I’ve Moved!!!!!

http://www.shannonkathryn.com

Broad Street Run Recap

I registered for this race almost immediately following the Phili Half Marathon mostly because my friend Mary Kate regretting not signing up for the half and why not run 10 miles?

I finished in 1:51:46 which is an average page of 9:44 per mile. Not too shabby for me.

I headed to Philadelphia the Saturday before and arrived around 3:30. I LOVE Phili. I feel like it’s a mini Brooklyn. Unfortunately we didn’t really explore due to lack of time, but we said we’d make a weekend over the summer dedicated strictly to eating, drinking and shopping. I’m excited.

We were staying with her brother who lives there and also running the race.

It was the perfect weather for a race. Sunny but not too sunny, warm but not too warm, cool but not too cool, you get it.

Saturday night we made this KILLER pasta dish from the Food Network.

So good and perfect pre race meal. We also drank. Probably too much. None of us really trained so we didn’t see the harm. I, though didn’t properly train, was far more prepared for this race than the Phili half. I’ve been running ~5 miles 2 to 3x per week and going classes at my gym, so it wasn’t as awful as the half.

Needless to say, I finished and am alive. After we headed to a Mary Kate’s brothers friend’s house for brunch. Literally perfect food. Fruit, quiche, cheese grits and a mini blueberry muffin. I didn’t have mimosas because I had to sit on a bus back to NYC and didn’t want to feel delirious.

I’m no where need as sore as I thought I’d be today. I orginially took the day off because I thought I wouldn’t be leaving Phili till today, but plans changed and now I’m back in Brooklyn at an adorable cafe, drinking coffee and prepping for my announcement on May 15!

Get excited.

 

 

Anticipation

So I’ve been working on a top secrete mission lately. Remember my post about how there was one month left in my Freshman Year of Life? Well mark your calendar kids because May 15, 2011 is a few short weeks away and I got a surprise for ya.

(constant whispers amongst bloggers) Gosh Shannon?! What ever could it be?!

Wait and see my friends. Wait and see.

In other news, my new obsession is Instagram.

If you have an iPhone, download this STAT.

It’s basically Twitter for photos and it comes with 15 different filter settings which will completely transform your pictures.

 

This one I cut into four frames first with Picture Magic and then added a Instagram filter.

Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

New spring bangles.

So now that you’ve seen a sample, join! It’s free and the app will scan your Twitter or Facebook followers/friends making it easier to connect. So clearly if you’re not following me, get on it.

Ain’t technology a beaut.

Instagram is so fantastic that it causes people to make websites dedicated to working there: http://iwannaworkatinstagram.com/

On Coming Home

I’m not sure where you are in life. You might be in high school, college or shacking it up with the rents to save money. Perhaps you’re married with kids, a mortgage and a plane ride away from where you grew up. One way or another, if you’ve experienced extended time away from home, you’ll catch my drift throughout this post.

We can all sense a familiarity coming home. The same creaks on the floor of the house you grew up in, the unique taste of your families homemade sauce and meatballs, the old street signs and landscape, the cold sheets of your bed that hasn’t been slept in in months and the comfort of being with family and friends who really know you. Who knew you when you were awkward, shy and had head gear. Who knew when you went though those dreadful pre teen years. A few probably came on the family vacation and the same few ask how your parents are before they ask about you.

I’ve grown closer to my high school friends since graduating college.

(Excuse the blurriness)

I’m not sure if it’s mutual but that’s not my concern. In college, I was so distracted by new best friends, class, parties and basketball that I let our friendships drift.

Happy to report that’s no longer the case.

I mean really? Who wouldn’t love a friendship like the above? Or going to the grents and actually looking at the pictures that fill their house …

That’s me, my dad and my aunt at my uncles wedding. Too damn cute.

Oh and Wegmans? I genuinely feel sorry if you’ve never stepped in one. It’s so much more than a grocery store.

I could keep writing, but nothing I’ll say can top Wegmans.

 

Train Concert!

If you haven’t noticed, I’m a sucker for quotes.

I find them very uplifting and use them constant reminders. I’ve been in a really good place the past couple of days. I’ve discover a plethora of new blogs that are SO fantastic. Once I get them organized in my reader I’ll be sharing them 🙂

So I brought in my own mug and bowl to work because our office bowls and mugs are boring and no fun to look at.

Much better! The bowl’s from Pier One and was around $2 and the mug’s from Marshalls. Love it.

So if you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I scored free tickets to a Train concert at Webster Hall. For those of you who don’t know Train, they sing Drops of Jupiter, Meet Virgina and Hey Soul Sister. Origins sponsors a month long go green initiative so in order to get the free tickets I had to sign a “Be Green” petition! Yay for Earth Day.

Leanna and I headed to the Heartland Brewery before the show for some drinks and apps. We both opted for the “Not Tonight Honey” stout for $5!

