Leaving 2017 Open...

2017 is upon us in a few short hours. "New Year, New Me," right? Ummm, no. That's not really my style at all. I am someone who is constantly working toward goals and I certainly don't need the clock to strike midnight of a new year to light that fire inside me for change or resolve.  I am proud to say that one of my best qualities is that I am a go-getter with a lot of intrinsic motivation for most things. But with that comes the desire to achieve every goal I set for myself almost immediately and done perfectly. That's not always realistic and it can be a real downer when I fall short. Unfortunately, this happened a lot in 2015 and brings me to one of my biggest downfalls: I am too damn hard on myself and can get very demoralized when things don't go the way I planned; especially with something that I worked hard at and/or put a lot of time into. However, while 2015 was such a shit year, I vowed that 2016 wouldn't be a repeat of that. Luckily, it wasn't! I had to make some changes in my mindset and my methods on how I would go forward to have different, better outcomes. With that being said, my one major goal of 2016 was to simply be happy. Instead of my usual objective goals for the year, I decided that in order to re-find my happiness there some were steps I had to take. I wrote out ways I was going to re-discover that joy and happiness I was missing and in the progress towards that, some of my other personal goals may just fall into place.

2016: A Year in Review

December is halfway done which means that 2016 is coming to a close very shortly. This year, like any other, saw a lot of ups and down for me. It also had a lot of change for me. But it was definitely necessary change for me. I started the year as a New York Resident and am ending it an Illinois one. I started it as a teacher and coach and am ending it as a Lululemon educator and substitute teacher. I started it quite unhappy and discouraged and am ending it renewed and hopeful. Sure, some things remain the same for me (body issues and loneliness to name a few), but this year I really tried to look at the positives a lot more because I was sick of the same negatives continually bringing me down.

This Jewish Girl LOVES Christmas Time

Its December!! It's the last month of 2016 and one of the most cheerful and festive months of the year. I am usually only home in Chicago the last week of Chicago for winter break and only get downtown once or twice in that time, but now that I live here, I get to experience the holidays in the city all winter long. Some of the holiday stuff went up mid-November and now that Thanksgiving is over, most of it is up which makes me so excited. For a Jewish girl, there are few things in life that make me more excited than gaudy, bright, sparkly Christmas decorations. I make zero apologies for it. The brighter and tackier, the better. It makes me soooooo happy!!!

Hey Chicago, Waddya Say...

This has been one hell of a week in Chicago. If you happen to live under a rock, let me fill you in: the Chicago Cubs just won the World Series on Wednesday. Let me repeat: The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. Wow, it feels so great to type that. After 108 years, the Cubs are the World Champs again. It's truly been incredible to witness and frankly, just a surreal thing to be a part of in the city of Chicago. The high that this city has been on is something that I have never experienced before and I couldn't be more grateful to have been a part of it first hand.

Chicago 26.2: A Recap of #11

I did it!!!! Yesterday I completed my ELEVENTH marathon and I crossed that finish line with huge smile on my face and then completely broke down in tears. Big, happy, hard-earned, sobbing tears. After everything that has happened with my injury over the last six months, I couldn't believe that I actually did this. Sure, I've run a marathon before (which doesn't make it any easier), but this was one that I wasn't totally sure would happen, even down to the last day. But now I sit here sore, accomplished, proud, and happy. And still can't believe I did it.

Chicago Check-In

I have now been in Chicago for a little over a month and half now and I am still loving it. Even though this is obviously my new permanent home and I've already said this, I still feel like I'm on vacation. I don't know when it will actually set in that I am not going back to live in NYC again. It's so strange. I am legit shocked that I got acclimated very quickly and this change of locale wasn't as challenging as I imagined it would be. Change has never been an easy thing for me so the fact that this hasn't been super difficult still (who knows, it may hit me in another few weeks) is seriously shocking to me.

So what's been going on here you ask? How am I keeping busy with myself? What the heck have I been doing? Well, here's the lowdown of my fresh start here back in Chi-town...

