What is this blog about?

I'd like to clarify as it seems that my blog posts appear to be concentrating on one subject for an amount of time and then drops the subject entirely. This is not my running blog, this is not my weightloss blog, this is not my DIY blog, and this is not my ANYTHING blog. This is my, Why I like to drink blog, specifically adhering to red wine. 

So, what does that mean? It means I can post about ANYTHING that I want to, when I want to, and as often as I want to. So pretty much anything I find of importance, caused me stress, or I feel achievement from I will post on here. 

I'm in the process of buying a house, so you will see DIY posts, remodeling posts, and posts of pure frustration. You'll also still see posts about running and exercise, however I'll also be adding in healthy eating posts (once I get a kitchen again!). You'll pretty much see whatever I'm going through at the time and if I think it's worth sharing. 

Just thought I would expand on that, since my blog isn't meant to be specifically about one topic and lately I have failed to apply some diversity. I will work on that :) 

Personal Bests as of 8/18/2013

I haven't posted anything about my progress on here since I posted about my new shoes. So I thought I'd post my personal bests at this point as my status update. It'll be nice to look at this and compare it to how I do with the 5K. I feel like I've come a long way with running, but obviously not as far as I want to go. 

I still have a lot of work to do, and as you can tell by the chart above that this week has been one of my personal bests. This weeks information is highlighted in blue! Any ways, I thought I'd share this with anyone who is reading or who is interested. I'll try to keep updating the blog a little bit more, as well as write about things other than running. 

New shoes... again.

The Ghosts 6 by Brooks are NOT for me. $109.95 and they didn't turn water into wine. Okay, so that's not why I really returned them. They actually are a men's shoe and the front of the shoe was way to wide for my foot. Had my running on the side of my foot even more as my feet slid to the sides of the shoe. 

So instead, I headed over to Shoe Carnival in Asheville and got a pair of K-Swiss Tubes 100. These were the only shoes I have ever purchased that actually fit my arch and don't hurt my knees when I run. The last pair I had were eaten by my puppy Piper. 

The exact pair of Women's K-Swiss Tubes 100 I bought :) 

Luckily, Shoe Carnival was having a sale buy one, get one half off on any shoes in the store. So for $85 I got the K-Swiss Tubes 100 as well as a new pair of Converse. Sounds like a great deal, two pairs of shoes for less than the price of the original pair I bought. 

Yesterday I got to try them out at the gym and felt absolutely no pain in my knees or ankles. I'm super excited to have these shoes again and I can't wait to get back outside on the greenway to keep training for this 5k! 

House hunting with new shoes!

So today was my first meeting with my Realtor. That's right, I'm trying to buy a house and I am a first-time home buyer. To bad the First-Time Homebuyer Credit is no longer available, right?

The first that he took us to look at was the one that I liked online. Well, I'll be honest. I didn't like it so much when I stepped inside. With a little TLC it would be a great small home. Emphasis on small though. Did I mention that the bedrooms have no overhead light? That there's a leak in the foundation and mud has seeped through this crack and onto the basement floor? Or how about the fact that I could SEE through a larger crack in the foundation above that? Yeah... I'm voting no on this one. 

The second place that he showed us was MUCH better. It has a heat pump with backup propane, a nice sized yard with little maintenance, a paved circle driveway, a one car garage, a large private deck, and the bedroom are much bigger than that of the first house. It's right at my pricing threshold though, so I'm looking around a bit more. 

I would just like to point out that before I saw the houses, I saw them online. The first one I liked, the second one not so much. When I saw them in person, the opinions were flipped. I guess that is a perfect example of the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover." 

Brooks Ghost 6

Also of note this week is this is the third day in a row that I have not felt any pain in my knee. I bought a new pair of running shoes yesterday as well in Asheville for $109.95! The most expensive shoes in my closet. We'll see how they turn out. I bought a pair of Brooks Ghost 6 shoes. I'm pretty sure they are men's shoes, but they were the only pair (out of five) that fit my arch correctly. 

Runner's Knee?

So this is my first post for this week, and I'll be honest with why I haven't posted yet. I hurt my knee last week. I believe I may have what is called Runner's Knee, but that is just my doctorless diagnosis of my right knee. 

Now the above brace isn't the exact one that I got but it is the closest that I could find. I got an adjustable Ace Knee brace (found in the pharmacy section of Walmart). 

I also bought an additional ankle/foot brace for my left foot. I borrowed a foot brace from my mother and wore it jogging on Wednesday. I was really surprised in the difference that it made. In my Sophomore year of high school I rolled my ankle really bad. Foot and ankle both turned such a dark purple that it was almost black. Did I go to the doctor then? Nope. Should I have? Yep. Is it to late now? Pretty much. 

