Thanksgiving--a day or a lifestyle?

(Thanksgiving 2009)

I was driving home for Thanksgiving Break last night, and I passed a church with this slogan on its sign:

"Thanksgiving is not just a day, but a way of life."

Although I don't consider myself very religious, that quote resonated with me as I drove by that little country church.

On Thanksgiving, Americans stop to think about what they are thankful for--family, friends, health, money, career, contentment, or whatever it may be. Don't get me wrong, I think Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to reflect on our lives and rediscover what we are grateful for in this world.

But why just this one specified day of the year? Why not every day?

This Thanksgiving, I certainly am reflective on my past, especially at how far I've come in the last 2 years. Last year at this time, I was absolutely dreading Thanksgiving--the food, the stress, the weight gain. Last year, I wasn't attending college and wasn't sure if I would ever return.

This year? I won't lie and say I'm not anxious or stressed. After all, my family isn't always tactful when it comes to comments about weight and diet. And the fact that in 8 hours, I will be stuck in a car for 4 hours (we are travelling to my grandparents' house this year in Pittsburgh) and then I'll be eating immediately afterwards, and then sitting around some more, isn't exactly making me jump for joy.

However, I'm not worried about it. Food will be enjoyed, wine will be consumed, laughter will be heard, conversation will be had, and my heart will be filled with joy.

This year, I am literally less than one month away from being a college graduate.

This year, I am at a healthy weight. I have had consistent menstrual periods for 3 months straight. I exercise lightly when--and only when--I want to, not because I feel the "need" to. I indulge in the foods I love, because I know that as long as my diet is mostly balanced, I will be just fine.

So, join me, friends. This year, let's make a vow to be mindful of our blessings every day, not just on Thanksgiving.

May you all have a healthy, happy, delicious holiday.

I'd Like to Have an InFORMAL Discussion

Ok, So I'm still working on what I hope will be an epic and even controversial post about "health" and what it means to me, as well as what I've noticed in the media and in the blogging community.

But for now, as the oh-so-clever title of my post suggests, I would like to have an inFORMAL discussion.

Meaning what, you may ask?

Welllll, nothing really. I just wanted an excuse to post my purrrty pictures from the FORMAL DANCE I attended this past Saturday evening! My roommate, Kelly, is on our school's Women's Rugby team (sweet, right?! GIRL POWER!), and the Men's & Women's teams had a formal dance on Saturday night to celebrate the end of the season. Clearly, Kelly brought ME as her "date" ;-)

It was at Peking Gardens, a local Chinese Restaurant, and food, liquor, and transportation was provided--score! I had a heaping plate of fried noodles, orange chicken, broccoli, rice, and an eggroll, as you will see in a few of the following (incredibly flattering--insert sarcasm here) photos. There was dinner, dancing, a DJ, and fun times all around.

Here are some highlights:

My "date", Kelly, and I

I won't lie: I felt sexy in my classic black dress and heels :-)



I spent my night dancing with a man I will call A (pictured above). He works with me at the coffee shop and was actually another girl's "guest" for the evening (they are just friends). We ended up dancing and talking the entire night. It must have gone well because he and I have made plans to hang out tomorrow evening! :-)

Oh yeah, and I can't forget my two favorite photos of the evening.

drumroll, please.......

..............

......................

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.....and there you have it, ladies and gents. Proof that ED recovery is most clearly worth it.

A year or two ago, I wouldn't have even come near such greasy, "fatty", "unhealthy" foods.

But now?

.............

Well, the pictures say it all. <3>

Make-up Free Tuesday

So, as you can see from my previous post over the weekend, Friday night was incredibly fun.

*******

Saturday night, although it ended up being fun in its own way, was completely different than expected.

As I mentioned in my last post, Saturday night B & I were planning on doing a "couples" costume.

My clues were: polka dots, sweater vests, and sneakers.
So, what were we?

Doug Funnie & Patty Mayonnaise!
(from the Nickelodeon series that was on TV in the early 1990's)

Originals:


Our version:

So, basically what ended up happening this weekend is this: "Doug" was acting really weird towards me. The entire "couples" costume concept was his idea, and we even went out and bought materials on Friday afternoon. But once Saturday came around, B was acting very cold and indifferent towards me. We didn't even meet up until around 11:30 Saturday night, and he decided to go home and go to bed instead of go out with me and my friends.

So, Patty Mayo hit the town on her own! Surprisingly, quite a few people actually recognized my character, even without Doug present. I ended up dancing with a guy I had hooked up with in the past, and we ended up going home together. We also hung out Sunday night too.

I haven't even spoken to B since Saturday night. His texts were short and rude, and he has made no effort to contact me or see me. His facebook makes it appear as if he and the ex-girlfriend are getting "friendly" again.

So, I am a little disappointed. But surprisingly, I am not as devastated as I thought I'd be. I've really learned in the past few months how to be a completely independent person. I don't need a man to make me feel good about myself. And you know what? It's B's loss. There are guys interested in me, and someday I'll find one who is worth my time and attention. There is no need for me to become emotionally invested in someone who doesn't treat me the way I deserve to be treated.

In other news, this week is LOVE YOUR BODY WEEK 2010 at my college. And to think that it all came from a presentation I made in class! Now, my Women's Studies class, along with a few organizations on campus, have put together an entire week of events.

Today is MAKE-UP FREE TUESDAY. And I'm rockin' it:


To be honest, I don't usually wear much make-up anyway, so this wasn't too hard. On a typical day, mascara and lip gloss are all I wear.


Do you wear make-up daily?
What make-up essentials can you not live without?