2018 Anti-Resolution Goals

My last post being around Pumpkin Spice Season… I felt the need to post something in the new year (even if it is 13 days into January) AND what a shock it is a classic “2018 Goals” post. I do not believe in making NY’s Resolutions for myself. I overshoot and follow them for two weeks, then feel guilt for the rest of year when I settle into my more realistic regime.

This year I just want to set goals for myself that are realistic, but take my current regime to the next step.

1. Fitness: I started working out regularly, about 5 times a week, this past August. I do at least 2 days of cardio, and the other 3 days I try different HIIT routines. This year, I want to step up my cardio days with a faster pace (I am quite a slow runner). No more 10-11 minute miles, I want to switch it up with sprints and 8 minute miles without killing my knees/body.
2. Fitness #2: My first goal requires my second of MORE stretching. I have never been very good at stretching before and AFTER work-outs. But if I do step up my cardio, I will definitely need to increase my stretching time.
3. Diet: Starting in August of 2017, I switched up my diet pretty dramatically. Cut out all dairy, almost all meat (still consuming fish), and tried incorporating more fruit/veg. This year I want to step up that game by REALLY adding more vegetables to my lunch/dinner. Eating healthy is expensive, so I have been pretty frugal this past year. I want to start experimenting with some new recipes and still managing to keep my food budget.
4. Life: Now that I am no longer unemployed, nor a student, I really want to spend my weekends enjoying life and planning fun things. I don’t mean traveling every weekend (although I wouldn’t mind that). But I am looking ahead to a new year, and making a list of things I want to do or try in Columbus or nearby Ohio spots.
5. Life: I want to start utilizing my spare time more efficiently. If I am not at work, working out, or having more fun, I want to donate my time to organizations like CRIS Ohio or Legal Aid Society of Columbus.
6. Career: I started this year with a brand new promotion. Not much of income difference, but better title and more PTO. However, I do not want to settle into this position without any motivation to advance further or pursue my ultimate career goal (don’t even know what that would be).

 

Pumpkin Season has Arrived

This is my FAVORITE time of the year. The first weekend in October, I ran to my local farmer’s market to get as many pumpkins as I could carry home [turns out I am weaker than I thought- only managed to get two.. and then convinced my boyfriend to carry them on our short walk home.]

 

Luckily, I only needed two to make the delicious pumpkin bread and seed recipe that I was sooo excited to make at the start of this beautiful fall season. I thought I would share the recipe as it was sooo easy, and I had so much fun spending my weekend carving pumpkins and baking.

Step by Step

(1) I started by carving my pumpkins and scooping out the seeds and pumpkin. Although I remember this step being a lot more fun when I was child, I still enjoyed making the mess on my back porch knowing the outcome would be so worth it [and it was.]

To make the process easier, I recommend emptying the pumpkin into two bowls. One bowl for the seeds and one for the pumpkin.  After I finished cleaning out the pumpkin, I washed the seeds, and placed them in a clean bowl.

(2) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. You can add all of the spices that you want as well as some melted butter. I added cinnamon, and a tiny bit of salt. Also, instead of butter I used a little bit of melted coconut oil. Then spread the seeds out on a cooking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Voila! Roasted Pumpkin Seeds done!

(3) Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Mix dry and wet ingredients, listed below, in separate bowls. Then slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mixing them both together. Pour the mixture into a greased pan. I topped the mixture with some of my pumpkin seeds as well. Put it into the oven for 55-60 minutes (longer or shorter depending on pan type/size).

Wet Ingredients

1. 2 Large Eggs (preferably at room temp.)
2. 1/2 cup water
3. 1/2 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
4. 1 cup pure pumpkin

Dry Ingredients 

1. 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 1/2 cups sugar (or use honey/coconut sugar)
3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
4. 3/4 teaspoon salt
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or just add nutmeg, ginger, & more cinnamon)
7. 1/4 teaspoon cloves
8. optional: 1/2 cups crushed walnuts

Perfect Wedding Gift- DIY

 

I have been to several weddings already this summer, and I decided that instead of buying everyone a toaster – or some other obscure kitchen appliance on a wedding registry – that I would try to personalize each of the gifts. Turns out, it takes a lot more time and effort than just buying something online, and having it shipped to the happy couple.

But it has been a lot of fun and very much appreciated by all of my newlywed friends. All I did was:

1. Take very spontaneous photos during the reception – usually a photographer misses some amazing moments during a wedding, because it can be awkward for them to get in the middle of the “action” – But since I was friends with a lot of the guests, I was able to capture some very fun moments.
2. Purchase a photo album – I opted for one that allows for pages to be added, so that the couple can continue to use it for years to come. I also purchased washi tape, beautiful foil stamped sheets, and stickers.
3. Put together a few pages of the album. I tried to ensure that it was in chronological order, and that I was leaving flexibility for the couple to switch photos or design. I used self-adhesive photo corners, so that the photos could easily be swapped out.
4. Lastly, I wrapped up the album, and all of my tools that I purchased so that they can continue to work on it, and use it as they grow together as a couple. I only completed the first few pages, so that they could reminisce but also make it their own.

Hope this helped if you were looking for any wedding gift ideas, this would also work as the perfect gift for any occasion.

– Keely

Perfect Summer Weekends

This is the first summer that I have not been in school or studying for the bar. For the first time, I feel like I can go out and enjoy myself guilt-free, and I have definitely been taking advantage of it.  I think it is important to enjoy every minute of your day… ESPECIALLY in this beautiful summer weather. Below are a few photos from the past couple weekends.

 

Community Festival 2017

 

Katalina’s Pancake Balls

Cbus Crew Game

Cruising in our Triumph to Yellow Springs

I am really wanting to start a blogging series to encourage myself to keep writing consistently. Please let me know if you have any good ideas, comment below or message me.