One of the things I miss most since moving to NYC is driving. I love driving. I love it because on a hot summer day I can roll all the windows down, stick my arm out and belt out my favorite songs at the top of my lungs with the music as loud as it goes. So basically I miss singing and the liberating feeling that is comes with. When I tell other NYCers of my predicament they ask what’s stopping me from singing on the subway with my headphones in. Honestly, I probably could. I’d be classified as one of the crazies … and I don’t really want that.

So why bring this up? Because I got my “screaming to the top of my lungs” in at this show. I warned Leanna that it could get ugly.

The show was AWESOME!

I was a bit groggy the next day but cured that with a little nectar of the gods.

And then I felt better.

Are you a car singer?

Your Story

This is the current background on my phone. I snapped this pic walking to the L train the a few weekends back.

It’s a great mini mantra and reminder for us all. Your life is your story, so lets make it a great one shall we?

 

 

Clean Eatin’

So after my weekend of massive beer and diner food consumption, I owed it to my bod to eat fresh, real food. Because I’m going home to Syracuse on Thursday and have a jam packed couple of days, there’s no time for Trader Joe’s. So rather than buy my lunch for the next three days, the lovely Leanna from OMG I Moved to NYC and I headed to Gristedes (grocery store) during lunch and picked up the ultimate sandwich essentials. It literally pains me to shop at Griestedes because of how insanely expensive it is, but it’s cheaper than buying lunch everyday!

To put it in perspective, Coffee Mate creamer sells for a whopping $5.59, a small avocado was $2.99, and a half gallon of Silk soy milk is $5.99. I’m not sure where you are on the map, but that’s extremely pricy for my budget. I didn’t purchase any of the above because I couldn’t bring myself too when I usually pay less than $6 for all the above at TJ’s.

What I did buy was cheese, fresh deli turkey, sandwich thins, lettuce, tomato, hummus, two Chobani’s, blackberries and two grapefruits totaling $38. WOOF. But sinking my teeth into a homemade turkey sandwich was totally worth it. I used to eat sandwiches all the time, but I haven’t lately because it kinda takes a while. Isn’t that ridiculous? I was almost bitten by the “since I live in New York I need to do everything 10x as fast as the rest of the world” bug but I think I escaped.

For dinner I had an enormous salad and a chicken breast covered with egg, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, a little bit of flour and lemon pepper, baked at 350 for ~30 minutes. Delish.

I think tomorrow I need to stop and get some sort of dessert because I was feening (sp?) for something sweet. So what’s a girl to do to happens to read healthy living/food blogs? Fry a banana and sprinkle it with brown sugar and cinnamon, clearly.

Now I’m watching William and Kate on Lifetime wishing I was Kate Middleton for a day. I mean come on?

 

Weekend Summary

So. Much. Fun.

Exactly what I needed … and now I need a salad.

Tiana, Brittany, me. Thanks Britt.

I headed up to Newburgh* this weekend for a mini college reunion with my best friends. Friday when I arrived in Beacon my friends greeted me with “OMG you’re so New York. Look at how you walked over here. You did this (acted out) and this (over dramatic acted out me walking to the car.)”

After cursing at the traffic and one another for no apparent reason I sighed and said, “It’s good to be back,” and boy did I mean it.

Megan, Chrissy, Catie.

We headed to TGI Fridays for dinner and drinks. I spend $22 on dinner and four beers or so. Don’t mind if I do.

Christina, Me, Catie.

After dinner we headed to a new place on the Newburgh water front, Billy Joe’s Ribworks. This place was awesome. Great band, great beer, great friends. Clearly the first night was a success because it ended like this:

Literally I just died laughing at this pic.

I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed to go to lacrosse practice with Catie who coaches varsity at her old high school. After chugging a large coffee with skim milk and one splenda I was good to go.

Catie has never played lax before and it’s the school’s first year having a program and since I played in high school she asked if I’d come along. It was awesome. I loved the girls and they we’re so thankful to have me there. After practice we went back, showered, napped, ate prepped for round two.

 

Catie and I looking glam before another night out!

A few more friends came up Saturday and we actually went back to Billy Joe’s. I laughed, laughed and laughed.

My beautiful friend Christina who lives in Columbus Circle in Manhattan said as this photo was being taken, “The closest I’ll ever get to Brooklyn.” Yes fellow Brooklyn-ites, she’s one of those. 

Another solid night for the books.

Sunday was a bit more rough than the previous morning, so how do you cure that?

Ice cream DUH. Chrissy and I went to the dining hall and snagged some. You’re looking at cake batter, coffee and chocolate moose tracks.

I wasn’t kidding about the salad. Someone send one, quick. 

 

 

 

*Yes this is the same Newburgh where the woman drove into the Hudson with her three kids. We actually drove past the site. So chilling/awful. Please keep the Newburgh community in your thoughts and prayers.