My baby is FIVE: Happy Blogiversary

This little blog that I started on a whim on August 27, 2011 turned FIVE YEARS OLD yesterday. It's kind of crazy to think that Someone Will Appreciate has been my little baby for the last five years. When I first started this bad boy, it was because I thought/knew I had important many things to say. In the past five years, I have written about TV shows, movies, music, sports, boys, work, running, workouts, poop, travel, or all the things in between. (Well not "all the things" because my parents read this and can't know ALL the details of my life. They might need to have a little birds and the bees chat with me if that was the case. I kid, I kid. Wait, do I?) But basically, since I'm a habitual over-sharer in real life and in my writing, most of the things that cross my mind, no matter how personal (good or bad), get written on this blog. I know I say it all the time, but this blog has become my outlet. If I need to get something off my chest, I write about it. If I feel I have something really important to say, I write about. If I have a funny (yet appropriate if my mom and dad saw it) story I want to share, boom, I'll write about it. I really do love to write, and this blog has allowed me to do just that. I don't care if five people or 5000 people (I wish) read what I have to say, I feel better when I write it. Plus, I now have a permanent record of what happened in my life and will always be able to go back and read and reflect on it. It's actually pretty freaking cool.

I live in Chicago now...

I have officially been an adult Chicago resident for a full week now and am loving every second of it. Running along the lake. Going to the beach. Seeing the gorillas at the zoo whenever I want. Being so close to my parents. Having a "big" apartment. So far, so good ChiTown.

Okay, so even though I live here now, it still feels like I'm here on vacation and just staying at an Airbnb (which I've never even done before) and not here permanently. I always come home for about two weeks this time every summer so this just seems like instead of staying at my parents house, I am at an awesome apartment in the city. I am exploring the neighborhood and trying to just enjoy myself as much as I can. I don't think it will truly hit me that this is my new home until my NYC friends all start going back to work and Labor Day comes and goes.

Check: My NYC Bucket List

With a little less than a month to go living in NYC and a summer off, I am trying to enjoy myself as much as possible and take in as much of this city as I possibly can. I feel like I have to get my last licks of my favorite places and foods and just get out as much as I can.

So many people keep asking me what I'm going to do with my limited time left here. They keep asking me what's on my "NYC Bucket List" and at first I really had to think about it a lot. In my 12 years living here, I've really seen and done a whole lot of stuff. Like a lot. The fact I'm such an active and curious person has allowed me to see and do so much in my time here. Running has helped me cover a lot of ground and having visitors come quite often has also allowed me to get to places I wouldn't normally go see (like museums or other touristy things). If it's on a New York "MUST" list, I've probably done it multiple times. 

One Big Leap...

"Hello fear. Thank you for being here You're my indication that I'm doing what I need to do." And let me tell you, right now I am scared shitless. But I am also very excited and very hopeful. It still hasn't totally sunken in yet, but last week I made the final decision to leave my job as a teacher (and a coach) and also make the move back home to Chicago. These were two major life decisions made very quickly but with a ton of thought. They were things I had been thinking about over the last year and I finally had to pull the band-aid off and do it. Were they the right decisions? I don't know. Were they the smartest decisions? I'm not sure. But did they need to be made? Yes. 

How Social Media Affects My Running Game

Like most people my age, I am constantly on my phone. I am either checking emails, texting (or even calling) friends, peeping Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc... There are few times when I am actually "unplugged" and "off the grid" and running is one of those times.  Although my phone is almost always with me in case I get lost, have an emergency, or need to snap a great picture (duh), it is always kept put away in a pocket and kept on silent. However, often times on a run, I will catch some beautiful scenery and have to snap a picture. I love getting a beautiful sunrises or sunset, a general landscape of wherever I running through, street art that I stumble upon (or even seek out), and post-race or post-run accomplishment pictures. Some people may find it annoying that I post running pictures all the time, and frankly I don't care, because taking these picture pre-run, during the run, or post-run helps keep me accountable. And let's not forget, they're fun and pretty to look at as well. There has been a lot of debate lately if smartphones have ruined racing or running as a sport and I'd have to say I do not think they have one bit. Smartphones can do a lot for a runner like track distance, pace, and calories. They hold your most amazing playlist or podcast or e-book that keeps you going at it. And they can connect you to like-minded people via social media; that's the part I want to focus on today.

