>My therapy

>Heyyy,

How’s your weekend going?? DC is snowed in today! So that means I’ve been able watch the What Not To Wear marathon- guilt free! Note: I love the term Cost Per Wear (aka CPW), brilliant!

The bad news….I still don’t have my computer back (booo) so I’m on the roomie’s for the next couple of days…Thanks again Jess! 😉

So in the last week or so I’ve been thinking a lot about new things I can find/do to relax. Usually, I always look to running. However, it wasn’t until I tore a muscle running a marathon a few years ago that I learned firsthand how dangerous it can be to only have one stress outlet, because if it’s takeaway what do you turn to???

Right now I’m (knock on wood) injury-free so the running thing is working, but I am still working on incorporating new ideas into my life. When I moved to this apartment I decided to decorate my room in soothing/peaceful colors and items. I have a few particular items that I turn to in times of distress:

Favorite teen classics:

Favorite childhood movie. Also, random fact: anyone who really knows me, I was a whale/dolphin in another lifetime. I am completely fascinated by them.

Therapeutic aromas (my favorites are jasmine and eucalyptus.):

Pictures of really important people in my life that I don’t see everyday:

And the image I wake up to every morning:

^^To me it says, today is a new day and a new chance to follow your dreams. Cheeseball maybe but it works for me 🙂

What do you do??? Have you ever turned to something but couldn’t depend on it (i.e. me not being able to run)? If so, what did you do???

Have a great rest of your weekend!

Lauren

>Whataya mean, no computer???????

>

Heyyy,

Soooo sorry I’ve been MIA lately. My computer is sickkkk 😦 In the meantime, here’s a quick post from the roomie’s comp (Thanks Jess (!); I should be back in business Friday or Sat):

>>>Inspired by one of my favorite quick restaurants Chop’t (and my new knife/cutting board), we’ve been making a lot of salad variations around the apt. Honestly, salads are one of my favorite meals, health and taste-wise.

Tonight’s giganto salad:

^^Pre-cooked diced chicken breasts, romaine lettuce, spring mix lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, avacados, black beans, cranberries, and (the best part) Goddess dressing.

Tip #1: To reduce calories in salad dressing, dilute with a splash of balsamic vinegar. You keep the great taste but make it ‘thin out’ allowing you to use less to achieve the same taste.

Here’s what I used tonight:

Tip #2: Double-toast whole grain bread, drizzle them with balsamic vinegar (or a little bit of your favorite dressing), then let cool until they harden. Chop, and there ya go!

^^My favorite bread is Ezekiel!

Soooo….What are your weekend plans??? I have a busy busy weekend…aaaagain. Friday I have a supa long experiment, then hoping to do some yoga before meeting some friends in my program out for a few bev’s. Sat morning, I’m running a 10-mile road race (!) then finishing up Friday’s experiment (an exciting one!)…..Sat night plans are TBD…Hmmm Sunday will prob be a trip to my favvvvorite mall to fix the specs so I can READ again (!), spinning, then a girls’ night dinner.

Oh, and I plan to sleeeeeeep in on Sunday. I’m shooting for 12pm. What-da- ya think???

>>>What are youuu doing this weekend? And do you feels as disconnected from the world as I do without your computer????

xx

L

>Sunday Funday, Manic Monday

>Helloooo,

How’s the start of your week going? Mine is alright, I had a great Sunday Funday after a bit of a stressful weekend (sadly, my super long exp over the weekend didn’t work, waah) in da lab.

Sunday was delightful. I woke to a delicious breakfast cookie, hit up Sbucks for a soy misto w/ cinammon (amazing, btw) and ventured to lab to finish my experiment from the night before.

Welcome to my world, ha. I was only there for 2 hours, so not a whoooole day in scienceland. Actually, I don’t mind being in lab for a bit on the weekends. I find the peace….well peaceful. Weird, eh??? Do you mind working on the weekends? Do you find it peaceful or creepy to be alone??

After lab, I ate magic soup left overs…..I swear it’s even better as leftovers. Once digested, I did p90x yoga because my soooooore legs desperately needed it. And they thanked me right after. I think p90x is great. I don’t follow the exact program, but I like to incorporate it into my weekly routuine (mostly the arms/shoulders and yoga).

