HP 30 Day Challenge: Day 1

Day 1 - Favorite Book in the Series

Easy question for me: Prisoner of Azkaban. I love this story so much. I feel like we learned so much, more than in either of the first two books. This was where Harry really started to transition for me from a boy to a hero. I mean, sure, he saved the day in both of the first two books, but this was where I really started to FEEL for him. He learns so much about his family and what happened to them. He meets his godfather. He saves the life of a man who doesn't deserve it. There was SO much action and story in this book.

Plus Hermione was a badass.

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Harry Potter 30 Day Challenge

Day 1 - Favorite Book in the Series

Day 2 - Least Favorite Book in the Series

Day 3 - Favorite Character

Day 4 - Favorite Villain

Day 5 - Saddest Moment

Day 6 - Favorite Professor

Day 7 - Least Favorite Professor

Day 8 - Favorite Subject

Day 9 - Least Favorite Subject

Day 10 - Favorite Shop in Diagon Alley

Day 11 - Most Beautiful Character

Day 12 - Most Missed Dead Character

Day 13 - Favorite Book Cover

Day 14 - Favorite Tri-Wizard Tournament Challenge

Day 15 - Rate the Houses From Most to Least Favorite

Day 16 - Favorite Animagus

Day 17 - Favorite Unforgivable Curse

Day 18 - Favorite Horcrux

Day 19 - Favorite Deathly Hallow

Day 20 - Funniest Moment

Day 21 - Most Emotional Moment

Day 22 - Aspired Quidditch Position

Day 23 - Favorite Patronus

Day 24 - What You Think Your Patronus Would Be

Day 25 - Favorite Dursley

Day 26 - Favorite Wand

Day 27 - Favorite Magical Ability (Animagi Transformation, Metamorphmagi, Parselmouth, Flying, Seer, Appartion and Disapparition, Legilimency and Occlumency, Veela Charm, Magical Resistance)

Day 28 - Favorite Death Eather

Day 29 - Favorite Portrait

Day 30 - Favorite Spell

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Day One

Here's the newest installment of the Workout Diaries. I sound like such a goober.

I've also put together a list of rewards for reaching my weight loss goals.

Starting weight: 220 lbs

Goal weight: 145 lbs

215 lbs                       New music

210 lbs                       New workout dvd

205 lbs                       Fun workout tank

200 lbs                       Get pedicure

195 lbs                       New book

190 lbs                       30 minute massage

185 lbs                       New running shoes

180 lbs                       New dvd

175 lbs                       New workout outfit

170 lbs                       Weekend beach trip

165 lbs                       Something from amazon wishlist

160 lbs                       New jeans

155 lbs                       New design class

150 lbs                       New outfit ($100)

145 lbs                       Trip to Disney world

Maybe some of those are crazy, but I think it'll help motivate me. I'm also going to create a schedule of workouts so that it's not so easy for me to skip out. I'm looking for anything that will keep me from quitting like I always do. I hope I can make it happen this time.

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Workout Diaries: Starting Out

I went to DC this past week, and I took several touristy pictures. When I looked at them, I deleted several of them because I looked awful. I've gotten a lot more stationary since I started my new job (which I've been at for a year! Can't believe it!) and it shows. So I decided to get serious. I'm tired of my weight being an issue. I'm tired of hating the way I look or not being able to buy some of the current styles of clothing.

And to (hopefully) keep me motivated (even though I'm not great at this whole blogging thing), I'm gonna try video blogging. Here's the first one to start off the Workout Diaries.

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Paint Therapy

It's amazing to me how painting can be so therapeutic and so anxiety-packed at the same time. I try to not get caught up in the perfection, but sometimes I can't help but get frustrated when something doesn't turn out the way I want it.

Take tonight, for example.

Heather and I went to Masterpiece Mixers in Suwanee to paint Starry Night Atlanta. The hardest part for me is getting started, because I can see all of the imperfections. But they will be taken care of once the painting starts to form.

my painting background 

Heather's painting background

We met lots of really nice people throughout the evening. We all seemed to be in the same boat: wanting to paint but having trouble not being perfectionists.

we added our "Van Gogh swirls"

Heather's "Van Gogh swirls"

The instructors had a few rules, the most important being "No badmouthing your painting!"

we added the stars and the Atlanta skyline (to be filled in)

Heather's stars and skyline

They also had to remind us to breathe at certain times, specifically when doing the swirls and the roads.

my filled in skyline

Heather's filled in skyline

But in the end, they turned out wonderfully! It's amazing how different everyone's ended up, despite following the same instructions.

my finished painting

Heather's finished painting

There's a really cool one of the Fox that they're doing next month. I missed out on the Eiffel Tower one that I wanted to do, BUT you could buy their extras, so I ended up buying that one. It's gorgeous. Here's a blurry picture from their website. I'm in love with it.

I really like these classes. It's so much fun to go and paint with people that are generally on the same skill level as you. Can't wait to do another! I'm going to count this as part of one of my 26 Before 27 things: Go to three places that I've never been before. I've been to Masterpiece Mixers, but I went to a different location, so I'm counting it lol I need to get moving on my list.. only 7 more months to complete the majority of the things on the list!

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Missing You

First of all, we've got a new look! My Illustrator 101 class homework for week 3 was to design a blog header and button, so I decided to make the change. The colors remind me of the beach, which I need to visit soon. I need to spend a few days sitting in the sand, reading and listening to music, sipping on a drink and not thinking about anything. But for now, that's not happening, so let's get back to it.

Lately I've been thinking about the people that have come and gone from my life. Having moved around a lot, there are LOTS of them, but a few have been hitting more than usual.

