Sunday!

I'm feeling pretty good about myself because I'm almost caught up on reading through Tuesday! (#lawschoolwin)

On Friday, I went and got my hurrr did ... time to brighten up the red!

At first I got home and was terrified at how RED it was (because the red fades so fast, I forget what it looked like at first), but then I decided I love it again.

I might go get it spruced up right before the Disney Princess Half Marathon (Feb 23) too because I need to be Ariel when running this thang!!

Anyways, I wrote my last post about how I was having all sorts of health issues (whether real or imagined is yet to be determined) and because of that I started doing a few things differently. Also, I'm running a half marathon in less than a month.

Last Sunday I went running for the first time in basically two months and I could only go 0.5 miles before I needed to walk because my heart rate was so high. Yesterday I ran 4 miles without stopping. In six days I increased my mileage by 3.5 miles. Now, all I need to do from now until the half is increase mileage by 2 miles a week. Easy, peasy...right?

I also quit drinking soda last Saturday. That is actually MINDBLOWING. I have been trying to quit drinking soda since at least high school, when I was maybe 23 or 24 I switched to diet soda, cause, yanno, it's "healthier" and even through all my traveling where I don't even LIKE the Coke Light or whatever the version was, I could not bring myself to quit it completely! Then I just became convinced that aspartame was killing me and I quit it without much thought. The week prior to that I slowly let up on it, down to one soda a day and a cup of caffeinated tea in the afternoon if I felt a headache coming on, but otherwise, I've had no soda and no caffeine for 8 days now. It still doesn't even seem real that I did it. I basically consider myself like an alcoholic or drug addict in that I don't think I will ever be completely "cured"...other people talk about quitting soda and then being good after like 3 or 4 days...not me, nope, I'm still like damnnn I want diet coke right now! Instead I'm drinking water. blahhhh.

Also, I started drinking green smoothies every morning!! Instead of the super healthy biscuit I'd get from McD's (just a plain biscuit, but still), I make a green smoothie with 2 cups of spinach, 2 cups of water, a cup of strawberries, a banana and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. I make the bags of the ingredients on Sunday, freeze them, and then dump the ingredients into the blender (I add the water then too) and then I have a really COLD frozen green smoothie!!

So yeah, I'm feeling pretty good about all these healthy steps I'm taking but I'm obviously not all the way there yet -- I ate burger king for lunch today for god's sake (just didn't drink soda with it and no mayo on the burger)...so, it's baby steps and changing one habit at a time.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

xoxo

I've got a LOT of issues. Read to make yourself feel better.

Well well well

cool eyeball! ... and these are REAL nerd glasses - those babies are thinned down too!!!

me & my neph - has nothing to do with this post. 

Whose wise idea was it to start a new blog over break and then immediately abandon it as soon as school started???

But ya'll.

School has been ca-raaazzzyyy!!

Last semester whenever someone asked me about law school I just kind of shrugged and was like, "It's OK" .. it definitely wasn't anything comparable to being a teacher in terms of workload.

This semester though....

Wowza.

First, I'm taking an extra class. Second, the teachers are assigning more reading. Third, I forgot how to read fast for law school. Fourth, all the first cases are like cases from the 1800s that are so dense. Fifth, all my teachers this semester are fans of the lovely 'cold-call' whereas I only had ONE teacher who did that last semester and she called on me the first day so then I didn't have to worry about it for the rest of the semester.

Also - I'm "running" the Disney Prince Half-Marathon in exactly ONE MONTH from today, and guess who can't even make it three miles without stopping?? #awesome

I'm not overly concerned though for a lot of reasons.

#1. On Sunday I could only run .5 miles before I stopped (I made myself stop bc my heart rate was at 183 and I don't want my HR over 180 when I'm exercising bc I get exercise migraines if I push myself that hard).

#2. Today, my third run of the week, I made it 2.5 miles. Running is SO mental, ya'll, I just have to condition myself to be used to working out for 2-3 hours

#3. You have to complete the half at a pace of 16-min mile .. I can walk that so the worst case scenario is I walk a huge chunk of it.

-- The reason I haven't been training is because I was really sick in December, and then I went to NYC, where you may or may not have learned it was SO FUCKING COLD. So, lame excuses, but, they're there nonetheless. I've been feeling 'weird' ... is the only explanation on and off for a few months now, and I've diagnosed myself with everything from panic attacks to brain aneurisms to atrial fibrillation and it's really made me scared to exercise -- but one good thing did come from it - I *quit* (tentatively) soda -- Saturday is one week soda AND caffeine free!!! That deserves an entire post on it's own bc I have literally been trying for YEARS to quit and I could never do it, but convince myself that it's causing me to have these panic attacks and I stop cold turkey.

