Facebook and its Members are Pissing Me Off

It all started this morning when I realized that my news feed was especially annoying.

Today's most annoying: Those obsessed with 12-12-12. I realize that the date has some type of romantic sentiment to it. Maybe it's because it'll be an easy date to remember your anniversary for the rest of eternity. But honestly, who cares? And for the idiots who haven't thought it through (my apologies if you don't think you'll be alive in ten years for 2-2-22), yes, in fact, you WILL be alive for another repeating number day. Kids, start booking your wedding venues now!

[Source: George Takei's Facebook.]

Selfie Picture Whores: Yes, I said WHORES. Defined as one who sells their body for profit (psychological or otherwise me thinks): Mostly women who have >70% of their tagged pictures taken with their daily "smize" look on their way to work, professional photos of themselves in lingerie (This isn't Victoria's Secret. You still look like a slut), or any position ALONE and taken with an extended arm or the aid of a mirror.
Oh and men who have 300 photos of their "8-packs".
Give yourself credit for being healthy and working out, but for the love of god, show some restraint. 

Suggested Events I Haven't Been Invited to: I've accidentally RSVP'ed to something I wasn't even invited to. Quit it, Facebook! Stop trying to make me more social.

PEOPLE WHO WRITE IN ALL CAPS LOCK.

People who send me event invites to "Lost My Number" parties when we don't talk. Especially the ones from people who never had my number. Clever game, my friend. Clever game.

When Facebook posts my activity on OTHER pages. Is there a way to stop Fb from posting my "Likes" on Instagram without de-linking the two sites???

Poshmark and other online sales adventures

Yesterday marked the start of my latest foray into the online world. I've officially opened several accounts this week. I'm surprisingly late in the times on a few (Like Paypal). Others are newer sites/Apps. Let me know what you guys are using and what you think of these guys!

Poshmark: This is an iPhone only app platform that helps you showcase and sell your new or used items. It's very simple to use. You just have to take pictures of your item, describe it, price it and submit. They do take 20% though (but they supply you with a pre-paid shipping label for your goods). [FIVE DOLLAR CREDIT for both of us if you use the following code to sign up: HNZZG]

I-Ella: Theoretically, this is an even cooler site. It allows you to Buy, Borrow, Swap or Sell your items! It reminds me of the first SatC movie and how Louise is always renting designer purses. I haven't used it yet, but it's invite only, so let me know if you have (or if you want an invite: Email addy please). 

The reason I went on this rampage is because it's winter, I may have done a number because of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales, and my closet looks like a war zone. My boyfriend also happens to be a minimalist and thinks I am hoarding shoes. Any woman would agree that I have the perfect amount of shoes. I am selling exactly TWO pairs:

I love these shoes to death and tried several times to make them work for me, but alas they're just a half size too big and causing too much pain. I've worn them a total of three times for probably less than two hours each time.

 [Aldo cream 4.25" thick heeled pump with a small platform. Size 40 (~9.5), Originally priced $100]














These are my sweet Burberry forest green suede boots. They were a gift and unfortunately too small for me. I don't have the box, just the dust bag

[Size 39.5 (~8.5), Originally priced at $750].



As mentioned I have Paypal now (yay!) so let me know if you're interested in either of these shoes.

Happy shopping!

Rent the Runway launch party: NYC!

If you haven't heard of them, Rent the Runway is a fun site to get  name-brand dresses for relatively cheap. The dress is yours for a few days and all you have to do is throw it in a pre-addressed mail bag when you're done. No dry cleaning or anything!
This week, they hosted a launch party for their new site and search. Essentially, now, you can search for dresses by your chest and dress size coupled with your height and body type! This comes in handy when you don't know a brand well. And since these are all gorgeous designer pieces, getting two sizes in the mail when you order one dress is also super-helpful!

Fit into that smaller size!

I went Pollock on my nails!

Princesses!

 Zapp is in a Pamela Rolland number. The new site style would have helped her out though, because as you can tell, she has an extra 6-8 inches of fabric behind her. The previous site highlighted the dress using a 5'10" model and a vague description noting that a wide range of women of different heights could pull this look off. Simply not true.
My Badgley Mischka dress was a touch long, but the rental reviews were helpful in noting that the dress ran long (and to stick with the regular versus the long).

