Sunday, June 26, 2011

Molly's first day in Columbus

So apparently the white streak on Molly's chest is very normal for a lab, their ancestors from St. John's Newfoundland originally had them and sometimes it still shows up!

"The smaller short-coated St. John's Dog (also known then as the Lesser Newfoundland) was used for retrieval and pulling in nets from the water. These smaller dogs were the forebears of the Labrador Retriever. The white chest, feet, chin, and muzzle - known as tuxedo markings - characteristic of the St. John's Dog often appear in modern Lab mixes, and will occasionally manifest in Labradors as a small white spot on the chest (known as a medallion) or stray white hairs on the feet or muzzle."


Molly has been in Columbus with me for 5 hours now and I can already see major improvements in her adjustment to a new place! this is her first time away from home, and her first time through a city (she saw so many cars!).


First, Josh's parents forced a little child dose benadryl down her throat to settle her down because she gets really anxious...later, she calmly hopped into the back seat of the car.  For most of the drive she just lay down...I think she was very nervous because she wouldn't sniff my hand.  She was probably a little upset with her predicament. She shifted around occassionally and when we got closer to Columbus the traffic got a lot more dense and then she sat up and looked around, head moving back and forth spastically... she was still a little freaked out.  But she did well...she didn't puke! But once I got her out of the car I noticed that she shed Everywhere...her anxiety resulted in a lot of hair lost! But, she was very curious about the new environment and sniffed everything out.  At first she tugged on the leash...but it got better.  She explored my apartment and just followed me everywhere. We went to the mailbox twice where she got to sniff more stuff.  She went to the bathroom a few times, she saw a lot of animals! ducks, other dogs, and she saw people.  She was very well behaved and did not lunge at anything/anybody, walked about 90% of the time with the leash really lose/sagging.  Good job, Molly!


We also took a long walk around the whole complex! towards the end there was a couple walking behind us and Molly would walk and look back all anxious and wanted to walk faster to get away haha...


I also managed to get her to eat lunch! she ate half of her bowl's worth, which for a new environment for her, is really good progress! she got treats, sat, lay down when I ask...


Now she is sleeping peacefully, her breathing is finally slow so I think she is settling in well.


Next step is to introduce her to the roommate when she gets into town. haha.


Good day indeed. Let's hope this continues!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Productive day and slowly feeling grown up

This morning I decided I needed to set up  a plan for my health.
Started out with 20 minutes of vigorous yoga (focusing on gluts and thighs), ate brunch, continued watching Gone with the Wind (how I love this movie!), then went off to do errands.

Lowes to pick stuff up, Replaced windshield wipers, Recycled batteries, bought some pet-stuff (portable baggies, kong, and some treats). I really hope Molly can come home with me for a few days! it'd be fun.

I'm going to monitor my eating and exercise more now, at least starting out with some light stuff like sessions of yoga/pilates.

Also, I have found that the bruise on my foot is a lot bigger than I thought...and sometimes my foot hurts...resulting in occasional limping in Lowes. Hopefully it gets better soon.

I'll pack tonight and then go home to Oxford tomorrow! woohoo

First full day at Columbus Public Health!

Started the day off at 9am at Nationwide Children's Hospital for a walking tour.  It stormed like crazy and poured rain so we toured the inside of the hospital implementing photovoice. Then we went and walked around the area of the Hospital.

Met at Columbus public health for some meetings and to get situated.

Then my preceptor bought me lunch! yum

more work at the building...

Filled up the car, errands...then rushed home to clean my face of the day and head over to May's to carpool to dinner at Bar Louie! I used my free appetizer coupon from my last visit there, it was delicious! yayy! great dinner and drinks with May, Trish, and Whit.  Then we walked around Goodale park and played on the playground.  I bruised my feet on the monkey bars, haha...sad...

Trish and I played on an insane see-saw contraption...you had to stand on it...and we had to have Whitney's help to get it balance in order to hop on.  As you see-saw...you lean forward, as if your face is going into the ground...and as it goes back...its like leaning back to lie down...very weird.  Almost scary...how is this safe for kids?!