Point is, this last week I've been only doing walking. I noticed that I got the pain in my knee on Monday and since then have had to walk. I attempted to do a very short jog on Wednesday and two steps in I was repeating, "Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea," until I stopped at the end of the very small stretch. 

It's kind of funny actually. The more my life has changed, so has my body along with the aches and pains. I'm not old by any means or measure, but some days I sure do feel like it. 

Satisfaction

So, my friend Briana and I started jogging last Monday. We only jogged five times throughout the week, and yesterday (exactly one week) we tracked the amount of time it took us to complete two miles. What we accomplished was rather surprising, at least for us. Let me break it down for you: 

Monday, 7/17

Monday, 7/22

So, this was proof. One week of exercising and eating healthy and this is one of our concrete accomplishments. Although I haven't lost any weight, my clothes don't fit any differently, and I sleep more than ever, this is proof of progress. This is proof that we are DOING something. This is proof of accomplishment, and one step closer to success.

We cut 12 minutes and 11 seconds from the first time that we jogged together. We also increased our average pace by 6 minutes and 7 seconds.

What is more surprising than the fact that we cut that much time, was the amount of satisfaction. It was so satisfying to see the difference in time. I always thought I'd only get satisfaction out of exercise by losing weight, looking "good", and feeling more energetic. This was more satisfying than I've ever gotten from any other results of exercising. 

This is my motivation. This is my first accomplishment. This is my first feeling of satisfaction from jogging.  

So here's to goal setting. I averaged the amount of running I've done over the last week. I'm going to continue with four to five sessions a week, for at least two miles each. With that calculation, I have set a goal to complete by the end of the year. Wish me luck! 

I'll post a chart of my progress, once it becomes more significant.

Running, running, just keep running!

Ha ha, yeah like I can actually run for an extended amount of time. Thank goodness this 5K isn't for awhile, or else I would die. Whether it would be from exhaustion, sore muscles, or humiliation I'm not sure. 

Well, this is me checking in on the whole "exercise, healthy, happy" lifestyle change. Yes, I'm still alive and kicking (barely). Am I still as confident as I was previously? Nope. Does it matter? Nope. It's my life and I'm the only one who can change it. 

So what does that mean? Yes, I'm still trying to run (it's more a jog than anything) and I've also started to do small weight training at home. 

Am I working out with the friends that I signed up for the 5K with? On the weekends, which is not nearly as much as I'd like. Unfortunately though, scheduling is a bit of an issue that's wedging the gap between work out times. I work a day shift schedule and I find it hard to come out so late at night (yes I understand 9:30 is not that late and I used to work later than that). 

I've found that by going at six thirty in the evening that I'm EXHAUSTED the rest of the day. Also of note? I've been later than I want to work in the mornings. I've been going to sleep around 11pm and getting up between 6 and 7am. Now that I'm working out I'm finding it harder and harder to get up in the mornings so I am still trying to figure that out. 

Anyways, my point for this blog is that I hope that whoever is reading this (if anybody... which is unlikely) doesn't lose faith in me. I know that I have friends and family who don't think I can do it and have blatantly told me that. There lack of support discourages me more than I could have imagined it would have. I've heard of people doing things without support and how difficult it is but I never understood how HARD it actually is. Luckily I'm to the stage where they just ask me "are you still doing that thing?" My answer: HELL YEAH. 

So tonight I'll be going running again, and this will also be the second day of the 30 Day Plank Challenge. Can I just say that 20 seconds reads, sounds, and looks a hell of a lot easier than actually doing it? I did it, but damned if it wasn't hard. Here's the challenge if you're interested: 

I'm thinking once I've finished the challenge I might do another one, like the ab or leg challenge. Who know's where I'll end up after all of this. I do not, that I don't want to stop and I will FINISH this. 

Couch to 5k...

Okay... I'll be honest. I'm very skeptical and quite nervous about trying to complete a 5K. I can't even remember the last time I did a mile, and a 5K is quite daunting in retrospect (3.1 miles). 

So, I've decided that I'm going to use the Couch to 5K app provided by Active.com (inadvertent promotion). 

The app itself is designed for a 9 week period and I've got until October 19th to prepare. So theoretically I should have PLENTY of time to prepare, right? Eh... we'll see. 

