An update of sorts

Things have been quiet here in Melissa-land. That’s fairly unintentional. This past week was crazy, and marked my second year in a row of getting sick in the days leading up to Christmas. Hey body. We really need to work on that whole timing thing.
-I caught a stomach bug that left me nauseated for 3 days straight, including Christmas. That’s almost worse than actually throwing up. *Almost.* I’m finally back to normal.

-I found out Monday that my car CAN be repaired, and the check came today! Thank goodness for small favors! That’s a load off my mind. Nevermind that his insurance company called and they will not pay for anything as they have determined they aren’t liable as he had “established the lane” and I backed into it. I have full coverage. I should be ok, right?

-I’m off this next week. My wisdom teeth are coming out on Friday when my dental insurance resets for 2015. I’m kinda scared as one is impacted.

-oh! A little thing called Hanson’s Half Marathon training begins on Thursday! I’m scared. Brooke assures me I’ll be fine. I trust her. That means it’s only 18 weeks until May! And summer. And warm weather.

-I had a great Christmas. I feel spoiled. I love my family and friends. However, now My two least favorite holidays are coming: New year’s eve and Valentine’s day. When you’re single, both create horrifically unrealistic expectations in your head. I’ve had some epic new year’s…making out with a hot guy that I just met in a bar for hours..(No shame. I’ll own it) to spending several of them at Husker football bowl games, to chill ones with my two besties, to a fun night out with my best guy friend. But I just don’t enjoy the crazy feeling of HAVING to have an epic night, or trying to find a new year’s kiss. It’s stressful.

-it’s late. My huskers lost their bowl game by a field goal against USC. So I’m going to hit the hay and try to recapture last night’s dream that involved me making out with Chris Pine. (Sigh. He’s so dreamy!)

Happy weekend friends!

Is Flashback Friday still a thing?

Well, I’m making it a thing today.

That’s because 10 years ago tomorrow this picture was taken after I graduated from College at the University Of Nebraska-Lincoln. I’m pictured here with my besties.

Some things I vividly recall from graduation: They had to special order my gown; it was a 5’9 to 6’0 gown but there was a * on the tag, that meant it was bigger because the regular size gown just wasn’t going to fit my figure. I felt so ashamed when I tried on gowns at the graduation fair. I couldn’t wear one that fit too tight, so they had to special order it.

I’m glad some things change.

The camera and the lighting don’t do the color justice…It’s a hunter green with some sparkles.

But this dress you guys. Of all the weddings I’ve been to this year, this is my favorite dress from them all. It fits like a dream and hugs my curves in all the right places. And it was on sale! Score!

Fabulous wedding of my former roomies tonight…I lived with the bride and groom until June of this year. They are wonderful people. I’m so happy for them.

I don’t have another wedding until my bff’s over memorial day. I need a break!

Oh, and a big happy birthday to my momma today! She’s the best. Love you mom! (I know she’s reading this!)

Enjoy your Sunday friends!

What is this sorcery? 53° in the middle of December? I’ll take it!

I ran a 5k this morning. It would have been more except I have a head cold that caused me to cut this run short.

I caught up on the latest episode of Serial during my run and managed to get a double honk from some rando in an SUV. A former high school classmate texted me that she saw me running.

Afterward I hit Target to mostly finish Christmas shopping. There’s a gift card left to be gotten, and things that still need to be delivered, but otherwise, I’m done! I think it’s the earliest that’s ever happened before!

I’m relaxing now before I have to shower and get ready for the last wedding of the year for me. (Thank goodness!) I did buy a fabulous new dress…pictures to come! It’s hunter green, curve-hugging, lacy and sparkly. Basically, the perfect holiday wedding dress!

Happy Saturday friends!

My Secret Santa Haul.

I cannot wait to read this book! I love love love this movie and I bought the book for both my dad and my bestie for their respective birthdays. Do my co-workers know me or what? And the pedicure kit comes with a beautiful red nail polish, perfect for the holidays!

We had treats and I spent part of the day outside, enjoying the 59 degree temperatures that is Lincoln, Nebraska in the middle of December.

Dinner and a movie date tonight, ANOTHER wedding tomorrow! (the last one of the year, 5th since August!) and my mom’s birthday on Sunday. Oh yeah, and the 60’s are expected to stick around through Sunday so there will be a few outdoor runs.

Life.Is.Good.

Happy weekend friends!

Scenes from a Thursday morning.

