Happy Monday, all!  How was your weekend?  I had an exceptionally good one – it just really felt like a weekend.  I spent Friday night at hot yoga followed by a glorious evening watching TV with Susan and falling asleep on the couch at 10:30 (things I shouldn’t admit to the world).  Saturday was spent being active in the morning, shopping with my dear friend Cullen who was visiting from Oberlin, and watching the Buckeyes play at Cait and Zane’s fall party (they projected the game outside on their garage – sweet!  The only fail was when satellite dish went out right as Penn State was throwing their first touchdown in OT – literally, as the ball was midair.  Luckily it came back to life just in time for us to win the game in 2OT!).  And Sunday included a run in the leaves and Northstar brunch with Cullen (big burrito, how I love you), Jeni’s ice cream (Dark Chocolate Peppermint!), lots of sunshine, a work dinner (not as painful as it sounds), and some more couch time.  That’s what I call a nice weekend!

Let’s talk about snacks, shall we?  First of all, the word “snack” just makes me happy – anyone else?  It sounds so fun, so peppy.  “Let’s have a snack!”  I’m a big believer in snacks.  Not being one to ever go hungry, on any given day I have at least one, if not two snacks – between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner.  The latter is almost always the bigger of the two, as it needs to bridge the gap between a 12-1 lunch and sometimes as late as an 8-9 dinner, with a workout in between.  The snack between breakfast and lunch, if I have one at all, is usually much smaller so as to not ruin my appetite.

As much as I enjoy the word “snack'”, snacks are considerably less enjoyable when they are forced to be consumed at your office desk or in the car instead of the comforts of your own home.  Having worked in an office for over seven years, I’d like to think I’ve become an expert in the subject.  And here’s the real kicker:  not once in those seven years have I ever eaten a snack out of the vending machine.  Yep, I said NOT ONCE.  You might be wondering, how is that possible for someone who eats at least one, if not two, snacks per day?  The secret, my friends, is simple – with just a little bit of planning, you, too, can forgo the processed, unsatisfying grip of the vending machine!

Avoiding the vending machine takes three things:  a well-stocked desk drawer (or in my case, drawer and shelf), a weekly stock up of the work refrigerator, and produce.  I always make sure my desk draw contains some mix of nuts, raisins, cereal, granola bars, crackers, and the like.  Fridge staples include cheese sticks and yogurt.  And I always bring an apple and if I’m lucky, some other fruit to add excitement to my otherwise boring routine.  And did I mention chocolate?  I ALWAYS have some chocolate on hand – whether it’s could-be-in-a-vending-machine candy for my candy bowl (how else will I trick co-workers into liking me?) or amazing chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s, I always make sure to have some on hand.  The serving is undoubtedly going to be smaller than what I would have grabbed from a vending machine, and it’s cheaper too.  Win-win.

Now, I’m not a nutritionist, and the snacks I’m about to show you probably don’t have the ideal ratio of fat / protein / carbs.  But they are relatively healthy and take little to no preparation, so they work for me!  Without further ado, I’ll introduce you to my favorite office snacks!

Between Breakfast and Lunch
Trader Joe’s light string cheese stick and cherries (this photo was taken in the summer, when cherries are cheap(er) and oh-so-tasty.

Peanuts-in-the-shell (salted, of course) and a sliced apple.  The peanuts are a new thing for me – big bags were on sale for $1 a while back so I bought two, and I’m still working my way through bag #1!  I like them in the shell because it takes some “work” and makes the snack last longer.  #foodie.  (side note: I really need to keep a plate at my desk).

When time is tight or I don’t have any produce, I reach for leftover bags of goodies from airport travel.  Yep, I’m that girl who hoards the peanuts / pretzels / whatever goodies I can get.  If I’m feeling really crazy, I’ll ask for extra!  And since I almost always order a Starbucks oatmeal when traveling, I have lots of these dried fruit bags.  I’m not a huge fan of them in my oatmeal (I stick with the nuts and brown sugar) and they make great snacks in a pinch!  Moral of the story – never turn down free food.

 

Between Lunch and Dinner
As I mentioned earlier, the snack between lunch and dinner is very important.  Take today, for example.  I ate lunch around 12:15 at my desk (leftover northstar burrito and some random accompaniments – was lazy and didn’t go to the grocery until tonight).  By 3:30 PM, I was quite hungry again (which I expected – lunch was on the small side), and I knew I wouldn’t be eating dinner till at least 9 – with teaching a spin class in between!  So a substaintial snack was completely necessary.  Enter Greek yogurt – Oikos is my fav sweetened brand, but I love plain Fage for breakfast (future post!).  I stirred in some peanuts (they were already shelled) and a small box of raisins for extra texture and staying power.  Yum!  I also ate an apple and cheese stick on my way to spin at 5:45 – was still a little hungry.

And last, and definitely least – granola bars.  In general, I dislike granola bars.  They are so boring!  I can think of so many great ways to consume 150+ calories that are far more exciting and fulfilling.  But the fact is, sometimes I’m in a time crunch or I need a portable snack, and granola bars fit the bill.  My general rule is to keep them under 160 calories.  There are plenty of 200+ calorie bars on the market, but I just don’t like to consume my calories in bar form, so I try to keep them to a minimum.  I also look for bars that aren’t full of a bunch of junk. Kashi, Z-Bar from Larabar (smaller kids version), and Cascadian Farm all make decent, clean bars.  Currently these peanut pretzel chewy bars are my fav – sweet and salty!

In the past, I’ve been a big fan of popcorn as a snack, but in the past year I haven’t been consuming as much.  I’ve been into eating fewer processed foods and more clean foods, and 100-calorie bags of popcorn with fake butter definitely to not classify as clean food. I make it at home in my air popper sometimes (just kernels, olive oil, and salt), but it’s not smelling up the office very often these days.

So there ya have it, folks – lots of ideas to help you avoid the office vending machine!  And don’t forget about my previous posts on Lunch and Dinner – breakfast is up next!

