Friend Makin’ Mondays: Questions and Answers

I went back to work after nearly a week off last Sunday, and I already need another week off. This week was so crazy, with the big audit at work last Monday. Well, we're not failures, but we're still losers. I spent a good chunk of the week feeling like I let everyone down, and wishing I could just crawl into a ball forever. Ugh...

Well, that's why the gym was invented, right?

Anyway, I'm feeling down tonight, so I decided to do a Friend Makin' Monday post to try and cheer myself up. =)

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

 Questions and Answers

1.  What is a typical weekday like for you?  Work in the morning, gym later in the day, followed by dinner and sleeping. At least that will be the case as of Wednesday, when I go back to working at 5:30 in the morning.

2.  Name one song that never fails to make you happy and one song that you always listen to when you’re sad.  Happy song- "Pound the Alarm" by Nicki Minaj. It makes me just want to get up and move! Sad song- "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay. It's actually one of my fav songs, and I actually ran to it, but I also tend to put it on when I'm in a blah mood.

3.  Did you watch the VMA’s last night?  No, I didn't get home from work until almost 10. =P

4.  Share at least two talents that you possess. Sandwich making and spinning for (almost) 90 minutes in one shot. I'm a Panera zone leader who loves spinning!

5.  Share one thing that you wish you had the confidence to do. Date. I'm 28, still single, and feel like no one will look at me (I'm kind of plain) or want to be with me because I still live with the parents and don't have a "real" job.

6. Tell us about one insecurity that people might be surprised that you have. I'm afraid to make mistakes. I feel like one mistake makes me look like a total idiot, and that no one will want me to do anything.

7.  If you could be the CEO of any company, which one would you choose to lead? Probably a mass clothing retailer, so I can be the first to get the latest fashions! My top two choices would be Gap (Old Navy is part of them) or American Eagle.

8. List at least three hobbies that make you happy.  I love to workout, shop, and be a fangirl.

9.  Is there someone in your life that you wish you could say “I love you” to?  No. =(

10.  Share one cool thing that happened over the weekend. I didn't do much but work this weekend, but I did have an awesome class at the gym yesterday with one of my fav instructors. =)

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions.  Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments!  Happy Monday, friends!

28 and Feelin' Great!

It's been awhile since I did a regular post, so I decided to take advantage of some downtime, and put up something not Friend Makin' Monday or Foodie Pen Pals related. ;-)

My birthday was on Wednesday, and other than a spin class, I had no idea what the day held in store. I took off from work, so I had one less thing to worry about that day.

Yes, you read that right. I went to a spin class on my birthday. What? It's my favorite way to cross-train (besides kickboxing, which my gym doesn't offer on Wednesdays...bummer), plus I had to burn off what I would be eating later, right? ;-)

Anyway, I went to spin, which was a totally different class than I was used to (instructor and format), but it felt so good at the same time. My Polar didn't record the workout (fail), but I still felt amazing when it was over. 

My parents both had doctor's appointments that afternoon (all is fine with both, so happy there), which left me free to relax and hang out with my sis and two and a half month old nephew. =)

One of the things I really wanted to do on my birthday was go to the beach. The weather looked very on and off, and I wasn't sure if it would happen. Thankfully, the sun came out, and I was able to hit the sand! It was a gorgeous afternoon and there was practically no one in sight! I took my headphones with me, but ended up not wearing them. I kind of just wanted to zone out with the sound of the water and my feet in the sand. 

Let's face it, no beach day is complete without a selfie and name in the sand. ;-)

Clouds rolled in after about two and a half hours, so I took that as a sign to go home, shower, and get ready for my birthday dinner with my parents.

The only thing I wanted for my birthday was dinner at Houlihan's, so that's where my parents took me.

Dinner was the ultimate cheat meal. I ate a half rack of baby back ribs, fries, a cup of baked potato soup, and part of a brownie sundae. You might be wondering what I washed all of that down with. The answer is simple: a pint of Sam Adams Summer Ale.

For the record, I enjoyed every bite and had no guilt. Calories don't count (much) on your birthday, right? ;-)

The rest of the night was quiet, much like the day. I chilled out and watched the Yankees and Necessary Roughness. Perfect end to a perfect day. 

So far, 28 has been, well, great! I hope the rest of my year is too! =)

Friend Makin' Monday: My Community

Happy Birthday Week to Me! My birthday is on Wednesday, and my plans of going to the beach may not happen, due to pending rain. =/ I must be the only person crazy enough to workout on my birthday though, since I'm planning on going to spin class. Hey, I have to justify my annual baby back ribs and brownie sundae somehow, right? ;-) Anyway, on to this week's Friend Makin' Monday post!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com, so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

My Community

1. Where were you born? Did you grow up there? I've lived in New Jersey my whole life, but moved from Elizabeth to Middletown when I was 11.

2. Tell us about your favorite spot in your city. The local bayside beach that's a block from my house.

3. Do you volunteer for any organizations? If so, will you tell us about it? I don't. =(

4. Tell us about your favorite local restaurant. My favorite area restaurant is in one of the other local towns (Red Bank). It's called Surf Taco, and has awesome food (Teriyaki chicken taco FTW!) and is very reasonably priced.

5. Has your city ever experienced tragedy?  If so, how did it recover? Hurricane Sandy hit parts of my town hard. My area was fine, but others weren't so lucky. I still see rebuilding even after nine months.

6. Share at least one unique thing about your neighborhood. I'm a block from the beach. Doesn't get better than that.

7. If you could do one small thing to change your community, what would you do? Create adult fitness programs in the community! I feel like everything is aimed for kids!

8. The Powerball is currently up to 400 million dollars. Would you move to a different place if you won? I would move to a different part of town, mostly for a bigger house with a pool, but I would stay in Jersey for sure. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments! Happy Monday!

Foodie Pen Pals: July 2013

I was supposed to write this yesterday, but I lost motivation to do much of anything after work. Blah. So, here is my Foodie Pen Pals post for July!

My box for July comes from Sierra of C'Mon Fatso. After exchanging e-mails, I had all this waiting for me on a hot weekday afternoon.

As you can see, most of it was chocolate, which sadly melted on its way to me. =( However, thanks to my refrigerator, it hardened up soon enough, and I was able to enjoy it!

Full breakdown of the box:

• Cinnamon almonds. Otherwise known as the best non-chocolate treat ever.
• Nutella on the go. I love hazelnuts, but have never been a big fan of Nutella. Guess I like my hazelnuts and chocolate separate.
• Bug Bites Organic Chocolate (Milk and Dark). Perfect size for when a craving strikes. Or when you want to make a s'more. ;-)
• Peanut Butter and Co. packets in Smooth and Dark Chocolate. I love the Dark Chocolate, and you can never go wrong with creamy.
• Chocolove Milk Chocolate. You can never go wrong with milk chocolate. Ever.
• Chocolove Toffee and Almond in Milk Chocolate. Another delicious treat.
• TCHO Pure Notes Dark Chocolate with subtle "Nutty" notes. The "Nutty" actually has hints of espresso with roasted nut undertones. Chocolate and coffee? LOVE!
• A copy of Julie and Julia. I loved the movie, but never got to read the book. Guess I have no excuse anymore, right? ;-)

For more information about Foodie Pen Pals, and how you can sign up for August, be sure to check out Lindsay's page over at The Lean Green Bean! Happy eating! =)