Christmas Spirit

Hello all, and Happy Thursday!  Oh, and Happy December!  How was your Thanksgiving?  Are you in the Christmas spirit yet?  If not, get there!  Here are a few things that I think will help you get into a Christmas mood.  I hope you enjoy! 

The Best Way To Spread Christmas Cheer Is By Singing Loud For All To Hear!!

Did that do the trick, or what?  What are your favorite Christmas movies and traditions?  I hope you enjoy this post!  Happy reading to you!

Healthy Eating

I’ve decided that it’s time to actually do what I’ve been hoping for these last few months.  Since those last few pounds haven’t magically disappeared, it’s time to work them off.  I know, work….ugh.  But it needs to be done.  I’ve been getting back into a workout routine, although I’m not quite up into high gear, but at least it’s something.  Now it’s time to be strict with what and how much I’m eating. 

My goal now is to get at least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.  I’ve been loading up on fruit lately, so it’s not hard to get 3 servings of that, but the vegetables is where I am lacking.  I love vegetables, I really do.  Sometimes it seems difficult to get 3 servings of them though.  I don’t typically get any servings of vegetables during breakfast, unless I eat an omelet, but let’s not pretend I have the time to cook and cleanup in the morning before heading off to work.  This means that either for lunch or supper I need to have 2 servings.  That seems like it would be a lot of food and cause me to over eat.  This is where I need to control the portion size of the main item at each meal. 

I could also consider snacking on veggies an option, but they aren’t always quite as handy to take along with me to snack as an apple, yogurt, almonds, etc. are.  I know, stop complaining, Jennifer, and JUST DO IT!  Thanks for the inspiration, Nike.  I’ll do it. 

Weekly Wind Down

It's Friday!!  Yay!  Here are a few things to leave you with from this week.

   Classy.

Leslie Knope and Anne Perkins, Parks and Recreation

 

You can't watch this and not have a smile on your face.

L-O-V-E

Beebee Polar Bear, adorable!!

That's all I have for you on this fine 11/11/11 Friday.  Happy Veterans Day, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Adios!

Fitness & Motivation

I know it’s hard to find the motivation to get up off of your butt and go to the gym or do some form of workout.  It’s even harder when you haven’t been regularly working out to actually do it.  We tend to find all the right reasons to go (feel better, look better, better health, etc.), but actually finding that push to go is a little tough. 

What works for me is reading articles about working out and looking at photos of people who are in physically good shape.  Knowing that other people look that good and have the motivation to go to the gym helps give me that boost of motivation to go to the gym as well.  I’ve recently been inspired to get my butt in gear and workout more by listening to an audio book.  I have a few audio books for long car rides, but I decided to listen to one of them this past weekend.  Before that I had wanted to get back to the gym on a regular basis, but I just didn’t have that push yet.  The characters in the audio books I have talk about going to the gym regularly no matter how busy their schedules get.  They always make time for it.  If they can make time in their fictional, busy lives, I can make time for it in my not-so-busy, real life.

I also like to find healthy recipes online to get me motivated to want to eat better as well.  Working out is one part of it, but you also have to eat healthy as well.  I may not make all of the recipes I find, but it still inspires me to cook with new foods or remember that there are many types of food to choose from that I can cook with and still create a healthy meal.  It also helps me remember PORTION CONTROL.  That’s a big one for me.  I find myself eating more than a portion size once in a while, and then more often, and next thing I know, I’m up five pounds. 

Well this is my attempt to extend to you some motivation to get up and get moving.  There is no excuse to not go.  Think how much better you’ll feel afterwards.  Remember to not do too much too soon, or you’ll get burnt out quickly.  Start slow and work your way into what feels right for you.  Now is the time.  Do it.

No need to look so cheesy when you're working on your fitness.

Things I Need To Work Efficiently

Here’s the deal, kids.  My job title is IT Systems Administrator.  I work in a profession that is dominated by men.  More women are joining this field, but the majority of people in it are male.  So I like to think of it as ‘I do man’s work.’  I feel as though I have a manly side, so it’s perfect for me.  I love my job.  I get to sit behind a desk for large parts of it, but I also get to move around all over the building and mingle with, basically, everyone. 

People ask me what I do at work, but it’s hard to say, because I do so much.  It’s not limited to a few specific tasks.  I normally tell people that I fix things when they’re broken.  But that is so vague compared to what I actually do, and I can’t even explain it all in this blog.  To sum it up I work on anything electronic when something goes wrong or breaks.  This includes but is not limited to computers, printers, phones, headsets, disc duplicators, scanners, battery back-ups, etc.  I also setup and manage user accounts, manage our anti-virus software, run system updates, install software, manage all hardware, write code to test against some of our software, manage the IT storage room and supplies, and as of late I have also been helping another department communicate with our sales representatives to discuss some of our new software. 

Anyway, to get to the point I do so much and I go all over the LARGE building to do these things.  I go where the problems are.  Having to be in numerous places all over the building does not make it easy for me to do my job when I go to address an issue and realize that I need one of my tools or something in the storage room on the other side of the building.  This is why I have decided that I need a tool belt.   Yes, a tool belt.  I wish I was supplied with a tool belt.  This would save me so many walks back and forth across the building.  It takes so much time to walk back to my office to grab my screwdriver and back out to the warehouse or wherever it is I might be, not that I don’t enjoy the exercise, but some things need to get done in a hurry.  Inconvenient, is what it is. 