What are your go-to snacks?

Hello, everyone!   I thought it would be fun to share some of the random things I’m into these days.  I hope you enjoy!

Serial Podcast
A couple of months ago while on the Road, I listened to a This American Life (NPR) podcast called “Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde”.  It was narrated by a woman named Sarah Koenig and told the story of a doctor who was convicted of killing his own father, and her discoveries investigating the case.  The entire hour I was on the edge of my car seat, heart pounding, wondering what was going to happen next – and I was shocked by what Sarah learned really happened.

Then, a couple of weeks ago when driving back from Cleveland, I was reunited with Sarah – but this time, in a spinoff Podcast of TAL called “Serial“.  Serial is a series of episodes that all connect to tell one story.  The first episode of Serial was aired two Sundays ago on TAL, and then was released as its own podcast that airs on Thursdays each week.  Over the course of many weeks, the listener is taken through a story – and this first story is told once again by Sarah, and once again about a murder.  This time, the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Baltimore in 1999.  Her ex-boyfriend was convicted of the crime and has spent the last 15 years in jail.  Sarah was contacted by the boy’s mother in 2013, pleading with her to investigate the murder, as her son still proclaims his innocence til this day.

Four episodes have aired, with the fifth released tomorrow, and I cannot wait!  It’s THAT good.  Sarah tells and incredible story that has you questioning the police investigation, trial, and post-trial every step of the way.  I highly recommended you start from the beginning and listen to Serial…and then let me know so we can talk about it!

The Killing
As if listening to a weekly podcast about the murder of a teenage girl isn’t enough to make me creeped out, I’m also watching a show about the same subject called The Killing that my parents recommended.  And just like Serial, the story of this teenage girl’s death is told episode by episode.  Unlike most crime shows that showcase a new investigation each episode, every episode of The Killing is about the same investigation into this young girl’s brutal murder.  I can’t say enough good things about the show:  the acting is incredible and the story line is so detailed and believable that I find myself thinking about this case as if it’s real.  The show takes place in Seattle, and it’s almost always dark and raining…adding to the suspense.  I’m scared to watch it alone, and yet I must keep watching it!

Triathlon Schedule
On a happier note, I’m already planning my 2015 Triathlon schedule!  Spectating the marathon this past weekend got me all excited.  If you recall, I did a sprint triathlon earlier in the summer through the Ohio State Ross Heart Hospital’s “Tri Fit Challenge”.  Well, they just released the dates for next year – and it’s the same weekend as the Challenge New Albany Triathlon, where I did my first Olympic Tri this year!  At first I was disappointed that the races were on the same weekend, but then I realized that this means I can do my Olympic Tri  at the “Tri Fit Challenge”, which was a much cooler course and really fun for spectators (the transition from bike-to-run is in Ohio Stadium!).  So long, Challenge New Albany!  I’ll find a different sprint to compete in earlier in the summer.  Getting excited!

Casual Week
This week is my company’s annual Casual Week fundraiser for United Way.  For $10, you can dress casual all week – aka, jeans and boots for this girl!  I look forward to this week all year.  It’s the small things, right?  And you’ll notice I didn’t bother to blowdry my hair in favor of an extra 15 minutes of sleep – extra casual!

Boxing
I tried something new tonight at my personal training session:  Boxing!  I workout with another one of Dustin’s clients on Wednesday nights, Hayley, and she and I switched off between boxing and doing sets of heavy weight exercises.  It was intense and fun!  I have a long way to go before I really have the hang of boxing, but it was a fun change of pace.

In case you’re wondering, we did the following workout in between boxing sessions:

Three sets of:

• Back squats x 15 @ 55
• Pushups x 15

Three sets of:

• Clean & press x 10 @ 45
• Reverse lunge & hop x 8 ea. @ 40

It was HARD.

Croutons
And finally, I leave you with some food.  Lately I’ve been into making homemade croutons!  They make the average salad or bowl of soup so much more exciting.  On Sunday, I bought a big loaf of garlic bread (already baked) from the bakery section of my grocery store.  I let it sit out on my counter for a few days, getting all nice and dry – stale bread makes better croutons than fresh.  Then tonight, I simply sliced it into bite-sized pieces, coated the pieces in some EVOO, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (can never have too much garlic!) and baked at 250 for ~30-40 minutes, until crunchy but still chewy.

The loaf I had made about a million croutons, so I’ll be enjoying them for quite some time!  Store in an airtight container, and you can even freeze if you make too many like I did.  I served a few tonight on top of a big salad (with egg, cheese, avocado, and veggies – yum!).

Almost the weekend!

Happy Monday, everyone!  Before share the fun that was yesterday, I must tell you about two things that happened in my spin class tonight.  First, there were MORE MEN than women!  In fact, a 3:1 ratio (sadly, there were only 8 people total – I guess the rain scared everyone away?  Those of you who came and are reading – thank you!).  The ratio is almost always flipped – three women to one man.  But not tonight!  The boys just can’t stay away (or something like that).

Second, one of my best regulars, Ron, showed up to class with a CD.  At first I thought he was giving me some new music – as in, “Sarah, you need some new tunes.”  But much to my delight, it was quite the opposite – Ron (who just so happens to be the Franklin County Prosecutor) was asking me for a copy of the sweet playlist I made for Ashley’s marathon!   I’m not sure what makes me happier – that Ron wants my music to motivate him through his impressive athletic endeavors (he’s a triathlete and marathoner), or that he’s reading O-HI-30!  I think the latter wins out.  Ron – CD full of tunes coming your way!

OK, back to the title of this post!  Yesterday, I had the honor of cheering on the thousands of marathoners that ran past my apartment on their journey to conquer 26.2 miles.  The most important of whom was my dear friend Ashley!  It was a morning of firsts:  Ashley’s first marathon, her husband Johnny’s first half, Nash’s boyfriend Kyle’s first full, and our friends Ali and Brady’s first full (we also cheered on Kara – I think this was her third full?).  That’s a lot of friends tackling a lot of miles!