Then there was this other contraption I was playing on...There's this turn table thing on the ground but its slanted towards you.  There is also this wheel thing way above your head you hang on to that also turns...but I think that's also slightly slanted... From what I can tell you were supposed to just hang from the top one and try to spin...I failed at that.  Then I tried holding on to that and planting my feet on the round turn table thing while Whitney pushed me and turned me around and around.  It really hurt my arms because I could barely reach the wheel with my hands...at one point Whitney walked off to check something out and I was stuck there.  There was mud all around my feet so I couldn't let go...she had to come back and hold me so I could let go and step down...otherwise I'd fall off the turn table thing because it is not flat to step on.

It was quite an interesting park! haha...

Then we had ice cream at Orange Leaf...mine was pretty much something a child would come up with.  Six flavors (self-serve) and random candies...I never know what I'd taste next as I ate as a result. Yum!

Awesome day. I am so out of shape though. I want to fully enjoy playing!

Home Thursday! and hopefully bringing soft doggie back for a few days :-D

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Croissant Success!

The left is the dough...on the right...is the butter square. I am serious. 3 sticks of butter right there...it's like a heart attack waiting to happen, heh. I was supposed to use a bench scraper to make the butter square...but I couldn't find one at the store...so I used a spatula and a lot of mashing...

Good thing making Croissants is so much effort and time...or I'd get fat really fast...

First two turns...essentially the dough was fully wrapped around the flat butter square, and it was folded "twice"  This process was done two times...with multiple hours of refrigeration from the beginning to the end...

Yay! they look like croissants...this was prior to the brushing of egg and water spritzing on top.  I was probably supposed to use a brush...but I used my hands...I was probably supposed to use a spray bottle to spritz the water...but I just shook my hands around on it...Improv!

7 or so hours later, the finished product! it is delicious, flakey, certainly Buttery... yummy! success...a great way to spend my day.  I don't plan on doing this often though. Too much time.

I also have A LOT, A LOT of reading/work to get done before Tuesday...yikes...But, I start my unpaid internship with real work finally! woohoo! getting a walking tour of Nationwide Children's Hospital, then going back to Columbus of Public Health for a meeting and some work...

Wednesday: shopping with Whitney, woohoo!

The rest of the week? Still waiting for Josh to get back to me about when I'm to go to his grandparents.

ALSO: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

If my dad was here, I'd give him croissants...but seeing as he is far away with yucky internet, e-mails had to do. Sigh*

Friday, June 17, 2011

Sometimes you just find things to do

Went to the dentist today...there was some improvement from last time but I still need to work on more regular flossing...and she added a new activity to my routine: brushing my teeth with baking soda at night before I sleep so it can work on my gums as I sleep. I have nice teeth but need to take care of them better...

Went to Ann Taylor LOFT to check out sales...almost bought stuff, but nothing really peaked my interest enough. It rained like crazy though.

Came home, chilled out, did some hand-wash laundry items...

Grocery store...

And now I have delicious lemon melt-away cookies...Start my day with the dentist...end day with cookies.  Not exactly logical order, but still delicious ;)

I should be working harder at the eating healthier thing..but I did buy a lot of fruit today :) Here's to a new tomorrow, a new start after an already enjoyable/relaxing day.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Sale day in the rain

So I did go to Banana Republic, through temporarily torrential rain.

With discounts added up, I got 25% extra taken off my purchases which were already sale items, yes! Got two button-down shirts (3/4 sleeve) with really cute back.
I got this shirt in this blue as well as a light pink.

I also got cute shorts (cream) and khaki cargo "leggings" sort of like jeggings, but they are almost like legit cargo pants, just stretchy and form-fitting.

So, now I am set for work until I make money and I got extra savings because of an event. Now I just need to lose some weight/get more toned to look even better in these new clothes ;).

The rest of the evening consists of watching So You Think You Can Dance and recreational reading :).

Cedar Point and Friends

Tuesday morning I woke up early, got packed and drove up to Jennie's house.  Seeing as I was to get there by 8AM, that put me in the middle of rush hour traffic, but it wasn't as bad as expected.  When I got there, they had just woken up so I waited for a while. I had already eaten breakfast but we went out to Tim Hortons for my breakfast #2.  It was Jocelyn's first time to Tim Hortons and I'm glad she enjoyed it! Then we were off to Sandusky! We didn't take 70 so we hit A LOT of red lights on some country highway...then we were stuck at railroad tracks waiting for the train to pass...then stopped at ANOTHER RR but I don't know why it was blocked...eventually we managed to just drive around the barriers...