I could save so much time if I could carry all of my gadgets around with me.  Sure, I may look odd wearing my normal, every-day street clothes with a tool belt, but I would be efficient.  It would be so handy.  I bet I would get a lot of compliments, maybe even a raise, for how quickly I get work done. 

Now that I’m on the topic of being quick and efficient, I’ve got another request.  The warehouse has a concrete floor.  What would be a better way to get from one end of the warehouse to the other in 3.4 seconds than rollerblades?  A jet pack, but let’s be realistic, that’s not going to happen.  So I’ll settle for rollerblades.  I would even take a pair of shoes with wheels in the bottom that flip out when you want to skate.  Those might actually be more efficient, since I wouldn’t have to change my shoes to get around in the warehouse, unless I just wore the rollerblades all day long.  I would consider it.  I think it would be so fun to skate around all day.

Speaking of fun, I have one last request, for now.  I would like them to put a basketball hoop up in the warehouse so I could shoot hoops as I walk through (or skate through).  I would be thrilled.  I can see where they might think that this would cut into work, but I’m fine with them only letting employees use it if they’re on break.  I would actually start taking breaks then.  I think it would boost employee morale, and everyone would work harder, because they would be happier about being here. 

Okay, so maybe the basketball hoop is a little over-the-top, but at least give me a basketball to dribble while I’m walking around.  Is that so much to ask?  I think not.  It is quite possible that I have too much time on my hands if I’m thinking about playing basketball and skating around while at work, but I wouldn’t have all of this time if they would give me some skates and a basketball….

Imagine that girl wearing that belt.  Yeah, I could make it look good.

I could work on my dunking skills, but I'm sure I would look better than this guy

Dear Google,

Let me start off by saying that you are everywhere.  It is hard to not eventually use one of your many features.  And quite frankly, you’re so easy, who wouldn’t want to use any of the features you offer?  When I’m trying to think of a movie that I so desperately need to remember the title for, what do I do?  Google it.  When I can’t think of the correct spelling of a word, what do I do?  Google it.  When I want to watch funny cat videos, what do I do?  Well usually I find those randomly on MSN or YouTube, but I have Googled it before, and I’m sure I will again.  What I’m saying is that it is hard not to use you as my go-to for just about everything. 

However, as of late, you are becoming quite the pain in my rear-end.  I have some spare time throughout my days, and I like to do a little chatting with one of my pals.  I have a Gmail account.  I forced her to setup a Gmail account.  Now we have both things that are necessary for Gmail chat.  But you gave me hell from the beginning.  Typing words is very difficult with you.  Sometimes I have to hit one key 5 times before you decide to actually record that letter.  I type fairly quickly, and I don’t have the time to stop after every key to check if you weren’t sure that I actually wanted to use that letter, so you just left it out.  If I pressed that key, then you should assume that I wanted to use it.  If I hit the wrong key on accident I can go back and correct it myself.  I don’t need your help.  I know this sounds like it could be an issue with my keyboard, but I’ve tried other keyboards with no luck.  I’m glad it’s not just my keyboard, because I really like my keyboard and would hate to have to replace it.  You also do the same thing for my pal on her computer.  Not cool.  Get your shit together so I can chat freely and with ease. 

Also, why was I not invited to use Google+?  I like Facebook.  I hear that Google+ is a social network, much like Facebook.  I can only imagine that I would be willing to use Google+.  Did you sense the anger I had already had toward you with your chatting issues?  If that’s the case, get over it.  Send me the invite. 

While I’m at it, I have a few other requests for you, if you don’t mind.  I’d like some more theme colors in Gmail.  Something good too.  Your colors are seeming to be either very dull or make it hard to read the font.  I have terrible eyesite, much like that of a 90 year-old, and I don't need you to make my eyes strain anymore than they already do.  You could also make the pop-in chat window a little larger.  And from now on, when I want to search for something I want you to know exactly what it is I want to find and you just go right ahead and find it, without me having to do any of the work.   I don’t need to type it in, nor do I need to click on several links before I find what I’m looking for.  You just take me right to it.  Basically, I want you to read my mind.  I’m surprised you can’t do that yet anyway. 

Maybe it’s a little ironic that the letter I’m writing to you is being posted in the blog space owned by you.  I say ‘who cares?’  I sure don’t.  Now it looks like you’ve got some shaping up to do, Google.  Get to it.

Love always,

Jennifer

Blissful Breakfast

If there’s one thing in this world that can put a smile on this girl’s face, it is breakfast food.  It is absolutely, positively one of my favorite things on this planet.  All types of breakfast food too, not just one or two certain items.  I love them all, and I’m not just talking about hot breakfast foods.  I’m also talking about cereal, pop tarts, granola bars, yogurt, fruit and the list goes on.  I seriously love all forms of breakfast food.  I can’t get enough.

So, guys and gals, this is my tribute to BREAKFAST!  I have wanted to eat and/or thought about breakfast foods all day.  It only seems right to make this post about these delicious foods.  I have decided that my supper tonight will consist of French toast and BACON.  Wait, maybe blueberry pancakes?  I could also scramble a couple of eggs.  You can bet that everything will be drenched in syrup.  Oh, the possibilities.  I am giddy thinking about how wonderful this will be.  This may very well be the highlight of my week.  Is that sad?  I hope not.  I hope someone out there loves breakfast for supper as much as I do. 



Tell me this doesn't get your tummy-a-rumblin'.  That's right, you can't.  Now go enjoy some breakfast. I know I will!