Damn the Freshman 15

 Some peeps (like me) need to chill.

Hey kiddos!

I've been busier than a March hare...oh wait, that's mad as a March hare. Shit, there goes my witty intro tag. I guess, as my dear father would say, I've been busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.

Most of my business comes from a good source--work! Not lame-o schoolwork, but real line-your-pockets-work, and even some do-something-that-matters work.

I'd like to share a little about one company I have been working with for public relations and marketing. O2 MAX Fitness is a youth-oriented fitness studio. The big project I'm working on right now is their MAX Prom Program. Basically, it gets girls (on a national level) into great shape for prom, using personal trainers, customized nutrition plans, and coaching. The real goal of the program, however, is to get girls enthused about a healthy lifestyle. What's neat is all the perks the participants get--discounts on prom dresses, makeup, and shoes, but also really cool benefits, such as $150 off Princeton Review SAT prep classes.

I really support this program--it's great to work for something I feel strongly about. And it's really giving me solid PR experience, which is what I'm after. Journalism is still my baby, but I'm slowly moving out of the grasshopper stage of it.

What's also neat is that they are also looking for "Fitness Experts" to take the program for free and blog about their experiences. If any of you happen to be in high school and are going to prom, you might want to check it out--you can earn money, get all sorts of free stuff, and take the program free of charge.

BUT IN OTHER NEWS. Ahem. -dons less PR-y hat-

More Gingersnaps!

- Travel Snacks: Eat Right in Flight
- Culinistas Take the Stress Out of Cooking (super cool at-home cooking service)
- Microwave Cooking Not Just For Freshmen

For those of you who have followed my blog a little more closely, I am happy to say I am finally being tapered off the crazy meds Wellbutrin.

And most importantly...

I'm heading to the Big Apple!

For a week I'll be partying it up in NYC. Some stuff I'm looking forward to...

- 59-degree weather (as opposed to 30-degree weather)
- The Museum of Moving Images
- The Addams Family Musical (starring Nathan Lane)
- Bar Americain (Bobby Flay's restaurant)
- Pure Food & Wine (Sarma Melngailis's restaurant)
- Pure Food & Wine's Classic Sundae (I kid you not...this gives me happy dreams) 
- Shopping for clothes/shoes
- A Facial
- Meeting up with friends (psst, any NYC bloggies who want to meet for lunch or something, let me know!)
- RECHARGING

Seriously. I need a week to recuperate. With all my schoolwork and professional pursuits, I confess, I am strung out worse than a hungover heroin addict. I need some relaxation. That is something I need to work on.

Does anyone else have this problem? To keep pushing, even when you know your performance is suffering, because at least you're still trudging forward?

Haha, I've been pretty good at sticking with my big New Year's Resolution: not to worry so damn much. But I'm still working on this one.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to some fun in New York! And that dang sundae!

Food porn just got an upgrade from Showtime to HBO. 

Oh, and I guess since this is a food blog, here are a few random things I've shoved into my mouth lately. I haven't been big on photographing lately.

Chocolate Muscle Oats

Oats with protein powder and cocoa powder, topped with Kaia cocoa mole sunflower seeds, Greek yogurt, cranberries, and blackberries.

Pantry Clean Out!

Autumn sunflower seed pâté (sunflower seeds, cranberries, thyme, carrot, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, basil, and maple syrup), bell pepper cups with chicken and beans, a bigass spinach salad, all topped with some marinara sauce. 

Beans of the Bloody Baron

Garbanzo beans with diced beet, chopped almonds, salt, curry powder, cinnamon, and balsamic vinegar, topped with blueberries and POM Sauce of Awesomeness (POM juice, cocoa powder, and coconut oil), served with spinach and hempseed butter and collard greens. Yes, holy shit, there is -no meat- in this!!! And it's not an accident. I'm trying a few meatless meals, just to see if my arms fall off.