It's Definitely Sunny in Philadelphia

Today I went on a very short trip to Philadelphia for the day; #RayRaysOneDayPhillyGetaway. About two weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to go back there since I haven't been in ages. This was my fifth time going to Philly, but really only my second time seeing all the sites. (The first time was with a camp I worked at, the second was a field trip to the science museum, the third was for the Philly Half Marathon, and the fourth was a day trip with my awesome mama.) I knew I didn't need an overnight stay to see everything since the city is small, but also because I still can't run so didn't need to pay for a hotel to get in my usual totally-awesome-full-of-happiness early morning exploratory run. I was bummed I couldn't run there but it saved me some money on a hotel so all I needed was a bus ticket, which luckily only cost me $28.

Why Traveling Alone Rules!

Summertime is just around the corner, which for some people, is the perfect time to travel. Sure, it's the busy season, but for some of us (ahem, teachers), it's the only time we get an opportunity to really go away for an extended period of time. I usually plan a big trip for myself every summer and I go alone. A lot of people gasp at the idea of me traveling by myself and have two feelings toward it: 1) They think I'm so lucky to be single and have the flexibility and time to travel without worrying about planning around another person and 2) They feel sorry for me because I am going alone and wonder how I could possibly enjoy doing that. I actually go back and forth about feeling both of these ways but neither of them stop me from booking trips and traveling alone again. Sure, I would love a companion and someone to share all the amazing times abroad I have, but at the same time, there is something about traveling solo that is so thrilling and fulfilling.

I don't get it.

As the weather gets warmer, many New Yorkers that have been hiding out all winter (ummm, ME), decide it's finally time to get a little social. As things begin wind down at work and my schedule is a little more open, I have become a little more flexible with my time and go out a little bit more and even date a little. Gasp. Yes, DATE. That four letter word that makes even the most happy-go-lucky women feel jaded and stupid. Or is that just me? It can't be just me. When my friends and I and share our dating stories, we all seem to have such similar frustrating ones. And because we don't understand them, we can't offer each other advice or anything. We can just sit there cursing the dudes and laughing over the ridiculousness of it all, because if we can't laugh at it, we'd probably be crying. (Wait, we do that too.)

Shuffle: The Awesomeness of Randomness

**This is a little revamp of a post I wrote about three years ago. It has been edited, added to, and reposted for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

Fall marathon training is about to begin for myself and many of friends this week and in the upcoming weeks we will be running many miles. Some of us have running groups or running buddies that join us on these runs and some of us run solo. Personally, every single run from the 3-milers to the 20-milers are me, myself, and I. Well, okay, I do have one companion that joins me along the way; one that I never run without: my trusty iPod. I need music during my runs. It's a must for me. I don't like to hear the sound of my feet hitting the pavement or my occasional wheezing. Sometimes, I even need a break from the thoughts going through my own head. The music on my iPod takes me away from all that. I clip that bad boy to my bra, pop my headphones in, and I am out the door, ready to rumble.

DC Day 2: Some much needed Soul

I wish day two in DC wasn't my last day here, but that's the deal with these quick weekend trips. You look forward to them, have such a fantastic time, and before you blink, it's time to get back to reality. But regardless, I was happy to have the time away from "real life" and get to go somewhere that I love. Yup, Washington DC is one of those cities that I could easily live in. Easily.

