Rambling Wednesday

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I was going to give you a post on some delicious non-dairy pumpkin spice oatmeal I made last week. But, I'm not in the mood to edit pictures and I'm short on time, so instead, here's some rambling.

1. I'm loving DesignCrush's 365 Days of Quotes (on Instagram - find her here). As a self-employed blogger-slash-marketing-consultant-slash-graphic-designer-slash-writer (phew) who got out of the rat race to do what I actually wanted to do, this one really got me going.

2. My site header and navigation links got a bit of a makeover last week. I just wanted something extremely simple that left a ton of white space, like my consulting site (which is STILL prettier).

3. WEDDING SEASON IS COMING. Or rather, it's here. I have a few weddings in a row coming up, and my husband is standing up in two of them. I am super pumped to have the excuse to get all dressed up and take pictures of my man in a suit. There's nothing better than the man you love all spiffed up. Right?

4.Now that it's getting chilly outside, do I have the license to binge-watch TV without feeling guilty? We had a James Bond marathon on Sunday Afternoon (highly recommended). I've also been binging on Blacklist (James Spader outclasses everyone, and the main character is an awful actor but so. so. pretty) and Once Upon A Time (yeah, I'm late to the game. also bad acting here, but I'm a sucker for fairytales). Somebody tell me it's acceptable to watch this much TV while the weather sucks. Ready, set, go. 

5. I am eating this coconut fried shrimp (paleofied!) as often as I can. But, instead of getting complicated with the ingredients, I have totally streamlined it for everyday use -- all I use is precooked shrimp, dip it in whisked egg, and then dip it in coconut flour before frying it in coconut oil. That's it. Four ingredients. No almond flour, no spices, nothing else. Well, besides maybe the five pounds of sriracha I dip it in.

6. Go do 20 push ups, like now. Great, now you're never going to read my rambling posts again out of FOFE (Fear Of Forced Exercise).

6. My dog aka my assistant likes to come over to me, pretend she wants to nuzzle, and then turn around and stick her butt in my face. Like, she wants me to rub her hiney and she knows I don't want to and SHE IS TRYING TO TRICK ME. What is this garbage?

I LOVE YOU GUYS! TELL ME...

• WHAT ARE YOU BINGING ON TV RIGHT NOW? How I Met Your Mother just showed up on Netflix last night and we immediately watched 3 episodes. I forgot how ridiculous that show is. What else is good?
• WHAT FALL STUFF ARE YOU EATING? I'm deffffffinitely getting at the pumpkin. It's probably time to get spaghetti squash'in, yeah?
• WHATS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE? "We can complain because a rose bush have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." -Abe Lincoln. 

Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter

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Let's talk about bluetooth headphones.

Why do I need them?

(1) I love streaming TV programs on my iPad to get me through long runs, but I have this fear that I'm going to spaz out and hit the headphone wire and my iPad will come crashing down...

(2) I do a weights routine with my husband in which we have to be able to see the seconds pass to make sure we get to 45 seconds on each set... but the clock at the gym doesn't show seconds, and with my phone attached to my headphones, I'm not able to hand it off to my husband so he can time me.

(3) The only time I really like talking on the phone is while I am doing other stuff. I need to be able to mix batter, walk on the treadmill, or drop things off at the post office, all while  on the phone. Hands free is the way to be, ya'll.

So, I decided that with bluetooth headphones, I could solve both problems: there would be no wires for me to spaz on, and I would be able to hand my phone to my husband so he could time me, no strings attached.

Here are some of the contenders I initially found:

(One - $49.95) (Two - $59.99) (Three - $224)  (Four - $149)

FYI: I tried to steer clear of the type of headphones that go over and around your ear to the back. I've had those before, and they are just so painful because it feels like they are pinching the dear life out of my tiny little ears.

After a while, the Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter popped up. This little nifty thing reminded me of the shape of a fitbit, but it performs a much different function. It connects via bluetooth with your products, and then it converts it so that you can plug in any headphones. The best part? $39.95. Cheapness tends to prevail in my mind.

So, I ordered it, and it arrived quickly because I have Amazon Prime and it was eligible for free two-day shipping (yesssss). I am now running on the treadmill and watching movies like a boss.

I've also used it at the gym to do Daily Burn workouts in the free area. I can set the exercise up on my iPad, and then be able to do it in the middle of the room and no one else can hear it.

As you can see, I do sometimes wear it clipped onto my sports bra or tank top, but most of the time, I prefer to clip it to my pants. I am able to adjust which track I listen to, and adjust the volume, or even pause my show, all by touching buttons on my hip as I run. It is so easy, a monkey could do it... (and perhaps that's why there's a monkey on the button).

I guess I'm giving this product two thumbs way way up! 