THe issue is that I will wake up in the middle of the night and my heart is beating (what feels like) REALLY fast. Not only that but I can't go back to sleep because I can feel my heart beating. Like ,I really took for granted how nice it is to NOT feel my heart beating out of my chest because the sensation is just so offputting that I can't fall back asleep. Which is turrrrible. And also it makes me afraid to go to sleep. #notnormal. I've kind of linked it to sleeping on my side but this is absolutely devastating to me bc I switch positions all night when I sleep and my favorite way to sleep is on my side and on my stomach.

At first I thought it was panic attacks but I don't think it is for a few reasons. First, I'm being woken up with this rapid heartbeat, second, it doesn't fade away after ten or even thirty minutes ... it lasts HOURS (or what feels like hours), and third (& maybe most obviously), I'm not stressed/anxious/worried about anything in life....except for the rapid heart beat thing!

I am going to the doc- but you can't get appointments for weeks with these peeps! My biggest fear is that something would happen to me and I'm all alone and no one would know and I'd die. Morbid much? I know. But both my dad and my aunt died on their own and were "found".

I probably feel my HR /pulse about 50 times a day. I wish I was exaggerating. I don't always count it but I feel it. I'll just be sitting in class and casually put my fingers on my neck and count my HR. Cool huh? But, have no fear- I also made an appt at the psych clinic on campus bc I just can't live this way! It's out of control.

So, there you have it - law school, rapid heartbeats, half-marathons...living the life, folks, living the life!!

P.S. - I DO have a tumblr which I update more often because, well, it's tumblr ... so if you're interested in that (it's mostly law school stuff) the address is http://sometypeaway.tumblr.com.

ITS A HARRY POTTER WEEKEND!

all is right in the world.

xoxo

On Nicknames

Happy Monday, ya'll!

Today is my first day back at law school after four weeks off!! I have a whopping ONE class to attend today, so it's gonna be rough.

No, but seriously, we have one class today but then FOUR on Tuesday. Gawd. Gonna be rough.

A couple things:

I tried "green smoothie"-ing yesterday for the first time. My smoothie was less green and more brown and less smoothie and more juicey, but whatever, it was drinkable (which is actually saying a LOT for me.)

The issue was that my mom gave me a magic bullet and while I was REALLY excited about it initially, I realized that the MB literally holds barely 2 cups of stuff so all I could fit in was spinach, strawberries and water. I immediately went to TarJay where I purchased a REAL blender. (Mom, I'm a grown up!!)

I also bought a new scale (rather than just replace the battery in my old one -_-) and the woman who checked me out didn't put the scale OR blender in a bag. I'm like, "um, can I get a bag for this?" and she looked at me like I was dumb and then was like, "I don't have big bags for that." I'm thinking, then get some! WTF! What am I supposed to do??

I also had a minor moment of panic when I thought I left my keys in my car (totally something I would do) but turns out they were in the pocket of my sweatshirt. Pheww.

Also, I got back to Florida on Thurdsay, and when I was leaving NYC I snapped a ton of pics!

Can you believe that view of manhattan? You can see the lake from Central Park clearly and the lights are from times square! Also, this photo is totally unedited besides the mandatory IG-resize! I'm a terrified flyer but it makes it easier to bear when this is what you see out the window!!

Anyways, I started writing this post because someone on FB was complaining that in her class a kid was calling her a nickname (like if someone in my class saw my name was Kimberly and called me Kimmy). This has distressed her so much that she took to the book to ask how to get this kid to stop. First of all, what do you think people are going to say other than - email the kid and tell him you hate that nickname? Secondly, does it really bother you that much? I personally am a HUGE fan of nicknames and I like it when people call me something other than Kim because it feels friendly...and I'm a huge fan of friendliness (who's not?). I kind of get it if you don't want people to call you babe, hun, etc. ...but just a nickname off your name? Am I alone and not getting what the problem is??

Last thing:
When I as driving from Clearwater to Tallahassee, I saw this while in some part of podunk Florida.

What. the. actual. fuck.
The first time I saw this truck it was turning left and the dog was STANDING UP on the corner of the toolbox and looked like he was about to fall off! This truck kept going and was driving around 65 mph at points with the dog up there. I was outraged and posted it on IG and one of my friends who is a Florida State Trooper said it's not illegal. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??? People are fucking sick!!!!

Oh, and tomorrow I'm taking over the blog baton!

Hope y'all had a great weekend and please weigh in on the nickname thangg!

xox

But I don't wanna!!

So today is my last full day in NYC.

I've been here officially three weeks.

