adding a morning coffee into the mix? Heels? Impossible.  I’m just not “that” girl.

When my alarm goes off for a run in the morning my hair resembles a rat’s nest and I’m likely wearing Old Navy or some other running apparel I’ve managed to get on clearance for less than $20.

But this morning during my run I had an interesting thought. “That” girl ran by and I thought, “Does she know that she’s the object of envy?”

And you know what I realized? She probably has no idea. She probably groaned when her alarm went off too. And maybe her Uncle Bob works for Nike and gets all her pretty gear for free. And chances are her legs are burning up those hills just like everyone else’s.

And then my next thought was, “Oh my GOD. What if people look at me and think I’m making it seem so easy? Could I possibly be “that” girl in someone else’s eyes?” And honestly – yes. Any one of us can be. Because we all have admirable strengths and qualities and we all have days when we’re rockin’ it. Our outfit is on point. We aren’t a bag lady for once. Weeks of yoga has made it possible to make the commute in wedges instead of your Saucony’s. Weeks of hard work have paid off and Harlem Hill is a little less torturous. In those moments, we can unknowingly become “that” girl to someone else.

If someone saw me running up Cat Hill this morning, chances are they didn’t give me a second thought. But I was pushing the pace past Engineer’s Gate and my shorts were pretty cute – so maybe for a split second someone compared themselves to me. Without knowing anything about me.

“That” girl that you see in the morning and use to put yourself down and make yourself feel inferior – is probably doing the same exact thing. And she’s probably no different than you. With good days and bad days – confident days and days she isn’t feelin’ so hot.  

Are there girls that walk around knowing they are the shit? Yes. But those aren’t girls you really want to strive to be, are they?

Instead, take a little comfort in the fact that you don’t feel superior. You can’t imagine someone looking at you and thinking that you’re one of the ones that have your shit together. 

We can’t imagine being “that” girl. But chances are that whoever we look at and put on a pedestal – feels just as insecure at times as everyone else.

So yeah, we’re all “that” girl.

But seriously, there has to be a better way to juggle all my shit in the morning... 

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