The morning started bright at early at 7 AM when Nash arrived at my apartment after dropping off Kyle and Kara at the start.  We both fell back asleep for a short while, and then began preparations for an epic marathon-watching party!  Mile 13.5 was directly outside my windows, and mile 25 was just one block away, so hosting a party was a no-brainer.  We stuck our egg casseroles in the oven, started some coffee, and waited for the first of the elite runners to run by – right around 8:40 AM, just over an hour into the race!  Wild.

Over the course of the next hour, my parents, Karen, and some of their friends arrived, along with a bunch of Nash and my friends – we had quite the cheering section!  With coffee in hand, we cheered on the runners and waited for our friends to run by – which came up sooner than expected when Kyle headed the pack ahead of schedule!  Not far behind were Ali and Brady, then Kara, and then Ash!!

Quick funny side story:  Ash told me that our friends Clint and Kelly were along the second half of the course, holding a sign with a HAIKU!  Clint is known in our group of friends for writing epic (read: dirty) haiku poems, and the marathon was no different:

Marathon Haiku
Go Run Like the Wind Ashley
Beat Up Them Street Guts!

Amazing.

With our friends well into the second half of the race, we all headed upstairs to refuel for our next round of cheering.  I’m a terrible blogger and didn’t take ANY photos yesterday (luckily, my Dad took a million), so I failed to capture a photo of the beautiful brunch spread.  So instead, I borrowed this photo and corresponding recipe from The Kitchn.  I made a few modifications, of course – I added some ground mustard, worcestershire, and hot sauce to the egg mixture for some extra flavor.  I also changed the veggies, subbing leeks instead of the sundried tomatoes, peppers, and onion.  It was very good!  Nash also made an egg casserole (sausage and mushroom) that was very good – domestic goddesses!  The eggs were served with bagels and cream cheese that my parents picked up on their way, fruit salad that Jackie made, lots of yummy desserts, and brunchy cocktails!  Not to mention lots of coffee – I learned that it’s difficult to keep up with coffee consumption when hosting brunch!

After warming up our bodies and our bellies, we all headed back out – but this time, we crossed the street and walked a mere block to mile 25 of the course!  Cheering at mile 25 was truly special.  You could tell that the runners really needed the extra boost that our large crowd provided.  My favorite was my Dad yelling “just 2 kilometers left!” – giving the runners something to contemplate (it was more like 1.8 kilometers left).

And in no time, our friends came around again – all looking exceptionally strong and happy!  I was almost brought to tears seeing Ash so close to her goal.  I know how long and hard she had worked to reach that point, and being there to cheer her through the last of it was really something special.

And then it was over!  Everyone finished all 26.2 miles in one piece (not to be taken for granted), feeling strong and healthy and happy to officially be able to call themselves marathoners!  I am so impressed and in awe by all of them.  No matter how athletic you are, a marathon is no joke – it takes a level of perseverance and dedication unseen in other aspects of life.  And not to mention, a body that doesn’t fall apartment after half of a half-marathon!

A huge congratulations to Ashley, Johnny, Kyle, Kara, Ali, Brady, and all of the other runners out there yesterday!  I’m honored to have been a part of your experience.

Who’s running next year?!

 

 

My dear friend Ash is running her first full Marathon (she’s run two halves, which is basically the same thing, right?) this Sunday in the Columbus Marathon.  I’m so proud of all the work she’s done to get to this point – many many Saturdays of 5:30 AM wakeup calls to run the distance with Marathon in Training (MIT), and many many “shorter” runs in between.  Now that the big day is almost here, I wanted to contribute to her success in the best way I know how (besides cheering her on, of course) – with a kickass playlist!

As a spin instructor, I believe music can make or break a workout.  The right playlist can make a workout fly by, make you work harder, faster, and just make you feel good.  While music isn’t as critical to a good run as it is a spin class, I’m not one of those runners who just enjoys the nature around me – unless I’m running with a friend, I always listen to music to push me through those (three or four) miles.  Ash is the same way, and so while there will be tons of live entertainment throughout the marathon course, she’s bringing along her own tunes to push her through those 26.2 miles.  She has about 3 hours worth of music already prepared, so I thought I’d give her a boost during those last handful of miles (no doubt, the toughest ones) with a 1.5 hour playlist created just for her.

Since I know a lot of you are runners (or faithful elliptical users – you know who you are), I thought it would be fun to share the playlist.  Perhaps you’ll be inspired by a song or two!  I, for one, will definitely be listening to this playlist the next time I hit the pavement – I just won’t need all 1.5 hours worth 🙂

So without further ado, I give you the “Ash – Marathon” playlist!

Ash isn’t quite as big a fan of 90’s hip-hop as I am, so I tried my best to limit it in this playlist.   I also recently learned that she has a “thing” for Pitbull (that was a fun night!), so I downloaded his latest and played it in my Spin class this past Monday – might as well get my $1.29 worth!  The LaBouche songs are to pay homage to my first half-marathon back in 2006 – whenever I hear “Be My Lover” I think of turning the corner into German Village at mile 9 of the course and it gives me goosebumps!  “All I Do Is Win” was Ashley and Johnny’s wedding song (not that wedding song, but their reception entrance song).  And “Call Me Maybe”?  That needs no explanation.

Ash isn’t my only friend running the race – her husband Johnny is running his first half and Nash’s boyfriend Kyle is running his first full, just to name a few!  My apartment is right along the course at mile 13.5, and then just one block away is mile 25,  so I’m hosting a marathon-watching brunch party.  What’s better than cheering on friends who are running while drinking hot coffee and bloody marys and eating breakfast casserole?

I’ll be back with a full recap after what is shaping up to be a very busy and fun weekend.  Good luck to all the runners – especially you, Ashley!!!