I go back to Florida tomorrow.

While overjoyed doesn't begin to describe the emotion I feel upon entering the land of 80 degree temps in January, I am so so so sad to be leaving my boo again.

Now that I've been back in NYC for three weeks, it seems much more natural for me to be here than it has felt August - December to be back in Florida. I lived in NYC for six years, and in Florida for 21 before that, but NYC still feels like 'home' to me.

I said something to Felipe which probably didn't come out right but I don't have a way with words unless I can think about them for a long time and edit them at least twenty-seven times, but the gist is that I'm getting upset because now I have to adjust to being apart from him again. & I just spent the last 21 days adjusting to be being around him all the time again...and now I don't wanna leave.

My mom gave us an ornament for Christmas and said, "Cause I think you guys will get married one day...If you can make it through long distance..." And then my stepdad shushhed her and my mom was like, "What? I'm just saying...you have to really trust..." and then my stepdad was like, "Don't say that!" But it's true... there is a lot of trust, but also there is no doubt. People always talk about long-distance relationships require a lot of trust but I also think they require people to have no doubt that this is the person they want to be with.

For what it's worth, I never think of Felipe & I as in a 'long-distance relationship'. I think of us as in a relationship. And we happen to live states apart at the moment.

Anyways, the point (is there a point?) ... I don't want to leave now and it makes it harder because now I know what it'll be like in Florida, I know how hard it will be, I know how lonely I'll feel (which is weird because I do have friends ... and my family lives a four-hour drive away). I also think I've developed anxiety as a result (I've always been a crazy hypochondriac, but it has been amped to the max since being by myself).

Also I just want to make a point here that I consider myself an INCREDIBLY independent woman, I am becoming more of an introvert as I get older and all the things they say about 'Cancers' being home-bodies is true for me ... but almost four years ago I kicked out of a bar and this kid threw a $20 bill in the cab to pay for it and I haven't been able to be without him since (except for that 2 week period immediately afterward when he didn't call ... )

so yeah, i've been crying about it since monday (which puts a damper on the last few days I'm here) ... and I'm still waiting on one grade back from first semester (property!) but otherwise I got 2 A's and a B and I'd say - not too shabby for my first semester in law school AND I actually really like law school unlike what everybody said about it and unlike most of the people in my class. SOO that makes it a little bit easier to go back because I feel excited about doing well in law!!

xoxo,
kimbo

What is a Death Stomachache? || & GO NOLES

First of all:

I literally don't care about football AT ALL, but what I do care about is when every single non-'nole on my FB page talks crap for MONTHS about how the SEC is better than the ACC and FSU only made it to the Championship game because we had easy games... so what I DO care about is all those people choking on the foot in their mouth!

I'm still in NYC so I decided to go to a bar called the Three Monkeys in Midtown West which the NYC Noles told me would be a Seminole game watching bar. The game started at 8 so I did what any normal person would do and I got there at 4.

AT 4 PM.

The bar was completely dead for hours.

Jokes on me!

I also wasn't feeling well. It's what I like to call a 'death stomachache'. I've been having these since I was a teenager and I still don't know what it is so I'd really appreciate any insight.

A death stomachache can only be cured by laying down. It hurts more in the top part of my stomach, not the bottom, "guts" part (like that real scientific description?). That's what's so weird about it. The second I lay down I feel better, but if I even sit up at all, pain.

So, this was affecting me almost the entire time at the bar. Eventually some peeps showed up, Felipe brought cupcakes (best BF!) and the game started.

But literally about 5 minutes in, I was like, OK I need to go home. When we left the bar it was 3-7 Auburn.

Imagine my DISGUST when I got home and it was 3-20 Auburn. What dafuq!?

Then the announcers were talking about Auburn 'blowing out' FSU and I was all, haaaalllleeee nawwww son! We got time!

& Then I watched an entire football game (which I literally NEVER do) and my heart beat so fast the fourth quarter...I didn't know that was possible... and we FREAKING WON!  That was awesome!

& Then I went on FB and STILL sore losers (::cough::gator fans ::cough::) wanna say we didn't deserve it?? F U UF!

And thus ends probably the longest and only time I'll ever write about a football game.

Also, anyone else experience the death stomachache thang, because its legit THE WORST.

xoxo,
kimbo

Weather, Wine and War

Happy National Championship Day! 

G O  N O L E S ! ! !

I don't normally care about sports, but being that I'm back at FSU and I hate Alabama fans so I really need us to win. (P.S. I do realize we're playing Auburn, not Alabama, but my 'Bama friends on the 'book talking about how FSU will never win because SEC is so much better than ACC)

I'm in NYC for the game though so I'm going to a NYC Noles bar to watch! It's fun because there are a lot of FSU alums up here so it's almost like being back in Tally...but it's soo cold. 