One Month Left of my Freshman Year

One year ago today my life consuming senior project was finished as was basically all my other classes. My biggest concern was who was picking up the kegs for the huge party were throwing that weekend. Come to think of it I was on jello shot duty.

I was slacking off in the job app department but I was lucky enough to get two legit interviews under my belt before I walked the stage … so I guess I wasn’t being a total slacker.

What else was I worried about? Ah yes, having a base tan before our senior trip to Daytona Beach. Because my skin is/was basically see through, a base tan was 100% necessary. (Note: I’ve stopped tanning because of the extremely harmful side effects.)

Somewhere in the back of my mind was the lingering thought that I did have to face reality soon, but I wasn’t losing sleep over it. In one month, a year ago today, my life was starting. I’d have to start paying my own bills, living on my own and dodging those hits life throws at you.

Part of me misses college so much it hurts. I miss it for the same reasons everyone misses it. The carefree life style of living with your best friends, drinking till the sunrise, laughing till it hurts and going to class with the confidence that I could do anything once I left.

I’ve grown up a lot in the past year, but the thing I notice most, is now much more I will this year. You’re whole life you’re surrounded by people. Family, friends, teammates, coaches, friends of friends, etc, who know you, love you, look out for you. I’m an only child raised by my single mom and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being an only child has taught me independence, confidence and the ability to talk to anyone; traits I still exude and will for the rest of my life.

I graduated high school and went to college to meet a new genre of people. Not just friends, the staff and professors at Mount Saint Mary College who went above and beyond with support and guidance to make it home. That may sound cheesy, especially to fellow MSMC alum or current students, but it’s true, or at least in my case it is.

Now it’s me. Just me. In the biggest city in the world, just trying to make it. I still have all the people mentioned above in my life, but not a 5 minute walk or drive away. They’re not here with me, listening to my daily musings, rants and gossip. They’re not here to console me when I’ve had a day from hell or make me laugh till I cry or cry till I laugh for that matter.

It’s just me and now it’s setting in. I’m at the forefront of what your 20s are all about; figuring yourself out. Figuring out what you want in life, who you will become, what your mark will be. I know I may sound corny and cliche and clearly I’m the billionth person to realize this, but you don’t “get” it until your experiencing it. On paper, I’m living the life I wanted. In New York, with a full time communications job. Is it what I thought it would be? In some ways yes, in more ways no. But I know how much I’m going to grow and change for the better living this life.

I’m excited for what’s to come and I can only hope you’ll stay as I share it.

As for this blog … I’m thinking of adding a “Part Deux”  until I figure out what’s next. Sophomore Year of Life doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

Be Your Own Boss: Intro to Entrepreneurship

Last night I went to an Urban Girl Squad workshop titled “Be Your Own Boss: Intro to Entrepreneurship” that was held and led by two lovely ladies, Amy Abrams and Adelaide Lancaster, founders of In Good Company.

If you’re a female living in NYC check out Urban Girl Squad. Their website describes it as a “social networking group in New York City for women in their 20s & 30s.”  They offer endless types of events from food and fashion, to careers and skydiving, to volunteer work and horseback riding. The membership is FREE and the price of events range. This one was $20 and worth every stinkin’ penny.

Amy and Adelaide from In Good Company have an interesting story you can check out here. Their business was founded and focuses on providing a community and meeting place for women entrepreneurs. Being a 23 year old NYC newbie who’s seven months into her first job, I didn’t even know these types of places exist! Cool stuff.

Back to the event. Roughly 40 women were attendance, all various ages and business ideas. There were cookers, bakers and clothing line makers (see what I did there?) along with a few interested in cook book writing and consulting. To my surprise, I was the only in the room who mentioned social media/blog related. I thought the room would be chock full of bloggers.

Amy and Adelaide covered a variety of topics. They began by having us answer the question “What do you want that you’re not getting now?” Answers included enthusiasm for your work, making sure your income correlates with effort, work/life balance among many other aspects the attendees were missing from their current positions. What really stuck with me is how you must focus your business on your specific answers to that question.

They gave an example of a woman who starting a consulting business for high school students entering college. In previous jobs she was missing the work/life balance, especially after having baby, so in her business she said she’d only work three days per week. She stuck with it, knowing she’d have to schedule and work in just three days, she was able to have the other two days to her children. She has been in business for years (8-10? can’t quite remember) and is clearly very successful.

Making sure your business is one you’d want to work for once it’s up and running was another interesting point. Entrepreneurs get caught up being a “jack of all trades” and at the end of the day they’re not spending time doing what they love.

It was definitely an awesome new experience. Just the dynamic in the room was enough to excite me. I love surrounding myself with new people who I share a goal with. Clearly I went to this workshop because I’m interested in entrepreneurship. We see it all over the blog world and I’d love one day to be a part of it.

If entrepreneurship was a flower, I’d still be a seed in a bag by the checkout counter at Home Depot but I look forward to being planted one day …