Hello, everyone!  I hope this post finds you well-rested after the weekend.  Mine was spent at my parents’ home in Cleveland, and it was so nice as always.  I’m a terrible blogger and failed to take any photos, so I can’t share a weekend in the life of the Chait’s (future post).  Suffice it to say, you would be jealous: sitting around the kitchen drinking wine while my mom cooks a fabulous dinner, working out and eating ice cream with my dad, shopping with my mom and Lawre (my Mom’s dear friend), apple picking, sleeping.  Sometimes, a girl just needs her parents and her home – even after 30 years of life!

I took this photo of Lake Erie while on a run Sunday morning.  Growing up just 1/4 mile from the lake, I took for granted its beauty and openness.  It took moving to Columbus for me to really appreciate a view like this:

One of the things I almost always do when I go home is shop at TJ’s.  Trader Joes, that is – not TJ Maxx, although I always shop there!  Although there are two TJ’s in Columbus, neither location is convenient for me, and there is one just five minutes from my parent’s house.  So it just makes sense to stock up while I’m home.  I started shopping at TJ’s right around the time I moved into my first apartment after college.  Jackie and I would often go together, and in the event that one person couldn’t make it, we’d always ask the other person if she needed anything.  Because a trip to TJ’s is not just an average trip to the grocery store – it deserves special attention.

I view Trader Joe’s as a supplement to my traditional supermarket – Giant Eagle or Kroger.  In part because it’s too far to visit weekly, but mostly because it’s just a bit too small to take the place of the traditional supermarket entirely.  But what it lacks in size it makes up for in value.  TJ’s offers mainly private label brands, and in my mind, the Trader Joe’s brand is synonymous with unique, tasty, and affordable.

TJ’s is famous for their pre-made meals and meal starters, and while I can understand the appeal of those, I prefer to look a little deeper.  As you can tell from some of my previous posts, most recently “Tofu“, I use a lot of TJ’s products in my cooking and day-to-day eating.  It’s convenient and cheap, and since I do a massive stock-up trip about once every month or two, I usually have my favorite items on hand.  Anyone who shops regularly at TJ’s has their favorites – the items they buy over and over.  So I thought it would be fun to share my favorites – more specifically, what I purchased yesterday at my “stock-up” trip.  Perhaps it will inspire you to give TJ’s a visit (like you, Tina!), or if you’re already a regular, try a new item or two.

Perishables

Clockwise from top left:

• Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt:  Sure, I like flavored greek yogurt, but plain is perfect for breakfast with cereal and fruit.  And Fage is the best – fluffy and decadent, even in non-fat!
• Crumbled Blue Cheese
• Light String Cheese
• Caramelized Onion Cheddar Cheese:  OMG
• Shredded Cheese:  Light Mexican blend (for enchiladas) and pepper jack
• Cranberry Walnut Gorgonzola Salad Dressing: The little pieces of walnuts are awesome
• Eggs:  Love that they are packaged in cardboard, not styrofoam
• Greens:  Butter and spinach
• 96% Lean Ground Beef:  I always have at least one or two in the freezer for making meatballs
• Chicken Breasts (for enchiladas)
• Frozen Peas
• Tofu!

Non-Perishables and Shelf-Stable Produce
Clockwise from top left:

• Crunchy, Unsalted Peanut Butter:  So Good, and So Cheap.  Boasts a remarkably simple ingredient list:  peanuts.  Two jars for me, one for my co-worker Brenda (Hi, Brenda!) – she doesn’t live near a TJ’s so I always pick her up a jar when I go
• Coffee:  I like their organic breakfast blend
• Flowers!  Jackie and I used to buy them for each other all the time – us single gals gotta look out for each other.  Cheap (those were $3.99) and brings a smile to my face when I walk in the door.  Who needs a man?
• Baby Bell Peppers
• Thai Curry Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce
• Salsa Verde
• Sweet Onion
• Garlic
• Bananas
• Red Pepper (for enchiladas)
• Avocados
• Chocolate Chip Almond Oatmeal Cookies (a first-time purchase.  I usually by the crispy oatmeal chocolate chip, but sometimes a girl’s gotta mix it up)
• Handmade Tortillas (for enchiladas)
• Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts:  THE BEST

So what’s the damage for all of the above?  Just over $100.  Not bad considering I bought lots of cheese (usually very expensive), some meat, coffee, and flowers!  Oh, and that last chocolate bar listed?  Yea, that might have been almost $5.  #worthit

Not purchased yesterday, but worth mentioning:

• Chicken Sausage:  I always have some in my freezer
• Frozen Organic Brown Rice (Microwavable)
• Cereal:  Puffins, High Fiber, Crunchy Oats are my favorites
• Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal (they claim it’s natural)
• Flavor Boosters:  oils (olive and coconut), capers, kalamata olives
• Nuts:  So much cheaper than the regular store.  I keep mine in the freezer as they’ll last forever that way
• Frozen Fruit / Veg: I like the Berry Cherry Blend for smoothies and Frozen Broccoli (not for smoothies)
• Roasted Root Vegetable Chips:  Betcha can’t eat just one
• Mac & Cheese
• Canned Soup
• The List Goes On

Note that one area that I think TJ’s lacks in is their produce selection.  It tends to be small and a bit on the pricey side.  It also isn’t very “green” – unnecessary packaging and ships from who-knows-where.  But on weeks when I visit TJ’s, like this one, I typically by my produce there so I don’t have to make multiple grocery trips – hence the lettuce, peppers, etc.

And in case you need further proof that I really do use TJ’s products in my cooking, here are last night’s enchiladas (and tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch and on-and-on…I made TEN!):

So there you have it, folks – my Trader Joe’s secrets.  So tell me – what are some of yours?

 

When I told a friend that I was thinking about writing a post about rejection, his reaction was quick and strong – “don’t”.  My mother’s reaction was similar – “maybe not, honey”.  Let’s face it – no one wants to talk about rejection.  It makes us cringe, lower our heads, and turn the other way.  But these reactions only make me want to write about the topic more.  Because the fact is, we all know what it feels like to be rejected – and to reject someone else – and while it’s unpleasant at best, it’s a very real part of life.  And here at O-HI-30, I’m all about “keepin’ it real”.  So let’s talk about rejection, shall we?

