A Real Theme for my Blog

I've decided on an actual first theme to this blog besides the theme of "random tidbits about my life." I'm a lister. I make lists for everything - seriously. So why not include that in my blog?

I'm going to do a weekly "Top Ten" list!

Probably not on the same day each week, sorry. But a little suspense in your life can be good for you.

Keep an eye out for this weeks top ten post "The Top Ten Things to Definitely Buy Name-Brand Instead of Store-Brand."

It Happened!

It happened everyone!! I interviewed at BAE Systems & I received a job offer as a Product Assurance Engineer! Woot! Real world here I come! Alarm clocks, spending too much money on gas and too much time driving, being able to pay rent & loans in the same month...whaaaat. Having a steady paycheck, a career, an assigned mentor, a way to advance my knowledge & skills. Adulthood. Boom.

To celebrate, Chris, my boyfriend, & I went to Throwback tonight from 5-7pm and enjoyed many beer samples & filled our growlettes. I filled mine with Just Beet (W)it - OMG ITS SO DELICIOUS. Then we went to Flatbread in Portsmouth & enjoyed life-size beers, flatbread pizzas and salad at their bar. THEN we went to Kilwin's bakery (Fudgery? Dessertery?) and bought toasted coconut and chocolate chunk chocolate fudge & chocolate covered nutterbutters. We haven't eaten them yet though, because then we went to the Breaking New Grounds and Chris bought the most massive cappaccino (way too big for 9pm at night) and I chose a peanut butter chocolate pie slice! Yum!

What a great way to celebrate my first full-time permanent job offer! Everyone cheer for me and cheers! for me!

Just Breath

If ever you are having a hard time doing something (see examples below) try breathing exercises. I have no formal training in this whatsoever. Nor have I done ANY research on it. Although I will now that I'm learning the power of it.

What started this? I am trying to challenge myself in new ways every day. I'm changing my life and my lifestyle for the better & I'm so excited. But its not easy. So when I get overwhelmed I focus on my breathing.

When a person is crying hysterically or freaking out about something, someone else tells them to "Just breath." So I've decided to do that - just breath - whenever I get overwhelmed or am having trouble. Which is a lot.

There are a lot of exercises (mental and physical) that I can do to decrease my stress. I want to build a regular routine in both types of exercises for a better, healthier and happier me. But I don't want to jump into the deep end when I am just learning to swim. Then I'll get even more overwhelmed and might give up (or drown in the case of my anology.)

So for now I'm working on breathing.

When do I practice breathing exercises?

When I stretch.

When I run.

When I walk after running.

When I am overwhelmed at work.

When I want to yell at someone.

When I can't sleep.

When I get a piercing.

When I dance.

When I get blood drawn.

When I get an immunization.

When I attempt yoga.

When I apply to jobs.

When I write cover letters.

When I have to repeat myself because people do not listen.

When I am writing a to-do list.

When I am lifting a heavy (for me) weight.

When I have to kill a spider.

When I have to hold back laughter in situations where laughing would be completely inappropriate.

Breathing is necessary to live. DUH. But I'm learning that breathing is necessary to stay sane, to power through, to succeed, to really LIVE.

Confidence

I love when people have confidence. It totally rocks. Not when they are cocky, or act entitled. Those people can leave. And they deserve a bucket of slime dumped on them on their way out the door. (Yes slime from Nickelodeon.) Confidence is key everyone! Confidence is sexy!

Also, along the same lines... Good dancing is about 85% confidence, 15% knowing the right moves. So be confident on the dance floor too!

Omg That Plum

I just ate the most delicious plum. It was just the right amount of juicy - although my chin, shirt & pants might disagree, oops I'm a child. It had the perfect combination of tart at the skin & sweet in the fruit. And best of all - it was organic! This plum really had it all. The bees knees for sure in the plum world.

Thanks Adderall

Thanks Adderall,

It's because of you I had an amazingly productive day & I remembered to do what I needed to do or at least write down what is left to do so I can remember to do it tomorrow!

But it's also because of you that I am up, wide awake at 2am posting about you (I climbed into bed at 10pm). I wanted to wake up at 5:15am to get a head start on my day & really kick some butt on all the work I need to do this week. But that's in about 3 hours, so I dont see that happening. So thanks for that. Thanks for giving me one amazing day - while ruining (most likely) my plans for success for the very next day.

That is all.

Except this - know that I will be soooo over you when Concerta & Ritalin come back into my life on Friday after my doctor's appointment. Okay. That is all. For real this time.

Hello There!

Welcome to Actually Ashley!

This blog is going to run on Ashley-time. Which means I'll attempt to stick to a schedule, but I will most likely just post whatever the heck I want, whenever the heck I want.

I'm going to post about food, non-GMO food, farmer's markets, farms, fitness, faith, the Bible, beer, restaurants, breweries, work, life as an intern, life as an intern trying to get a full-time job, my boyfriend, adventures, adventures with my boyfriend, adventures of living with my boyfriend, my family, my friends, my love and passion for nature & all that is natural, my ADD, my OCD, my car - her name is Luisa, and food. Yes I said food multiple times. It's very important to me.