Later in the day, the roomie and I ventured to one of my favorite places in VA:

Aaaaah. It’s been a while.

And we obviously spent most of our time here 😉

To top of the night, we met Kels (sis/other roomie) at our favorite Mexicana restaurante. Can’t beat ending the week with mexican food and margs.

Great Sunday….Manic Monday. Manic enough to need a solid workout to destress. I did a spinning class with Ally. We’ve decided to take 2-3 classes per week together to serve three purposes. 1) Destress from new job (Ally) and experimentland. 2) Provide more entertainment than stationary treadmills/ellipticals/etc. and 3) See eachother more often cause we have insanely busy lives.

Alright, off to grab a trash mag (scholarly I know, but I love em) and head to dreamland. Sweeeet dreams.

xx

Lauren

>Washington, DC: A runner’s world

>Heyyy,

Yesterday I set out for a 7.5-miler but ended up doing 10 miles (!)….and it was awesome! I swear I had runner’s high the entire time (or I was just having a blast taking pictures). I took my CrackBerry along to some pics so you can see this gorgeous city. If you ever travel to DC, pack your running shoes. How else can you see all of this in one trip?

Leaving la casa; Downtown Georgetown (M street):

Along the canal:

View from Scott Key bridge (heading to VA) overlooking Potomac River, Kennedy Center, and Washington Monument:

1/2 mile of wooden bridge along Potomac (Rosslyn, VA):

Runners everyyywhere:

My favorite spot in the spring. Flower patches everywhere along the river’s edge (Arlington, VA):

Arlington Memorial Bridge heading back to DC:

Running some stairs in front of Lincoln Memorial:

Top of stairs, facing Potomac:

Lincoln:

Facing Washington Monument from Lincoln:

Running along reflecting pool:

En route to Jefferson Memorial:

Jefferson:

Headed to Washington Monument:

White House:

Getting a little tired:

Heading home:

Ahhhh, back:

AMAZING. Try bringing your camera on a run sometime, it really makes the time go by and is a lot of fun!

-Lauren

>Magic soup

>

This soup deserves it’s own post because it is nothing short of its name, Magic. This is a quick recipe that the roomies and I have adapted over the last year of living together.

We named it ‘magic soup’ for the following reasons:

1. Quick & easy
2. Low fat/calorie
3. High fiber
4. Full of veggies
5. All natural
6. Very filling
7. Tastes OUTTA THIS WORLD

In fact, we even dropped the ‘soup’ and just say “Hey, what should we make for dinner tonight? Magic?”

Ingredients:

1. Roasted pepper/tomato soup (many brands available)

2. Diced Tofu (I like soft/medium)
3. 1 can beans of your choice (black, kidney)
4. Your favorite frozen veggies (we combine a few different kinds)
5. Frozen spinach (optional, but I think it’s bomb)
6. Brown rice (1 1/2 cup cooked)
7. 1 tbsp Cumin (I add more cause I’m obsessed)
8. 1 tbsp red chili powder (not pepper; would be too hot)
9. Ground pepper
10. Dash sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine and cook over medium heat in large pot
2. Serve and eat
3. Thank me

Try this and tell me what you think!

**UPDATE: Here’s a new variation!

>Just breathe

>Helloooo,

Happy Saturday! How is your weeking going so far?? Mine has been perdy gooood.

I had no time to blog yesterday (sorry!) so here’s a little rewind…

Thursday was craziness in experimentland. I spent the day prepping for a big experiment (!) I’m setting up tonight and running through the morning. Fingers crossed it works!!!! When I got home I prepped for a lecture I was giving Friday, then had a much needed roomie night.

^^Roomie #1, Kels (sis)

(I apologize for the food storm/mess in the background! ha)

^^Roomie #2, Jess Spano

^^Skinny margaritas and Thursday night TV line-up: The office, Real Housewives, Jersey Shore. Aaaaaah.

