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Currently Making Me Happy

15.1.14

I've had to break out all the stops this week on things to make me happy.

It's been non-stop at work, with the phone calls and complaints, and sometimes you just want to cut the phone cord and throw the computer out the window.

But since modern workplaces frown upon such outbursts, you've got to find other ways to make yourself smile.

Boulevard's Tank 7 -- enjoying a beer at Hop City.

a fun pic of me and Rachel from an awesome weekend in Atlanta.  Makes me miss my long hair.  In fact, I'm really starting to hate the short hair.

sleeping Stell dog. 

homemade spicy pork pizza...delicious.

Sometimes you just have to take pleasure in the small things, because the larger things bringing you down have a way of keeping you there.

How I Feel

14.1.14

Right now, as I sit listening to Louis Armstrong, I can't help but look at how I actually feel right now.


 Since the beginning of the year, I've been training for a half-marathon.  I've always enjoyed running, and this year, I decided to take it to the next level and commit myself to a half marathon in July in Chicago.  I have pretty much let go of all of my feelings of having to be less than 140 pounds, and have focused on being fit and healthy.

I don't feel right running less than five miles a day now.  It feels good to put on my Linkin Park Pandora station and just run and run until my heart is content.

I have gotten up to 6.2 miles tempo.  And right now that is at 5mph for me.  Which I know is pretty terrible for most runners, but for me?  A person who never felt that working out was very fun; it's a pretty incredible feat. 

I have put much less value on the number on the scale than how I actually feel.  And for a girl, I'm going to admit this on the internet.

My name is Laura.  I am 5'8".  I weigh 141 pounds.  

So there you have it.  I'm not embarrassed by it.  My legs are strong; I have some semblance of a calf muscle and my quads look amazing right now.

That's right.  Long gone are the wishes of being 125 pounds; I want legs of steel, and to be able to run 13.1 miles and not die.

Plus I got this super cute tank from Target (thanks to Juney and her giftcard for my bday!) I've never seen my legs look so muscular in my life, and I love it.  If that means gaining a few pounds for the art; I am good with it.  

I am no longer trying to be the rail thin girl that I wanted to be: I want to look like I'm fit and healthy.  And from what I read, and how my clothes are fitting me, I feel like I'm actually there.

so 100 degree weather in Chicago in July; bring it on. 

I'm going to kick your ass.

Black Jacket Symphony does The Boss

13.1.14

I'll be as honest as possible; I did not know much about this symphony until the day I got to see them.

I honestly thought they were like a real orchestra type thing; you know, black tie, fancy champagne sipping type of folks.

So I was intrigued when I heard on BMR (Birmingham Mountain Radio...seriously, listen to them if you don't already) that they were coming and doing Springsteen's Born to Run on New Year's Eve.

BRUUUUUUUUCE!!

So, um, where do I sign up?!  

The night as I'm getting ready to go, I look them up.  Find out that, indeed, they are not a symphony orchestra.  At.  All.  Stupid feelings aside, I put on my sparkly skirt, heels and sweater and head to show.

I get there early, not early enough to get a seat, but early enough to get front row.  As in, I could park myself there until the show started.  

And when it did?  I freaking rocked it out.  Tim Brantley played Bruce, and he did an amazing job.  Plus, he's super pretty, so it was really fun to be that close.









Sorry for the blur on some of them; for some reason, I find it incredibly difficult to take pictures even though I'm in the front row. 

The one terrible moment during the show was when the drunk, overly plastic lady decided to shove her way to the front during Pink Cadillac.  I felt the need to say something to her, but didn't want to ruin my New Year's Eve with some crazy person.  That was the night I vowed to keep my elbows high at shows, like, why you running into my elbows, man? 

Fortunately for me, she left when that song was over.  

I will definitely go and see these guys when they bring their next show to the Ham.  Y'all should see if they're coming near you too.

My Top Ten Favorite Tweets of 2013

10.1.14

Okay, so that whole list promise I made last week?  Yeah that one about not doing anymore?  

I lied.
 
my dog.  because she rules and is also a liar.
 
Deal with it. 

Here come my top ten favorites of 2013:

Jan 10, 2013:  I'm thinking more Benadryl to wash down this day of truck drivers.
 
Jan 15, 2013:  Sometimes you just have to say f it and eat the chocolate.
 
Feb. 3, 2013:  Joe Flacco... Be my Valentine.
 
Feb. 20, 2013:  Closed-minded people piss me off (true then and now)
March 14, 2013:  In my 29 years of life, I've learned that no matter how nice you are, someone always has bad things to say about you.
 
