Baseball Season

I can't even believe that I'm about to say this - considering it is currently 5 degrees outside - but baseball season is almost upon us! That's right, I'm already looking forward to seeing my favorite boys of summer take the field. It's really hard to think that in a couple short months there will be green grass, the sun will be setting after 5:15pm, and warm temperatures will soon be arriving. Until that happens, I had to get my baseball fix by heading to Twins Fest today.

So off to Twins Fest I went with Tracy and Aaron. And get our baseball fix we did! We caught some radio commentary - thanks Justin, Cuddy, JJ Hardy, and Joe. We registered for the opportunity to participate in a random drawing to maybe buy tickets to the opening series in the new stadium. We chatted with some slightly snotty Twins wives. And, most of all, we enjoyed one last hurrah at the Metrodome.

I won't say that I absolutely love the Metrodome. It's not a baseball stadium in any way, shape, or form. There really isn't anything like catching a baseball game on a gorgeous summer night. So I'm definitely looking forward to soaking up the sun at the new Target Field. But, come April, I sure will miss the teflon roof the Metrodome provides to protect me from the outdoor elements. Some cold games are going to be played at the new stadium and I'm pretty sure that I won't be there.

I still don't understand why the Twins organization would build a stadium on a site that doesn't even allow the stadium to be built roof ready. Yeah, I understand not wanting to ask the taxpayers for more money for a retractable roof up front. But seriously, the way the stadium was built and the size of the land that it was built on, doesn't even allow for the option of a roof anytime down the line. We all think so positively about outdoor baseball because we've been living inside our "bubble" for too long.

So, for as much as I love baseball and everything that it comes with, here's to a little apprehension heading into this season. I can't wait for my boys of summer to arrive... I just hope they bring lots of nice weather them.

Back to Basics

Yesterday, I decided to get back to what this blog was initially all about... cupcakes and running. So, I hit the treadmill at the gym in the morning and baked cupcakes in the afternoon. Wow, I forgot how much I really love cupcakes.

I really do not enjoy running on the treadmill. It's so hard to get back into it after spending months running in the great outdoors. And this winter it has been especially hard. After training for and running the TC 10-mile race, I was rather burnt out from running. There was so much build up to the big race that once it was over, all I wanted to do was kick my feet up and take a break. So... that's exactly what I did. I ran some through the fall, until the snow started falling, and then I pretty much took a vacation from running all together.

Now that the new year is in full swing, I've rededicated myself to working out and have decided to conquer the treadmill. Before yesterday, I jogged out just two "runs" and they were definitely nothing to write home about. But yesterday on the other hand, I managed an entire 45 minutes on the treadmill! There were a couple walking breaks, but in general it went well. Today, my right hip is sore (which usually happens after running on the treadmill). Once I've logged enough treadmill runs, my hip will be back in running shape and there will be no more soreness. So, other than the bum hip, I can't really complain.

And what better way to celebrate a successful treadmill workout than to bake some cupcakes! They weren't for me, it was Amy's birthday and we were finally celebrating. She requested chocolate cupcakes and of course, I delivered. They were a german chocolate cupcake from my beloved "Cupcake Doctor" book (by far one of my best cookbook investments). I even made the frosting from scratch and I never make my own frosting.

If I do say so myself, these were some darn good cupcakes! The cupcakes had buttermilk in them which made them extra light and fluffy. The frosting was pretty much butter, sugar, and cocoa... and no one can complain with those ingredients. So yummy!

Getting "back to basics" has been refreshing!

It's Official...

... I've been unemployed for a whole entire year as of this week. That's an entire 367 days (as of today) without working. 367 days ago, I never thought that I would see this day. I honestly thought that I would find a new job within a month, two months max. It's not that I didn't realize what was going on in the world around me as the recession started, it's that I thought I was such a "catch" as an employee that some company would snatch me up super quick.

So far, that company hasn't found me. Or I haven't found them. Either way, we haven't met yet and I'm trying to figure out what that means. Does it mean that I'm looking in the wrong places? Is something bigger than me trying to send me a message that I'm misinterpreting? Have I just wasted an entire year of opportunities that I didn't even see or realize were there for me? It's hard not to get disappointed when you've been unemployed for an entire year but at the same time it's also hard for me not to be positive when I look back on the year that I had.

In comparison to the millions of unemployed who have had to go on food stamps and shop at food banks, lost their homes to foreclosure and become homeless, I've lived a pretty "privileged" unemployed life. I have a wonderful family that has been nothing but supportive. Rather than let me get into a situation where I would lose my apartment, my cousins offered their home to me (of which I took them up on the offer). My friends lent their internet and computers (cheers to you Bridget!) so that I could job hunt all afternoon rather than the one hour time limit at the library. And I've been able to enjoy my free time with friends who unfortunately are also unemployed.

I am amazed by everything I've been able to do while on a budget this past year. I still bought new clothes - just not as many as usual. I still went to the movies - usually a matinee and not as often as before. I went to the MIA a couple of times - it's free all the time and I hit up the Free Thursday put on by Target. Laid out by the pool and worked on my tan - I hadn't done that in years! Went to a Twins game in the middle of the afternoon for the first time ever! Started writing a novel - it's still a work in progress. And enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon viewing the Walker's outdoor exhibits.

So it only seems fitting that on the one year "anniversary" of that fateful day last winter I went on a job interview. I haven't heard if I did or did not get the job. No news is good news... right? Eventually I will become employed again so until that day comes, I'm going to continue the job hunt and enjoy the free time that I have.

2010 Goals!

Now that 2010 is officially underway, I've been trying to decide what my resolutions should be this year. First, I decided that I don't want them to be called resolutions and instead want them to be goals. Second, I want them to be achievable, yet not easily achievable. Third, I want at least one of my goals to benefit others. And, finally, I want them to encompass my entire life. So now that I've done my thinking, I think I figured out five good goals.

1. Volunteer at least one day a month for a non-profit or charity.
2. Workout at least 8 days each month.
3. Cut my debt in half.
4. Open a Roth IRA (once I am earning an income).
5. Blog at least once a week.

The above listed goals seem like five manageable goals. I've wanted to volunteer more for the past couple years and just haven't done it. Last year, it was my goal to run a 10-mile race and I got that done. This year, I need to focus more on being consistent with my workouts. I started out last year wanting to reduce my debt and ended up increasing it due to my job loss. I never opened the Roth IRA that I had hoped to open - also due to my job loss. And the blog started out earnest enough, then I completely let it fizzle out.

Now that I've put these goals out there, I can't very well back out on them. No excuses! I hope that everyone has made their own resolutions/goals/intentions for the year ahead. There's no reason not to be optimistic about what each one of us can accomplish in the next 362 days!