The event was held at the Skylight West in Manhattan. It was minimally decorated and boasted a Runway prize wheel, a Make Up Forever stand and photobooths! The night was filled with self-absorption as you can imagine.
And rumor has it, Stacy Kiebler even made a guest appearance. Though she must have stayed for less than half an hour, because she was gone before we arrived.

 

[Pic note: Baubles I thought about stealing]

It was a fun night overall. RTR gave us a reason to dress up and go all 'girl' on a weeknight. Zapp and I will take any reason ;)

 Happy Renting!

Village Voice: Brooklyn Pour!

Who doesn't love beer and delicious foods set in a divine former bank building with soaring ceilings?! No one. But seriously, I felt like I'd closed my eyes and opened them again in Gringotts and was about to go downstairs into the goblin safes... for elicit beers! The Village Voice Brooklyn Pour event was held at the Skylight One Hanson in Ft. Greene Brooklyn. It was truly magical.

This weekend's event was an amazing foray into beer intricacies and options. I tried over twenty beers in three hours. My favorite was the Innus and Gunn Rum Finish. You wouldn't think the "pair" would go well, but the product, stored in old rum casks, has this delicious full bodied, smooth, sweet flavor. I'd definitely look out for this one.

Gorgeous venue!

Me and Amusium

I also tried my first chili dog at this event! Alas, I did not think to take a picture of it till too late. It was phenomenal. I don't even like chili! Thanks, Lucky 777 Chili for a yummy experience. I'll have to visit my old NYU stomping grounds and get another at their McDougal Street location :)

[Pic note: The crew]

Definitely an event I could go to again. 

Cheers!

New manicure: Jamaica Me Crazy!

Check out my new mani with my new Essie color, Jamaica Me Crazy and ring finger detail with Essie Set in Stones. 


What do you think??

Set in Stones can be layered for more or less glitter very easily!

Happy painting!!

Fish taco night!

Ryan and I were inspired by our recent dinner adventure at Zengo last week. We tried unsuccessfully to remake their cucumber serrano martini, but the fish tacos were another story :)

We used leftover rice, home-made pico de gallo, guacamole and corn tortillas (store-bought). Ryan also made margaritas from scratch!

Lightly toasted the tortillas

Pico de Gallo recipe below

Catfish with a touch of cayenne pepper

Guacamole recipe below

We also added Organic Valley Shredded Mozzerela and lettuce 

The Pico de Gallo recipe (I got to use my Slapchop!):

1 medium tomato chopped

1 white onion (the kind that makes you cry!) finely chopped

1/4 red onion finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped

A handful of cilantro de-stemmed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Guacamole

1 avocado

a handfull of cilantro de-stemmed

4 tablespoon scoops of the Pico from above

(I was lazy and had also run out of onions!)

Margaritas (yum!)

2 ounces tequila of your choice

1.5 squeezed lime

1 ounce Grand Marnier

Happy Noms!

I've joined Pinterest: Now what am I doing here?

How is everyone else using the site?

https://pinterest.com/yonlam/pins/

I'm trying to organize my "thoughts" into different boards, but I don't know if I'm being too vague.

My online life revolves around a few things:

Clothes

Shoes

Make up

Cute animal pictures

Things that make me laugh

Give me ideas!!

Blue Crush: A Nail Polish Story

I was feeling a bit anxious with loads of class reading to do... So naturally I procrastinated this weekend by painting my nails :)
I was really into the idea of the ombre so I went through all of my polishes and organized in color categories. Blue was overwhelmingly the only color I had 5+ options. 

[Pic Note: From left to right, Yang's Color in Beach Blue, Mary Kay Signature in Caribbean Blue, Essie in Mezmerised, Sally Hanson Salon in Gray by Gray, Revlon in Coastal Surf, some Hot Topic polish with no label (Freshman year purchase?), and OPI in Ogre-the-top Blue]

[Pic note: I decided on a super-short square file because I like fun colors on short nails]

I ommited Yang's Color because I think the quality is pretty low (Cheap polishes I picked up on the streets in Chinatown: serves me right) and the Hot Topic color because I used it on my toes (below)

[Pic note: Pinky to Thumb colors are here from left to right]

[Pic note: I used the random Hot Topic polish here]

Happy painting!

This is my French face

Tie a scarf on me and call me French! Apparently it's all it takes. I've had three people at the office tell me I look foreign today.
One guy actually said something in French...