DC: Click, click

A little after I booked my London trip, I knew I wanted to go back to Washington DC. I went last June and had a totally amazing time running around the city (literally), site-seeing, eating, and catching up with old friends. There is something so awesome about that city that made me want to go back and have #RayRaysDCWeekendGetaway again. So right after London was taken care of, I booked a bus ticket ($1 each way FTW) on Megabus and my hotel (the same one I stayed in last year), and was already excited for what was ahead. Since I saw so much of the city last year, in terms of all the touristy stuff (which frankly, I sometimes can't get enough of), I knew I wanted to see some new stuff this time around on top of the usual go-to's.

Middle Of The Pack...And Okay with That

Since I haven't been able to run lately, its obviously been consuming my mind more than usual because it is such a big part of my life and I miss it so. So because I can't physically do it, why not talk about even more, right? Duh. In my tenure as a runner I have completed ten marathons, and though some of these were way more difficult than others, I am very proud of them all. Soon after I complete one of them, I get my fair share of congratulations as well as some questions about the race. Two of those most common questions are: 1) “How long was your marathon?” usually followed by 2) “Did you win?” I’m not sure which question irritates me more, but I have learned how to answer both of them without getting too agitated. First and foremost, a marathon is a measure of distance so a marathon is a marathon…is a marathon. It’s 26.2 miles. Secondly, No I didn’t win. Are you serious? I absolutely have never even come close to winning one (or thinking I could win one) and I am not ashamed at all. You see, I finish about right in the middle. In a marathon of about 40,000 finishers, I finish about 20,000^th place. And you know what? I’m totally okay with that.

Hooray for Global Running Day

Today is Global Running, the day formerly known as National Running Day. This is a real holiday for all of us runners. Unfortunately, because of my damn hamstring injury (that was only exacerbated by me stupidly trying to run the Brooklyn Half marathon a couple weeks ago), I can't celebrate this holiday by actually going for a run and it's absolutely destroying me (okay, that was super dramatic, but you get it; I'm pretty miserable not being able to run). I was barely able to run before that race and now that my hamstring was made worse (my PT said it was probably a tiny tear or really bad strain), I really can't run at all. In fact, up until about three days ago, it was still painful to even walk. But even though I've been in pain, I've still been dying to get out for a run. The second it started to feel like it had healed a bit (thanks to ultrasound therapy and electric stimulation therapy), I was so ready to go out and give it a test run, so to speak, but controlled myself because I don't want to cause another setback. I have been going for some walks in lieu of running, but they are certainly nothing like the real deal. Ugh, I miss running!

Brooklyn Half Recap: A Big Ouch for #30

I've run a lot of races in my life and yesterday's Brooklyn Half Marathon one of the first times I've ever felt that I didn't deserve the medal at the end. Sure, I completed the course, I just didn't feel like I earned that medal. I wasn't sweaty. I wasn't out of breath. I wasn't tired. I didn't feel like I accomplished anything when I crossed that finish line. I just felt relief, frustration, and a lot of pain. In my third running of the Brooklyn Half, I didn't exactly run the race, I had to walk it. It wasn't my choice; it was my only option, and it was miserable.

Yesterday was the Brooklyn Half Marathon and it was my 30th (!!) half marathon. The day this race opened its application, I set an alarm for it and immediately signed up when the time came. The race sold out in 47 minutes. From that fact alone, you can tell how popular it is. The Brooklyn Half Marathon is the largest half marathon in America and is a super fun one to run. You run the streets of Brooklyn for a bit, do one loop of Prospect Park, and then run along Ocean Parkway out to the Coney Island Boardwalk where you cross the finish line. So needless to say, I was excited to run this race from the moment I signed up. It's such a great race and I was actually really looking forward to be a part of it again and maybe even get my sub-2:00 half (something I have done once, but haven't gotten in quite a few years.) However, the race did NOT go as planned. Not even close.

Twelve.

Twelve has always been my lucky number. And today happens to be my twelfth anniversary living in New York City. Can you believe it? Wow.

Since I was born on January 12, I have always used 12 as my go-to number. Because of this, it makes this anniversary a little more special to me. I also know I say this every year, but its crazy to think I have lived in this marvelous city for 12 years. If you would have asked me 12 years ago if I would still be living in New York City in 2016, I would have laughed in your face. Seriously. Well, I guess the joke's on me because I instantly fell in love with New York and made a life for myself here.

