6 Places.

"6 places" could also indicate a wide array of place - are we talking cities? Parts of the world? Smaller places, like my bed? I decided to focus on cities and countries (with one more random but very much important one in the middle), especially in light of my recent travels :) These are just my top 6, and don't necessarily reflect what I did and didn't like in my semester abroad, but more are just designed to reflect a wide mix of several of my favorites!

1. Shaker.  Of course. The place I grew up, the place I always love coming back to, and the place I hope to settle down some day : Shaker Heights, Ohio. The more I see of America, the more I realize how rare a suburb like this is. Seriously, it's beautiful. Green grass everywhere, lakes, lots of schools, etc. Beautiful old houses. I have never seen a suburb that even comes close! As someone who loves to be outside, I think that has definitely increased my appreciation of this place. Love it :)

2. Miami/Oxford. When I first started college, I wasn't a huge fan of going to school in this tiny country-based college. Passing corn fields and cows on the 40-minute drive from the high way through the rural roads to campus in Oxford, Ohio, gave me anxiety. How could I ever get anywhere? Within a couple months there, it's charm and beauty really grew on me. I love being able to see the stars and constellations at night. Having space to breathe, away from lots of cars and buses and action. I would never want to live somewhere like Oxford when I grow up and get a job, but as a college destination, it's great. My four months living in Luxembourg City also showed me that I'm not a city-center lover. I like to see green grass. I like to be able to run around my neighborhood. So, maybe I'm even happier in Oxford than if I would've gone to a college in the middle of a city (though for college purposes, I think either one could make me happy :).

From one of my runs out in the corn fields :)

3. Being on a boat. Sailboat, rowing shell, even motorboat - I like to be at sea. There's nothing more peaceful to me than being out there with the water. Preferably in a rowing boat :)

4. The UK. I have never been to anywhere more high class and arguably cultured than England and Scotland. These were beautiful places with some of the kindest people, as well. The history in this part of the world is also extremely rich and impressive. We spent 11-12 days in this area (mostly in London) and I would LOVE to go back for weeks more. 

5. Northern California. I've already gone on a bit about this but the bay area of CA is one of my favorite places. Good weather (not too hot not too cold, no humidity), good people, cool culture. If only it was more practical to live there!

6. DC. This is a cool city. Once I was walking through a park here and a secret service dude just zoomed past like it was totally regular. I guess because there, it is. I like the feeling in DC that you're in a part of the world where some of the most important, big things are happening (which, arguably, there are!). DC is a place in America that has it's own rich, cultural history and is full of vibrant people and lots of action. It's a great place for young people to start out - and in fact, a huge percentage of the population is made up of young people! I've visited DC a handful of times and could make a handful more trips without getting tired of it (and probably more!). A great city.

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Today is my rest day from workouts because I am working from 8:00AM-6:00PM and baby-sitting from 7:00PM to 11:00PM. In other words...I couldn't fit it in if I tried! Have a good Saturday!

7 Wants.

"Seven wants" feels like a really broad topic... my wants can be both of such a large magnitude and so shallow at the same time. My "seven wants" for these purposes are a mixture of both :)

1. To become a clinician. Becoming a clinical psychologist is something that I've been actively working towards since senior year of high school (which is when I took my first psychology course and also worked several psychologists/psychiatrists for my Senior Project). I think it's a lucky and a rare thing to know exactly what you want to do with yourself at age 18, to pick a path, and stick to it. While experimenting and trying new things to figure out what your calling is can also be a really important experience, I feel fortunate that I knew early on that I wanted to begin the long process of getting my PhD in psychology and becoming a clinician. Helping people and understanding what makes them tick is my passion. I have a lot of people tell me that I don't know what I'm getting myself into with this job; that I won't like my job when I have "crazy" people coming into my office every day. I don't think that these people's warnings could be more wrong. The more exposure I get in the field - which I'm lucky to have a fair amount - the more certain I am that this is what I am meant to do. I have about ~6 more years of school until I'm "official," but I honestly look forward to each of those years and the years beyond. 

2. To stay in a tiki hut. A much lighter note :) Doesn't it just sound fun to jump out a hole in the floor and into a kayak and boat around in warm, crystal blue waters?

3. To run fast. Following in the (literal) footsteps of many of my peers recently, I really, really want to be a Boston Marathon qualifier. Not sure that that's necessarily in the cards for the Chicago Marathon when I do it in October, but I would LOVE to qualify...someday :)

4. To see the Amazon. I know this might be a bit of a big leap from my relatively "cushy" travel experience in Europe, but I feel like this is a trip that I would now actually make. I know it's a lot more intense and involved to travel there than to Europe (as far as arrangements and medical concerns and other things), but the Amazon Rainforest is something that I would LOVE to see some day.