Want to get the product?

Adapt Bluetooth Headphone Adapter

Do you have any other TO DIE FOR fitness accessories? I am obviously obsessed with my iPad, but also love using my heart rate monitor.

What shows/movies do YOU watch while exercising? I just started The Good Wife on Amazon Prime and am loving it (and the fact that the episodes are LONG and there are five seasons of it!).

Peek A Boo - Hiding TV Cords In Your Wall

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A few weeks ago, after moving into our new apartment in West Town, we mounted our TV. Despite the beauty of our tilting and swiveling wall mount, there was an embarrassing amount of visible cords. 

Obviously, this would not do. Not to mention the plethora of cords hanging out below:

The cords were just adding to the visual clutter that drives me nuts. As a sidenote, if you're easily distracted (like me), you may be similar -- even having too many visible cords can add to the things that call my attention.

After consulting a family friend (Jerry, who has wall mounted and hidden cords on many a TV in his own home), we began the project. We decided the best way to hide the cords was to drill small, clean holes to hide the cords in the wall. These holes can easily be spackled later on if we move or decide to move the TV.

**Note: If you're planning to mount your TV along with us, or following this tutorial, make sure you've chosen the appropriate mount for your space, based on weight, size, price and function. Here's a guide to choosing the right wall mount for your home.**

First, you'll need room to work. Because our mount allows for a lot of movement, we were able to simply pull it out from the wall. If you're working with a mount that does not pull out like this, you'll need to remove your TV from the wall mount in order to have enough room to work.

Second, you'll drill a circular hole in the wall, just above the wall mount. We used a 2.25" Bi-Metal Hole Saw from Home Depot.

We chose to do it above the mount is because, per our friend Jerry's advice, putting the hole below the mount might leave sagging cords visible, especially with a TV that pulls out and swivels from side to side.

When drilling the hole, we looked for a spot between studs, so that the wooden planks in the wall would not interfere with the cords, but would instead help guide the cords down to the bottom of the wall (where a second hole will be drilled).

Next, you'll drill that second hole. Most of our equipment (DVD player, stereo system, etc) is housed in the credenza underneath the TV, so we wanted the hole to come out in a place that would be covered by that credenza, so we could drill a hole in the back of the cabinet and route the cables through there.

We used a long rope (long enough to span from one potential hole to the other, with 3 feet left over) with a washer attached to the end to weight it. Holding the unweighted cord to the center of the hole, we gently dropped the washer down to make sure that we drilled the second hole in line with the first one. We marked the bottom of this line with a pencil, then drilled the second hole.



After drilling the both holes, we dropped the weighted side through the top hole and pulled it out the bottom hole, while still ensuring that 2-3 feet of rope was left over at the top.

 

After pulling the weighted end of the cord through, we taped the electrical cords together at the end and then taped them to the washer. We'll be using this to pull the cords up through the wall.

Note: Think about which cords you'll actually be able to pull through the wall. The cord for the DVD player, for example, could be pulled up through the wall. The power cord for the TV (which does disconnect from the TV) was not long enough to make it all the way through the wall, so we decided to bring up an extension cord and then plug the TV in up at the top.

We pushed the cords into the bottom hole, then pulled on the 2-3ft of rope at the top to pull the cords through the wall. It may take a bit of handy work to pull the cords through at the top, depending on how many cords you sent through. We had a few frustrating moments (enter loud cursing here), but ultimately got them through.

 

Once pulled through the wall, plug everything into the TV, and send the extra slack back through the wall.

And voila! There we have it. A fully mounted, wonderfully clean looking TV.

Yes, that would be me watching 30 Rock. I'm officially obsessed. We both are.



Here it is from another angle. In this picture, it's tilted slightly downward, but pushed flat against the wall (not swiveled from one side to the other).

And here's the wonderful puppy who watched it all happen (because... why not).

Make It Swivel, Yo. That TV, you know?

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If you're like me, you've always dreamed of a flat screen tv hanging on your wall. It's almost as awesome as the flat screens that are built into the bathroom mirrors at the Trump Hotel. Almost.



At our  new place, we imagined that the TV would go on this beautiful credenza purchased from Department Chicago. The mess of cords beneath it, combined with the oddity of having a blank wall that needs art (but a tv that would block any art we put up), convinced us we needed a different plan. So, we decided to... drum roll please... hang it up.

Try not to cry, because I know this is JUST like that episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition you watched last night where they made over someone's home and everyone got all emotional at the end and cried. <---- I'm a smart ass, I guess.

Anyway, now down to the How-To-Decor. We decided we not only wanted it to be wall mounted, but we also wanted to be able to tilt and swivel. Go big or go home, right? Plus, when you can potentially watch tv from your living room, your desk, or your kitchen, there's added incentive to ensure you can swivel/tilt the screen to optimize that amazing strategery (strategery. making words up since 1989, that's me).