London by the numbers...

I am back in the States after five fucking fantastic days in London. After booking this trip kind of on a whim, I could not be happier with my decision to do so. I honestly don't know if I could have had a better time there exploring solo. I did everything I wanted to do and more, and had a perma-smile plastered on my face the entire time.

Every single day was a full day and every night, although utterly exhausted, I struggled to get to sleep because I was so wired from the amazing day I had. And every morning I hopped out of bed ready to take on the new day ahead knowing I had so much planned to see and do. This is something I haven't felt in a long time and something I so badly needed back in my life, even if only for a couple of days. I needed that joy. I needed that happiness again. Traveling fulfills me so much and I wish I could do it more often.

But I don't want to go!

I started this morning with another spin class at Psycle and did it on nine (!!) hours of sleep which was glorious. This was the best night's sleep I've had since I got here (it was aided by Tylenol PM though) and it was much needed. Because this trip has been so go-go-go in typical me fashion, I haven't been getting home until almost 9 every night after leaving the hotel around the same time in the morning, so needless to say, I've been pretty cooked. I had debated getting up early and running before spin class but I was also desperate for a good night's sleep so I could tackle my last day here head on. Sleep won that battle.

This spin class was taught by a guy named A.D who I had heard good things about online. His energy was fantastic, his music was great, his intensity was phenomenal, and he was H-O-T. His glistening, chiseled body on the podium def kept me motivated throughout class. It was same exact feeling I have in class at SoulCycle when Trammell (swoon) is up on that podium. I'm unapologetic when I say I work harder when the instructor is hot. It's just extra motivation combined with my normal 110% effort on that bike. This class was even better class than yesterday and I was so happy I went back. I had spotted a juice shop yesterday on my way back to the tube and popped in after class today to get my usual Saturday post-spin juice. Although not free like my New York Saturday post- run or spin Juice Press (#willrunforjuice #jprunclub #juicepress), it was really good (beetroot, strawberry, banana, avocado and apple) and refreshing.  I loved having my usual NYC Saturday morning routine right here in London.

Girl on the Train

Yesterday was just so awesome that I had such a hard time falling asleep last night. I finally fell asleep at 12:30 and before I knew it, my 6:15 alarm went off because I had scheduled an early morning spin class. I gave myself plenty of time to get to the studio and was so early that I decided to walk around a bit because I didn't just want to sit there and wait. When I walked in at 7:07, still decently early, I gave the girl at the desk my name and it wasn't on the sheet. One of the other girls said it sounded familiar and that she had seen it on the 7:00 class list. Like an idiot, I got the time wrong and missed my class. I was so annoyed with myself because I never do anything like that and because I was actually near the studio by 6:55 but thought I was too early (which I would have been for 7:30) to go in.  Luckily, it all worked out and they added me to the wait list for the 7:30 class and I got in. I was in the back row-corner, very far from my front row center at SoulCycle but it was better than nothing. The instructor for the class had great energy and spoke American English which was a surprise to me. (I asked her where she was from after class and it was Vancouver.) Her music was on point and so were her cues. There were tap backs and crunches and travel-backs and obliques. So very SoulCycle-y which I appreciated. There was even a weights portion for the arms. It was a great class and I'm so glad my stupidity didn't get in the way of me taking it. I am signed up for another one tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that one as well.

Double Rainbow!!!!

Today was a great day! I didn't walk a thousand miles or see a million things, but I got to go to towns I have never been to and see things that were all new to me. There was one in particular I had wanted to see since I last left London three years ago. Because of time constraints (so much to do and so little time), I didn't get to go and see these things since they are quite a distance from London. Today I had scheduled a day trip to Windsor Castle, Bath, Lacock, and finally, drumroll please... Stonehenge. I don't know why I was so excited to see it, but I was! And it did not disappoint.