5. To own a bakery. This might be one of my least practical wants, but it still makes the list! When Alex and I first began dating, one of the activities that we would often do together was baking. It was a good activity because it taught us how to work together and helped us to really start to know each other. Ever since, we've each held a soft spot for baking. We even used to want to open up our own bakery (with proper financial planning of course!) before realizing that it would most likely be really tough to fit into our lifestyles (unless it's a project we work on in retirement). Still, I love to fantasize about the idea, and whenever I see property for sale in an ideal location, I always make a mental note that it would be "the perfect place for a bakery."

6. To write a book. I really don't know if this book would be fiction, non-fiction, research-based, or what, but I've always wanted to write a book and have it published. I've been writing stories since I was about 6, and have always dreamed of being an author. 

7. My own dog. When I can properly afford and care for him, I will be so ready for a lab :) I already have a local lab shelter picked out (even though I probably can't adopt a dog for ~10 more years and who knows where I'll be... I'm ready!).

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Today's workout:

-10-minute row

-5-minute bike (rest)

-10-minute row

-4-minute arms only

Getting back on the erg down in our basement felt good...and scary. I was at an all-time peak by the end of last summer; though I didn't put too much work only into rowing last summer, my running, spinning, and weekly (or biweekly) rowing workouts really helped strengthen my body overall. I made a huge PR on my 5k erg tryout last fall. Now, I feel like all that handwork has been lost. All of my running in Europe kept my cardio strong, but muscle-wise, I'm weak. So hopefully I can work on this at least once a week to get it back :)

8 Fears...

Wahhh this is such a tough one! I guess that's what they mean by "10 Day You Challenge..." 

1. Lack of success. Fear number one is definitely that I won't live up to my full potential, that I won't be the best I can be, that I won't make everyone proud, etc. It's so important to me to work hard and reach my goals... and I have a long ways to go!

2. Not appreciating each moment enough. My semester in Luxembourg really taught me how fast time goes by, and how if you stop paying attention for a single moment, you can lose out on great memories. It made me really contemplate how much we constantly are looking forward to the next thing, the next event, the next goal. Now I think it's extra important to value each moment in each day, rather than constantly look forward. Otherwise time passes too quickly you might lose out on memories or experiences.

3. Losing someone I love. Doesn't everyone fear this? One of the worst things I can imagine is losing one of my family members, Alex, or one of my dear friends. These people mean so much to me, I can't even imagine the thought of losing them.

4. Falling. Since I was very little, I've had a constant recurring nightmare that I'm falling from a scaffolded platform. Weird dream, and not sure why I have it, but I definitely fear falling because of it. I'll hang glide and rock climb to extreme heights, but this is the one reason that I'm not sure sure if I would love skydiving. I would totally do it, but not sure if it's my thing. That's also why I'm not the biggest fan of that drop feeling on roller coasters :)

5. Driving/Car accidents. This is something I'm really trying to work on, but I really really do not love to drive. I'm constantly worried about spontaneously losing control of the car and just crashing, etc. There's a lot of reasons in my life that I should be more comfortable driving, so this is something that I definitely need to conquer!

6. Bees. Never been stung and I'm terrified that I'm actually deathly allergic!

7. Raising children. This is probably something that many people find very daunting! I feel like parenting is the #1 toughest job in the world, and it's filled with unpredictability. I'm not sure if I'll ever have children but if/when I do, this is something that I know I'll be very nervous about!

8. Walking places alone in the dark. I'm not sure if Alex's worries and constant warnings have conditioned me to fear this, but I get really scared walking to my car or from somewhere after dark - even if it's just at the grocery store or something! I really like to be escorted when it's dark out, I'm always worried some bad guy is going to come get me (even sometimes when it's not even dark out!).
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I've been so focused on the "You Challenge," I haven't posted much else lately. I've been at work the last few days. On both Tuesday and Wednesday I did 3-mile easy runs (to recover from Monday) with rowing (on the erg!) after. I've definitely go to do a rowing-only workout one of these days... got to figure out where I'm at! My upper body was nothing special before Europe, but being away from the erg for all those months definitely contributed to some deterioration.

Today I drove back out to the Metro Parks and did 6 lovely miles out there. At first I was nervous about my safety out there, and I carried my phone in my flip band (which is always a good idea, in case I fall and get hurt which is far more likely than me finding myself in a sketchy situation). I also wore my trusty Road ID with my Garmin.