Lest you think I’m going to launch into a rant about all the men that have rejected me over my 30 years of existence, I’m not.  Well, maybe just some of them!  But before I get into that, I think it’s important to understand that rejection is not limited to dating.  It’s something we all experience in many aspects of our lives, starting with our earliest years.  Maybe we weren’t invited to a sleepover as an 8-year-old or to the dance as a 16-year old.  Or maybe we were the last to be picked for volleyball in gym class (true story), or had no one to sit with at lunch.  Or maybe we didn’t get accepted by our college of choice, or asked back for a second-round interview, or promoted to the next level at work.

The fact is, rejection is something that we experience over and over throughout our lives, in various shapes and sizes.  So in my mind, the question isn’t “how do we ensure we don’t get rejected?”, but instead, “how do we deal with rejection when it does occur?”  The former puts the onus on others and implies that we can control their actions, while the latter puts the ball in our court and challenges us to take responsibility for our own behavior.  Of course, doing so isn’t always easy – especially when it comes to dating.

Let me give it to you straight: dating can be a real b*tch.  It’s not for the faint of heart. You can go on what you thought was a great date with someone, only to never hear from them again.  Or someone you’ve been seeing decides they’re no longer into you, or that someone else strikes their fancy more than you do.  Texts are ignored, voicemails go unanswered, emails are left hanging.  Left-swipes are made on Tinder.  As Drew Barrymore laments in one of my favorite movies, He’s Just Not That Into You,

“I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work, and so I called him at home, and he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It’s exhausting”.

I empathize with Drew’s plight.  I, for one, really do put myself out there – those of you who know me know that I’m hardly a girl who hides in her house and then wonders why she hasn’t met someone.  On the contrary, I’m really “out there” – I ask men out on napkins, I strike up conversations with boys at the gym, I encourage people to set me up with their cousin’s cousin.  I belong to multiple dating sites, and lest you think I wait around for the cute guys to email me, oh no!  On the contrary, I send emails all the time – most of which go unanswered, sometimes at an alarmingly high rate.  Just recently, I received a response to a match.com email I had written over a week prior.  I got excited, thinking that finally someone had written me back – only to discover this:

Yea, I didn’t need a canned email to realize you’re not interested – not responding was rejection enough.  Thanks.

To be fair, I’ve rejected my fair share of men.  Probably more than have rejected me.  I fully understand it’s a two-way street.  But knowing this fact doesn’t make it any easier when you find yourself on the receiving side of “I’m just not that into you”.  Friends will offer condolences like, “his loss” and “he wasn’t the right guy for you”, all of which might be true.  But it still doesn’t change the brutal reality that It Didn’t Work Out, and It Wasn’t Your Choice.

When you put yourself out there, you run the risk of it not working out – of being rejected.  It’s far easier to not date much, or at all.  For if you don’t go on dates, or even try to go on dates, then you don’t get rejected.  Plenty of people operate this way, and it usually works out for them.  They meet someone anyway – through a friend of a friend, or in their first month of an online dating subscription, or in grad school, and things just work out – without a whole lot of rejection in the process.  Could I operate this way?  Sure I could – and I’d probably end up meeting the man of my dreams all the same.

But here’s the thing: it’s just not in my nature to let go of the reigns.  And so while it would be so much easier to just sit back and relax, I simply cannot do that.  I keep sending match.com emails, I keep chatting up men, I keep asking friends of friends to set me up with random strangers.  And – I keep getting rejected.  Not all of the time, sure, but when you’ve been dating as long as I have, it sure feels that way sometimes.  But the fact remains, I just don’t know how to live my life any other way.

No matter your age or circumstance, rejection is a part of life.  It never gets easy, but it does get easier. All you can do is kick that dirt off your shoulder, hold your head high, and keep on keepin’ on.

Happy October, all!  How was your weekend?  Mine included a Friday night showing of Gone Girl, which I implore you to go see immediately.  I read the book last summer, so I didn’t remember much, and Jackie hadn’t read it – and yet we both spent the entire 2+ hours on the edge of our seats.  The author wrote the screenplay, which is very unusual and made for a killer adaption (pun intended!).  My weekend also included some betting on horses at Keeneland race track in Lexington, KY for a friend of Nash’s birthday, a haircut, apple picking with my cousins big and small, yoga, and other weekend things like cleaning.  It was a busy one.

After a long day of drinking and betting on horses on Saturday, we were all ready for some R&R in front of the fireplace that night. We ordered some Thai takeout, and I went with my usual red curry with tofu.  It hit the spot.  So much so, in fact, that when I got home on Sunday and noticed that the two packages of tofu in my fridge were about to expire, I decided to recreate it for dinner.

When I tell people that I love tofu, they usually look at me with a puzzled face and ask if I’m a vegetarian.  The answer to that question is definitely no.  But just because I can’t imagine life without bacon (bad Jew) doesn’t mean there isn’t room in my heart (and belly) for vegetarian sources of protein.  Because here’s the thing – tofu, when prepared well, is freaking AWESOME.  Take, for example, the chopped salad at Northstar Cafe.  Ashley is a genius and turned me on to subbing out the boring turkey in favor of their amazing tofu.  The person taking our order always thinks we are vegetarians and asks if we want the bacon omitted, and we say “heck no!”.

After people get over the idea that I’m a bacon-and-tofu loving girl, the second question they usually ask is, “how do you make tofu?”. That, my friends, is a very important question.  Because as much as I love good tofu, poorly prepared tofu can leave you running for a cheeseburger.  I first started making tofu when I read about it on my favorite healthy-living blog, Kath Eats Real Food.  For years I mimicked her method of baking tofu in the oven, which resulted in chewy pieces that I would add to salads, stir-fries, and even sandwiches.  As of late, I’ve been taking the lazy route and stir-frying my tofu right on top of the stove.  It’s faster and easier when I’m making a stir-fry, like I did last night – it’s a one-pan dish and is just as tasty.