This day trip started at 7:15 this morning when I was picked up at my hotel by the tour group. I was taken to Victoria station to meet up with the rest of the group. It was quite a mix of people age-wise, they were almost all American, and there was even a group of people my age who I ended up talking with and hanging with most of the time. We all boarded the bus at 7:45 and were headed out on a full day tour. I was slightly concerned for one reason though: apparently it's illegal to use the bathroom on coach buses in England. Ummmm, not okay. But once we got on the bus, I noticed there was one (and I even sat right by it); however, it had to remain locked as long as it was in England because of that law.  I was so nervous about this that I barely had any liquids all day. Luckily I survived and basically peed twice at every stop we went to so there wasn't any emergency necessary. Phew.

Dominating the Tube

Today I did three things that I didn't get a chance to do the last time I was in London three years ago: 1) Go inside the Tower of London. 2) See Kensington Palace (and not a fake picture of it over construction scaffolding). 3) And see the Olympic Rings.  Along with a whole lot more. Obviously.

This morning started on very little sleep, as is what usually happens on my trips. I am usually so very tired at night but also so very wound up at the same time. It's hard for me to get to sleep because of the great day I had and the anticipation for the next day.  My body is tired but my mind won't stop. (Wait, how is this different than on non-vacay nights?) Even on 6 hours of sleep, I woke up to my 6:30 alarm for a run. Sure I could have slept in a bit and started my day a little later, but I like getting out before the crowds. I ran along the Thames again for a solid 5.5 miles at an 8:55 (!!) pace. I must have been feeling it out there because that is FAST for me. I could have kept going but I didn't want to overdo it with my legs because I had a lot of walking in front of me again today. This time though, I knew I was going to use the Tube waaayyy more. This time though, I consulted with one of the station guys on what my best option for payment. I ended up buying an Oyster Card and loading money on it. With the card, its cheaper than buying single ride after single ride. Lesson learned. Now all I have to do is tap it like all the locals and I'm in and out. And can re-load when I need to add more money. (The Tube system is so much more efficient than the MTA Subway system. They have certain "turnstyles" for people coming in and out so there's no congestion problem there and people always know to stay to the right if they are standing on the escalator or walking slow throughout the station. It's really amazing. New Yorkers could take some cues there.)

Snow? In April?

Well guys, I made it to London and I couldn't be happier. I had been counting down the days until this trip and could barely sleep the days leading up to it because of my excitement. I boarded the red-eye last night having taken two Tylenol PM, but I think my excitement even overrode them. I had been hoping that I would sleep the entire 7 hour flight but I maybe got a total of three hours of actual sleep. When we landed in London, customs was a breeze and I got my taxi to the hotel. Damn, that shit was expensive. There was some traffic and the cab ride took almost an hour to the hotel and cost about $150. Crazy. Ridiculous. And nothing I can do about it now. (I know it was expensive last time I was here, but not that much. Yikes.) But I had a big suitcase and wasn't going to lug it on the tube to my hotel so that was really my only option I guess. It is what it is.

Back to London!!!

Yes, yes, yes!! It's almost time you guys. Soon enough, I will be in London!! That's right, #RayRaysLondonVacay is about to go down. I am beyond excited and literally cannot wait. I have been dying to go back to London ever since I visited it three years ago on my first trip to Europe. It was by far my favorite city on that trip and I was really fascinated with it. The city was vibrant, modern, and active, plus English is the first language. I couldn't get enough of it. And I can't wait to be back. <Insert Joey Tribiani Voice> "London, baby!!"

STATE CHAMPIONS!!!

My 2015-2016 basketball season began in East Harlem at the end of October and ended yesterday in Albany. And it ended with a mother fucking STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. That's right, East Harlem Pride won state!!! We won the New York State basketball championship. I can't even believe it. I thought winning City was unreal, but this takes the cake. This was something I have dreamed of since I was younger and had hoped it would be as a high school player in Illinois, but it's just as sweet as the head coach of a high school team in New York. I literally can't believe it. It's pretty surreal.

