A few of my favorite things...

Today's post prompt "Write about your favorite things that is not health-related but likely improves your life" got me really thinking.

So much of my life centers around health and fitness now I really struggled to think of things in my life that aren't health related.  I'm such a connoisseur of health and fitness right now, that this was really difficult.  Here's what I came up with.

My iPad -  I named her Gizmo.  She goes everywhere with me.  She does help out with my health and fitness goals but she also does the following.

1. Functions as my collection point for all my calendars and schedules.  I am super forgetful and over commit myself and the awesome calendar app I found has helped me out significantly by giving me a graphic vision of my day at work and at home.
2. Keeps all of my financial data in one location and it's not as easy to fat finger numbers on the iPad as it is on the iPhone.  I use two different applications Mint.com and HomeBudget.  Mint.com is new to my phone but I like some of the financial advice and information it provides.  HomeBudget is on both my iPhone and iPad and it's so much easier than keeping a physical checkbook, I lose those!!
3.  Podcasts - I wouldn't get through my crazy workdays without the amusement of podcasts and videos on my iPad.  Sometimes I work best with music and other times I need mindless chatter going on in my ears to keep me on track.  I am in love with the How Stuff Works family of podcasts.  They're amazingly informative and often hilarious!
4. The Kindle app.  I admit it, my Kindle is collecting dust.  Since I got my iPad, the Kindle hasn't come out but it's because the screen on the iPad is so much bigger.  It's easier on my eyes and I've been reading a ton more lately because it's there.  I get bored, open the app and keep reading.
5. Update my blog on the go.  I COULD do it from my phone but it's such a tiny screen!!
6.  Keep important files at my fingertips with DropBox.  Life is so much easier with that one tiny cloud storage app!

So yeah, as lame as it is, my iPad is pretty much my favorite thing right now.  Apart from all of the above I also use it to:

1. Log my food into the My Fitness Pal and Weight Watchers apps.
2.  Keep up with my Gorilla Workouts.
3. Use the WW Kitchen App to find new stuff to cook.
4.  Read other blogs.
5. Keep my Zumba music and playlists for class handy.

Basically, Gizmo is my personal assistant. Health, fitness, finances, entertainment, education, it keeps everything at my fingertips.

I'm such a consumer but... whatever.  I love my iPad!

Celebrating Dirty Thirty

Well, it happened. I turned 30!

After an incredibly hard week at work, I started my birthday weekend off with Mrs. Fatass doing a 30 minute Zumba Sentao demo at 12:15. It went so well! We had done our first demo on Thursday night and I think each time we do it, it gets better and easier to do (in terms of teaching!)!  I went back to work, got as much done as possible and left at 4:45 to go get my eyebrows tamed before my dinner party.

We went out to a local place called Jac's for dinner. It was DELICIOUS! 

I had reserved the private dining room for the evening and as we were being walked to the room the hostess was giggling - people had been by already. Sue and a coworker, Ann had been by to drop off flowers for me. Sue's was festooned with the "It's My Fucking Birthday" button attached to the vase. I giggled like mad.

Dinner was so good. First there was spinach artichoke dip with pita bread and warm fresh bread with a sweet butter. My meal. Chicken breast, broccolini, and garlic mashed potatoes in a smoked Gouda cream sauce. My birthday cake? Caramel, banana fried cheesecake with vanilla ice cream and caramel and chocolate drizzle. Dead! 

Italian Wedding Cake Martini

Also a Glo-Toni and an Italian Wedding Cake martini. So awesome. So tasty. So tipsy.

Glo-Tini

The party moved to a local bar, O'Cools, where we had some more drinks, shared nachos and just hung out. I fell in love with the new chairs on the patio. They're perfect for Sentao. Sadly, they run like $500 for 14 of them. Ouch!

I came home and went to bed right around midnight. It was a very restful sleep.

Saturday, my birthday started off by being bombarded with texts, calls and Facebook messages from friends and family. I couldn't stop smiling. 

I hustled over to the studio to do 30 minutes of Zumba with Sarah and the crew there. I was welcomed by a giant birthday card, gifts from students, a board that they were fastening stars with positive messages on to. I cried a little. So much love! 

Those 30 minutes were full of joy and glee and a ton of sweat. I ran out to teach over at the YMCA. I was greeted by cards and a pretty pink tiara to wear. The tiara actually stayed on for 99.9% of class. Resilient thing!

Note the Tiara. And the pink socks to match.

60 minutes of more sweat to my favorite songs followed.  The smile couldn't have been removed from my face with a jackhammer!

Then came my spoiling myself. Lunch at El Tap with Marsh, Matt, Chip, Sarah and Maryana. Then off to Sacred Flame to get my new tattoo. A quick run to Raleigh followed where I bought my new, fancy iPad!

Here's the tattoo.  I posted from the iPad.

He's a good boy. I got the new iPad, with 64gig of storage in black and blue Smart Cover. I don't like the cover. I can't plug my headphones in flush against it. Fail.

We ate dinner at a great Irish pub in Raleigh where I nommed pub chips, Shepard's Pie with arugula salad and a brownie salad. So sinful!

I was up till almost 1am playing with my iPad. It's so nice!  I think the iPad's name is Gizmo.  Like from Gremlins.

Today was another day of crazy Zumba. Sentao demo, Zumbatomic and a 75 minute Zumba class. 3 hours total. I am so sore. I love it though!!! I know I couldn't have done all of that in one day when I was 25.  Maybe not even when I was 28! Progress!

I am very pleased with turning 30. I'm feeling healthy, strong, loved and like I'm finally finding my place in this world. 

Currently, I'm working on a new goals list. 30 things I want to accomplish in the next year. Personal, fitness, financial and general goals to give me a chance to really fill the coming year with all the best things. 

Simplicity is going to be the theme for the year. Keeping things low key and simple and close to the heart. Watch out 30, I'm coming for you!!!