I know that my sister, who's ten years older than me, has completed a 5K and has really gotten into running. If my sister who's ten years old than me can do it, then I know for a FACT that I can do it. Okay, that's a lie. I'm just a bit competitive with her ;) 

Another obstacle that I know I'm going to have to face over next several weeks is my foot. I'm hoping that I have no issues but somehow I doubt I'll get off that lucky. I'd say about four years ago I rolled my ankle. Now when I say rolled, I mean I'm surprised my foot didn't just TWIST off. Did something break? I'm not sure. Was it only a sprain? Maybe. Did it heal correctly? Nope. Spring break was within two weeks and I was told that if I had a cast then I couldn't go to Orlando. What did I say? My foot is FINE! No doctor needed! 

Well, that was a mistake and I regret it years later. For the following weeks that came I only wore flip flops. My foot was swollen for the majority of the time and about 75% of my foot turned such a dark purple I thought it was black. Bruising showed across my toes, atop the foot, and the entire outer side of the foot. 

Due to the poor choice in footwear, for the years that followed I couldn't wear shoes that had a strong arch. Stepping on anything that put pressure on my arch caused discomfort and pain (as in small steps or the grooves in door frames). Now, I've gotten a little better with the shoes that I buy. They have to form to my foot in a certain way or else I can't wear them for more than an hour tops. 

In the past when I've tried jogging just to be active, I've felt pops in the same foot and it just feels more sore. So hopefully, I can complete the training and the shoes that I bought are the kind that I need. If not, then I'll be forking out more money for better shoes... AGAIN. 

Well here's to me training and here's to me completing my first 5K. Wish me luck! 

New Beginnings

One. One week. One week left!

So it is official. I will be starting my new job on June 10th. 

Personally I have only ever had one job, which I started when I was sixteen. I've kept that same job for almost five years now. Going from a customer based position to a product based position will be a huge change, but I'm ready for it. Another exciting (and hard to adapt to) change will be that it is a day shift position. No more night shift! Hello, 8 to 5!! 

On another note, I finally got my eligibility enrollment from the VA department. They are going to help me pay for school! Goodbye $30,000 of debt! 

That is all. 

Another year

It's that time of year again. The time of year where the memories start to come back a little sharper and grief isn't to far behind. This is the time of year when I think about my dad a lot. He passed away when I was seven years old.

I've decided to make a lot of changes in my life over the last month, and I can't help but to wonder what would it be like if he were still here. Would my decisions be any different? Would I be looking at different life changes, or any at all? 

Although I think a lot about how my life would be different now, what I think about more are the things that we are missing out on experiencing together. He didn't get to see me graduate, nor will he in the future. I don't get to have him walk me down the aisle, or meet my husband. He doesn't get to hold my new born children and he doesn't get to experience the life of a grandparent. I don't get to ask for his advice or here his stories from growing up. I don't get to learn from him like I do my mom. 

At seven years old, I had no idea what I was losing. Now that I'm older the loss is greater than it was then. Mom notes similarities between us such as my lack of enthusiasm for cake and my attraction to war games. I can't help but to be proud in those moments. I feel a little more connected to him each characteristic trait that is close to his.

I didn't get to grieve for him when I was younger. Mom and I were wronged by his family and robbed the right to closure. For the longest time I didn't even know when he had passed but I could tell because every year around this time I'd get a little sadder and think about him more. 

I wish I could know him, not the memories of him. I wish I could talk to him, rather than talk to my mom about him. I wish I could see him, rather than pictures of him. 

One day I will make it to his grave. I haven't been able to visit yet, as it is in Florida and I am in North Carolina. One day, I'll visit him and my brother who lay side by side. Maybe one day I'll have full closure. I will never forget what I have left from him, and most importantly I'll never forget him. 

I love you dad,
~Megan

Changes

Okay, my bad. I didn't keep up with this over tax season and that's my fault. Probably from a lack of motivation or the simple fact that I've been super busy. Tax season is finally over and I'm undergoing some serious changes in life. 

I interviewed for a new job yesterday, so we will see how that turns out. By the end of the month I'll be back in my hometown as well. On top of that I'm also transferring schools (WCU to University of Phoenix). 

As of right now, the interview is out of my hands. So for now, I'm focusing on getting through the move and getting everything back to "normal". After that I will focus on school and getting my VA benefits (if I qualify) and getting started again July 1st. By that point, hopefully I will have heard about this one position and whether I have earned it or not. 

As for the wine, I'm bringing that back as well. I will finally start to upload ratings, however the circle of testers has slightly changed. One of the besties has moved and is now three hours away. She may still participate, just long distance or only occasionally. 

Any who, I hope all is well with everyone and I hope the new year has brought everyone what they were hoping for. If not, we still have eight months to make it happen! 