So yeah, I guess if you're anywhere "north" you probably have been living through this hellish weather right along with me! I lived in NYC for six years and I SWEAR to God it was NEVER as cold as it has been! Also, Felipe doesn't have heat in his apartment (this is not a joke or exaggeration) ...ONLY a space heater in his bedroom. It actually works really well but it takes a long time to warm up. I can't talk about it. 

I really did want to see snow when I was here, and I got my wish.   

The problem was that it was SO COLD out that I almost couldn't bring myself to go out in it (the windchill was -10 or something.)

I managed to huff it down to Central Park in all of Felipe's ski clothes (yeah, I was looking gooood). But my face was burning off so I didn't go that far in. So you just get some generic pics of the snow that might not even be from Central Park. 

I didn't do anything on that day - my friends all got a snow day from work (#teacherlife) but I was exhausted and cold...and SORRY but that's one thing that was always true for me ... I HATE going out in the cold...it doesn't matter if I'm gonna be inside in the heat, I just effin hate the cold!

So, on Saturday we went to a bar/restaurant we really like on 106 & B'way...they have THE BEST buffalo chicken mac & cheese. But, my stomach had been weirdly gurgling and upset so I didn't feel like I could do it. I decided to order water, ginger ale, and then for good measure: red wine. I just had a feeling red wine would settle my stomach. I'm not sure why because I've never heard this before, but it just seemed right. Red wine is good for us, right?

 thirsty much?

It was a fun night and we stayed out a lot later than I'd anticipated.

Sunday, GROSS GROSS GROSS day.

I met D-nice & Baby K to see Lone Survivor (which I guess isn't out everywhere until next week).

I hate to say a movie like that is "good" because it's so sad and horrible and a true story, but I think people need to see it. It gives you perspective and also makes you realize you have nothing to complain about! & also I just want to thank every person who has served in the military or family members of those people because jesus! I just can't imagine the stress!

A great weekend... I'm getting sad as the countdown to back to Florida is quickly approaching! I go back Thursday and while I seriously am SO EXCITED for highs in the 70s, it's gonna be really hard to leave Felipe and all my friends up here again!

Just gonna make the most out of it while I'm here!

xox,
kimbo

So You Want to Learn Another Language?

Because I haven't said it yet: HAPPPYYY NEW YEAR! !

¡Feliz año nuevo!

... I could look up how to say in a bunch of different languages but the truth is, Spanish and English are the only two I know.

I unsuccessfully attempted to teach myself French at the ripe old age of 8, and I have unsuccessfully attempted to learn Italian for the past couple years. The reason being Spanish --> Italian --> French. Italian is a good "in-between" language.

I purchased the complete set of Rosetta Stone, enrolled in a 10-week Italian class at the Empire State Building and downloaded countless apps to try to teach myself. No, I still don't know Italian.

That being said, I did teach Spanish for six years and in the course of such time I encountered a TON of resources and I definitely know more Italian now than I did three years ago...sooo, that's something?

Anyways, I thought I would share some resources I've come across along the way in case you're interested in beginning to learn another language on your own, and for free. 

First of all:

- Rosetta Stone - if you're like me you get an email once a day telling you about some deal they have going on to buy the COMPLETE SET for only $250 or something. Okay, no. If you are really interested in Rosetta Stone you've got to be able to find it on eBay for cheaper.

It doesn't matter if you have the 'newest' version because how much has language changed in the past ten years or however long RS has been along? Not much.

That being said, RS also now offers something called TotalE which allows you to participate in online classes and games once you pass a certain point in RS ... if you purchase RS I think they give you a free code for 30 days to try it out...my suggestion is to WAIT until you've passed level 1 to try it out because you won't get enough language until then to be able to participate.

OKAY, buttt if you don't wanna shell out the bucks for RS (and who can blame you), some other options:

Apps:

- duolingo - it's a REALLY good, FREE app and actually mimics rosetta stone pretty closely. You speak, read, listen, write and I have been really impressed with it overall.

      ( you can also work from the website as well)
- busuu - again there is an app and an online version; I haven't explored this as much but you have the option to become a premium member to gain access to more materials, including tutors.
- lingualia - I have to explore this one, but apparently it's "artificial intelligence" to tailor your language learning to you! 

Websites:

- BBC Languages

- Lyrics Training

- Zachary Jones - Zambobazo

- Youtube: Sunny Earth Academy = Spanish & French resources, especially great for beginning level Spanish activities (the alphabet, conjugating verbs, etc). 