May 3, 2013:  I've got a new bump on my head and cracks in my screen plus one more day of work, but I'm going to Austin tomorrow!
 
May 10, 2013:  Secret to a good day?  Xanax and Krispy Kreme.
 
May 26, 2013:  Onion rings are pretty gangster.
 
Sep. 27, 2013:  Hey Jefferson County tag line... You make me wish I still lived in Shelby county.
 
Nov. 11, 1013:  Today sucked.  But I'm going to drink champagne anyway.  Because that's how I roll.
 
There ya have it.  For more of these gems, you can find me on Twitter @LauraANNAU.
Have a good weekend everybody!
 



Keep it Calm and Collected

9.1.14

Sometimes in the line of work I am, it takes a lot to keep calm.

And when I say, a lot, I mean a lot.

Imagine this.

Sixty truck drivers.

That's sixty sets of problems, people.  Add in the other problems of those co-workers around you, and to say you are stressed out is an understatement.  Most of the problems are simple ones; but then you have the ones where you must remind these folks that they are professionals and grown ups.  

One of the main things they make sure of in an interview is how you handle stress; I had a boss tell me a while ago that when I was stressed out, I would get incredibly negative.  That I would project my negativity on everyone, and since I was the senior person in that role, that it didn't make me look any better.

So I changed it, and now I'm negative all the time.  Jokes.  I did change it though; I try to be as positive as I possibly can, mostly because if you're not the drivers can tell, and they don't want to work with you.  Which as you can guess, is not a very good thing.  Driver's don't want to be on your board; they switch fleet managers; you have no one on your board; you're fired.

So sometimes at work this happens...

yes that's chocolate wine that my co-worker Britney is drinking.  not really folks...you can't drink at work.


Or sometimes you just need to do this:

that's a chocolate bar.  sometimes we eat lots and lots of chocolate bars.
So there you have it; drink and eat lots of chocolate to relieve your stress.

I wish I could say I was joking about that, but I'm not.

Just don't drink at work in your cubicle.  Your boss probably frowns on that.

Being 30 So Far

8.1.14

Has royally sucked.

And I wish that I was exaggerating when I said that, because for so long I dreaded turning thirty.  I didn't want to be in my fourth decade; I backtracked and acted like I was twenty.  Going out every night, having liquid dinners, etc.

I fought it the best way I knew how, but it still came.

coffee mug my dad got me for my birthday.

We went to New Orleans for my 30th -- that part was fun.  It was what happened the day after that and ever since that day that I don't like.

Sunday the 5th -- the Packers lose in the first round of the playoffs.

Monday the 6th -- Auburn loses the National Championship.

Tuesday the 7th -- I am sick as a dog.

So, see?  What do I really have to love about being thirty so far.  The one highlight that comes to mind is I'm going back splash shopping at the Lowe's this weekend.   That's right bitches; back splashes become amazing fun once you turn thirty.  So do trips to Lowe's.  

I don't know what I was expecting when I turned thirty -- for the wrinkles I have to get worse; for my metabolism to just shut down (which seems like it's done lately); for the whole world to just fall in my favor.  Yeah, definitely that last one.

But it hasn't -- so fourth decade of life, you have a lot to live up to.  Please let's start getting to that tomorrow.

2014

1.1.14

(image via google images)

2014.

Another damn year.

I'm not sad to see 2013 go, but I don't know if I'm happy to see 2014 here either.  There have been so many eye-opening things to happen to me in 2013, most of them that I wish would have opened them further.

But as in that old saying goes, life is a bitch.  

So I don't necessarily have any resolutions for 2014, but more a few things I would like to accomplish.

Number 1:  Move the heck out of Alabama.  I haven't been happy here in forever; I've wanted to move since the second I got here.  2014 is going to make it happen.

Number 2:  Deactivate Facebook, and that's done.  It's too easy for people to be hurtful, whether it's being defriended by someone, or having to see the opinions of close-minded people posted for the world to see, just for the purpose of starting an argument.  I'm done with it.

Number 3:  Stop trusting everybody.  Not everybody is acting in your best interest; not everybody cares what happens to you.

Number 4:  Get a pixie cut.  I'm going bold this year.  

Number 5:  Learn more about politics.  Maybe even prepare myself to vote in the next election?  Maybe that's asking too much.  Probably, but we'll see.

Number 6:  Go back to school.  Whether that means going to get my MBA or go to beauty school, it's going to happen.

I hope everyone had a fantastic New Year's Eve.  I'm looking forward to sharing another year.  

PS.  Sorry for all of the listing posts.  This is the last one for a while.  Promise.