Regardless of how you cook it, the first step is always the same, and always very important.  I neglected to snap a photo of the tofu container, but I always purchase “extra firm” tofu – the firmer, the better.  Remove it from its packaging, drain the liquid, and wrap in paper towels.  Place the wrapped tofu between two plates, place in the fridge, and put something heavy on top.  In my case, the fifth Harry Potter book – it’s my least favorite and is plenty long enough to press my tofu adequately!  Leave in the fridge for as much time as you can.  I did this around noon yesterday and didn’t remove that evening, about 8 hours later.  You can press for as little as 15 minutes and you’ll be fine, but the more liquid that drains out, the firmer, chewier tofu you’ll have.

When you’re ready to begin cooking, unwrap the tofu from the paper towels and place on a cutting board.  The next step is to cut your tofu into cubes.  Personally, I like mine on the big side – just like Northstar’s – but you can cut them as small as you like.  I usually start by cutting into four sections like below, then cutting each of those lengthwise and then cutting them further into squares.  

While you’re cutting the tofu, heat some oil in a wok or similar high-heat skillet.   My new thing is this coconut oil from Trader Joes – another blog-reading discovery (I just noticed that the expiration date passed – oops).  The coconut gives the tofu so much flavor and is a nice change of pace from more traditional cooking oils.  When the oil is hot, add the cubed tofu and stir-fry away, making sure to toss the pieces around every minute or two to prevent burning.  

In about 20 minutes, maybe longer, the tofu will have a nice golden coating on most sides and will be chewy and flavorful.  For some reason my tofu fell apart more than usual last night, so this photo doesn’t quite do it justice, but when ready your tofu will look something like this:

Once the tofu is cooked, about 20-30 minutes and golden brown, I remove it from the pan and set aside.  Depending on what you’re doing with the tofu, the process might end here – package the tofu up to add to salads, etc. later on.  But in the case of last night, I wanted to make tofu curry like the takeout I had the night before.  After removing the tofu from the wok, I reheated a little more coconut oil and added some sliced stir-fry veggies:  carrots (pre-julienned from the grocery store), onions, and red/orange/yellow peppers, which I stir-fried for about 5-10 minutes.  In the meantime, I made some frozen broccoli in another pan (Trader Joes has the best) before adding it to the wok with the rest of the veggies as well as the cooked tofu.  

And last, but definitely not least – the curry sauce!  I was lazy and used bottle red curry sauce (also from TJ’s!), but you could most certainly create your own.  I like their’s because it’s thick, creamy, and a little spicy.  I added the whole bottle since I was making enough food for an army.  I also added a few squirts of sriracha for extra goodness!  By itself, tofu doesn’t have much (if any) flavor, but it’s like a sponge and will soak up whatever is available – and this sauce hits the spot.   While the stir-fry was frying away, I cooked some white basmati rice.  I considered simply heating up a microwave packet of brown rice, but since I was making so much stir-fry and it would take some time to cook, I decided to go all-out with basmati.  It was a good decision – it was slightly sticky, sweet, and just what I was craving.  I served the tofu and veg mixture over the rice and topped with crunchy bean sprouts, salty peanuts, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.  It was very tasty, and despite the massive quantity I served myself last night (that is a large bowl), I had leftovers for lunch today and will again tomorrow.  It’s warming, flavorful, and healthy – look at all those bright veggies and healthy protein!  Remember, this is just one way to prepare tofu – you can marinade it before stir-frying or baking, dip it in egg and flour and bake like coated chicken, etc.  Tofu is extremely versatile and the texture is additcing.  Pretty soon, you’ll find yourself craving it more than meat – I know I do!

Got tofu questions?  Ask them here!  For those of you who are already on the tofu train – what’s your favorite way to prepare it?

 

A couple of months ago, I wrote a post documenting an average Monday, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute.  The next week, I wrote a post about “being on the road”, now that I’m traveling more for work.  Yesterday, I flew to Green Bay and back – with a connection in between – all in one day.  So I thought it would be fun to take both of those post ideas and combine them into a new post – documenting a Tuesday spent traveling. So take a deep breath, and follow along as I take you through another “day in the life of Sarah”!

4:30 AM:  Phone alarm goes off.  It’s a good thing I decided to set a backup alarm, because I accidentally set my regular clock for 4:30 PM – eeek!

5:35:  Leave house and head to airport

5:44:  Arrive at airport parking. Pick up valet driver, drive to departures.

5:50:  Arrive at departures.  Tip valet driver, head to gate.

5:55:  Long-ish line for security, which in Columbus means more than two people.

6:05:  Make it through security.  Yes, this means that the time between leaving my house and getting through security is exactly 30 minutes.  I heart CMH.

6:10:  Pick up my standard airport breakfast at Starbucks:  Grande nonfat latte with one pump of pumpkin spice (a nice SBX worker told me this was the cheapest way to order it, not a nonfat pumpkin spice latte with just one pump of the pumpkin) and oatmeal.

6:15:  Arrive at gate (the last one in the terminal, of course).  Say hello to my colleague, David, who is accompanying me on this trip.  I’ve been traveling by myself a lot lately, so it’s nice to have some company.  Slice the banana I brought from home (always tricky to carry-on without getting smushed) over my oatmeal and inhale before boarding the flight. 

6:45:  Flight #1 to Detroit.  Man next to me says “good morning”, and my initial reaction is to think, “WTF, is this guy really going to try to talk to me?!”  Realize that he was just being friendly and has no intentions of continuing conversation. Have I really become that cynical that I get annoyed when someone greets me?!  Fall into early morning stupor.

7:45:  Arrive in Detroit, a few minutes ahead of schedule.  This means we can walk, not run, to our connecting gate.