We first purchased a wall mount from Home Depot for somewhere around $150. Seemed like a good deal -- that is, until Justin found it on Monoprice.com for $60. We threw in all the cables we needed to hook up just about anything you can imagine to the TV as well as the speaker system we have, rounding out the price for literally everything we need at less than it costed us for just the mount Home Depot. #score Thank God Home Depot accepts returns without receipts (as long as you have the credit card and original packaging).

Also, we saved an additional 10% using a coupon (Amen!). So we ended up at just shy of $120. Not bad for getting everything in one stop, shipped to your door!

It came pre-assembled, so all we had to do was find a way to mount it successfully. This largely depended on our building.

In the last apartment, the quality of the walls was so poor that, when we tried to screw anything in, the drywall wasn't deep enough and we ended up hitting brick. In this apartment, however, we were able to use a stud finder to find studs in the wall to screw into. We picked up a stud finder at Ace Hardware for ~$15.

Once we measured, leveled, and marked where we wanted to drill holes, we drilled the top 2 holes.

Next came the hard part, of which I have no pictures. I stood, holding the heavy and awkward wall mount, while Justin screwed in the top two screws.

Once the top two screws were in, we screwed in the next two without needing to hold it up any longer. My arms felt like jello at this point.

Now, the struggle is the cords. We ordered a Roku last week, and that should cut down on some cords because it will allow us to stream. But the rest of the cords will need to be dropped/pulled through the wall.

6 Workouts You Could Do Today: Fitness Inspiration

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Have you been perusing Pinterest all week for some fitness motivation... but are still finding your butt sitting on the couch? Quit it with the excuses, already! Here are 6 workouts you should do today...

P.S. Don't have much time? Pick your workouts based on how much time you have, here!

Go On A Run

"That's not sweat. It's your fat cells crying!" 

The trail by my parents' house really does have a sign that says that. I'm pretty sure it's an old one from some high school cross country meet... but it's a darn good sign to see mid-run! 

To make things more fun, try making your run into a game using intervals. Either download or stream these workout playlists, which will time out Tabata-style intervals for you (sprint for 20 seconds, walk or stand for 10) or use the scenery to make it happen. The above picture is taken on a trail that has both shady and sunny spots - I make it a point to always sprint through any parts of the trail that are shaded. You can also incorporate high knees and butt kicks, using the same methods!

Get Insane With Insanity

Did I mention I'm an Insanity fan? Shaun T of Beachbody's Insanity series is a goofy, hilarious guy who somehow gets away with bossing me around for an hour at a time!

Check out the Insanity Series for more information.

Not ready to shell out the dough for Insanity? Try this HIIT workout, which works off of a very similar method.

Watch TV... On The Elliptical

Yes, that is Courtney from The Bachelor. After all, what's better to get you fired up than a crazy bimbo who's trying to steal Ben's sanity? Whether you're a Courtney fan or not, scheduling an entire hour (or more!) on the elliptical will help you get the cardio you need!
Try out Megan Fox's interval workout, amended for the elliptical, here!

Hang Out With Jillian

I have periodic dates with Jillian Michaels. See the candles glowing in the above picture? Yeah, that happens. I set up some candles, place a fan to blow perfectly in my face, lay out a mat and do her workout. It's like a date with fitness. What could be better?

Check out Jillian's videos:
No More Trouble Zones (pictured above), which incorporates light weights and tones and lifts what most people consider their "trouble zones," like triceps, inner and outer thighs, glutes, and abs.
Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, which incorporates cardio exercises to ramp up your heart rate, burn fat, and speed up your metabolism.
Don't Want to Wait For Jillian to Come in the Mail?
Try this workout while you're watching TV! Set yourself up the same way... candles, fans, luxury... and your very favorite TV show!

Rip Your Abs

Whether you're using a video like P90X's Ab Ripper X or a good old self-guided ab workout, you really can't go wrong when you get some good ab ripping in. No, I don't mean ripping your muscles--- I mean getting ripped. Don't have a video? Perform sets five and six of this workout for 10 minutes of ab insanity! 

Go On a Bike Ride

If you've got a bike, head out on an adventure. You can bike to work, bike to a friend's house, bike to the beach, bike through the woods... You can head toward a destination or simply ride in a loop, taking in the scenery as you go. Either way, if you can make it about 2 hours, you've burned between 500 and 1,000 calories! Consider downloading an interval app or downloading this music to force yourself to alternate between hard-as-you-can pedaling and coasting! :)

P.S. Don't have much time? Pick your workouts based on how much time you have, here!