Following last Sunday's city championship win, this week was a bit of a whirlwind. It was a week of planning and organizing for the weekend in Albany with my team combined with the stress and excitement of preparing for the actual Championship game. This was major. If we were going to Albany, I didn't want to lose. I didn't want our perfect undefeated record tarnished and I wanted that State title. I was hungry for it. It's known that city teams don't often fare well in the State tourney (and for us the city title is really the big deal. State is just the icing on the cake.) Our team went three years ago (before I was the coach) and got smoked in the first round and went right back home. I definitely didn't want that to happen to us, but at the same time it took a lot of the pressure off me because that's kind of what everyone expected. Except for us. We knew we could actually win this whole thing. We believed we could.

We did It!!!

OMG, OMG. We did it. We won the chip!!!!!

This is a post I have been waiting to write since last year. This is a post that I deserve to write. This is a post that I am proud to write. And this is a post that caused tears to stream down my face as I wrote it. This is a HAPPY post! Finally!!!!! (So yes, for a first time in a long time, these are tears of joy. It's about damn time I had some of these.)

Today my basketball team won the mother-fucking New York City title. That's right, we did it!! After losing a heartbreaker last year in the same exact championship game, we had our redemption this year and pulled off a one point victory. We went 24-0 for the season and are going to Albany on Friday for the state tournament. This is so surreal to me. I literally cannot believe this right now. We did it!!!! (FYI, my Illinois peeps, I know where we grew up it was all about who won State and that's what everyone cared about. It's different here. Because New York is so big, the city championship is like the equivalent of winning state at home so this is kinda huge. We'll go on to state and play there, but it's not a big deal. We got that city chip and that's all that really matters.) 

Working on Badassery...

In all the time that I have had this blog, there hasn't been a single month where I didn't post and I am not letting February of 2016 be that month. It has been almost an entire month since I last posted and it's not that there hasn't been valuable stuff to write about, but its just kind of the same things in my life that I keep talking about and wasn't sure that I wanted to write about them yet again. They are the ones that take up the most space in my head, good or bad.

In the first two months of 2016, I have been focusing on things that I want and know will bring me happiness (my major goal of this year) and am trying to go after these things. For some, there have been improvements and that has made me happy, and dare I say, even proud of myself; but for others, there just seems to be a constant process of one step forward and two steps back. But such is life, right? I can only keep looking ahead and doing what's in my control.

Colonoscopies and TMI...

I woke up this morning feeling the skinniest I have felt in a very long time. I wish the reason was because my body finally realized that my exercise and eating habits should be externally shown, but nope, it's because starting at around six o'clock last night, I was pooping my brains out. Don't worry, no UC flare here, but instead, I was prepping for a colonoscopy. Don't be too jealous of my life right now. (Warning: Lots of poop talk below so read on only if okay with that. But really if you're friends with me, you are, so go right ahead.)

Anyway, today I was scheduled for a standard colonoscopy because I haven't had one in a long time. I've actually never even had one here in New York and I've never actually had one when I was healthy. so these were two new parts of this whole experience for me. My previous three colonoscopies were all in Chicago and all because of bad flares. And because this wasn't my first rodeo, I knew what to expect. (See below of a mini recap of past colonoscopies and one sigmoidoscopy.) If you've ever had one of these before, you know the prep for the actual colonoscopy is far worse than the actual procedure. If you don't know that, let me explain...

Thirty-Four, I need to Soar

I am not gonna lie, but I am glad the year of thirty-three is over.  It really sucked. I'm not sure why so many things didn't go my way, but I am ready to let that shit go. So today, I welcome thirty-four. Well, I welcome it as much as someone who is not a fan of birthdays can welcome it.

For the fifth time that I have celebrated my birthday since beginning this blog, I am writing my annual birthday post. I like to look back at the highlights (these were few and far between this year) and the lowlights (there were a lot more of these which is also why I didn't write all that much this year.) As I always do, I like to start with the lows and end with highs so I can build upon them.