Prioritizing

Seriously I have SO many posts listed on a Post It note waiting to be written {pun not intended, but I like it so I am keeping it}.  I am sorry to have been very MIA this weekend but I took the time for an actual weekend at home catching up on numerous items that needed desperate attention --  helping The Housewife with the butter beans {aka babies}, margaritas + cheese dip with a handsome guy, house cleaning, time with Hogan, reading, stocking the pantry and fridge, cooking, dates (!), DVR, etc.  So I was at home a lot, but at the same time doing lots of other stuff.  I will have the second part of my dating post updated this week {I say this so I know I have already committed to the task}.  In truth I  am only waiting because I needed a good chunk of time to sit down and write it, which I haven't had and I want to make sure all the important and good stuff is included.  

I say all of this because I have been doing a lot of thinking about priorities.  As such there has been a lot of re-prioritizing lately.  I realized I tried to take on too much in January.  After trying to work  almost every day to earn some extra money to meet one of my financial goals I woke up one day and realized that training for my half was becoming really difficult.  And not fun.  And that I was working all those days to get rid of some debt so in reality I didn't need to spend another $100 on a race fee and another $100 for new running shoes in the next few weeks.   Something had to give and that was the Publix Half Marathon {sadness}.  This was difficult for me.  I don't like saying "I can't" do this or "I don't have time" for such and such.  Those are lame ass excuses for anything in life {like completing my dating post}; however, I do have to realize when I am overcommitted.   Does anyone ever feel like this? Have any of you had to drop a goal or a commitment to maintain your sanity and your quality of life? 

It's just that I want to be able to do everything I want to and also do it well.  I know this is not realistic -- thanks for the lesson January.  I guess when it came down to it the race didn't make sense in the big picture.  I usually try to pay attention to all the small pictures and hope that this will result in all the big things falling into place,  except I think that I need to work on my perspective a bit.  So there's a good goal for February I think.  

Atlanta is getting pelted with rain AGAIN this week.  It started tonight and more until Wednesday.  Still, I'm determined to have a good week and start looking for some positives like how all these droplets are filling up Lake Lanier and it will be boating season soon {yay!}.  I know it's not a snow storm like in New York blah blah blah - but they have fashion week so who cares? And I thought it was supposed to snow up north so no big, right? Anybody else with me on this? They all seemed fine based on my Instagram feed. 

And while we are dicussing priorities I'll leave you with this...

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

2013 Blanket Statements

{or resolutions, intentions, etc.}

I truly hope that you are all enjoying a wonderful and happy 2013 already! Even if I don't make a lot of resolutions or goals for a particular year I like to always try to think that it will be my best yet. As someone who is in general a "goal setter" and obsessive to-do-list-maker I really like to set a few large/yearly goals this time of year.  I usually do a pretty good job of working out most of them.  And even if I don't reach my ultimate goal, all I ask is that I look back and see some forward progress. 

Like any year, 2012 was filled with lots of highs and lows.  I have two beautiful, healthy new nieces.  I had to leave a job that I loved.  But I found a job at a new place that I love.  I went through {still going?} a devastating break up.  I went to the beach for a whole week {never vacation that long}.  My best friend got married! People I love had babies. I got another year with Hogan. I had some scary moments at the vet with Hogan.  I had to spend a ton of money on my little car.  I ran my best ever half marathon. I ate at a lot of wonderful new places.  I spent way too much money last year.  Went on some bad dates.  Went on some great dates.  Spent lots of great days with my family and friends.  I am definitely interested to see what 2013 has in store for me.  I am ready for the good and the bad {hopefully lots of good though!}

   

So, here are a few blanket statements I am going to devote some time to in 2013: 

devote less time to my iPhone 

there is absolutely no reason at all for me to carry this phone around the house, keep it on my desk all day at work, and check it obsessively for texts, calls, emails, twitter, etc. there is a time and a place for correspondence and calls, not to mention that this time i am wasting could be spent more productively on things like blogging, reading, having a conversation in person with a good friend, quality time playing with Hogan and walking him, or enjoying my own company without interruption. 

getting real about frivolous spending

the last year or so i devoted myself to working harder to religiously make and look at my budget.  i now do it habitually, but i am a real failure at making sure i am habitually saving money or habitually sending extra to my student loan or being completely prepared for an expensive vet visit.   this is something completely within my control and it needs to happen. 

obviously there are going to be set backs and i have already realized january will be an expensive month.  i want to remind myself that this is nothing that will repair or happen overnight and stay the course.  i'm not going to lie - i already succumbed to the new year's lilly pulitzer sale.  not a good start -- but i am determined to regroup. 

 read more non-fiction

obviously The Housewife and I are huge readers.  but i would like to make a more serious effort to get some non-fiction on my new kindle paperwhite and expand my horizons and try new things of the literary persuasion. 

to have more patience

i get it from my father.  i am terribly impatient and hasty and grumpy sometimes.  i want to work more on being calm and patient and not getting fed up with the universe in the span of 5 seconds when something doesn't go as planned or the way i wanted it to go.  

What are y'alls intentions or blanket statements? What non-fiction have you read that you loved or enjoyed?  Someone send me some savings tips and unsubscribe me from all emails involving JCrew and Lilly Pulitzer. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~ 

Figments of the Single Gal Imagination

Well,  our trip to Vegas is basically here.  The Housewife and I leave on Friday! {gasp!}

The Housewife is clearly not in the same mental position I am in because she already has two 26.2's in the bag {what a beotch}.  I have really been super stressed this last week or so.  I am trying to squeeze in the appropriate amount of workouts so that I will be well rested but enough to feel energized when I get to the big day.  Last week I really wimped out with Thanksgiving visits, cooking, cleaning, etc. so I never really was able to squeeze in much gym time. 

I have been trying to get some really good mental images in my head to help me think positively but this week I am also trying to reflect on my journey and other things I have learned (don't worry--no more pictures of me in tiny shorts, I promise). 

{other things I have learned}  

Don't ever say this to yourself or you might not make it through all the training: 

"Oh, I will train for a marathon...then I will look like that chick in the Victoria's Secret catalogue!" or "In 5 months I will straight up look like that bitch Giselle. Eat your heart out Tom Brady -- you could have been with me instead!" 

{mental image of what you may look like after you marathon train}

And...in reality, you just look the same if you are me. Sure, you changed your insides. I can outrun people. I can climb more stairs than most without fatiguing. Blah, blah, blah. Every once in a while I can eat a whole pizza if I want when I run 20 miles.  I may have lost 1 pound.  ONE.  My hair didn't even fuller and thicker either. Lame.  

{BUT...}

I have had the best time with The Housewife these last few months!  People always ask how we are able to run for 3 1/2 hours on our long run days,  but we just hit the road and talk each other to death like any normal day or outing.  On really good days, sometimes we barely even notice we are running.  You can do anything with your best friend beside you supporting you and loving you the whole way through and that is an incredibly rewarding experience even if you don't get your Victoria's Secret angel wings. 

There is no way I could have done this without The Housewife. She is the master of discipline and the best training partner this Single Gal could ever ask for.  And, I think she is even a little surprised that I made it this far.  (Ok, let's be honest...I am surprised, too.)  

Hope y'all are having an inspirational week and gearing up for some new goals in 2012! I am not sure how I will top this one but I sure am going to try next year. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~