the simple songbird.

life | big changes.

by Katie Posted on May 12, 2013

Oh hey there, internet! I’m back. Sorry for the long break. I don’t feel that guilty about it. When I started this blog I used to feel like there was some kind of giant internet mother that would be tapping her foot when I finally showed my face again after some time off. But the lovely truth is that there isn’t. :)

I’ve been gone for the past two months because, as my personal hero Liz Lemon would say, “life is happening!”

I’m not usually a fan of gifs, but…c’mon. It’s LIZ LEMON.

First of all, the past two months of work have been insanely busy. I have had something to do for work every weekend for the majority of the past two months. April was especially crazy–concerts, All State, competition trips, and so on. It was insane. This is the first weekend I’ve had free from work, and it has been wonderful. Writing blog posts takes me forever…so weekends are my time to write. Now I finally have that time back!

And then. The big stuff.

I wasn’t very active on here or Twitter because I was so excited about the future, it was all I wanted to talk about…but I couldn’t because of work. The temptation was too great, so I simply avoided saying anything.

So the big news? We’re moving!

Where? I don’t know!

What…? Let me explain!

Dan got into a special program at work that requires us to move twice in the next three years. For this first move, his job decides where we will live (in one of the cities where they have offices, of course). That first “rotation” is 18 months. For the second rotation, Dan can choose where to go. In early June, we are supposed to find out where he will be placed. We will be moving in early August.

We are both extremely excited about this move. For me, it is bittersweet because I will miss my students dearly. I started my teaching career in the school I’m at now, and I even did a semester-long partnership there my junior year of college, AND student taught there my senior year. It’s been five (to sixish) wonderful years of getting to see teenagers grow from insecure youths unsure about how to navigate high school & the world at large, into confident, self-assured legal “adults” (or as I call them, “adults in high school, HS freshmen in college, babies at life”) who can’t wait to get out into the world & see what it’s all about. Which is the main reason I wanted to teach high school in the first place–to see students grow into the people they will be out in the world, and maybe be a role model that shows them you can be true to yourself and still be a successful adult.

Still, I feel happiest when I am changing things in my life. My family pretty much moved at least once every three years until I was 18, so I guess it’s been built into my wiring. I love seeing new places, meeting new people, and soaking up new environments. After spending a while in one place, I get…restless. I feel an intense urge to mix things up or try something new.

In all honesty, we had been planning on moving in summer 2014 anyway because I plan to start a PhD program by then. So, we’re just bumping up the inevitable, really. I still plan on applying for programs this fall/winter so that (fingers crossed) I can start a program in fall 2014. It will work out well because not long after that, Dan will start his second rotation and can move to an office near wherever I’m in school (hopefully Colorado…).

The scary thing? The job part. While I could look for a teaching job, I don’t know that I could, in good conscience, work in a school knowing that I am only there for one year…and subbing is NOT up my alley. If I’m in a classroom, I want it to be mine & I want to be in charge of what happens in it. Yes, I’m a control freak when it comes to teaching. I’m an alpha dog. Can’t help it. :)

In terms of the job aspect, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions: excitement about moving, the realization that I am quitting my job for this with no backup plan, the fear that I won’t find another job, and then, eventually, the quiet comfort of trusting the universe to guide me to whatever I am to do in this next 18(ish) months.

I’ve been applying to all kinds of jobs in the hopes of finding something that I can do this summer, here in CT. I’ve been trying to find jobs that can transfer (transcribing, social media work, and yes, even Starbucks).

So, I am really going all-in on this new journey. It’s a GIANT leap of faith, but I’m thrilled at the prospect of new adventures & new faces in the future.

And now, I am off to pack. :)

Posted in life | Tagged connecticut, life changes, moving | 1 Comment

finances | Total Money Makeover [month one recap]

by Katie Posted on March 4, 2013

It’s hard to believe it’s been a month since Dan & I started Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover! Time flies when you’re…saving money? Hah.

So, how did month one go? I’d say it was a smashing success! As I mentioned before, the first step in Dave’s plan is to save $1,000 in cash as fast as you can so that you have a liquid emergency fund in case of car troubles, home issues, or other unplanned emergencies. Luckily, I finished my taxes early in the month, so I got my return mid-month, which meant I accomplished step one pretty fast!

After that, it was on to step two–the Debt Snowball. This step is going to take a loooooooong time. I’m lucky because my student loans aren’t as huge as most people my age, but it’s still a big amount of debt. In the beginning of February, I had $18,996 in debt. This month, starting with March, I have $18,485.92. I was able to pay over $500 down, thanks to budgeting and keeping myself on track by using cash envelopes instead of my debit card! I was seriously amazed at how much LESS money I spent using this method–it was really eye-opening.