[Pic note: Waiting for Chipotle :)]

[Pic note: enjoying the lovely brisk weather out!]

10 Reasons I Want to Win The Carnegie Hall Golden Ticket Experience!

Carnegie Hall is holding a contest to win the Ultimate Golden Ticket experience! This means that one lucky winner will receive FIFTY tickets to the venue. Please VOTE for me! All you have to do is click the link, and click Vote. That's all! (EVERYDAY!)
The winner can use all tickets at one show or divvy them up with friends over the course of the entire season! I'm not sure when it happened, but sometime in the last few days, I became enchanted with the idea of winning and started fantasizing about winning. Think of ALL of the great music and shows!!

These are the top 10 reason why I want to win thes:

1. I need/want to be more cultured!
2. I dream of flying my parents in to go to fun events like the Princeton Chinese Music Festival
3. I'm sick of movies and bad movie theater seats.
4. Ooh, acoustic Ben Harper!
5. Have I mentioned I spent nine years of my life playing in an orchestra and symphony orchestra? Sometimes, when I hear a violin or cello solo, I tear up. This definitely counts as one of those "memories" that I'll miss about childhood and what I fear most that today's generation won't have.

[Pic note: I found this violin at a college party circa 2009 and thought it'd be fun to play. I snapped a string. Oops]

6. I've always wanted to go to benefit concerts! Being bougie while supporting a good cause is totally acceptable.
7. The Canterbury Choral Society performs! People singing with raw talent. I've always respected that.
8. I'll have a back up "date night" plan for a whole year!
9. I want a reason to dress 'red carpet' and rent another dress from Rent the Runway!

[Pic note: Best Dressed ladies at the Emmys 2012!]

10. I can invite my friends to shows! "Oh, I just happen to have a couple extra tickets to the symphony. Care to join?" -Yeah...

 So Vote for me!! And tell me what you want to see, because if I win, I'll need someone to go to FIFTY Shows with!!!
Here's the link again: http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/250846/voteable_entries/58281901

Thanks everyone!

60 Days Complete! Gym-sanity is OVER :)

The day is here at last! I can say that I worked out SIXTY days this summer and totally kicked butt. I haven't lost any real weight but I've had a few people tell me I look toned. I can't help but beam at them and try to less-than-spastically tell them about my last 60 days. Admittedly, I'm going to miss the pressure and the exhilaration of getting my workouts in. But I am so glad I've completed this summer challenge just in the nick of time. It's FREEZING out at night! And school has started again after work so my energy level is on 'E' by the time I get home at 9pm.
However, after spending so many days in a row getting my workouts in, it'll be that much harder to make excuses even during my busier semester to slack off. Let the fall season begin. Who knows what I'll have planned next. Perhaps another challenge? Who's with me??

What I did the last 10 days:

Day 51: Still as hard as the first time, I did the Melissa Bender HIIT video.
Day 52: I keep returning to these 8 Minute videos because I think the Abs one is actually working and the leg one is hard but not strenuous. It's an off day video set for me.

[Pic note: Good morning, Day 60!]

Day 53: Zapp B et al hosted another BBQ/pool party in Westchester. We set up a volleyball net IN the POOL! It was the hardest game I've ever played, but it was so fun! Definitely a hard workout.

[Pic courtesy of C-moc Sandoval, Pool volleyball!]

Day 54: My Urban team played some real court volleyball and actually WON a game! Horray, losing streak over :) I really wish I was playing again this fall. Taking classes after work is just such a drag sometimes.
Day 55: I went to Boom Fitness for a quick run (I finally timed myself: 10 minutes exactly for my mile! Faster than I thought I'd get that done to be honest) and abs/legs workout with a body bar.
Day 56: I did day 52 again. I've been laying off the arm/HIIT workouts, because I got two vaccine shots two days ago and I can barely move my one arm. #lame, I know.

::rest day::

Day 57: Today, I participated in the Susan G. Komen 5k race. It was exciting for several reasons. I got to meet up with my Columbia friends for this one; One of whom actually works with an old co-worker of mine that also came to the race. It was also a beautiful day for me to finally time myself and attempt the 35 minute goal. Remember Day 42, the last 5k that was an epic fail?
I finished in 34:15!!!!!!!!!

