On A Lighter Note

Wow, somebody has been Captain Serious lately. Guilty. The truth is, while training is not all fun and games--really it's routine, challenging routine--that doesn't mean that I'm not having my fair share of adventure and fun on the side.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you are the most in-the-know about my life as of late. Even on Facebook, I sometimes forget that not everyone wants to hear about my training day in and day out. Outside of work, I become a one-track mind, and that track is the stage. Confession: I do have a Facebook page for my blog, but it's so hard for me to balance both because I'm not readily able to post fitness tips/tricks/updates on the reg during the day. Instead, I typically use it to post links to this blog, and then it's just boring. One of these days, I will get the hang of things and be able to bring the Facebook page off the ground running.

But regardless, now that I have an amazing flatmate, she's been pushing me more to actually enjoy my downtime. And trust me, that is definitely a good thing.

Meet M, aka Twinnie, aka my new flattie!

Oh, did I not tell you? Yes, the better part of the month of July has been filled with slowly moving between two apartments in Charlottesville, luckily within 2 miles of each other. Slowly, until I decided I was prolonging moving in with one of my greatest friends--who would do such a thing?! Thus, this past week(end) has been a whirlwind of moving heavy furniture, haphazardly "packing" and unpacking boxes with the hopes that no glassware breaks as I creep down the road in my Subaru, and getting organized. Oh, and did I mention the furniture that I bought from Ikea?

Yes, 7 boxes were delivered to me on Friday, full of furniture ready to be assembled by yours truly. This is where I wish I had a man an electric screwdriver in my life--that entire process could have been a whole lot easier! Not to worry though, when I get started on a project, I try not to leave it unfinished. I even prolong bathroom breaks until I get to a "good stopping point." Nonetheless, by Saturday the transformation had occurred.

Controlled chaos turned reward.

If you ever need anything assembled, just call this girl anyone else! That was only one of the two pieces I received, the other being my bed frame with under-bed storage. Yes, I really am that excited about my furniture and my ability to assemble it, that I'm still talking about it. Not to worry, a full bedroom picture will be taken shortly after this weekend. I'm just waiting for oneeee opinion before I deem my feng shui complete. 

Let me tell you something, moving is no joke! Especially given that I moved from a top floor apartment in a two-story house to a lower-level apartment in a building built into a hill. In case you don't follow, that's one trip up and down steps for every box I move into my car and one trip up and down steps for every box I move into the new place. Let's just say that I really shouldn't experience any guilt for going easy at the gym the past weekend because I worked out plenty between Friday afternoon and Sunday.

But back to the point of this--so YES, I'm so glad that I've chosen to end my short-lived era of solitary living. It's nice to have your own place, but it can get isolating. And there are just some things that are easier when you have a roommate, especially one you're friends with first and foremost. For instance, now I don't have to practically break my arm trying to zip up impossible dresses! I also have a scapegoat for when I don't feel like doing suggested activities: "Oh, sorry, my flattie and I were planning on having a girl's night in..." I kid! (Oh, and yes, we've decided that calling each other flatmate or flattie is MUCH more fun than "roommate." Silly Americans!)

We've already been on several flatmate dates, including a viewing of Despicable Me 2, which I HIGHLY recommend you go see ASAP, and an indulgent cheat meal on Saturday. She even let me pick the restaurant, gasp! I was so excited to eat some pork barbecue nachos and a turkey burger bowl with sauteed mushrooms, onions, and peppers that I completely forgot to take a picture. Also because I'm just not a foodie blogger. I've tried, just not me.

M and I were in the same sorority for the last year and a half of college. Oddly enough, we were the only two 3rd year students that decided to join said sorority late in the game, and we were also going through similar frustrating situations in our life at the time. We bonded immediately, and our friendship grew after the following:

• Our birthdays are two days apart--she's the older one.
• Our mothers look eerily alike
• We've been asked (by a drunk man) before if we are twins...
• ...Which led to us realizing we both have very similar facial features
• We are both "shy" looking to the eye, but SUPER FUN if you really know us... I'm not biased or anything.

So when I found out that she had been offered a job back here in Charlottesville, I immediately jumped on the flatmate ship and asked if she was looking to get a place. The rest is history.

After my our cheat meal, we needed a little exercise, so we took to UVa Grounds to reminisce and take in the view as alumni--something I'm always too "busy" to do. And something I never think to do. Note to self: slow down more and LIVE. 

Old Cabell Hall from the Rotunda steps

Part of the Lawn rooms/one of the Pavilions

The ampitheater. No filter.

The ampitheater. Filtered.

By then, the temperatures had cooled off so it was nice to just sit around and relax.

I made the right choice.

Other reasons I am super excited to live with M--she knows I've been going a little stir-crazy with competition prep this time, and during my cheat meal, she made it a point to tell me, "Now don't go home and look in the mirror." Yeah, did I mention she caught me checking myself out in a mirror when we were shopping in World Market earlier that day? It's hard not to this close to show day! But honestly, I greatly appreciated her reassurance and that she felt concerned/comfortable enough to tell me that. Not many people would have that much insight, and for once, I can actually say that I didn't immediately go check the mirror when we got home. Instead, I lounged around, wrote my grandmother a nice letter, and hit the hay. Besides, I'd taken enough progress pictures earlier in the week, and as I promised you all, the scale was tucked away until weigh-in on Sunday.

Less of this...

...And this. What good is progress if you can't enjoy it?

I may not have it all right yet, but I'm slowly finding balance. And I think that this move--hectic as it was--is just the positive momentum I needed. Less than 3 weeks out from the stage, and I am embracing all aspects of life.