Brooke's Nooks- an Indianapolis Lifestyle Blog

February 15th, 2013

in an effort to truly recognize the simple pleasures in my life, i have compiled a list of random happenings that made the last seven days a lot brighter. (& trust me, they were all very much appreciated.)

Chipotle. a salad with fajita vegetables, chicken, black beans, tomato salsa, & light guacamole. yes, please.
Jimmy Dean’s Delights. while i love the McDonald’s breakfast menu, i typically limit that drive-thru to the mornings post-too much booze. on the days i need a quick fix on the go when my biggest worry is getting to work on time, i grab a <300 breakfast sandwich- less grease, more grain? at least, that’s how i justify my love for these pre-packaged “delights.”
Love. it’s my experience that there are people that feel bad for the single girl on Valentine’s day. the truth is, for me, i love the day. i love seeing all the beautiful bouquets, i love witnessing flower deliveries & the reactions when the receivers first see them headed their way, i love the fact that you can get most candy, pizza, & desserts in the shape of a heart, & i love that there’s an understanding, for most people, that we should all be sharing the love with others, especially on that day. most of that was my experience from yesterday- girls receiving flowers at work from their significant others who took time out of their own lives to order them, picking up cupcakes frosted in atypical yet acceptable pink & red frosting, getting together with other single friends last night- friends who would didn’t have reservations with a special someone in their lives, & also, yesterday was a day to reach out to those who have impacted my life- people in Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, etc etc etc. February might be a dreaded day for some single girls, but don’t get it twisted, after spending 27 Valentine’s day as that girl, let me tell you, i still feel (& spread) the love every February 14th & regardless of relationship status, i’m convinced that it feels just as rewarding had i been spending it with a handsome man in my life.
Running. i started running when i was in grad school-an outlet to release some stress, aggression, & tears. some of my best runs, while circling K-State’s gorgeous campus, were those after receiving poor reviews on papers. it’d start out slow, one foot in front of the other, & i’d slowly increase the pace (& the distance) until tears would fall & sweat would pour. that was when i knew that running was the cheapest/best therapy i could afford. after graduating, i reverted to pre-graduate school times. i took up long walks & yoga & pushed running to the side. however, over the last few months, i’ve reunited with my therapist- beautiful shoes & a hamster wheel that sits in what is meant to be a dining room. getting back into the running game wasn’t the easiest transition, but i quickly remembered how rewarding running can feel- knowing the distance is up to you & knowing the euphoric feeling that follows will all be worth it. over the last few weeks, i’ve been fortunate to recognize how great it is when i don’t feel like working out yet somehow muster the energy to start out slow- 5 & 1/2 miles later, the victory is all mine & sometimes, it’s alright to be selfish- at least, that’s what ~~running~~ my therapist has taught me.
Today Show’s Steals & Deals. i’m pretty sure it’s an almost-every Tuesday thing, & when Jill Martin presents her budget-friendly picks (ranging from fashion finds to housewares to gizmos & gadgets), there’s typically one item that i adore. this week it was all about monogrammed necklaces & a $300 Restaurants.com gift cards (yours for only $40!). it’s a silly segment to follow (i know Good Morning American has one quite similar) but it’s a great distraction from the Tuesday morning activities that most (i.e. my boss) call “work.”