 [Pic note: I'm the hairy one, pre-race with Ryan]

Day 58: Today, I did Melissa Benders holiday Hotel room workout video. I commented on her Fb wall about not being able to do those ridiculous side planks and she wrote back: "Do 6-7, and then try holding a side plank without moving to build up the core strength and balance. Before you know it you will be able to do a full set." So if you're having difficulty with those too, try that out! This video really inspires me to get it together. If she can work out in the middle of a vacation in Mexico, then we should be able to spare fifteen minutes of our day to pound out some moves at home. 

::School/Rest Day:: 

Day 59:I did another Melissa Bender HIIT video today. It's a sweat drenching one!
Day 60: AH!!!! I'm DONE! Meg and I went to our 10am Vinyasa flow class at the St. Marks Yoga to the People studio. It was SO packed today and a little bit gross to be so close to strangers while sweating, but the class was really fast paced. GREAT workout to finish off the challenge.

Let's go Zapp!! Just a few more days and you're done too!!!

In the last days before I finished, I was having anxiety that I'd let all of this good work go to waste. But I'm determined to keep up the good trend. I just bought a deal for five 1.5 hour ballet classes at Joffrey Ballet School in the West Village. It expires sometime in the spring so I'll have the next few months to take them! I've always wanted to take a ballet class and at 25, here's the perfect time to start, right? woohoo! I'm buying ballet slipper next week and I'm THRILLED!

What else should I consider taking?
I was thinking maybe Kickboxing or Hip Hop dance...?

Check out the entire 60 Day Gym-sanity journey if you haven't already:

The Start

10 Days

20 Days

30 Days

40 Days

50 Days

50 Days in: Gym-sanity!

Ryan keeps telling me he's shocked I made it past day three. Well here I am at Day FIFTY! I can't believe it either to be honest. My buddy, Zapp and I have slowed considerably in the last stretches, but with just ten days left, I am ready to turn it back up and get things done before classes start again in the fall!!

Here's what I did in the last ten days:

Day 41: I did a Melissa Bender Dripping with Sweat Full Body workout video. I CANNOT do those ninja jumps! I just can't. they make me mad.
Day 42: A couple of Ryan's friends were in town from Buffalo. We decided to do a fun 5k race this weekend. It turned into a minor disaster for me. The race was in support of ballroom dancing for kids, but it was so poorly organized. With 5 minutes to race time, one coordinator shows up at the intersection in Central Park and has a timer on her iPhone which kept official time. In addition to the fact that the race track wasn't posted or marked, it was over the 5k distance by almost a quarter mile! I run quite slowly so I had no one to follow by the time I needed to make a turn on a dirt path. I missed it and ended up running for 45 minutes before reaching the end! I was so upset because I've been training to get under 35 minutes. At least I got a good run in, right?
Day 43: Game day. Yet another week of no wins. It's getting frustrating but at least we're getting some great play in. Check out NY Urban if you're looking to join a volleyball or basketball team this fall!
Day 44: Despite the title of the challenge, I've been going to the gym rather infrequently in the last fifty days. I made it there today, doing a quick mile before focusing on abs, arms and shoulders. I used a body bar to do some exercises (like squats with bicep curl, or lunges with shoulder raises).
Day 45: Breakthrough day! Ryan came to hot yoga with me for the first time and actually enjoyed the workout!! We went to Yoga to the People at their 38th Street location and did the 60 minute Vinyasa Flow class after work. I know everyone is supposed to connect with their breath or whatever, but I cannot stand when I get stuck next to those people who sound like a dying whale all of class. This woman was driving me nuts before the class even started, with her breathing noises! Really need to pay attention to who I'm sitting next to in the future.

::Rest Day happened here::

Day 46: I went on a three mile run today. After running a few longer distances this summer, I enjoy being able to feel the differences in runs based on my energy level and the day's weather.

Day 46.5: I'm not going to count this as a real work out but I spent the day in Beacon with some friends and walked around the town for hours. We went to the DIA Museum, which had some great minimalist and installation pieces showcased. Then we walked through the quaint town's Main Street for the rest of the day. Beacon is 1.5 hours north of the city on a Metro North train so it was a great day trip if you're looking for something to do on the weekend.

 

[Pic cred: C-moc Sandoval, spider at DIA Museum]

Day 47: Meg and I went to the Vinyasa Flow class at the Saint Marks studio. I think we've converted someone! With Jackie's help, Meg and Russ go all of the time now :) Exercising with friends is fun!!

