I'm baaaaack

My old computer died and for some reason it took me a while to purchase a new one, but now I have one, super exciting, right?

I think Angel is just as excited as me...

Well I'm going to try to get back to blogging for a bit, but I'm going to attempt NaNoWriMo again (I've never won but attempted it the past two years).  I think I have a good direction with this one and have done more prep then I have in the past so we will see how it works out, maybe I'll even share some of it on here!

When did June get here?

So I tried to do the blog everyday in May challenge and I think I blogged exactly two days...oops.  Well moving forward let's hope June will be better!  I have some good blog and personal goals for this month and I figure if I lay them out here maybe I can hold myself accountable for them.

Let's start with blog goals.  As of today I have 12 books that I've read that are yet to be reviewed, to deal with this back log all I need to do is three a week, I hope I can do that! I'm reviewing over at Jagged Edge again (and they are still looking for other reviewers if any book lovers aout there are interested in helping), so if I can get at least half of those over to them that would help out over there.  I would also like to do at least one link-up with the book chat (she does one a week, so I should be able to catch onto one of those).  Also, I have a couple personal posts I'd like to get up before June is over.  At least one on local wine and at least two on our road trip across the country.

This is what our apartment is looking like these days...

As for some personal goals, I want to be totally moved into our new apartment by the end of June.  I would like to start practicing my flute more (in hopes of a fall audition), I'll start with a goal of 2 times a week and move to 3 times a week halfway through the month.  Last personal goal is to be ready fo a 5k in July, so that means running more, ugh.  I have a 5k training plan (that I adapted to my schedule from Hal Higdon's) and realistically hope to stick to 5 out of the 7 days each week.

With all these goals I hope to do a weekly wrap up on the blog (and maybe take some other ideas from these sunday currently posts on siddathorton) to keep myself on track!

Moving Forward with my Blog

Last night I was cooking (no seriously, I was, stop laughing, it's not a joke!) and listeneing to College Football Live from the other room.  They mentioned something about us hitting the halfway point in the college football season which made me very sad.  I was already thinking about how I sad I get when the season is over and having to wait until the next season.  Then I realized I have no clue where I'll be next year during football season, and I got a bit shocked (not quite scared).  My job has had me moving around lately, but I always kinda knew what was up next.  When my job is done here in Kentucky in June, I have no clue where I'll be headed next.

I like to plan things and micro manage and I get a little freaked out with not knowing what will happen, but my company has been good to me so I expect that whatever happens next I will be ok with.  I do like having this blog as something constant in my ever changing life, but I've been a bit flighty with some of my posts.  There are quite a few  things I start and then never finish (Lexington dog park tour, 30x30, ect).  Well my new goal is to finish up and follow up on all those things so I can move forward with other stuff on this blog!  I might also try making some other improvments to explanniefyfed as well, please let me know if you have any suggestions!

30 by 30: Part 1

I've seen this started on other blogs and I was the one who gave Rob the idea for it.  I thought that it was time to start my own!  (Actually I've had ideas for quite a while which means I've already accomplished one of them...) All of this needs to be completed by Dec 21, 2014 (balls, that sounds not as far away as I want it to).  I'm very open to suggestions, so please leave some in the comments!  Here are my first eight:

1. Own some sort of property

2. Work as something other than a control systems engineer

3. Go watch Michigan play in a bowl game as a fan

4. Take Rob to a foreign country

5. Take Rob camping (Done!)

6. Enter a dog agility competition

7. Nordic ski to the Glacier Point hut in Yosemite

8. Learn a new flute piece (I haven't learned a full one since high school)

Hello!

I finally made a blog, yay!  One of my New Year’s resolutions was to write more and use more of my creative side, so I will be using this to help with that.  I’m not a very good writer and my spelling and grammar is horrible, but that can only get better, right?

You may be wondering why it took me so long since New Year’s to actually set up a blog, there are two reasons.  Number one, my boyfriend started a blog and everyone loved it and I knew mine would never compare to his interesting and changing life (not to mention he is a much better writer than me).  Number two, see below:



Yeah, I took that with my new fancy phone



I must’ve stared at this page for the longest time (we're talking days).  I really tried to come up with something creative, but just wasn’t satisfied with any of it.  I asked for help from my boyfriend and facebook friends but that didn’t get me anywhere either.  So I looked around the internet and found this fun little site which helped me find the name explanniefyfed.  I know its ridiculous, but that’s why I like it!

I live a very average life. I go to work everyday for 9ish hours, sit in a cubicle and do what others tell me to do, not much room to be creative there.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy what I do and where I work, but at times I do feel like a corporate drone.  If anything exciting happens (don’t hold your breath), I’ll probably talk about it here.

I enjoy reading, eating, the place I live, and being active. These are some of the things I plan on discussing here.  I also plan on adventuring into things I’m not so good at or familiar with such as cooking (another thing that my boyfriend is better at than me), making my apartment more comfortable, better looking and more functional, finding my green thumb, being more crafty, and to get better in touch with my personal style in general.  That sounds ambitious, I guess we’ll see how it goes...

I will also probably discuss some sports, since I’m a pretty passionate fan when it comes to all things University of Michigan, USMNT (soccer), and anything relating to the Olympics.  I also dabble in tennis, other soccer leagues, college football in general, and most things local.

Not sure if anyone will be interested in reading this but at least I’ll be writing more. Please try to ignore all the poor grammar and spelling errors (you know who you are!), I’ll try to improve them over time.  Enjoy!