#27 Get more involved with a non-profit

I'm a pretty selfish person - I readily admit that a lot of what I do (the majority of this blog, for instance) is for my benefit... but I promise that I do think it is important to give back, especially considering how blessed I am.  

I routinely donate two things: blood and money.  I attempt to donate blood every 2-3 months; hey, you never know when you might need some extra blood, right?  And I often donate money to random charities whenever someone asks ("I'm fundraising for XYZ cause, can you support me?"), but I've decided that I wanted to get more involved with one non profit and support it regularly.

So when evaluating which charity I would finally toss my consistent support to, I thought about what matters to me.  See, I have a weak spot for animals.  I cry whenever I think of someone abusing them.  Animals are so gentle and tender, and to be cruel to one is one of the worst things I can imagine.  So the ASPCA - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - was the perfect fit for me.

There were two ways I wanted to support the ASPCA.  One, I set up monthly donations (of which I hope to increase every year if my income continues to increase...), and two, I attempted to join Team ASPCA and train for a half marathon.  As you know from previous blog posts here and here, my problems with running have left me hesitant about doing long distances for fear of getting reinjured.  So while I attempted to participate that way, eventually my insecurities had me remove myself from the race.  Later, I ran a 5k, so I probably could have done it, but I wasn't ready in September 2012... and that's OK.  Plus, I resolve to sign up for another race soon, and run for Team ASPCA.

The third thing I'm hoping to do, if I have the time, is get involved with a local shelter... maybe I can help promote pet adoptions, or play with the shelter animals to show them some love.  My own hindrance right now is time - given the move, the new job, studying for the FINRA Series 66 license exam, and the first of six modules for the CFP exam... I haven't had time yet...

So for now, I'll be content with donating blood and money, and hopefully soon I'll add some sweat and tears to the mix... :)

What do you care about?  What charities and/or causes do you support and are passionate about?  Let me know in the comments!!!

PALEO Mexican-inspired burgers

One of my favorite bloggers is Juli Bauer from PaleOMG!  I first starting getting interested in eating Paleo because of Ms Juli's amazingly delicious-sounding recipes. And I have a girl crush on her, but shh don't tell her.  She's hilarious, self-deprecating, and incredibly fit, and I'm hella jealous.  But in a good way, because she creates phenomenal recipes that I want to eat, thus helping me lead a healthier lifestyle.

So this recipe - Mexican-inspired burgers - is courtesy of Juli from PaleOMG - and is f***ing fenomenal (yes I know it's spelled wrong, but I'm going for the alliteration angle here, y'all ;) )

My pictures didn't turn out as nicely, but whatevs.  I'm making these again, probably once a week because of how easy they were to make, and how yummy they were.  The avocado/pepper sauce is my new favorite food discovery... and I put it on everything now - my salsa verde turkey burgers, chicken, veggies, fish, etc...

Without further ado, here's how I made these amazing Mexican-inspired burgers!!! :)

Slice a red onion...

 ...slice some mushrooms...

 ...Add both to a pan with some heated coconut oil, sauteeing until cooked, add 1/2 jar of roasted red peppers (sliced as well) and continue cooking... and top with a bunch of yummy seasonings...

 ...Then take 1 lb of ground beef, add diced green chilis...

 ...Mix using your hands until well mixed, form into patties, and toss on a grill pan...

 ...don't forget to stir the veggies!

 ...grill for a few minutes on each side until you get nice grill marks (as exhibited by the burgers on the left)...

 ...While burgers are cooking, add the remaining roasted red peppers plus two avocados and some more spices to a food processor and blend until smooth...

 ...and suddenly a yellowish sauce appears...

 ...and then you can finally plate your burger, veggies and sauce, and stop taking pictures and just enjoy the blissful spiciness with the creamy "cheesy" sauce.  Dizamn.  Thank you Juli.

Here's the recipe!!! I did not modify a single thing... there is no need, it's simply FABULOUS.  If you're anything like me, you'll probably eat the "cheese" sauce straight without anything to accompany it, and you know what?  That's ok. Just enjoy it.  Trust me.