- livemocha - you interact with native speakers of other languages - they grade you, you grade them. 

Vocabulary:

There are a lot of websites out there that help students make interactive flashcards to study, the good news is, they've already done all the work for you -- you can just log on and search for (for example) Spanish greetings and lots of sets of vocal will pop up (or any other language). 

The best (IMO) is quizlet.com. You can review the flashcards old school or you can play games out of the words. I think there's also an app. 

Textbook websites: 

I used the Realidades textbook for my teaching career...I really liked it (as much as you're allowed to like a textbook as a teacher) and there are a lot of activities that go along with it. 

Level 1 - the chapters are broken down into two parts - A & B, and the activities correspond. The "repaso del capítulo" is the vocabulary sheet that goes with the chapter so that would be the best place to start, study the words and then work on the activities. 

ME! 

I may be a 'retired' Spanish teacher, but I really do love Spanish and I love teaching people who want to learn. I'm interested in setting up a recurring series on language learning and I'd love to do it on Saturdays or Sundays. We could meet via google hangout and just practice going over the basics - each week we'd have a different topic. 

I'm very interested in setting this up so if you or anyone you know would be interested, let me know! It can be just a place to get together to practice speaking Spanish, or to hone your listening skills. 

I eventually want to make this a paid class but for now I'm just interested in getting my feet wet and putting some feelers out there for people who would be interested. 

I'm interested in participating in an online Spanish class.
	Yes
	No
	Maybe
	I'd rather just see resources
pollcode.com free polls

** If you have any other suggestions about how to learn a language for free and via the wonderful world of the internet, please comment below so I can add them! ** 

cheers, 

srta. grande :)

Why I Started a New Blog

(warning: this post contains no picture)

So here's the thing.

I literally made my blog private for less than a week and then missed it so here I am with a new blog and a fresh start.

Why bother?

I always wondered when people started new blogs entirely.

I blogged at my other blog for almost three years. I think it was over two years before I even realized there was a "bloggin community". Looking back on my first posts they are ridiculous, all about weight loss, and crazily enough, the most interesting posts of the bunch.

I went through a phase of sponsoring blogs and participating in giveaways. I wanted to grow(!) my(!) blog(!) (italicized for being buzz words!). I got some followers, then google reader ended and I had less followers on bloglovin' and I didn't really care because if you're a good blogger you don't "care about the numbers", right?

Except if you say that to any blogger they won't believe you.

Well, I don't anymore. I was tired of looking at this number of followers that was not reflective AT ALL of how many people were actually reading my blog. I get (at most) ten comments a post and that's really only if I post regularly and I just don't get it because people who post regularly (in my opinion) have so much "filler" content.

I also noticed a lot of the blogs that were coming into view were rapidly climbing to 1000+ followers within months (MONTHS!) of being created and then also falling off the face of the earth just as fast. Why? Well I really don't know but I'd reason a guess that they became overwhelmed with that metaphorical monster they'd created in a blog that earns money ... and if I'm not wrong I think most people start blogging because they like writing not because they like formatting sidebars and coordinating giveaways and when your blog becomes less and less about writing you are less inspired. (Just a guess).

So, I don't care how many followers I have. I don't know how often I'll be able to write once I start back up at law school, but I freaking love blogging, I can't help it. I unfollowed all but about 10 blogs on bloglovin' too because I only want to read people who write about REAL stuff. If you know any blogs like that, please send them my way.

Blogs that I always get excited to see an update from and always click on:
The Unreal Life
The Other Juliette
Helene in Between (Also of all the people I've sponsored, she has been far and away, the BEST so if you do want to spend money on sponsorships I'd say pick her ... she also sometimes offers discount codes on twitter!)
The Daily Tay
Life of Bon (she always writes 'real' stuff even if she gets flack for it sometimes)
Don't Quote the Raven (even though I disagree with her on just about everything political she writes...the point is..she writes it)
Oh...this is Awkward 
Ifs ands and butts

& I'm sure I'm missing some, & you've already probably heard of most of them..but that's the problem with finding good blogs...if they aren't concerned about followers and don't do sponsorships...how the heck do you find them??

So, back to this blog. I was going to quit altogether, but then I just checked and "kim-wanders.blogspot.com" was available and being that my IG and twitter accounts are both @kim_wanders, how could I resist? At first I thought, I'll just update about travels and where I want to wander, but it obviously took three posts for that to go out the window.

I also realize it looks VERY sparse right now, but my goal with this blog is just to go back to basics. I want anyone who follows to be someone who genuinely enjoys reading, and I want to design the layout myself by googling shit and figuring it out. I can do this!

Happy Friday y'all!

bon voyage,
Kimbo