New Name, New Outlook

So this blog started out as a list of 25 Things I wanted to do while I was 25. Well, 25 has officially come and gone and I'm now living in the land of 26. So to embrace my introduction into my mid-to-late twenties, I figured I needed to rename my blog and once again start anew. As I mentioned a few entries ago, I went to a Natasha Bedingfield concert in July. Well, one of my favorite of her songs has a chorus that reads:

And if you strip me, strip it all away,
If you strip me, what would you find?
If you strip me, strip it all away,
I'll be alright.


Take what you want,
Steal my pride, 
Build me up or cut me down to size. 
Shut me out, but I'll just scream
I'm only one voice in a million, but you ain't taking that from me

And haven't we all felt that way before? Anyway, the song has been resonating with me for awhile and I've finally decided to adopt it for my blog. I'm only one voice in a million, but its mine and I intend to use it.

Now, to address some things that have been neglected as I've been (unintentionally) neglecting this blog in recent weeks.

First of all...my list of 25 things. You've all seen the list before so I won't list them all out but I need to own up to the ones that I did not accomplish in the last 365 days.

10. Complete 3 consecutive months of p90x/get back into a regular exercise routine.
15. Get SCUBA certified.
16. Finally get that last tattoo I want.
19. Kiss in the rain.
20. Be an extra in another film.
22. Go horseback riding on the beach.

So only 19 of 25 was accomplished. Which equals out to 76%. I'm a little disappointed, but at the same time still very proud of what I was able to take care of. So those last 6 now go on my Lifetime Bucket List which I am currently in the process of making. Luckily I expect to cross a few of those off my list very soon. I am getting that last tattoo and I know what and where but unfortunately I've lost the exact design so I'm in the process of trying to find it again and then I'll get it done. Definitely by the time 2011 is over, but I'm hoping maybe before Europe next month. Also, my friend in small group was talking about going horseback riding on the beach with her friend in Jacksonville sometime in the future so if she makes that happen I may just have to make a trip as well, if only to cross that off my list. And finally, I know I talk a big game about this all the time, but I've been continuing to surround myself with fitness and exercise oriented people lately so I am absolutely determined to resubmerge myself in a regular fitness routine. It will happen. It will it will will. It must. So hopefully those 6 things I wasn't able to cross off my list this year will very shortly be down to three.

Speaking of fitness...my Europe diet has not exactly been going as planned. As my lack of blogging in the last few weeks probably indicate, I have been extremely busy, have had very little time to work out, and have been eating out way too often. So I am now embarrassed to say I am officially back at my starting weight. Europe is 3 weeks and 3 days away (!!!) so while I may not be at my goal weight, I am determined to get back on the bandwagon and at least lose and maintain a 5 lb weight loss by then. I'm trying to set realistic and attainable goals here. So here goes...

When I say I've been busy these past couple weeks, its not a lie. TGH goes live with an electronic medical record (EMR) on October 1st and the whole hospital has been getting trained on that so I've been going in an extra day each week for classes. Plus my birthday was 2 weeks ago and I took some time off to celebrate with friends and my family who drove down to spend the weekend with me. I took them to Busch Gardens where my lovely roommate gave us the opportunity to chuck meatballs at tigers (who hasn't wanted to do that? lol) and we intended to go on the safari so my mom could feed the giraffes but unfortunately the typical Florida mid-afternoon monsoon occurred and we weren't able to do it. But we had a good time regardless. Here are a few pics from the weekend:

A few of the girls after dinner on our way out for drinks

Mom and Dad at Busch Gardens

My birthday cake :)

Another super fun thing that happened recently is one of my good friends from nursing school got hitched! Three of us from my nursing class drove down to Captiva Island last weekend to watch her tie the knot with her man on the beach. It was an absolutely gorgeous wedding and she looked beautiful. I've missed my nursing girls since I moved to Tampa and I love any opportunity I have to catch up with them. A couple pics from the eve:

Beautiful ceremony on Captiva Island

Terri, me, Kathleen, and Erin

I caught the bouquet!

Alright, thats enough from me for now. But I promise it won't be 3 weeks until you hear from me again!