#3 Read 30 (more) books

As you may know from my 30by30in3 challenge, I love to read. I realized that, between work, socializing, and errands, I wasn't reading as much as I wanted to.  I tend to only pick up a book when I'm on vacation, which happens so infrequently! For my 30 by 30 challenge, I surprised myself by reading 15 "real" adult books in 3 months (I completed the challenge by reading 15 childrens books... hey, I was doing research for my future nephew!!!).  So I figured, how hard can it be to get through 30 real books in one year if I did 15 in 3 months?

Yeah.  Tell that to me when I decide to stop reading 1,000 page books (such as #2, 3, 5, 8 and 9 on the list below)... I finally had to put my foot down and make myself only choose shorter books!!!  Also, I realized that this goal was too big in that it spanned over a year... in retrospect, I should have created a better action plan and broke up this large goal into smaller mini-goals, such as "Read 7-8 books each quarter"... that way I could see that I was not on track in the first half of this challenge!

While I did pick up steam towards the last few months of the challenge, you'll also see how a year was too much time for this challenge, as I experienced major changes in my life - new state, new job, big move, and with that new job comes a LOT of studying... so while I could have been reading books in the last month to satisfy the last four, I was reading un-fun text books.

Without further ado, the 30 "real" adult books I read in one year, with a few bits of commentary where I thought appropriate :)

1. "Moloka'i" by Alan Brennert - I loved this book because I had visited Hawaii in 2011, and to experience what Hawaii was like, even for the "leper colony" that was called Moloka'i in the late 1800s/early 1900s was a really cool experience.

2. "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson - I wouldn't consider myself a sci fi fan at all, but one of my family friends recommended this book, so I decided to check it out.  Definitely very interesting... a good, fast read :)

3. "A Storm of Swords" by George R R Martin (book 3 of the Game of Thrones series)

4."Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)" by Jenny Lawson (HILARIOUS book...)

5. "A Feast for Crows" by George RR Martin (book 4 of the Game of Thrones series)

6. "My name is Memory" by Ann Brashares (VERY COOL BOOK... very interesting concept about this guy who is reincarnated multiple times from the early 1000s to the present day, and how he met this girl in his first life and how he kept seeking her in everyone of his next lives...)

7. "Winter Garden" by Kristin Hannah (Great book - mother/daughters relationship with a fabulously interesting and heart-wrenching tale)

8. "Winds of War" by Herman Wouk (WOW.... AMAZING BOOK) - I first learned of this book from Ivanka Trump... she tweeted that she had just read it, so I added it to my book list, and I finally read it one vacation, and it was so good.  It's about this military family in the 1930s and how they handle the war pre-Pearl Harbor... Completed December 2, 2013

9. "War and Remembrance" by Herman Wouk (the second book to Winds of War... amazing) - Completed February 19, 2013

10. "Unlimited" by Jillian Michaels - motivational book on how to achieve dreams...

11. "I could do anything I wanted (if only I knew what it was)" by Barbara Sher - awesome book.  Describes many different types of scenarios for how people who have this question react to it... I learned that I'm a "scanner", which means I want to do everything, and why it's hard for me to commit to just one thing because I have so many varied interests, and I learned that it's OK to be the way I am.  I think that's the most important thing I discovered this challenge... there is no need to be someone else when I'm just fine the way I am...

12. "Echoes at Dawn" by Maya Banks - because we all need a little romance novel in our life now and then :) - Completed March 3, 2013

13. "Bridesmaid Lotto" by Rachel Astor - Oh god... yet another romantic novel. Yup, I did it.  SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!!

14. "Everything lovely, effortless, safe" by Jenny Hollowell - not romantic!  Incredible literary writing...

15. "Aquamarine" by Alice Hoffman - March 24 - did not realize this was a teen book, but hey, it was short!

16. "Take the Lead" by Betsy Myers - LOVE HER... great book on leadership... - March 24

17. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by JK Rowling -April 7- Yes, I have not read the Harry Potter books... I'm probably one of the last people in the world, so I figured this would be the perfect time to read them!

18. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by JK Rowling - Also completed on April 7!!  Consider me officially addicted to the Harry Potter series...

19. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by JK Rowling - Completed April 12, 2013

20. "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare - didn't really love this book but had already read enough pages to want to finish it... Completed April 14, 2013

21. "How to make love like a porn star" by Jenna Jameson - completed April 20, 2013.  Can't believe I wasted my time reading this book...

22."Before Ever After" by Samantha Sotto - completed April 22, 2013.  SUCH A GOOD BOOK.  Such a phenomenal story.  Thank you to my friend Linda for recommending it!!!  Reminded me a bit about the sixth book I read this past year...

<<Note: I had to take a break from reading for a month due to packing, moving, and unpacking... but then I was able to get back on the bandwagon!!!>>

23."Daughters of Rome" by Kate Quinn - interesting tale of the "year of the four emperors" in Rome, and three females that (reportedly) impacted the course of history... Completed May 26, 2013.

24. "Lily of the Nile" by Stephanie Dray - historical fiction novel about Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, and her life in Rome immediately after her mother's death.  Easy read, fascinating story... Completed May 30, 2013.

25. "Life is Tremendous" by Charles "Tremendous" Jones - written by the grandfather of one of my besties, this book succinctly discusses what it takes to live a happy, fulfilled life, and offers tips on leadership, how to be successful, and how to make your marriage work... Completed May 31, 2013.

~~~And then, I started my job and was essentially back in college... so the next books are unfortunately all work related.  But I'm counting them, because I read.~~~

26. Series 66 study manual by STC. 12 chapters, 10-40 pages each chapter of securities related stuff.  And I spent HOURS pouring over it... so Hell yes, it counts.  Completed June 6, 2013 (studying not completed until June 28, 2013).

27. Module 1 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 24, 2013

28. Module 2 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 25, 2013

29. Module 3 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 27, 2013

30. Module 4 of the Accredited Wealth Management Advisor program - completed June 28, 2013

Hopefully my reading list for the past year (minus #26-30) sparks some interest for you!  Let me know if you end up reading anything I read :)

Garden full of goodness Lasagna

One of the things I love most about summer?  Fresh summer vegetables.  Seriously.  So delicious.

And one of my favorite recipes happens to be by a (soon-to-be-former) Food Network chef who recently got herself in trouble for some comments she made... and if you don't know me, I DO NOT condone hate of any shape or form, racial, gender, socio/economic, etc., PERIOD.  I also firmly believe that we all say dumb sh*t sometimes that we regret, but that we hopefully learn from it and become better people once we admit our mistake.  And life goes on.  It sucks that Ms Deen is having her sins blasted on public television for everyone to judge, but seriously y'all... Judge not lest ye be judged.

And regardless, this recipe is SO good, I had to tell you about it... It is appropriately titled Garden full of goodness Lasagna, and it is just that.  Full of goodness, and your garden. :)

So here we go - here's how I made it!!!

Take a bunch of veggies.  Seriously.  A bunch.  Yellow squash, zuchinni, red onion, mushroom, red pepper, green pepper and carrots, and chop...

... and start adding them to a big pot...

...try to chop them to be similar sizes so they cook evenly...

...add water to cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and let simmer for 10 minutes... meanwhile, you can start working on the BEST HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE IN THE WORLD....

...combine canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, minced garlic, fresh chopped basil, salt n pepper, and you let it simmmmmer until all the flavors are blended... you can add seasonings (such as Italian seasoning or oregano) for additional yumminess... note - I DOUBLE the recipe for the sauce, as I find the sauce just isn't enough for my taste...

...by now, your veggies should be done simmering, so drain them very very well - you don't want too much water in your lasagna or it will be soggy... let cool, and while you're doing that, start making the cheese layer by combining cream cheese, cottage cheese and an egg...

...mix well... and then get all your other ingredients (shredded mozz, provolone, and lasagna noodles, of course!) ready so you can start layering up your lasagna!