Day 48: UGH another losing day with the volleyball team! I think we're cursed! 

Day 49: Today I did another Melissa Bender HIIT video :) Those frog jumps are tougher than they look! Especially if you actually get your feet right up next to your hands!

I took a few days off here because of an out-of-town wedding in Buffalo, NY. I did get some nature trails in but there was no sweat dripping workout while I was gone. 

[Pic note: Groom, me and Ryan]

I did get to go on my first motorcycle ride though!! We cruised around for a few hours, checked out the Iroquois National Refuge, and the beautiful Becker Brewery farms.

[Pic note: badasses]

Day 50: Another sad volleyball game :(

I'm almost done with the challenge!! This has been such a wonderful summer :) Check out the previous posts if you haven't already!

60 Day Challenge: Where it all started

10 Days

20 Days

30 Days

40 Days

[Pic Cred: C-moc Sandoval, sunset at Beacon train station]

40 Days in: Gym-sanity

In the final stretches of the 60-day Challenge, I'm going to try to be more conscious of what I'm eating. One step I'm taking is consume less meat. By getting protein from plant-based products, I decrease fat intake and save the world all at once!

This is what I did the last ten days!

Day 31: This day, I went to Zapp B and Chef G's schmoozy BBQ. It was a smorgasbord of delicious. There was also a beer Olympics in the pool as well. Though I didn't compete in the races, I got my fair share of arm flailing and feet kicking in.
Day 32: I did the Melissa Bender HIIT video again. It's my go-to now for a quick but effective work out!
Day 33: Another go-to video set it the 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Arms videos
Day 34: My volleyball team had a beatdown session this evening. It was a hard three games but at least it was competitive. I'd rather lose three than play three boring games. I know, I know- This is what a loser says.
Day 35: I did another Melissa Bender Tough Body Toning workout. These are so tough, but I love the new exercises I get in. I feel like I'm really pushing my body. One thing I really cannot do though is those stupid side planks!!!
Day 36: This was a two mile run day. I've been so lethargic lately. I took a rest day yesterday and should have run longer in anticipation of the 5k on Saturday... Lazy human.
Day 37: This Melissa Bender Sculpt video doesn't do real time, so I added the 8 Minute Abs workout in after.

[Pic Note: Wedding Photo booth flexing activity- Showing my guns off]

Day 38: We had house guests this weekend so my workout space in front of the computer was usurped by the fold out and piles of clothes. So I spent about 20 minutes doing exercises I remember from all of the videos I've been using lately. I focused on abs, arms and shoulders.
Day 39: Yes another Melissa Bender video... Are you getting sick of these? Because I'm not! Monday Fat Meltdown!
Day 40: Ryan and I went on a 2.8 mile run along the East River today. It was exhillerating to be able to push past the two miles I usually run! Our starting point was E 35/2nd Ave. We ran down to E25 St so we could run over the pedestrian bridge. Then we ran down to E 16 St and back the way we came.

Now that the Olympics are over, and I have no more house guests (two weekends in a row!!) I have NO excuses to be lazy or drink like a fish. At this point in finally finishing this post, I'm 44 days in, so I have 16 days left of the challenge! This has truly been a wonderful summer challenge. I feel Frosted Flakes GRRREAT!

Where it all Started: Day ONE
TEN Days in
Twenty Days in
and The Halfway Point: Thirty Days in!

Half way done: 30 days in to Gym-sanity!

It has come to my attention that I never full explained why we're doing the 60 Day challenge. Obviously, exercise is good for the body, but the main reasons stem from a greater life challenge that I began with friends in February of 2011. I was about 15 pounds heavier and in desperate need of losing a few pounds. So I started the Biggest Loser competition with five of my friends. None of those people are still in the competition, but I picked up Zapp B last fall to fuel my fire and continue on more inspired.
We use a Google Doc to log our weight and the days we exercise. This is where the problem started. I noticed a precipitous decline in workouts since my inaugural semester of grad school. I would literally set goals to make it to the gym once a month so as not to waste my $20/month membership money. It got to a point where I was so exhausted, I was barely keeping up with once a month. This was when I knew I had to change something. After losing 10-12 pounds, I was feeling SO much better physically (Clothes were fitting better and my thighs don't touch as much anymore!) and mentally (I actually feel GOOD about myself!). But I'd stagnated since the fall and I really wanted to hit my goal weight loss of 15 pounds. BUT HOW?!