 

The Job Experience Abyss

“I am sorry, but I think you would likely become bored with this position based on your extensive past experience.”

“Although you have a really great background, we are going to move forward with candidates that have more [insert obscurely specific role] experience.”

Is it possible to be both over-qualified and under-qualified at the same time?

I think it is probably more appropriately coined, over-qualified and under-experienced (at least in my case). According to the Federal Reserve Bank, four years ago over 44% of graduates were underemployed or holding a job that did not require the degree they held, and this number has only risen.

Currently, I am attempting to apply for entry-level positions, except they require several years experience. I graduated literally one-year and one-month ago today, and I went straight from college to grad school. Other than my two-month summer internships (every single year), I am entirely new to the working world.. AND no one wants to take the time and resources to train me for an entry-level position ANYWHERE.

The job market is saturated with people with college or graduate degrees, so they no longer provide you with a security blanket. But I think what is even worse than a college or graduate degree failing you, is that no matter what experience you have or are gaining at the moment, it might not provide any help and, in some cases, it could even harm your chances, in getting a job.

In my field, you could work at a firm for five years, but if you plan to switch fields, then your five years experience won’t get you anywhere when firms are looking for attorneys with five years experience in a different field than you have been practicing. Not to mention if you decide to switch occupations or just want a step in the door, you’re likely to be “over-qualified” for those positions and over-looked for more appropriate candidates for the position.

What is the secret?

 

 

 

 

I Want More than 27%

After graduating law school and taking the bar, I wanted to work somewhere part-time while anticipating bar results and before I took a “real” full-time position. What I did not realize is that my temporary job would turn into something bigger and last the next ten months.

Working in D.C.- 2 years ago

However, that job has come to an impasse, and now I have to figure out what I want to do… While attending law school, I had every intention of working abroad or in Washington, D.C.  in international development. However, now that that possibility has become a reality, I am not sure that it is what I actually want to do.

For the first time in my life, I don’t know what is up next and it is exciting – BUT also terrifying!  Also, I am really happy with where I am, physically and mentally.  I think the dilemma that I have reached is whether I should strive to live life and be happy or to continue to pursue my “dream career.”

I am not sure why I can’t do both at the same time… But I am pretty sure the two (at least in the past) were not aligned. Now I think I can make it work, however my career goal has changed.. to what, I don’t know.

Graduating with my LL.M.

I think the best advice that have I received so far is to look for what I don’t want to do with my life, rather than what I do want to do. Because I will get to the same result, but there will be much less disappointment, AND it is okay to find a lot of different jobs that you just don’t want to do.

I know our generation is haunted with words like entitlement and spoiled, especially when it comes to job decisions. I’ve even heard members of my own family say that you aren’t meant to be happy at work, it is a job, and it’s just what you have to do.

But what is the point of living if you are just miserable the majority of the week- a typical Monday-Friday 9-5 job, you would only enjoy a couple days of the week- or 25% of the year. Looking at the life expectancy of the average woman in America (78 years old– assuming I will even reach that age), I will only get to enjoy about 5000 days of the next 18,980 days of my life- or about 27% of the rest of my life.

I just don’t accept that I can’t enjoy the majority of my life. I realize that I will have jobs that I dislike or entry level positions that I just don’t enjoy. But that is not the same as a career or long-term position that makes you miserable. I am more than willing to work a job I hate when I need to or to rise in a company.

But to take a job that you despise because it seems like it is what you should do or it is what everyone else thinks you should do is going to lead to years of disappointment and regret. For now, I am going to enjoy my years of ambiguity, because it could lead to something great. But it has taken me YEARS to realize this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In My Pursuit of Happiness

As a recent law school graduate that has passed the bar, I am overwhelmed with questions like: “What law are you practicing?,” “Where are you working?,” “Which firm do you work for?” I am sure that all recent college or professional school graduates understand what it is like to go through this.

My boyfriend & I at my law school graduation.

I think is hard for me because I have always known what I am going to do next. From high school- it was college, from college- it was law school. This is the first time in my life that I have gotten the infamous “What are you doing now?” questions.

I want to be excited about this point in my life where I can pursue anything, but I am the type of person that has always had a plan and it provides me with a feeling of security. I can’t escape the feeling of embarrassment when I have to give an ambiguous answer about my current employment.

I think I want to use this blog as way to track my journey. I know so many people are going through this stage in their life, and at least for me it is hard to connect with others because I am too shy/embarrassed to discuss it with anyone. So if you are in this stage in your life or have already gone through it, please message or comment below. I am starting to get excited about what is up next.

First Post

So… I feel like I need a disclaimer before beginning my blogging journey. My domain name in no way describes my blog. When I decided to start a blog, I thought I could write about how to save money on food, beauty products, and travel. I am not an extreme couponer, but I will search long and hard for a good deal on almost everything. However, before publicly revealing my blog, I became very anxious about it and immediately wanted to delete it. I think focusing on that was just too much pressure for me.

After realizing that, I decided that I was going to blog for me.  I needed a place that I could look back upon my life for years to come. I have made many photo albums over the years, putting in hours of work, only to lose them shortly thereafter. I decided that this would be a good way to track my life, and for my family to check it out as well.

I am also at an awkward point, where I am trying to figure what I am going to do with my life. I graduated from law school last year and passed the bar. But the journey to establishing myself into a career that I love has proven to be a bumpy one and I am excited to share it and find others that feel the same way.

I might not be interesting or I might not be able to keep up with posting. But I thought I would give it a try either way. I am going to post every Sunday night…(if I remember/have time- already coming up with excuses).