~Smoak

Work & Wine

Having already worked 40 hours this week, with another 14 more to go before my "weekend" starts I could totally go for a glass of wine right now. Unfortunately, I still have another seven and half hours of work today, and another eight hour shift tomorrow. Since I won't be getting off until ten pm this evening, I won't have the opportunity to stop by the store and get a new wine to begin the Tax Season Red Campaign. It only seems fair since my tax season money won't start tumbling in until next Friday. 

So I guess we'll start the campaign next Saturday night since I'll be working 54+ hours each week until the end of April. As for tonight, I'll stick to a red Barefoot Wine I have chilling in the fridge. I may or may not rate it in a post tomorrow, because I'll be honest. This particular bottle is not my favorite and I already know how much I like/dislike it. So rating it tomorrow seems impartial. 

Anyway, we'll see. Cheers to several more hours of work. 

~Smoak

Wine & I

I'd like to reflect on the night that I first found a red wine that I enjoyed. A couple of months ago, a few of us girls decided to have a girls night which would include a bottle of wine (or three) and a chick flick. Our movie of choice was Magic Mike. What else would we watch when the movie was fresh out on blue ray and we had a 52 inch flat screen TV with surround sound? Exactly, Magic Mike. 

So on this magical night after a stressful week of work, the three of us girls decided to relax with a chilled bottle of Biltmore wine and enjoy the viewing pleasure of Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, and Joe Manganiello. One thing lead to another and before we knew it we had polished off three bottles of wine. The first was Biltmore's White Zinfendel, a white homemade wine and lastly a D'Asti Moscato white wine (shipped from Italy). 

Before this point, I had never really enjoyed wine. I had only been exposed to boxed wine and my experiences weren't pleasant. On this wonderful night, when I finally tasted the D'Asti Moscato white I was extremely surprised. It was the most delicious thing to have ever graced my mouth. From that point on, I have been searching for great tasting wines at decent prices. This is what lead me to this blog, and my strange obsession with wine. So now you know, how it all started. This leads me to my point. I will be continuing on this search and including everything I find on here, including the great prizes and nasty finds.  So far nothing has been nearly as great as the Italian wine, but trust me when I say I'm not giving up.

~Smoak

Tax Season Red Campaign

Since tax season is right around the corner and my cash flow will increase for the next four months I have decided to do my own wine tasting adventure. Every weekend, or every other weekend, I will purchase a new red wine that I have not tried before. I will share it with friends and then proceed to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best, and blog the results including my thoughts and my friends ratings.

In the meantime I may blog about mundane fillers about... Well about whatever I want.

~Smoak

Red Wine. Three Reasons Why.

As if we actually need a reason to drink, this should help with your guilty conscience (if you have one!). There are some great benefits to drinking at least one glass of wine a day, and the list is growing continuously. Here's a list that I've compiled of three health benefits for why you should drink more red wine! Enjoy! 

1. Heart Health  -- Research shows that red wine in moderation helps increase blood circulation and fights off cardiovascular disease. 
2. Weight Management -- That's right ladies! This is one of the few drinks you can enjoy that will help keep your weight in check. A glass of wine or two a day decreases your odds of being overweight by 30%. Why? Drinking increases the amount of calories you burn! 
3. Immune System Boost -- Studies have proven that drinking red wine can prevent the common cold as well as the flu and boost your immune system. Studies also show that those who drink red over white have a slightly higher boost in immunity to the virus. 

Although, I've never needed a reason to drink wine these are definitely some convincing arguments. Remember, health benefits for drinking red wine are only still beneficial in moderation. The general recommendation is one glass for women, and one to two glasses for men daily. So, cheers to that and enjoy a nice crisp glass of red wine!

~Smoak

Wine Glass Rack

It's official, I need a wine glass rack. Over the past two months, I have succeeded in only consuming wine, mostly red's with the occasional white thrown in. Nonetheless, I have a growing need to store my wine glasses somewhere other than in my cupboard with the rest of my glasses. I have a smaller apartment, so I'm limited on cabinet space as it is. So, my nonexistent readers... do you have a wine rack? If so, is it a hanging one, or a standing shelf? 

Felice Anno Nuovo!

That's Happy New Year in Italian by the way. Welcome to the new year folks! 

This year we are all looking forward to new adventures, new friends, and new experiences, especially since we weren't expecting to make it to this year (silly Mayans). 

I hope this year brings you joy, courage, and plenty of smiles. Remember to make the most of it, since we never know how many more we'll get. 

~Smoak