Sore.

Back in 2009, on New Year's Eve, I was involved in a serious car accident. A driver in the right lane did not like the fact that his lane on the highway was stopped and so, without looking for oncoming traffic, he changed lanes really quick to bypass traffic. Well, as he was changing lanes, I was in the left lane next to him. He hit my passenger side and the hit actually knocked my tire off of my car and into the next left lane. There are 4 lanes on our local I-5 highway. Before I was hit, I was in the 3rd lane to the left. After I was hit, I was in the 2nd to the left lane. My glasses flew off of my face from the impact...so I was basically blind...trying to make it over to the shoulder....with three wheels. So not how I wanted to spend my NYE!!

Anywhoo, more to the point. Because of this accident I will never be the same again. Right after the accident I started having constant and chronic headaches. At the time I thought they were migraines, but when I actually had a migraine I determined that what I had was thankfully not. My entire body was also aching  and sore. A coworker suggested going to a chiropractor (note: something I learned from this process - Do NOT go to a chiropractor first. Insurance almost never covers it unless your primary doctor refers you. Go see your doctor! Who will most likely recommend physical therapy. Save yourself the headache). After a year and a half of seeing a chiropractor and massage therapist 3x/week, I was able to be pain free for about a month at a time. I purchased a membership at Massage Envy and went there every time my back started to tighten up (which like clockwork was almost once a month due to my full-time job of sitting in front of a computer during the week). I also added an exercise regimen to build my back muscles so they could tolerate sitting all day (I'm still working on this today). Eventually I cancelled my Massage Envy membership because the cost was really taking a toll on my budget. So far, I've been doing good. Since canceling my membership last year, I've only gone back twice to get full price massages (which are expensive by the way).

So again, to the point of my story, last night I went to my husband's best friend's house for a BBQ celebrating her 30th birthday. Her house is the perfect BBQ locale - they have a deck outside with a yard that is tiered. The top tier is perfect for a game of corn hole or horse shoes. The bottom tier is a basketball court/pickle ball court. And it's down the street from the private Jesuit high school in our town, so you can park at the school and walk to the house. Last night I was "playing" pickle ball with two friends. Playing is in quotations because:

1. I've never played pickle ball in my life. 

And 2. We didn't have enough players, so basically the girls were on one side hitting the ball as hard as we could at Sam who was on the other side of the net. 

So finally: my point. I woke up this morning with sore upper arms and a sore back. Where's a Massage when you need one?

Reading on my lunch break

As I'm sitting at my desk eating the Chicken and ceasar salad made with kale I purchased from Starbucks this morning with my morning coffee because I didn't preapre anything for lunch, I came across an article that hit close to home with me. It's titled, 5 Things that Real Adults Do. I mostly do everything listed - so hey, I'm an adult, woohoo! - except one, meal plan. After reading some of the comments from others, one paragraph is exactly me, this girl hit the nail on the head!

On meal planning: I have all my favorite recipes (and ones I want to try) on index cards, each with a list of all the necessary ingredients on the back. In theory, I’d pick a week’s worth of meal cards out on Sunday or Monday and use that as a grocery list.

In reality, I often buy the ingredients then end up eating peanut butter sandwiches or a box of Wheat Thins while all those veggies turn to liquid in my fridge. Planning? Got that shit down. Execution? Needs some work.
 

My planning is impeccable. Actually preparing meals? Not so good. Last night is the perfect example. Hubs worked late, so instead of making a huge meal for just me, I prepared one of those skillet meals you get from the freezer asile. What did I end up eating for dinner? Bowl of Rice Krispies.  Seriously, Briana?! Yes, dead serious. Pretty sure the veggies I bought over the weekend are sitting in my crisper right now all mushy. I'll have to look into that when I get home...

Oh, I also don't wash my hair every day. Who has time for that!? Something that should be on this list, at least for females, is put makeup on. It's been a foreign concept for me lately. I was actually just thinking on my way into work this morning that I look a mess everyday and really need to work on my appearance...all this after standing in the Starbucks line and seeing the most put together woman. And then there's me...in a wrinkled shirt, damp/poofy hair from not blow drying all the way, jeans, sans makeup. I look a mess!