 My nerves were quickly eased when I saw that 90% of the runners/walkers out there were single women!  Still always a good idea to have my phone of course, but I felt much more at ease. I think my biggest danger today were the bugs that were zooming around or dangling out of the trees! I definitely feel safer now running the trails and I'm excited to lots of long runs there. It's kind of expensive in gas to drive out too much, but hopefully once a week or every two weeks I can run out there :)

After running I stopped at Trader Joe's and a couple other errands and then headed home to do 8-minute arms and 8-minute abs.

Before ending today, I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Alex who is far away for his internship right now. Everyone send him happy birthday thoughts :) (Sorry for the pic, it's the closest thing to finding one where you're eating a cupcake!)

My 9 Loves...

It's the second day of my "10 Day You Challenge..." today is "9 Loves!"

1. This should go without saying...Alex. The person I've basically grown up with, tackled college with, traveled Europe with, and had so many hundreds of other smaller experiences that were no less important in shaping both me and my life. Thank you for always being by my side :)

2. My family. These people have all been by my side through all of my ups and downs and new adventures. It's hard to put into words how important you all are to me, and how grateful I am for everything. I don't have photos of everyone, but if you're reading (and even if you aren't), I mean it :)

3. My girlfriends. These girls may as well be family to me! We've all been through a lot together and  grown together. All of these women (and some that I couldn't find pictures with, as well!) are strong, smart, beautiful and successful. Thanks for all being great role models :)

4. Rowing. For a number of reasons, rowing has truly created the person that I am today. Rowing taught me the importance of teamwork, hard work, endurance, strength, and stamina. I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for this sport. I should cut myself off here because I could go on for pages about rowing!

5. Cooking.  I adore cooking! I am so glad that my mom has included me in the kitchen since I could walk and talk, and that she let me start baking and cooking on my own when I was 8. There's something just so satisfying about created something delicious from an assortment of seemingly unrelated ingredients. There's something therapeutic about working with my hands in such a routine way. Cooking gives me a sense of accomplishment, and I love to feel that I've brought people together over a meal or desert. I'm really thankful that I learned about this skill so young!

6. Travel. It's hard on my mind and body to travel constantly for 4 months, but generally speaking I really love going to new places and learning about history and people that are different than me. I'm so glad I had this opportunity :) Each opportunity to travel is an opportunity to grow, learn, and better yourself. I think I will always be a traveler now!

7. Language. This goes right along with travel. I love being able to speak a language that isn't native to me! Speaking French this semester with fluency was one of the most rewarding things in my life thus far.

8. Books. This goes right along with language, in a way. Sometimes I feel like books played a big part in raising me. Books and my intense love for reading have shaped the way I think, write, and perform. Sometimes I can have the worst day, and come home and get lost in a good book only to emerge having forgotten about it all. I've also learned a lot from my books - which is something I only realized the magnitude of when I went to Europe and realized how much stuff I knew about many of the places we visited. 

9. Exercise. This gets it's own number separate from rowing. I seeing my exercise and my rowing as separate things - both of which I love. "Exercise" indicates the broader array of activities I like to do; yoga, running, strength training, swimming, cycling. Each of these makes me feel accomplished, strong, and fulfilled. The hardwork that I put into each of these activities helps shape and define me. I think my favorite thing about exercise is the feeling of accomplishment I get from it, whether it's just in practice or a session, or a race. My self-esteem might be at a low, and the accomplished feeling I get from a workout brings it right back up again. Exercise makes me feel strong, confident, and beautiful. Whether it's during the lowest and most mundane days (which are few and far between) and on the best days, exercise gives me a goal to work towards. 

With bright pink nails, of course :)

10 Day You Challenge.

When I saw PB Fingers doing this challenge, I was immediately intrigued for a mini blog series. After my exciting Europe posts, this might give my blog a little something extra to ease back into normal-life posts.

"10 secrets" is definitely a toughie to start off with... I'm not sure all of these are secrets per say but they are things I don't talk about a lot and that people may not know!

1. I used to be a "ballerina." Yep, before my life of lots of rowing and eventually running, I was a dancer! When I tell people this usually they are surprised at first and then they say, "I can picture that." I couldn't dig up any good pictures but I did find this one of my legs and toe shoes... I know it's a crummy photo but you get the idea. I'm sure you can all recognize my knobby knees :)

2. I'm not a native Clevelander. I have a California birth certificate! I was born in Los Angeles, where I lived with my parents for my first two years of life. My mom lived in Cali for over 30 YEARS before moving to Cleveland with me and my dad for his work and to be closer to family. Even though I didn't grow up in California, we spent many summers in Northern California where my grandparents lived and I have some of my favorite memories from there. I've traveled the world, and I still think San Francisco is my favorite place. 