Towards the end of the month, I had a lot of extra expenses that I hadn’t budgeted for–I took a trip to go see my Mom, sister, and niece down in the DC area. In my opinion, it was TOTALLY worth the money. :) I also treated myself to a new iPhone 5…totally NOT necessary, but I’ve been due for an upgrade for about 3 years. In all honesty, I probably shouldn’t have gotten the phone, but I did have a lot of extra income due to my tax returns and some extra money in my paychecks! It was my big splurge for the month.

For the month of March, my big goal is to stick closer to my budget–avoiding any extra expenses. I can’t forsee any major obstacles…I do have a bridal shower & bachelorette party to attend next weekend, but I bumped up my “gifts” budget to account for that.

My longer-term goal is to pay off my Target Credit Card ASAP. I might be able to do that by the end of this month…and if not, I can definitely accomplish that by the end of April, which is very exciting! I have been wanting to pay off that card since I was in college, so finally seeing a $0.00 balance will be cause for celebration.

Here’s to a financially healthy month! :)

Posted in finances | Tagged debt snowball, emergency fund, personal finances, total money makeover | 3 Comments

fitness | running: a love (/hate) story.

by Katie Posted on February 25, 2013

Yesterday morning, something extremely odd happened to me.

I wanted to go for a run. Outside. In the cold.

I think the Universe sent me for a run on purpose. Crazy? Maybe. But let me give you a little background.

My history with running has always been tumultuous. I joined the cross country team my junior year of high school because some upperclassmen convinced myself and some of my friends to join the team. That first year was really tough, but the second year (my senior year), I started to really enjoy running, and was starting to really hit my stride (har har)…and then one day, mid-run, I stepped hard on a tree root, and BOOM! Hello, plantar fasciitis.

myself & some of my high school buddies recovering on my car after an XC practice! ...that car was awesome. also, I still have those shorts. no joke. — myself & some of my high school buddies recovering on my car after an XC practice! …that car was awesome. also, I still have those shorts. no joke.

I took a break from running and was easing my way back into it a month or two later. But then…I went to a concert, was in a mosh pit, and jumped up really high and when I landed…BOOM! I tore my ACL, MCL, and LCL. A month on crutches, followed my knee surgery, followed by physical therapy, followed by the cross country season was over and so was my running life.

I don’t think I ran once in college. Not surprising, given my awful habits back then. When I graduated and finally started getting control over my health, I started to get back into the swing. It was rough, but eventually I started to actually enjoy my runs. I ran two 5ks in the summer of 2010!

And then, I guess I just…stopped! I completely lost interest after a few 5ks. I would run every once in a while–spurts of crazy enthusiasm for running followed by months without any desire to hit the pavement. I even trained for a 10k, only to never run one because I simply lost the passion. I still run once in a great while, but usually it’s only a mile or two on the treadmill, and usually it is run/walk intervals.

But yesterday morning, as I was waking myself up by looking at Instagram, I suddenly felt a really intense urge to slap on some workout clothes, throw my hair up, lace up my shoes, and head out the door for a run. It was seriously like some kind of weird fitness horror monster/ghost possessed my body. As I was getting ready to go out, my brain kept saying, “what?! no! you hate running! why?! this is going to be awful!” but my body just kept going for it.

It’s funny, because I had just been talking with my sister Christina about how I don’t really like running, but I do it every once in a while anyway. Well…I like the first 5 minutes, and then when it is over. In between, I’m mostly bargaining with myself to keep going for 30 more seconds before stopping to walk for a minute. While yesterday was no different, I was really happy and proud of myself for getting out the door and getting it done!

A few minutes after I started, I was turning onto the street where there is a lovely little pond. It was frozen over. All of a sudden, I saw a huge, beautiful blue heron fly over my head & land on the frozen pond. I have always loved blue herons–we moved a lot when I was young, but my favorite house was next to a small river, and a blue heron lived there. Maybe it’s a little hokey or superstitious to say, but this is the 3rd time I have seen a blue heron since moving to Connecticut, and every time I have seen one, it has been at a time in my life that I felt a little lost and unsure of what the future holds. Yesterday was no different.

the view along my run. they're no blue herons, but these canadian geese were nice to me. they usually hiss at me when I walk by... — the view along my run. they’re no blue herons, but these canadian geese were nice to me. they usually hiss at me when I walk by…

I can’t go into details online, but there are a lot of potential MAJOR changes on the horizon. While I’m excited, I’m also pretty nervous about these changes. My run yesterday really gave me a chance to think about the future, and to tell myself to slow down and take each day as it comes. I’ve been so focused on decisions that won’t be made for another two months or so, that I’ve been forgetting to pay attention to the life that I’m living now, TODAY. It was such a great attitude check, and it was just in time.

The next month & a half at work is going to be super stressful! I don’t talk about work much here on the blog, mostly because my job is very public. But, this coming stretch of two months is going to be really crazy. I have to get my kids ready for two concerts, an adjudicated competition…but I also have to assess each of my 200 students individually two times this month in order to have my choir placements for next year done by April 1st…all this while CAPT starts in the first two weeks of April, meaning I will have even less instructional time than I do in the first place! I don’t have much time at all to teach these pieces, and I’m definitely stressing about it.