 I'd already become more conscious of portions and eating only till I was full. My doctor also thought I drank a little too much so I started using a paper calendar to keep track of the number of drinks I was consuming (and try to stay under ~10-14 every week). Apparently, the average woman should have no more than ~7 drinks per week. It was a little unrealistic for me since I was having closer to 20 per week, but I realized how many extra calories I was consuming. It was more than a day's worth every week! Just making these small changes have really had an impact over the long term. I wanted to make sure I was making sustainable choices, since I don't condone diet plans that limit foods I love (ie Atkins, vegan/juice cleanses etc).
Then in June, I counted the days till Labor Day (when school would start again) and noted that I had about ~67 days. And here we are today. I haven't really lost any additional weight but I can actually feel muscle definition and a toned stomach these days. There isn't really a more gratifying experience than that. And I'm SO excited for Zapp B's pool party this weekend now! (Zapp has lost almost 11 pounds since October as well!!) Bikini season is in full swing and I'm LOVIN' it!

Here's the Gym-sanity summary:

Day 21: It's nice playing volleyball with the boyfriend again. Our new team is awesome and we kicked butt for our first game.
Day 22: I was getting a little tired of the videos I've been doing so I tried a new one. HOLY COW: Cardio: 15 Minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Melissa Bender Fitness If you can actually do this whole 15 minute video without wanting to pass out, Congrats. I respect you. Really try to execute every move with the correct form to get the best out of it!
Day 23: I did the 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Arms videos again. It's funny how working out everyday now, I feel lazy when I just do these videos. That makes me feel a little accomplished looking back on these work outs.
Day 24: I was so impressed with the HIIT video, I decided to try it again. I really tried hard to make sure I was doing the form correctly so each rep was solid.
Day 25: Ryan and I went on a weekend trip to Ithaca, NY. We spent about three hours canoeing on Lake Cayuga and then did a short hike down to Buttermilk Falls. I'll post more details about our trip later!
Day 26: The next day, we visited the Robert H Treman Park swimming grounds. The "deep end" by the waterfalls was over 18 feet deep and had a diving board you could launch off of! The water was mountain crisp but it was a welcome reprieve from the high 80s heat of the day.

 

Day 27: I played volleyball with the new team this evening. We lost all three games but it was such a tough match. Despite the losses, it was such a high energy/high skill game that I enjoyed every minute of it.
Day 28: Another volleyball night for me! My old girl's team, the Volley Vixens, are in need a middle. I subbed in as the shortest middle in the history of volleyball haha. Hard game as well and I got a nice stuff. I felt like an Olympic champion!!
Day 29: Meghan and I went to a 90 minute traditional hot yoga class at  Yoga to the People in midtown. It was grueling work and I had to lay down a few times. I also woke up the next day with a tweaked trap muscle. This has become a recurring injury and it's driving me nuts. I hope it goes away soon. It's putting a damper in my workout routine!

::A Rest Day occurred here::

Day 30: I went to the gym finally. Did some biking and ab work before my weekend started!


Zapp B sent me a great exercise idea to think about. hehehe.

20 Days in: Gym-sanity!

I'm really enjoying the ease of falling into exercise everyday. It's amazing to me how much I struggled getting just ONE workout in every week a couple months ago. Obviously it has to do with the full-time job coupled with my part-time masters program, but I still should have/make time to do something good for my body. I honestly do feel more in shape than a few weeks ago, but every so often, when I'm eight minutes into a workout, I still feel like quitting. Being human really does suck. With my new found love of cardio and high intensity workout videos, I don't think I'll have too much of a problem going forward though... I hope.