8:30:  Flight #2 to Green Bay.  Fall into second early morning stupor.

9:00:  Arrive in Green Bay, now on central time.  My Distributor, Scott, is waiting for us inside the airport – I can’t remember the last time someone met me inside the airport instead of just pulling up with their car.  Maybe it’s never happened?  I’m thinking the fact that Scott’s car is sitting in arrivals – right along the curb – has something to do with it.  #smallairports

9:15: Holy sh*t, it’s cold here – as in 30 degrees colder than Columbus!  On the way to his office, Scott drives us by Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.  I’ve seen it before (this is my third trip to Green Bay in six months), but David never has.  It’s a nice stadium, but it’s not the ‘Shoe!  

9:30:  Arrive at Scott’s office.  Spend the next ~2 hours getting prepared for our meeting that afternoon with Scott’s main customer.  David prepares the scale for our demonstration and I talk strategy with Scott and Scott’s manager.  David then does a run-through of the demonstration, which goes well.  We’re all set.

11:15:  Stop by one of the customer’s stores for a quick walk-through.  I’ve been before, but David hasn’t and it’s always a good idea to visit a store before you meet with the customer.  Gotta check out all the pretty scales and nicely wrapped meat packages – isn’t my job exciting?

11:45:  Scott takes us to a local Green Bay sports bar for lunch.  They have a lunch buffet, so I opt for that.  I forget to take a picture of the cup of stuffed pepper soup I had, but it is good and it hits the spot – I am freezing.  The rest of the lunch buffet consists of a pretty pathetic salad bar and pizza.  The pizza is actually quite good – and hey, at least it wasn’t Applebee’s!  The photo is fuzzy – bad Sarah – but you get the idea.  I also snap a photo of David’s “Lombardi Burger” – a burger topped with hot artichoke dip.  When in Rome, right?

1:00:  Arrive at customer’s corporate office early to set-up for the meeting.  I’ve been here once before, and once again I marvel at the understated elegance of the office.  I help myself to the free coffee bar and eat the Biscoff cookies I got on one of my flights that morning – definitely one of the best parts of flying Delta.

1:30:  Meeting begins.  Despite the difficult nature of the discussion and the fact that I am the only female in a room full of married men, the meeting goes well.  Not “we’ll cancel the order we placed with your competitor” well, but about as good as can be expected.

3:00: Since our flight isn’t for another couple of hours, Scott (left) suggests we grab a beer and discuss the meeting.  Beer at 3 PM on a Tuesday?  Count me in!

4:15:  Arrive back at airport.  Walk right through security, no lines.  Since the flight is a bit delayed, I decide to be productive with my time and start writing this post.

4:50: The Delta gate agents do something unheard of – they apologize for the 30 minute delay and give us FREE SNACKS at the gate?! Once again, #smallairports.  I’m not hungry, but take a bag of animal crackers and some pretzels, both of which I stash in my bag to put in my desk drawer when I get back to the office.  David and I share a bag of shortbread cookies – what did I just say about not being hungry?  

5:30: Board flight #3 to Minneapolis – yep, going backwards this time.  The gate agent “upgraded” me to a “economy plus” seat – you only get what you ask for!  Am pleasantly surprised to find that “economy plus” really is nicer than economy – check out all that extra leg room!  I also have an empty seat next to me.  Score. 

6:45:  Arrive in Minneapolis, slightly delayed.  This time, we do have to huff it to board our flight on time, especially since we want to grab some dinner to take on the plane.  Opt for a mango chicken salad from some taco place next to the gate.

7:05:  Board flight #4 to Columbus.  After reaching 10,000 feet, discover that my fork has gone missing.  Nice man next to me is also enjoying dinner from the same taco place, and offers me his used fork.  He tells me he’s from Ohio, as if that makes sharing a fork with a stranger OK.  I politely decline and wait for the flight attendant to walk by (which takes about 20 minutes).  Happily, Delta is still generous enough to give me a set of plastic utensils with my $600+ flight.  Eat “salad” (turns out it’s more like nachos) and read from my kindle. 

8:20:  Take out computer to continue writing this post.  Realize after the fact that I didn’t get a snack when the flight attendant came by – I guess the utensils were my limit?  This time, when the nice man next to me offers me his Biscoff cookies because he already ate a brownie, I take him up on his offer.  Maybe being friendly to the people next to you isn’t such a bad thing after all?!

10:05:  Finally arrive back in Columbus (now on Eastern time again).

10:20:  Board shuttle to parking lot, where car is waiting for me in valet pickup area.  In case you’re wondering, I always valet at the Parking Spot – both for work and personal travel.  We get a discount through work, so it’s still cheaper than the closer airport lots and I feel much safer when I travel early in the morning / late at night, as I did today.  Plus, I get out of there faster – totally worth it.

10:42:  Greet Susan as I walk into my apartment.  Feels strange that I was just here this morning – this was all the same day?!

10:43:  Read postcard that my brother sent me.  Almost cry – he’s so sweet.  Clean litter, set up coffee pot, get ready for bed.

11:00:  Read in bed.

11:15:  Crash.

All in all, a good day.  Four flights, one day, no issues = win.

Anyone else travel frequently for work?  What are your airport survival tips?

 

 

 

This Adventures post is dedicated to my friend Matt, who was a part of almost all of my adventures this week!  Everyone needs a Matt in their lives.

Tuesday
On Tuesday, I attended my first Columbus Young Professionals event, a wine tasting at Camelot Cellars in the Short North.  I am not a member of CYP, but Matt is and invited me to be his “guest”.  When I got Matt’s email Tuesday morning asking if I wanted to go, my initial reaction was “meh”.  I coach Girls on Track on Tuesday evenings (future post), and my plan was to go to yoga afterwards and have a chill night.  But in the spirit of O-HI-30, I decided that I should take Matt up on his offer – maybe I’d meet someone interesting, and at the very least, Matt and I would have fun.  So I hurried home following GOT practice, took a lightening fast shower, blow-dryed my hair, put on a cute skirt and met Matt.