So, during my run I realized that I simply can’t have my focus & energy on the future–I have to be present here, now, and tend to the things that I’m responsible for. Who knows what I might miss if I don’t take the time to savor the days that are happening now? Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, after all.

Do you ever find inspiration during a workout? Is there a form of workout that you don’t like, but do anyway? Do you use workouts as a time to think about things?

Posted in fitness, life | Tagged fitness, inspiration, life changes, living in the moment, running, running hate, wisdom | 13 Comments

fitness | falling in love with the barbell [a pep talk for women curious about lifting]

by Katie Posted on February 18, 2013

I’m currently on a train from Hartford to Washington, DC to spend the week with some family! Isn’t technology awesome? I love that I can use this time to finally catch up on some blog action. It’s been a busy past few weeks, but for good, productive reasons. Can’t complain about that!

In January, I started hitting the gym consistently again–not because of the new year, but because I finally had my strength and energy return after my still-undiagnosed-illness-thing started to subside. I had gained about 25 pounds from all of that, so I was psyched to get back into a healthy lifestyle and FINALLY feel like I had control over my body again. For about a year before trying it, I knew that I wanted to begin to focus on weight lifting.

However, for most of that year I felt a bit lost and intimidated by the idea of weight lifting. What if I hurt myself? What if I did things in such a horribly wrong way that some guy would have to come over and correct my form? What if the dudes at the gym were mean to me or chuckled at this girl trying use the barbell?

…total middle school girl-level low self esteem kind of stuff, right?! But then I see awesome people like Maria who are totally badass chicks that just. DO. it! Besides, one of my resolutions is to finish 2013 feeling strong. But sadly, many of the articles, websites, and blogs that I read about weight lifting for females (or anyone, really) were filled with horribly incorrect information. So I kept digging.

Being the type of person who needs research-backed methods and science-based reasons for attacking something new (read: I’m a huge nerd), I started doing some deeper reading online, and found a few things that totally changed my mindset:

My friend Griffin retweeted a link to this fabulous article. If you are interested in weight lifting or are kind of lost at the gym, this article is a must-read.
Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. I bought a copy of this after reading the above article, and have since seen it recommended by many other weight lifters online. A fantastic book about not only proper form, but the physiological reasons why the various forms are the most beneficial ways to reap the benefits of lifting.
Nerd Fitness. A site/blog/community led by Steve Kamb that is promotes fitness in the same manner of the first article I cited. Some great articles: “How to NOT suck at working out,” and “How to Work Out Properly in a Commercial Gym.”

With these ~~rings~~ resources combined…(…I’m so sorry…when it comes to bad jokes/TV references, I honestly cannot help myself) I was suddenly incredibly motivated to lift, and didn’t give a crap what anyone else might think of me.

And I have fallen head over heels in love.

weight lifting for females — getting ready to tackle my favorite: deadlifts.

I cannot even put into words how empowering it is to lift heavy–especially as a female. It means even more to me since I was so fragile while battling the mystery illness that had me so weak, I couldn’t even open a heavy door myself. I feel like I am finally in charge of my body–I get to determine how strong it is. And no one else gets a say in that. It’s completely up to me!

Since beginning this part of my journey, I have only gained weight–but in one month, I lost 6 inches off of my body! I’m learning to ignore the scale and focus more on how my body feels instead. I can feel arm muscles forming for the first time in my life–and it feels amazing. My lower body has always been strong, but my arms are the weakest part of my body…but not for long! My body is truly changing before my eyes. Lifting is transforming me both physically & mentally.

People always say that you need to find some kind of exercise that you absolutely love in order to maintain interest in healthy living. I’ve done all kinds of exercising throughout my health journey, but this is the first time that I have truly, madly, deeply (early 90s music references for the win!) loved a form of exercise. I have never been more motivated to work out, or more happy with the little victories.

I’m certainly not lifting anywhere near as heavy as many of the badass ladies out there in the world, but I every time I add an extra 5 or 10 lbs to that barbell, I feel so accomplished that I just want to go tell everyone!

So the moral of the story is this: it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I definitely don’t look like I lift weights, and I’m far from skinny, but who cares? When I pick that bar, I prove to myself and everyone that I am a strong, healthy, motivated woman who is taking the steps to be better.

If you are curious about lifting, then just go do it! Read some helpful articles, check out youtube videos of Mark Rippetoe coaching people to use good form with barbell exercises, find women that inspire you, see if you can grab a friend to go with you to double-check your form, and then dive right in and go for it! Who cares if you’re barely able to lift the bar? Every rep changes who you are and makes you better, stronger, and more resilient.

And honestly? Most people will think you are a totally badass chick just for venturing into the squat rack.

Do you like to lift weights? Do you use only dumbbells, the barbell, or both?

What hesitations do you have about the gym/gym culture?

What form of exercise gets you excited to workout?