Here's what I did for the past ten days:

Day 11: Two miles on the treadmill at Boom Fitness. It was quite boring but at least I got to watch Bones on tv!
Day 12: I went back to Yoga to the People for their noon vinyasa session. As always, it was kick butt. I wonder what the average donation amount is. I always give $5... I'm going to try to go to my own gym's classes. It's free. For some reason I feel threatened by them. I really shouldn't. I'm going to DO IT!
Day 13: I did the 1 Minute video twice. It was really hard but I needed some cardio in my life and had no time to do anything else. Honestly though, I'm dripping sweat like NBA basketball players at the free throw line. I need one of those sweat boys mopping my yoga mat up!
Day 14: I biked at the gym. I wasn't feeling well, so this was the easiest thing I could do before running out of the over-crowded gym.
Day 15: I decided to join a volleyball league for the remainder of the summer since I'm bored to death of the gym AND I have 1.5 months left of summer before classes start again. New York Urban has been one of my favorite leagues so far. I went to the open gym to meet a new team and get my work out in! woohoo! Go team BXm10!
Day 16: I went on another two mile run. I go up First Ave from East 36th street and turn back toward Second Ave on East 55th Street. 20 blocks equal one mile! Second Ave is a little crowded compared to First, but it's still a nice slightly hilly challenge every so often.

::A Rest Day happened here::

Day 17: I did the same two mile run as day 16. I'm thinking about upping it to 2.5 miles soon! 5k training has commenced!
Day 18: I'm in love with the 8 Minute series! I just did the Abs and then the Buns one with Ryan and we're both drenched. It makes me happy to see him sweat. It makes me feel like it's not just me and that I have some physical endurance building up.
Day 19: I went on a run with Russell's dog this weekend. It was almost two miles. It was a bit rough. That sucker can go! He's a little Boston terrier with SO much energy!
My friends and I also partook in a Living Social Adventure! We did the River tubing event down the Delaware River in PA. It sounds like a lazy adventure but there was a lot of paddling to do and we got caught in a thunderstorm for a few minutes. But the BBQ and beer after really sealed the deal. Good times. I count that as an arm workout too ;)
Day 20: I checked out some different 8 Minute videos. I did the 8 Minute Legs video and the 8 Minute Arms video. The arms one requires some weights though (light ones are fine since you do a lot of reps).


In case you're interested, here's the First Ten Days and the Introduction to the Challenge!

10 days in: Gym-sanity

Has anyone seen the movie, Running the Sahara? It was one of the motivations for me to start this 60-Day challenge and I keep thinking back and wonder HOW the heck did they do it?! Three men endeavor to cross the Sahara Desert on foot. It took 111 days of running multiple marathons a day (no days off) to accomplish, but they succeeded! It was a great movie, and it's on Instant Watch, so check it out!

So here I am, day 10, and I am sore, head to toe! I feel like such an amateur. The breakdown of my last ten days is as follows:
Day 1: 20 minutes bike, abs, legs
Day 2: 15 minute run: ~1.5 miles
Day 3: I decided to check out my girl, Amina Zena's workout videos. She's a personal trainer with a hilarious attitude for life. These are the ones I chose:  Core Workout for Beginners and  1 Minute Workout: Ass and Abs
Day 4: I was feeling lazy and couldn't bring myself to go outside in the 90+ degree weather so I did the Core Workout again plus another video, 1 Minute Workout!!

::My first Rest Day Happened here::

Day 5: Ryan and I decided to go to an 11am Saturday Spinning class at our gym, Boom Fitness. I don't usually like these types of classes, but the woman in charge made us do a lot of push ups on the handle bars and a lot of standing work. Plus she had a ton of great pop music blaring the whole time (Ryan probably hated this). This made the hour fly by. I'll definitely do it again!
Day 6: Russ, Meg and I went to a power Vinyasa flow class at Yoga to the People on St. Marks. It's a suggested donation ($1-10) yoga studio and there are quite a few locations throughout the city and the country! They even have hot yoga classes. I'll definitely go to one of those before the challenge ends.
Day 7: I needed a light day from all the classes over the weekend so I did 20 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. It's the only time I get to watch tv.
Day 8: I did the day 3 video workout again. Coming up with things to do is hard! I couldn't be a personal trainer haha
Day 9: Ryan and I went on a run in Central Park. We ran to the reservoir and around. It was about 1.75 miles. What a trek in that heat!! I'm signing up for a race on August 11th in Central Park so I better get my butt into gear! It's only a 5k but I actually want to do well. I have NO endurance and it makes me feel like I'm not in good shape. Here's my chance to shine!
Day 10: Video day again! I did the 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Buns workouts that were made in the 90s. I love how the guy uses the word "gang" to rally spirits. My abs and buns feel great today!

Come Day 60, Zapp and I will (not) look like Dana Linn Bailey!

"I don't find the time to exercise, I make the time to exercise."