Christmas trees! In my office and at my house. I love this time of year.
OOTD. Look! I made an effort today! And on a Thursday no less! Navy blue and cream.
I woke up with the beginnings of a cold yesterday. two-o-nine and I were FaceTiming last night and I could feel it taking hold. It’s trying to get me. I won’t let it win! I’m fighting this with everything I’ve got, including a Chai Tea from the campus Starbucks. The heat feels good. **Bonus photobomb by my eldest nephew, Jonathan.
In other news: I think our cleaning lady is OCD: She twists the doorknobs in the hallway by the office back and forth 8-10 times when she opens doors. And there are A LOT of doors in this hallway where she cleans. The noise is slowly driving us all bonkers.
Random question: Before I quit OK Cupid, another guy asked to meet next week. I agreed and he gave me his number. I feel fairly ambivalent about him. Should I even go? Or just let it go? Any advice Tumblr? I have yet to text him.
Secret Santa gift exchange and potluck tomorrow with my dear co-workers. I should probably finish shopping. Whoops! There’s nothing like a deadline to light a fire under me!
Someone in a small Nebraska town is going through my blog, page by page. They must be horribly bored by now. I’m sorry you thought this might be exciting. It’s not. It’s just the musings and photos of a pretty normal girl.
I have been at work for 3 hours now and my phone hasn’t rang once. I could use a nap.
I’m doing dinner and a movie (Mockingjay) with my friend Keith tomorrow. We’ve gone to see the other 2 Hunger Games movies together, so now it’s a tradition.

Good news! Tomorrow is Friday. We’re nearly there friends!

Oh hi there friends! A few quick things…

I went home sick yesterday. I made it an hour and a half before a 24 hour stomach bug wiped me out. It sucked. But I’m back, and feeling much better!
I’m heading to Denver TONIGHT for the 3rd time in as many months. And look how cool that is: It will only take 16 minutes to get there! 🙂
The overuse of words makes me nuts. I think that is because when I wrote scripts I wouldn’t repeat words in a script because it makes you sound like you aren’t smart enough to find a synonym. Or it grates on the ear. So imagine my extreme dislike when people use the same two words constantly to describe changes being made in our office. The words “piece” and “process” have become my most hated words. And I don’t generally hate words. Not even “moist.”
I haven’t run since Tuesday and don’t see a run in my future until Sunday. That sucksssss.
That also means that I won’t let myself listen to Serial until I get to run. It’s like dangling a freakin’ carrot in front of my nose. Can’t wait!
I need fun Secret Santa ideas for my co-worker. $25 is the limit. got any good ones? Please help! She’s a girl, newly engaged, likes moscato, music, wedding planning, crafts, etc.
Have a great weekend friends!!

Monday, Monday.

Short Week, FTW! I only work Monday and Tuesday!! First Thanksgiving off in A DECADE. I’m deliriously happy. I get to help with Thanksgiving dinner, run my first (real) Turkey Trot with my brother, sister-in-law, and 2 of my nephews, and enjoy some down time.
I got up and ran before work this morning! First time since I was at my conference 2 weeks ago. I was on the treadmill by 5:10am. Whoo-Hoo!
I’ve jumped on the Serial bandwagon. I am only 3 podcasts in, but crap you guys! That’s good stuff. I ran while listening to it this morning. I really enjoy doing that as opposed to always listening to music during my runs.
As of 8am, I’m less than 2500 steps away from my goal for the day. That’s a great feeling.
I had to screenshot where I’m at on the leaderboard for steps! I know things will change once everyone syncs their fitbits, but for one brief, shiny moment in time. I’m pretty high up there. Hooray!
Today’s OOTD: Leggings, a dress that I’m waaayy too tall for so it has now become the kind of dress that I will wear with leggings, and my gray boots. A solid choice. I’m digging the whole Jail escapee thing I’ve got going on today. 😉

Happy Monday friends!

Random things just keep happening to me

I was out for my morning run today when I heard a car slowing down in the road next to me.

As I looked over, the man inside rolled his window down, smiled and yelled at me, “can I give you a lift?”

I shook my head, said “no” and promptly turned the corner off that street.

The man sped off and I booked it home.

I don’t think he was going to abduct me…But you can never be too sure…

Wednesday Things

Since we have been out of the office from Halloween until Monday (17 days!) I have been slogging through my email, trying to catch up since Monday morning. I’m currently only on Friday, November 7th. Oy. I hope to be caught up by Friday.
I give you Wednesday’s OOTD. Wednesday usually marks the height of how nice I will dress all week. It goes on a downhill slide from here. But boots and tights season is one of my favorite times of the year!
Getting out of bed to workout in the morning is a challenge when blankets have claimed me as one of their own. So far this week I’ve had to workout after work–which I HATE. I’m working on finding my morning motivation again.
Good News! I told The Child (the nickname I gave the 22-year-old videographer who was hitting on me) that I just couldn’t do “this” (this would be the overtly sexual texting he was doing) anymore. I apologized for leading him on. He said it was cool and that he enjoyed our chats. He told me I was awesome. That was nice. The issue was that he was a little creepy. He told me that he would slow down when we were walking from room to room at this event so that he could stare at my butt. He talked about things he wanted to do to me! He said that when I flip my hair it was “so sexy” that he wanted to take me to bed every time I did it. Dude. No. Just no. Think these things-don’t tell me them. Yikes.
I went back to weightlifting class last night. My tush is sore from all of the squats and curtsy lunges we did. I feel the burn!
Each morning when I get to work I’ve been taking laps around the building before my day starts. Each lap is about a tenth of a mile. This morning I did 4 laps. The goal is to get to 10 laps total a day. Totally doable, I think.
I want to form a support group for people in their 30’s who like Taylor Swift’s new album and Nick Jonas’s new song, “Jealous”. There is no shame but I feel like there should be for some reason.

Have a great day friends!