Friday feeling a little “lethargic” from the ritas, I made a power smoothie and headed into labski. Friday was a science day, not much to blog unless you want the deets of my experiments, haha. I’ll spare ya 😉 I planned on happy hour as I blogged Wednesday, but I was sooo unbelievably exhausted from the week so Kels and I made a Panera run, and got some ice cream (Coconut/chocolate chunk!) and parked it on the couch. And it felt good.

Tonight I’ll venture out into the nightlife now that I feel like a human being again after sleeping for more than 7 hours 🙂

This morning, after catching up with Alyson on life in Beantown, I headed straight to the coffee haven:

I really don’t enjoy Dunkin’s (when Dunkin peeps make it; sorry I’m a Sbucks girl) but I reaaaally like making it on my own at home. Personally, it’s too watered down when ordered, for my taste. Look at this gigantic bag! It’s only $15 from Costco!

Whelp, I’m gonna finish the important things of the afternoon:

^^Forensic Files re-runs, catching up on the news (real and celebrity! ha), and taking the puggle to the dog park.>thought today would be my ‘busy’ day, but I really just need a break. Although I’ve strayed from my original list considerably, I don’t feel upset. If I do my tasks today or tomorrow, in the end it really doesn’t matter……….Right???

Have a great day!!! I’m planning to take my camera on a run later today (7.5 miler!) and show you some great pics of the city 🙂

xx

Lauren

>Get er done

>Heyoo,

TGIAF!

Yesterday was a pretty dece day. I planned to wake early to get in an early morning run, buuuut there was no way I could drag myself out of bed. Eventually I woke and dragged myself to the couch to cuddle the pup, then make it to lab for the day. All was well in scienceland.

After labski, I came home and made a light yet filling dinner:

^Salad wraps: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, tofu, avacado, dried cranberries and drizzled with Goddess dressing.

^There is no other word to describe this dressing other than goddess.

I also wanted something warm so I made split pea soup:

^I added 1/2 tsp cumin plus fresh pepper. It was actually pretty good.

After digesting, I went for a quick 3-miler…To Virginia and back. Funny how I can stay that and it’s actually true. PS…I need to run with my camera next time. Night running in the District is beyond beautiful.

This morning I craved sleep more than the treadmill and it felt good. Waiting for the metro I snapped this pic:

^Note: Capri pants are not the same as skinny jeans tucked into boots 😉

Anywhoooo, any weekend plans yet???

I have a lotttt to get done this weekend. My list, in no particular order includes:

1. (Friday) Happy hour after scienceland
2. Sat labski (8 hr exp) for the day intermixed with 1 hr cycling class
3. Fix reading glasses to complete #4
4. Read lotsa sciency papers (about IL-15 activation of natural killer cells, for the sciency folks out there, ha)
5. Finish unpacking room to make room for the manfriend (!)
6. Mall with roomie
7. Saturday night…TBD..???
8. Run a 7.5 miler on Sunday (10 mile race on the 30th…wooooot)
9. Get some sleep (!)
10. Reconnect with Sir DVR
11. Laundry out the ying yang

I like to make to-do lists on Thursday because Friday is generally hectic.

>>Ques: Do you make lists??? If so, do you find them helpful or stressful???

Talk soon,

Lauren

>For da soul

>Heyyoo,

Happy hump day! This week is flyyying by. I luuurve 4-day weekends 🙂

As I mentioned, the manfriend is moving to DC in two weeks (!) To make room, Kels (sis) and I switched rooms because her’s is ginormous. When decorating my new room, I decided to put up decorations, pictures, etc that fell into one of three categories: 1) Are motivating 2) Are calming or 3) Don’t have to do with scienceland. Actually, number 3 is a requirement 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, I love experimentland more than I should, but after years of living in what looked like a scientific library, I decided to make a change.

>>What do you do to make your room, apartment, etc. generate a mood?

As I mentioned I went for a motivating/calming effect. Yes I know these seem strange as they’re opposites, but they have purpose I swear:

(Sorry for the glare!)

^^This picture totally puts me at ease. I have it directly across from my bed so it’s the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. It reminds me of our home in Myrtle Beach, SC. Aaaaaah.