It was a Beautiful day, a little less than 80F, sunny, no clouds, and a mild cool breeze. We stopped by the Meijer near Cedar Point to get card-tickets...I managed to freak out every machine I tried to buy them on...I think the people at the store were a little irritated but we eventually got out of there and to the park! The park is so big! And so fun! before the entrance there were topiaries of the peanut gallery, which I was very excited about...then found that snoopy was everywhere at Cedar Point! Rode the major rides, got bruised up, have a couple welts, lots of junk food (Jocelyn and I really went all out on Dippin'Dots)...it was an expensive day...Then I bought Flyin Ace Snoopy from the Snoopy Boutique! and we took pictures in the Pumpkin Patch! It was like being a kid, tossed around...almost literally...that day. I am still a little worn out but it was so worth it! We went to Buffalo Wild Wings afterwards...lots of food...I had caffeine...

Then I had to pee on our ride home...but there were no stops for like an hour because we were in the middle of nowhere and everything was dead.  Managed to make it to civilization and a gas station! the rest of the ride home was smooth...took a few minutes of a nap...then we got to Jennie's house...and then I drove home...very sleepy.

I didn't fall asleep right away...I was sore and overwhelmed by all the excitement of the point so I stayed up watching some really cheesy Jackie Chan movie (Spy next door).

Wednesday morning I met up with them at Easton for brunch at NorthStar Cafe, then bid adieu to Jennie & Eng and spent the next few hours bonding and shoppin with Jocelyn (we hit greaaat sales).  It was so good to catch up and just enjoy good conversation and company!

Came home, chilled...I've been a bum since then pretty much...

Got a call from ODH HR today, I start work July 5! woowoo! finally! Other than that, I'm still trying to figure out my Columbus PH internship...but they're at a conference...so I have to wait...I want to get stuff figured out!

But now, I'm just chilling with my snoopy next to me...probably headed to Tuttle tonight to find more work clothes. Here's the thing, work clothes shopping isn't all that fun because stuff is either really expensive or the styles are so boring! I wish I could work first and then get the clothes with the money I earned instead of clothes then work. Sigh* Oh well, there's a big sale event going on at Banana Republic tonight starting at 5pm, so that's probably what I'll do...scope it out. Then what? I don't know, but I'm going to enjoy the down time to myself :)

Monday, June 13, 2011

Chick Flicks are so unrealistic :(

But sometimes it's nice to dream...

sigh

Internet is so slowww


I so need a new router.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Above and Beyond

Thursday night was a blast, the Above & Beyond show was great.  I felt a little old as it looked like a lot of the audience were in high school, well, as the night began.  After a while, the crowd diversified a lot...

Music was amazing. Above & Beyond is so interactive! and the weather was beautiful.

Friday we went to the Mall...I didn't buy anything but I still enjoyed scoping stuff out. Besides, I had already found deals a few days earlier.  Afterwards, it was storming like crazy.  Of course Josh thought it was some adventure even as half the traffic pulled over to the side on 670 because nobody could see anything. It was raining/storming so we couldn't go to the pool...that, and the pool apparently closes at 10pm :\

Saturday we explored Park Street, North Market, and just wandered Short North.  Saw a really pretty German typewriter at this one store...if I had random money to be spending on decor I so would buy that...The other stores were cool too, and I introduced Josh to Jeni's splendid icecream! his had beer, of course he enjoyed it :P  Then we went to Tony's grad party, then we all went out.  It was a really fun night :) even though we didn't get to bar hop...Next time he's around I'll take him to some of the fun little bars on Short North.  Also, Jennie's new bf is pretty cool.

Woke up very tired. Josh had to go home early to work :( Time goes by way too fast! *sigh*

Anyway, did some errands, bought some paint and canvases...and went to work.  Have a few layers done, now need to make tweaks and add a lot of details/blend and we'll see how it is.  I'll work on it more tomorrow.  May came over not long ago, we went to get more art stuff, for a drive, had dinner, and watched Limitless. Awesome movie. Highly recommended. I am tired. At least now I'll never be bored with my canvas and new paint! got it for 50% off with a coupon too...was really tempted to get the super expensive set...but maybe next time...next time...haha.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Great end to my first year of Graduate school!

