Phantom of the Opera

Dave and I went to the Phantom of the Opera on Sunday, and it was AMAZING!!!  The music was sensational, and the cast did a fantastic job acting!  I would highly recommend it to anyone on the fence about going.  The last time I saw the show was in Las Vegas with my dad.  The music was just as beautiful as I remembered.

Thanksgiving travels with a friend…

I just got back from visiting my parents in Springfield, MO for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Only this time, I wasn't traveling alone.  My dog Gates accompanied me on the plane and made for a very interesting trip...

Here's a few tips for flying with your pet.  

First and foremost, arrive at the airport early.  I was lucky I didn't have any trouble with checking in or getting through security, however I am glad I was early and didn't take any chances.  

Second, if you are going to sedate your dog, do so about an hour before your flight takes off.  I gave Gates 15mg of children's benadryl for our first flight but it began to wear off by the time we were actually in the air.  

Next, if you're a bit anxious/nervous when it comes to flying, I highly suggest talking to your doctor about getting authorized to travel with your pet as an emotional support companion.  I know it sounds crazy, but it allows you to bring your dog on the plane and avoid paying almost the price of an airline seat for your dog.  It also enables you to have your pet sit on your lap versus under the seat in the carrier.  In my case, Gates would NOT cooperate and put his head completely in the carrier.  Therefore, I believe it would be nearly impossible to fly with him if he wasn't allowed to sit on my lap.

Thats all the tips I have from our first flight which was only about an hour long.  For Christmas, we will be traveling from Chicago to Vegas, then Vegas to Miami, and finally Miami to Chicago.  I'm sure I will have more tips to add on to this blog post after the holidays.

Cheers!

My blog has been hibernating

I'm sorry it's been awhile since my last post, but my blog has been hibernating….

For my readers in Chicago out there, we have had two chilly nights this weekend… probably the coldest we've had yet this season.  So instead of baring the cold and going out on the town, I decided to spend my Friday evening decorating the apartment.  Even though Thanksgiving is next week, it's coming late this year, so I felt like breaking out the X-Mas decorations a little early.

FFC fit study follow up!

Today was a great day!!  

I began the morning doing a little soul searching and think I've stumbled upon a new positive outlook on life and some pretty amazing goals to reach along the way.

This evening I had my exit interview from the 3 week fitness study to analyze my results and test to see if I accomplished my short-term fitness goals...  Well great news!! I improved all tests by MORE than I had initially set out to do.  My mile time improved by 1:15, I increased my sit-ups by more than 50% and was able to do more push ups than I ever thought physically possible.  

After we re-tested all of the entrance exercises, we met with a representative from the club and discussed various membership options.  We also provided feedback on our experience throughout the fitness program.

Overall, I had an extremely positive experience and would recommend the study to friends if the club were to offer it again.  Even though there isn't a drastic change in my appearance, I feel more in shape and overall healthier than when we started.

I think to join I will really need to incorporate this into my life and make it part of my weekly routine.  With the fit study we were encouraged to participate in at least 4 workouts per week.  If I decide to join the gym, I would strive to maintain the same weekly frequency.  There is also an FFC just down the street from my apartment, so that's an added plus!

Closing thoughts on this post: Continue to set goals for yourself no matter how big or small they might be.  Having something to work toward will only continue to build and shape yourself into the person you want to be.

Revenge Addict

After my brother Charlie set us up with a temporary Netflix account, I immediately got hooked on Revenge.  I know I am a little late to jump on the Revenge bandwagon, but starting a new show in the middle of a season is never appealing to me, so without the ability to start from the beginning I had no interest in watching.  I can now say that I watched 44 episodes in only 21 days... yes there were several Revenge marathons during the last 3 weeks where I would watch anywhere from 6-10 episodes throughout the day.  I'm not proud of this by any means, but can describe it only as how a drug addict must feel toward their poison of choice...yes you read that correctly, I just compared myself to a drug addict.

That being said, I am now counting down the days until the season 3 premiere on September 29!!  One concern is that I will no longer be able to go on Revenge binges by watching multiple episodes in one sitting.  Instead I will have to wait a WEEK in between episodes...another concern is that Revenge airs on Sunday nights... which unfortunately interferes with the NFL, and living with a football fanatic will be interesting to see who gets to the remote first.  Needless to say, I would be willing to DVR Revenge and then watch the following day, but then there's Monday night football.. it's never ending.  This will be a LONG fall.

Favorites collage

Fall is back!!!

Had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season this morning and it was GREAT!!  It was the perfect start to my morning despite the fact that the projected high is 94 today, my office building is closer to 60 which made my decision to opt for the hot fall beverage seem appropriate.

Apparently this week is the last of the hot weather here in Chicago, so as the temperatures begin to dip, thought I would share a quick an easy crock pot recipe for a tasty fall football treat.

3-Ingredient Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

1. 1(1) 2lb. pork tenderloin
2. 2(1) 12 ounce can of root beer
3. 3BBQ sauce of your choice

Directions:

1. 1Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker and pour the can of root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
2. 2After pork has cooked, drain and discard the root beer. Shred the pork and place it back in the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and stir to combine. Serve immediately or keep warm in slow cooker until ready to serve. Serve on hamburger buns.