Picture my uncle gave to me for Christmas a few years back:

^^It reminds me that this (working to become a doctah) is all part of the “journey”, good or bad. It also reminds me that when the science isn’t working (which in research is most of the time) it’s all a learning experience and is making me a better scientist in the long run.

Here are some items that help drag my lazy butt outta bed to lab or out for a morning run:

^^Runner’s World calendar, free with subscription 😉 Full of scenic landscapes and inspirational quotes.

I wore these during my first marathon:

This is the metal and number from receiving a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon:

>> At home, what do you surround yourself with????

Have a great day! – L

>Salsaa

>Hey Hey,

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty fantastic. Fantastically productive yet fun 🙂

Friday was beeeautiful weather in DC so in between experiments I snuck out for a quick 3-miler. It was glorious. I only wish I didn’t get so darn sweaty when I run or I’d run over lunch break everyday…I always wonder how people manage this. First, I’m generally starving before lunch so my energy levels are next to zero. And second, let’s say I run for 45 mins. I generally need 15 mins to stretch/stop profusely sweating and then another 30 to quickly shower and get ready. Hmmm…Any suggestions???

Saturday I worked in the labski until 9pm! Not the most exciting night, but I did get some wonderful results so it’s okay in my book 🙂 But you can bet the first thing I did when I returned home was make some of these:

Skinny margaritas on the rocks: White tequila, splash triple sec, splash OJ, fresh lime juice, dash of stevia.

I even hand delivered one to Kels (sistah) in the shower. Ahhhhh, shower drinks. Reminds me of being in undergrad 🙂

The night started and ended with those and a whole lotta salsa dancing in between.

Sunday was a blur I think I slept until 3pm…made some food and slept some more. Oh, and watched 23894329 episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. What better to do on a rainy day???

Monday was also pretty epic. The manfriend is moving to DC in a couple of weeks (!) so Kels and I switched rooms as her’s is muchhhh bigger than mine. Losta work but big payoff. In between moving, I went for 7-mile run around the Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, reflecting pool, and Jefferson Memorial. There is something different about running in DC than other cities. For me running is really a time of clarity and reflection. Being surrounded by beautiful statues, memorials, etc. recognizing heroes of our past really puts what’s important into perspective. I returned from the run refreshed and motivated for the week 🙂

For dinner last night, I modified Fitnessista‘s Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili. It was quick, spicy, and delicious.

Source

^Lean ground turkey, black beans, corn, 1 medium yellow onion, 2 cans diced tomatoes (1 fire roasted if you like it hott), 4 medium sweet potatoes, 1 clove diced garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp red chili powder, sea salt/pepper to taste. I served it over brown rice and a new favorite around la casa, Greg Norman Syrah.

Source

Who knew golfers were so wine-savy???

Whelp, back to scienceland…Have a great week!

L

>Priorities

>Heeeey,

Happy Saturday! The weather here in DC is fantastic 😎

Today started out a bit slow. I planned to arrive to labski early to get my 8-hr experiment out of the way, buuuuut the snooze was hit 49023849302 times and the puggle was just too cute too leave.

I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do when the roomie and I eventually part ways and Beau Beau is gone. Maybe I’ll stage an elaborate kidnapping??

Eventually I made some coffee and got my act together. Have you ever tried almond milk? Unsweetened vanilla has 40 cals per 8 ounces and is out of this world in coffee.

Anywhoooo, today’s experiment included a 3-hour incubation where I had nothing to do. Soooo I took advantage of the time by hitting the gym and trying out this new spinning podcast I downloaded for only $5. It was great! It totally kicked my a$$! I kinda felt like a tool being in the only one in the room doing a grueling workout….hhaha. But whatev.

After my legs/arse had enough torture, I showered and relaxed in the steam room and sauna. What an amazing way to end a hard workout! I wish I could do this everyday!!

In the rest of my time I caught up on the news, news, and more essential news:

Oh, how I have missed you.

Okeeeey, T-minus 10 mins until I can analyze this exp then I’m outta here! Not sure what the plans are for tonight, but I’m sure they’ll include lots -o-these!

xx

Lauren