As these types of events typically are, it was a little awkward at first.  But we quickly found another guy/girl friend combo to chat with, and really enjoyed their company for the next hour or so.  The wine, on the other hand, was just so-so – sorry, Camelot Cellars!  With our entrance fee we got four tastes and one full glass.  Surprisingly, my favorite was the strawberry lychee – strange for a girl who loves full-bodied cabs.

The highlight of the night was the quick bite we grabbed after the wine tasting at Press Grill – small wedge salad and cottage fries for this girl!  My mouth is watering just looking at this photo – best blue cheese dressing EVER.  Best wedge salad EVER.  If, like Matt, you haven’t been to press grill, I implore you to change that ASAP!

As is usually the case, I’m so glad I took Matt up on his offer to go out and meet some new people.  Of course, it’s always easier to stay in and not do things, and sometimes that’s what’s necessary.  But O-HI-30 is all about seizing opportunities, and I’m very glad I made the effort to spice up an otherwise boring Tuesday night.  Thanks, Matt!

Friday 
To balance out the wine I drank Tuesday night, Friday night some friends and I went to Oktoberfest, and I had a big beer:

I also enjoyed some German sausage (insert obvious joke here) with peppers and onions and sauerkraut.  It was tasty.  It was my first time at Oktoberfest, and it was really fun – great band (Matt and Tim and I danced!), cold beer, and a lively atmosphere.  My friend Zane feels the same way about Oktoberfest as I do about the Annual Epic Tailgate (it’s the best day of the year), so I’m glad I could be there to enjoy it with him!

Saturday 
Continuing the theme of fun adventures with Matt, he and I attended the OSU game vs. Cincinnati yesterday!

This was Matt’s very first Ohio State game in The ‘Shoe – it was quite the honor to accompany him!  He refused to cheer “O-H-I-O” out of respect for his Alma Matar (a lesser Big 10 school, Indiana), but I’m pretty sure he was impressed by the ‘Shoe – who wouldn’t be?!  We also were rebels and snuck mini liquor bottles that had made their way into my purse earlier in the day (it’s a long story) into the Stadium by way of Matt’s waistband.  We promptly purchased some overpriced soda and made ourselves some cocktails!

Prior to the game, we spent the afternoon tailgating with Nash and Kyle and some friends.  I heart tailgating!  6 PM came too quickly. A hotdog was consumed during the game and a slice of pizza was consumed at the bar after, so I’d say the day was a success.

Sunday
And to top off a week full of Adventures, today I went for a bike ride in the fall leaves.  Matt wasn’t with me this time, but he was with me in spirit!  This was my first ride since my Olympic triathlon – I needed a major break (from outdoor cycling – there has been plenty of swimming, running, and indoor cycling since!), and likely my last until the Spring.  It felt good (albeit a little nerve-wracking – turns still make me nervous), and I loved the sound of the leaves crunching beneath me.  

So there ya have it — a week’s worth of the Adventures of a Midwestern 30-Something, Matt-style!

Today is a milestone, for two reasons:

1. It’s the Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashanah
2. This is my 30th post to O-HI-30!

Although I’m far from whom one would consider a religious Jew (I almost forgot about the High Holy Days entirely and certainly don’t attend services), there is something about Rosh Hashanah that speaks to me. For those of you who know even less about Judaism than I do, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.  I’m not going to make this a religious school lesson (those years of Sunday School didn’t really pay off), but essentially Rosh Hashanah is considered the “day of judgement”, and ten days later, Yom Kippur follows as the “day of atonement”.  The ten days between the Holidays are an opportunity for Jews to repent.  It’s common to wish someone a “good and sweet new year”, and the Holiday is commonly celebrated with apples and honey, which I had at my desk today and shared with co-workers:

Fall is my favorite season.  Warm, sunny days, cool and crisp nights that require an extra blanket, leaves changing colors, boots and layers (fall clothes are the best!), football – the list goes on.  To me, this time of year means change to me more than any other time of year.  Sure, I have a champagne toast on December 31st and make resolutions on January 1st, but I never really feel like it’s truly a “new year” in the dead of winter. The fall, on the other hand, feels like a new beginning – and Rosh Hashanah makes it official.

In addition to the new year, this is also my 30th post on O-HI-30!  It feels like I’ve reached a major milestone.  And because I’m a good Jewish girl at heart, I’ve been thinking about my life over the past year.  More specifically, I’ve been thinking about my life since I started this blog 30 posts ago – and why I started O-HI-30 in the first place:

“In writing this blog, I hope to fully appreciate all of life’s adventures – and maybe inspire you to do the same!”

While I try to live this mission each and every day, I’d be lying if I said it was easy.  On the contrary, it’s pretty dang hard sometimes.  When life doesn’t go our way, it’s all to easy to focus on the parts that feel less than good.  We can get so wrapped up in whatever is bothering us that we fail to recognize all of the other parts of life that are still good, still enjoyable.  Add to that the high expectations we have for ourselves – and others – and it’s no wonder that we can become consumed with whatever we perceive to be missing from our lives.

Despite my desire to never feel this way, I’m human, and it’s only natural that us humans get down sometimes.  When I start to feel these negative thoughts of self-pity and self-doubt creep in, I find that it’s most helpful to recognize them rather than try to ignore them.  Because once I’ve acknowledged those negative thoughts, I can begin to let them go.

So as I embark on this New Year and 30th post, I’m reminded of what the O-HI-30 life is all about.  Recognizing that while we may not have everything that we desire, our lives are enriched by everything and everyone that is in them today.  Sure, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t aspire for more, but let’s not let the things that are missing overtake all of the wonderful things that are here and now.  Fall is a new beginning (even if you’re not a Jew!), and an opportunity to view life in a new, refreshing way.

L’Shanah Tovah!  Happy New Year, everyone, and thank you for reading O-HI-30!