Start by putting 1/3 of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the well-greased lasagna pan, then 4 lasagna noodles, then 1/2 cream cheese mixture, and then 1/2 of veggie mixture.  Add next 1/3 of the sauce, then top with 6 provolone slices and the mozz... 

...repeat the process with 4 noodles, rest of cream cheese mixture, remaining veggies...

...remaining sauce and then finally, remaining provolone and mozz... place in preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes until gorgeously browned on top, as so...

...continue to admire your handywork...

...and then plate.  And if you're like me, you will start eating before you take a pretty picture to post on your blog :) :) :)

The other surprising thing?  It's actually quite healthy, with all the veggies, especially if you use reduced fat/fat free cream cheese, cottage cheese, provolone and shredded mozz. Which I did, of course, and you would never know the difference as the flavors are just WOW.

So go ahead... check out the Garden Full of Goodness Lasagna, Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen... don't forget to double the tomato sauce if you want enough, and also consider using fat free/reduced fat cheese products... you won't miss the calories, trust me :)

Let me know what you think.  Am I wrong to share her recipe with you?  Or, as fellow food lovers, do you still appreciate a great meal?  Plus, we can all forgive, right? We all make dumb mistakes, some just more publicly than others :)

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!!

Easy shrimp wrap with peach salsa and avocado

I am so loving my new life in Florida.  There's a green market every Saturday a few blocks from my new apartment... and it's not just any green market with a couple of stands of fresh fruit and veggies.  It's an entire city block with yes, fruit and veggies, but also, lemonade, pies, olive oils, seafood, orchids, and other homemade/homegrown crafts. It's phenomenal.

And I went hog wild.

I bought fresh fruit, avocados, an orchid, and seafood... and I've been eating like a friggin queen.  Hence the inspiration for this incredibly yummy and super easy dish - Shrimp, peach salsa and avocado wrap.  Given that summer is here, you are going to want to make this, every single day for lunch.  SOOO fresh and bright, yet filling....

Here's how I made it!

First, I started by making a peach salsa... take 3-4 peaches, remove the seed, and dice.  Seed (using gloves!) a jalapeno, and mince it.  Dice a red onion.  Chop some cilantro.  Add a bit of lemon juice, mix...

Take a whole wheat tortilla, heap a generous dose of peach salsa...

...slice 1/4 of an avocado into nice even slices and lay on top...

... place freshly steamed shrimp on top...

...roll up...

...marvel at the beautiful colors...

...but not for too long.  Eat into that deliciousness and bask in flavors and textures of the creamy avocado, the hearty shrimp and the bright, fresh, sweet flavors of the peach salsa.  A winning combo, y'all.

And here's the full recipe!

Easy shrimp, avocado and peach salsa wrap
By me!

Ingredients:
3-4 peaches, ripe1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, stem removed, seeded and minced
2-3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 T lemon juice
4-5 large shrimp, deveined, deshelled and steamed
1/4 ripe avocado, sliced
1 whole wheat wrap

Directions:
1. Make peach salsa  - Dice the peaches into 1/4" cubes, add the diced red onion, minced jalapeno and chopped cilantro, add lemon juice to taste, mix to combine.
2. Top one whole wheat wrap with peach salsa, sliced avocado, and shrimp. Roll wrap.
3. Don't hold out - go ahead and DEVOUR.

So easy, so simple... so delicious...

#30 Learn how change the tire on a car

I like being able to handle all situations.  That's why I learned CPR, own a set of tools (thanks to my Dad, of course), and take random classes (such as learning how to fly a helicopter).  I like to know how to do things.

So #30 Learn how to change the tire on a car was designed exactly so, if I was ever in a situation where I needed to change the tire on a car, I could handle it.  Even though I didn't have a car at the time...
 
6 months after I created the list, I decide to move to Florida, and naturally, I had to buy a car.  

And with that car purchase, I also bought tire insurance.  Which means that, if I ever have any problems with my tires, I get free towing, repair or replacement for the next four years.

I now no longer need to learn how to change the tire on a car.  Boom.

Maybe I should have changed the title of this one to #30 Make sure I'm never without help for the tires on my new car.  Then I would have ROCKED this one.

