Warning: PG-25

The following post may disturb some of you.  It contains graphic descriptions and unnecessary language.

I've rated it PG-25.  If you are younger than 25... this post is not appropriate for you.

The topic? A-D-U-L-T-H-O-O-D.

Yes, I know it's a dirty word.  And I'm desperately trying to avoid it.  The word, and the concept.

Symptoms include:

-looking forward to unloading my dishwasher

-cleaning the apartment frequently

-getting tired at 9:18pm

-falling into bed, exhausted, at 10:03pm

-scolding my cat

-scolding my co-workers

-scolding everyone

I'm so sorry I just said scolding three times in a row.  I told you this post was not for the young at heart.

Ways I'm trying to rebel:

-eating ice cream

-leaving work early

-eating chips & salsa

-eating milk shakes

I'm going to go ahead and end the list here.  It appears I need to go to the gym immediately.  

Even though gym days make my bed time an hour earlier.

Seeking help,

Where I'm At

Life is funny. Sometimes you feel like you're so behind, and sometimes you feel like you're way ahead.

Either way, you're wishing you were at some other point in your life.

But, lately, I've felt just right.

Not too hot, not too cold, juuuuust right. (Prize if you know where that comes from!)

I have a job I like. Some days I even love it!

I have friends who would do and have done anything for me.

I have a family that is healthy and close. We really love each other. We really do, man.

I am in looove.

I have an apartment I can afford. I drive a nice car. I can buy Starbucks every so many days.

I have a Savior.

And, I feel just right about all of that.

Don't get me wrong- there are a lot of things I'm so looking forward to in the future.

A wedding.

A house.

A baby.

Just to name a few.

But, right now, 26-year-old me is content to sleep in on Saturdays. Drink a little too much every now and then. Plan a vacation with some friends. Throw a couple of wedding and baby showers. Call the apartment maintenance man to fix my pesky blinds. Splurge on a new pair of shoes.

I'm really loving where I'm at.

Introducing Lindsay, The Food Blogger!

Ha, got you with that title, huh?!

Today, I'm bringing you a Sunday miracle. I'm posting a.... recipe.

Watch out, food blogosphere. I'm on my way up.

Warning: if you are a serious foodie and require things like precise measurements or enjoy step by step photos, you will not find that in this post.

Here we go! I call this "Spicy Mediterranean Summer Pasta"

Fancy, eh?

Start by boiling a pot of Barilla medium shell pasta. Let it cool completely- you want to eat this dish cold.Medium shells look like this. So adorable! Shells are my favorite, because they capture so much goodness and are easy to eat.

See how well I describe why I chose shell pasta? Wow, this food blogging thing is a cinch!

Here comes the Mediterranean part. Add a couple of spoonfuls of green Lindsay olives. Also, add a couple of handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese.

Now for the secret ingredient- a couple of spoonfuls of Rotel! This is the "spicy" portion. You wouldn't believe how good this tastes with cold pasta.
And finally, about 3 tablepoons (for those keeping score, the first real measurement in this dish!) of Balsamic Vinagrette.

There you have it, a "Spicy Mediterranean Summer Pasta"!

This is a great dish for people with leftover pasta from a... ahem, real pasta dish... people trying to get rid of that stingy jar of olives in their fridge... and people who aren't scared to pour Rotel into anything and everything.

Enjoy!

A Bit of a Crush

... on this T-shirt. Found at Little Black Dress. I may need to go purchase this immediately tomorrow.

Happy Friday!

Things I Love About Summer

Confession:  I am a fall and winter girl.  I love hot drinks at Starbucks, cozy fires and scarves.

BUT... I am seriously loving this summer.

I love fruity cocktails served up before special "Sex and the City" early screenings.

I love pedicures.  This is my favorite OPI color- "Lincoln Park After Dark."

I love outdoor productions of the musical "Oklahoma."

NEW FAVORITE ALERT: Iced Skinny Vanilla Lattes, Mickey D style.  Cheap & delicious.

And I love, love, love watching my boyfriend play baseball on Sundays.

What do you love about summer?

Crash Landing?

Since I was young, I've had an emergency plan for any situation.

Our house caught on fire?  I would single-handedly rescue each of my siblings by throwing them out the bedroom window into the pool.

A robber?  I would hoist my sister and two brothers into the attic through a trap door in my sister's closet.  I, being the hero of course, wouldn't be able to hoist myself up through the trap door (the ceilings are high, man!) so I would stay and fend off the bad guys myself.

I was always having to save those three knuckle-heads.  I apparently never worried too much about mom & dad.

I also love the "stranded" scenario.  We're snowed in on a mountain.  We're lost in a jungle.  How do we survive?

Yesterday, I posed this very scenario to my co-workers:

We're flying to an auction.  Not sure where, but somewhere that requires us to fly over miles of blue ocean and a smattering of tiny islands.  We crash land, of course.  What do we do for shelter, food, water?  What are our roles?

First, the questions:

-are we injured?  no.

-are we on a beach with trees nearby?  yes.

-is there a waterfall on the island?  possibly.

-are there attractive natives on the island?  um, this isn't Blue Lagoon.

After two hours of discussion, numerous google inquiries and a lot of head scratching, we came upon our most pressing issues:

-how to filter sea water into fresh drinking water

(it requires a combination of leaves, sand and charcoal.  Because, we managed to get off the sinking plane with our mini BBQ, apparently.)

-how to make rum 

(google informed us rum takes a YEAR to ferment.  We were highly discouraged by this news, as none of us could stand each other sober for a year.  I kid!  But, seriously.)

-who we would sacrifice to the natives in a pinch

(guess who was nominated for that job)

-who we would eat in a pinch

(lets just say I hope my boss isn't reading this.)

I must say, I feel much better about traveling with these people after yesterday's discussion. It's always good to have a game plan for crash landing situations.

Girlfriends: Good For Your Health

I follow Self magazine on Twitter, and let me tell you... they produce some great articles for women!  

The articles totally make up for the fact that I will never, ever look like one of their cover girls in a swim suit.

But, I digress.  This article talks about the fact that our girlfriends really are good for our health!  And no, not just because of the high consumption of fruit juice (aka wine) we consume when we're all together.

The article says women with best friends...

*live longer!

The American Journal of Health and Behavior did a study that showed socializing with our gals can help you quit smoking, work out, and eat right.  And we all know that leads to a long and fruitful life!

*are more likely to bust out of health ruts!

Did you know women who work out with a best friend are 45% more like to exercise than those who hit the treadmill alone?  Good to know!

*are happier!

And it's not just because we're tipsy!  (I kid... maybe.)  Dr. Carstensen is the director of the Stanford Center on Longevity in California.  She says this great quote, which I think is so true:

"Pruning superficial friendships is part of the process of figuring out who you are and who you want to be around.  I compare it to putting all of your friends in a centrifuge.  It whirls around, and the most casual friends gets splattered against the wall.  The ones left standing are likely to be there for life."

There are a few other reasons gal pals are good for our health listed in the article, which you can read here.

Personally, I have a very tight knit group of girls I love and depend on.  And, each one of them brings something different to my life.  They keep me well-rounded, grounded, lend their shoulders to cry on and are always on my team.  They pray for me, laugh with me, and yes... occasionally drink with me.  :)

Do you agree?  Do your girlfriends make you a healthier person?