Monday Sayings: Take Care of Yourself

Hello everyone!

Happy Monday!

Now, I'm not going to front and say that I'm the healthiest eater ever or that I'm the most fittest, but I try.
I have been working in the healthcare/medical field since 2008, mostly with the geriatric population. I've seen seniors who for whom age was nothing but a number. And of course, I saw seniors who lived with challenges due to medical and physical conditions.

As I get older, my experiences and I suppose, wisdom collection, has inspired me to make better choices now because my choices now have an impact on my life later on.

I contract with a major hospital in Los Angeles. In the stairwell are inspirational quotes that you find walking up. I try to take the stairs as much as possible for exercise and for feel-goodness (lol, I'm so articulate). I love cheesy quotes of all kinds! The quotes help make the steps bearable. At the same time, they motivate me to eat well and to stay active.

This last quote is actually my favorite and, to me, the most powerful of the three. I think it speaks volumes in terms of what we do to our bodies now has a big impact later in life.

For someone like me, a person with Lupus, I have to work 10x harder at being healthy because my body is already working against me without me having to try.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which means Lupus patients have an immune system that is overactive. For a healthy, "normal" individual, the immune system is able to distinguish between the good and bad cells and fights the bad. For an individual with Lupus, the immune system cannot distinguish between the good and the bad cells so it destroys both. When your body is attacking the good cells, you get sick. Sick can mean different things for a Lupus patient - arthritic problems, kidney failure, skin issues, etc. To read more about my Lupus story, click here.

I walk the stairs of this hospital as motivation and a reminder that I need to take care of myself now because my actions now, or lack there of, will catch up with me later.

Take care of yourselves, friends! 

Our now is the future.


Xoxoxox

Throwback Thursday: Holiday 2015 Nails

Happy Thursday everyone!

I have a quickie throwback for you.

Here are my holiday nails from Christmas 2015.

On one hand, I have a snowman chilling in the snow.

And on the other hand, Santa's belt. This is definitely my favorite of the two and something I would repeat in the future.

I know it's way past the holidays, but I hope you had a wonderful time with the people you share your life with.

Much love,

Xoxox

Food Adventures: Sweet + Savory

WARNING: You may get hungry...and a little jelly

I wanted to share with you some of the places that I've been drooling to try and finally did! AHHH! I love food so much I am just so excited to talk about, revisit my experience and be reminded of the deliciousness that has went to my hips and thighs. LOL.

1. Halal Guys - Combo beef and chicken plate

 

East coasts meets the best coast! I waited 2 hours and 10 minutes for this New York delight when a chain opened up in Costa Mesa,CA. Months later, they are opening up one 1.5 miles from home. YAY!

2. Cookie Good - Pancake maple bacon cookie

Tastes just like breakfast. I thought this was going to be too much going on and too sweet, but OH MY DANG!! This is amazing.I crave this weekly. 

3. Honeymee - Honey affogato

On that day, I tasted heaven. Pure milk ice cream topped with honey and coffee....who would have thought honey would go SO WELL with ice cream...and then coffee on top. Foodaliciously orgasmic. Oyyyy...drooling. 

4. CottonHi - Tiramisu

When your ice cream is as frizzy as your hair...Growing out my brows..relax

Organic cotton candy + fresh soft serve. I got the tiramisu. My cotton candy was coffee flavored. 

5. Georgetown Cupcakes - Lavender Earl Grey Teacake

Sadly, this is only a seasonal flavor, but dang is it delicious!! Not too sweet. It's delicious, light, and just heaven. There's no other way to describe it.

Even though I just ate dinner, I somehow feel hungry again...HMMMM. 

Please let me know of any must-try places in the Los Angeles area!! 

Xoxoxo

Monday Sayings: Plot Twists, Stress and Dogs

Happy Monday everyone!

Just wanted to share some quotes I found online.

May they make you think, smile and make your day a little brighter.

Xoxoxox

When You Try To Look Cute

The past few months have been hectic. I work 2 jobs, work 6 days a week, and had been studying for part one of my state board exam.

I've had NO time to really socialize, get dolled up and go out because I'm always tired or always studying. Boo.

Today, I had some free time after dinner and decided to bust out my lipsticks that I haven't touched in ages. Since no one was home, I took the opportunity to take multiple selfies. Oh come on, you know you do it too. Hehe ;)

I put on the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Blackberry Sorbet, one of my favorite colors.

In my attempt to look cute and mysterious, I ended up looking scary! LOL

Well, I tried. 

HA!

Til next time...

xoxoxo

My 7 Month Blog Dry Spell

Why hello there!

I've had quite the dry spell in the blogging world!! I haven't blogged since September of last year, about 7 months ago. Dang, that's almost a full term pregnancy.

When I last left off, a lot was going on in my life. 

The job that I love lost its funding so my team of 12 became dismantled. Many were placed in other programs within the agency, few were laid off. I was placed in a position where I had to take someone else's job due to seniority (union policy). It was awful! It was a difficult transition into my new job as my new colleagues had dearly loved the employee whose job I took over. I was not welcomed and had to give 200% to prove myself. And 7 months later, I am still trying to do so.

Not only was I starting this new job, I also had started a second per diem job at an emergency room on Saturdays from 3:30pm to midnight.

I, in a nutshell, started two jobs at the same time, trying to juggle both training schedules. 

Now that it's mid-April, I am finally [somewhat] settled. 

Throughout my blogging career, I've had many dry spells. As much as I love it, I am very bad at keeping up with it. It's just really hard to do so with two jobs and studying for my state board exam. I give props to those who can juggle all of life + blogging. 

I will try to keep up as much as possible. My following may not be large, and I'm probably the only one reading my blog (LOL), but I hope to find time to blog anyway. This is a form self-care and my own personal diary. It is quite therapeutic. 

Xoxoxo

One Thing At A Time...Life Pause

Hello all!

I have not written since the beginning of August. My life kind of turned upside down with heartbreaking news at work.

My beloved pilot program that I have been with for more than 2.5 years had lost its funding. The team that has made me the happiest in a workplace would be dismantled. And we were devastated. It sounds dramatic to say devastated, but my team of 12 workers and 3 bosses were so cohesive and so tight knit, we finished each others' sentences. In some weird, crazy way, it feels like a death in the family. We are still grieving and processing the loss of something we poured our hearts into. We were a dedicated, passionate bunch who genuinely believed in the work that we did. 

Four of the 12 would be laid off. One of the three was let go. 

I'm currently finishing one case in one program, transitioning out of my program that lost its funding, and training in a new program within my agency. My seniority allowed me to be placed elsewhere.

My mind is in all kinds of places. I find myself asking others to repeat. I find myself spacing out. I feel like I am on a different planet.

And to top it off, I am soon to start a new per diem hospital gig in the next two weeks.

As you can imagine, my brain is not all there. 

I haven't gone to yoga in weeks because I'm so tired after work. Currently splitting my time between three programs that demand full time dedication is exhausting.

As sad I am to see my current program officially end October 16, I am looking forward to life finding balance again.

I am exhausted. I am emotionally and physically drained.

Once life settles down again, I hope to get back onto blogging. And I do look forward to catching up with some of my favorite bloggers.

Til next time,

<3<3<3