Corey: I miss my old teammate. We only teamed together for half a year, but I thought we really bonded. We went through hell together, then he went to 6th grade and our hells continued to grow. Thankfully, he got a job teaching SS (his subject of choice) at another middle school and I got my current job, so we're both much happier. But I miss seeing him and talking to him.

Jake: We were close in college. (BTW that was SO weird to say. I can't believe I graduated almost 3 years ago. That's insane.) We initially met through my freshman year roommate Liz, then we re-met through Jona after Rylan and I broke up. He was a good friend during a rough time. I had a crush on him at different points in our friendship, but eventually I realized that it would never work out. I don't know if our friendship was always so one-sided or if it changed to be that way, but it got too hard to even be around him. I felt that I was always second (or third or fourth or fifth...) to everyone else. The final straw was when Katie threw a surprise party for my birthday.. at his apartment.. and he wasn't there. He left in the middle of the day to go to Valdosta. After that, I put up a shield and moved on. But I'll hear a song that we would sing or watch a movie that makes me think of him, and it makes me sad. Like deep, heart-wrenching ache.

Lindsey: She was my best friend in 4th and 5th grade. I haven't even really talked to her in like 15 years. But I saw Haley's post for Lindsey's birthday the other day, talking about their long friendship, and it made me really miss her.

Nathan: One of my first real crushes. I used to chase him around the Sunday school classroom and try to kiss him on the neck (no idea why..), and he would call me "um girl" because I would say "um" a lot. We connected on Facebook senior year of high school, then in college, his girlfriend lived in my building, was friends with someone I knew from church who lived on my floor, and was in my poli-sci class. They got married a few years ago and have adopted a little boy and are in the process of adopting another little boy. I'm so excited for them, but I'm also a little jealous. I can't wait to adopt. Honestly, I can't. I'd do it today if I could.

Allison: My AlliKat. We were best friends in 6th-8th grade. We lost touch when I moved to Augusta but reconnected on Facebook. She's married and has a baby boy on the way! But man, do I miss those old times. Sleepovers at her house, band class, church camp, going to the mall, writing notes on black paper with gel pens and leaving them in desks when we changed classes.

I basically am just wishing that I could go back to old memories and relive them. If I could go back and do my life over, I would. There are a lot of things that I would do differently. College would've been vastly different. And maybe I wouldn't feel as lonely as I do now. I have some great friends, but most of the time, I feel like I'm completely alone. I can count on one hand the number of people that I could call up to hang out. There are lots of people that I occasionally talk to on Twitter or Facebook, but if I had a party, they wouldn't show up. That sucks, but that's life.

The last few months have taught me that I have got to stop making my friendships into more than they are. All that does is lead to disappointment. I get too close too fast, and then I end up hurt. So now I'm guarded. And I'm wary of people. And I don't want to meet people because the majority of the people that I meet and start to love just leave. It's a vicious cycle. At least I have my cats.

That was a lot more depressing than I'd intended it to be, but I'm tired of keeping it in. This is my outlet, and I can say how I feel. I don't mean for this to hurt anyone's feelings or anything like that. Just trying to be a little more honest with myself.

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Busy Little Bee

The past month has been crazy busy, but in a good way.

I rediscovered my love for graphic design and decided to take an online class to learn the new-to-me program, Adobe Illustrator. I'm taking Illustrator 101, and I just love it! I'd been using some trials of CS5 and the new CC platform, and I decided to bite the bullet and buy a yearlong subscription for a discounted price. My short-term goal is to master the pen tool, and my long-term goal is to open an Etsy shop (or something of that nature) and sell my designs, whether that is printables, cards, or something of that nature.

I got to go to Winter Jam for the second straight year with Melanie, and I had the greatest time! The music was incredible this year, Melanie adopted a Holt International child with special needs, and we got to hear Michael Tait sing Jesus Freak. We're 1/3 of the way to our dream of hearing Jesus Freak performed live by dc Talk. I finally got to see Lecrae perform, which was wonderful, though I wish he'd done something from his earlier albums. Melanie and I have a date every year, even if she goes to Australia to teach. I'm so grateful that she came up to me after the New Teacher Panel in 2012 and initiated a great friendship!

So far, I've run in 4 5ks (1/3 of my way through my 26 Before 27 goal!) and volunteered for one. I did my first trail run, which was intense. My slowest time so far (my slowest time ever) but not by much (less than a minute) and it was VERY hilly. I haven't picked a March race yet, but I'm doing the Color Run in April with Brittany, and we're doing the MS Walk with our work. (Please donate!) I'm also volunteering with Bubble Palooza in May, and I'll get to run that one for free, so yay!

We've had two different bouts of snow in a 3 week span. Thankfully, I wasn't stuck in it either time, but some of my coworkers were in their cars or in Home Depot overnight during the first storm. By the second one, nobody was taking any chances. I'm hoping that we don't have weather like that again for quite some time. I'm good with the cold, and I don't even mind the snow, but when it cripples a huge city like Atlanta... no bueno.

My best friend had her baby, and he is unbelievably cute. I mean, I'm biased and I admit it, but he is honest-to-goodness one of the CUTEST babies I've ever seen. Let's be honest; not all babies are cute fresh out of the oven. But he was. But when you have parents as good looking as his, I guess it's to be expected. My bestie is beautiful... and so is his wife ;) Sorry that I don't have pictures to share. I *have* pictures to share, but I'd have to check with Melissa and Russell before posting them.

I think I might try to redesign my blog soon, but probably in baby steps. I'm really really tired of this look. Gotta spice things up! So hopefully with the next post, we'll have a fresh new look.

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