Woke up at 5am-ish...had coffee, chilled, and got ready for school.  Traffic was amazing...I managed to hit only green lights all the way down fifth ave, I think that's like five or so lights? I was very excited.  Parking was a breeze, and it wasn't too muggy at 7am, yay! Chitchatted with the girls before the exam started...I hope that exam went well...I know there is at least one problem I totally botched but, hopefully I get partial credits for the follow-up...

Afterwards, a bunch of us went to Hangover Easy on Neil. I think I accidentally gave them the customer copy of my receipt, darn...I guess we'll see what happens online on my credit card bill! I hope they don't tip themselves ridiculously or something because that's just wrong. We'll see what happens.

Hangover easy was so much fun though! it was great to be with fun people, the mimosa hit the spot, and I actually ate melon! the one healthy thing I did today probably.

Afterwards, May and I went to the mall. Work clothes! Bought awesome shirt and dress pants on sale as well as my first pair of jeggings.  The pants were too long for us so I took them in tonight.  If I had a sewing machine it'd look even better but it's good for now. Good deals!

Then we decided to have KFC. Way public health. I was wasting a lot of the chicken bc it was sorta dry on the inside and I felt gross...yet I suppose I saved some of my health ;).  Though, it doesn't really help that I mostly like the skin if it's not a leg.

Went to Wal-Mart to get thread, and shortened my dress pants before I went over to May's to carpool for dinner.  It was May, Randy and I and HBHP kids...of course the HBHP kids decided to go to Bernards instead of stay at Eleven w us, but I think we got the better end of the deal with good food! it was a fun time, we eventually went to Bernard's to meet up with the others, then we introduced Randy to Jeni's ice cream -- about time! though he wasn't super impressed, it's still delicious on such a hot/muggy day.

Then I eventually got back to my apartment and started doing laundry.  I'm really sad that I'm missing a hiking sock. I only have two pairs, only one pair was not super thick...and now it's missing it's partner...I need to get more hiking socks.  At midnight I finally finished laundry, shortening the jeggings, and put laundry away.  I am now enjoying some hulu-time, staying awake without doing anything useful, and enjoying the start of my summer! Looking forward to amazing laziness.

Today I don't feel like doing anything 
I just wanna lay in my bed 
Don't feel like picking up my phone 
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anythin...--Lazy Song-Bruno Mars

Monday, June 6, 2011

Almost through with Spring Qtr 2011!

It's been a pretty good day...

I've been trying to feel a little more energetic lately to promote my whole toning up and being healthier thing.  About half of the time I use the ab ball instead of my computer chair as I do work.  I try to jump around, do some exercises, zumba, stretches, etc.  Just trying to fit it in here and there.

I hope this lasts.

This morning's Epi final was hopefully good.  I made a couple dumb mistakes but I hope that's it.

This week has been a little slow.  Netflix is taking over, I have no motivation for school because there is a mismatch between the amount of work I put forth and what I receive so at this point I don't feel like there's much of a point.  Also, the exams are so particular and detailed, it's pretty easy to miss Something anyway...

Today, I took a nice drive out to Filene's Basement in Dublin.  It is huge! and sort of annoying to navigate. Came out with two belts.  I have been needing a new regular belt because my other one is too small  now :(, another reason I need to work on this health thing.  The drive was nice though, I really enjoy Riverside/Dublin/33 because it is scenic, not slow, and the traffic can be pretty open. Today was just ok in terms of traffic though.

Made myself food, baked cupcakes...I think I'll save those or just bake more for the Biostats final for people.

I eventually managed to make myself study through the material...I am almost done with the new material (had finished cumulative a little while ago).  Now I've gotta make myself buckle down to study tomorrow...then wake up ridiculously early for my 7:30am final on Wednesday! Then what? I don't know...something fun, something relaxing, and maybe some baking/cooking.  I am looking forward to shopping, seeing Josh! and seeing Above and Beyond.

Hopefully Josh is able to get all his work done before Thursday but I'll understand if he can't because that's a lot of work to get done and he's been working so hard! he deserves a break and a good weekend!

Well, finishing up Bachelorette...it's the rose ceremony! Bentley's evil and I'm glad he's gone.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011