The end!!

One month left!!!!

Holy crap, time friggin flies.  You would think that giving yourself a whole year to do just 30 things, you can manage that, right?  Easy peasy.

Here's the deal.  I'm gonna cut to the chase... I'm not going to complete the challenge.

<Absorb the shock...>

You know what though?  I'm OK with it! 

Looking back over the last 11 months, I accomplished a LOT.  I did MORE than what is on the list, and in the process, I completely changed my life...

Moreover, my goals have changed from what they were 11 months ago when I created this challenge.  What might have seemed important to me then is no longer important to me today... and that is also OK! 

So with that disclaimer out of the way, here's where I am with one month left...

In progress: 6-8 items
Completed:  15!
Not gonna happen: 8-10 items

So what do you think... am I letting myself down by not completing the challenge 100%?  Or do you think it's fine to decide that you don't want to do a few things on the list you created a year ago?

Plus, I have all the time in the world to do some of these things next year, five years from, and beyond... so why try to cram them all in one year?  Right?  :)

The Big Move

Moving is stressful.  And time consuming.  And from start to finish, took 4 ½ months, but that's because I also was selling my apartment. That's a long time to be in limbo and be stressed.

I packed my entire one bedroom apartment, made NUMEROUS donations to Goodwill (both pre- and post-move), drugged my cat twice, coordinated movers in both Hoboken and West Palm Beach, and drove 1,200 miles on 95 heading South over a 20 hour period.

Some images of my trip...

Slowly clearing out the apartment... last to go was the furniture (this is the couch on its side)

I wasn't sure if everything would fit in my rental truck...

But incredibly, it all fit...

Don't look back! (But I did... captured what little I could see of the bridge that is labeled "HOBOKEN")

After four hours of moving all my crap out, here I am starting the journey.  3 minutes in, leaving Hoboken...

My wheels #Ballin (can you believe ALL MY STUFF FIT INTO THIS TRUCK!?!?!  It's a friggin miracle.  The movers played Tetris and did an amazing job with it...)

Uh... crap....

Ted did surprisingly well with the journey and two nights at hotels.  Of course, drugging her always helps... I made sure she could see me through the mesh of her carrier bag...

In North Carolina, half way there, the first sign reads "MIAMI" :) :) :)

And then... I arrived...

And all my crap was loaded into my new apartment....

And I had champagne and frozen pizza for dinner...

I had bruises all over my arms and legs, and was told several times that I needed to not allow my boyfriend to manhandle me...

All that stress, and all that work to pack, sell the apartment, find a new place 1200 miles away, make the move, unpack?  It was all so worth it.

Because I got to enjoy my roofdeck one day....

And I enjoyed the view from my apartment of the drawbridge... and all was right with the world...

A few weeks ago I told you why I was leaving NYC.  Basically, I grew out of it, like the jeans I wore in high school.  They just didn't fit me anymore.

And I'm L-O-V-I-N-G my new town, my new apartment, and my new life.  It fits me perfectly.  I feel like me and all my stuff are finally in the right place, the place that fits me.

WPB is everything I want in a town.  It's small, it's quiet, yet I live just two short blocks from action.  Clematis Street has tons of restaurants, bars and small shops.  Happy hour begins at 11am.  There is a green market every Saturday featuring fruits and veggies, as well as seafood, meat, plants, flowers, kettle corn, lemonade, and homemade crafts.  Everyone smiles at you on the street and says hello.  Many events take place here due to the central location.  I participated in a 19 restaurant food/beverage crawl on a random Thursday night.  I'm going to participate in a craft beer festival that is literally right outside the door to my new apartment.  My new apartment building has a gym, a lap pool, a roof deck, 24 hour security guards. All my stuff fits perfectly into my new apartment, with room to spare.  And while the weather isn't always fabulous (it's been rainy more days than it has been sunny), I don't care.  I love it.

I feel like I finally fit.  This is where I'm meant to be, at this moment in my life, and I am so overjoyed that I finally took the steps to shed the real and imagined barriers that were holding me hostage in a situation that didn't feel right to me.

Come visit, anytime.  Better yet... shed your barriers and find your new fit, whether it's a pair of jeans or a new lifestyle.