The beach and mountainous views at the end of the Tennessee Valley trail.

3. Once I owned pet GERBILS! Sometimes even I forget this about myself. I definitely sort of fear rodents now, but when I was 12 I got to keep the two class pet gerbils! I loved them until they turned crazy and tried to kill each other. 

4. I love to sail. On the other side of the country, my other favorite place growing up was in Rockhall, Maryland which was right on the Chesapeake. My paternal grandparents had a home there, and I have some amazing memories of fishing, sailing, going to the beach, long bike rides along the bay, ice cream cones, crab catching, swimming in the neighbors pool, and pie with fresh cherries from the backyard. Sailing was a huge activity for us there and I loved any chance I got to learn how:

Grandpa, of course, was always right near by :)

5. I used to have a big brown dog. Yes, from ages 7-16 Sam was one of my best companions. I don't think I've ever met a sweeter, more loving dog, and I think about him every day. Even when I was in Europe, he would come to mind and I would think about how he always was there to greet me when I came home from school, loved swimming at the Metro Parks, and adored attention. He was a huge goof ball and could always lighten the mood when the goings were tough. Whenever someone would come to the door, he would frighten them with his big, deep bark and then when they came in, he would promptly drop to the ground and roll over to be pet :) We miss him so much!

6. I love to climb. I hate heights, but climbing is one of my favorite activities. When I was 7, someone had their birthday party at the Cleveland Rock Gym and I was the first one to scale the wall. Ever since, it's been something I love doing! I would love to climb real rocks one day (not sure how that will fit into my schedule :)

7. My hair hasn't always been this curly... Nope, I was born with straight (ish) hair! The curly gene didn't kick in until I was just about 12-13, and I feel like I'm still getting used to it!

8. I play an instrument. From ages 10-15, I was in the band! I play the flute, and continue to play whenever I'm home from school (it doesn't come to Oxford with me). Being able to read music is one of my favorite skills, because it makes it so much easier to pick up any other instrument! Thanks to this skill, I can also play a few songs on the keyboard/piano, and thanks to my wind instrument knowledge, I can pick up a saxophone, clarinet, or piccolo and play it almost as easily as the flute! I definitely plan to make my kids one day learn to play instruments, I think it's an important life skill.

9. My eyeballs are heterochromatic. Who knew that this phenomenon had a name!  This is a cool little fact that most of my family doesn't even know. "Heterochromia" is when one of your irises has a different in coloration. For me, it's my left eye (but my webcam flips everything to be mirror image so in this photo it looks like my right eye). My eyes are blue-grey but part of my left iris is hazel!

10. I donated my hair. This is another thing that's hard for me to believe about myself... but one day about a year ago I went from this :

to this:

All because I felt I was so lucky to have lovely hair and couldn't imagine what it would feel like not to have any, all while battling for your life at the same time. Donating my hair was something that was on my bucket list and I'm so glad I did it. 

The next part of the challenge will be my "9 loves..." stay tuned!

Happy Memorial Day!

Kept busy again today and had a fun Memorial Day weekend with my family. Slept in a little (now 8:30 is sleeping in for me, aghh!) and did some finishing touches on our new scrapbook... It's finally complete!

Headed out for a run and did 4 speedy miles. At home I did some 8-minute abs  followed by 8-mintute arms because I was feeling ambitious. I also stretched a lotttt and did some planks. After lunch I headed out to the beautiful metro parks with my family and did another 4 miles (these ones slow). This was my first time running in the metro parks and I LOVED it and think I'll be doing a lot more of that this summer...next time hopefully I will go earlier when it's not so hot! My grand total for the day was 8.02 sweaty miles and had to reward myself with custard from the Popcorn Shop of course.

Hung out at beautiful Chagrin Falls for a few minutes with my mom and sister and of course our ice cream.

After getting home I decided something needed to be done about my watch, which has been in smithereens since Dublin...

Decided to make a quick trip over to Target with my gift card... It took every bone in my body not to buy approximately 42 other things that I absolutely "needed" ;) Target is my happy place.

My new watch is pretty fancy...

Wrapped up the evening with a family bbq and read my new book outside! I'm LOVING the warm weather... I know I escaped the polar vortex but I seriously felt freezing every second I was in Europe. Wearing shorts is the BEST feeling.

Hope you all had wonderful Memorial Days - have a great week :)