Loving: My new job! I’m not even done training yet, but I already love my job and the people I work with. There really aren’t enough words to express how happy I am to be there and to finally be doing work I’m proud of.

Reading: The Great Gatsby. I started it a few days before the movie, then put it on the back-burner so I could read another book I was excited about and knew would be a quick read. Now I’m diving back into it and hope to finish by the end of the week.

Watching: A lot of movies in the theater. Chris and I recently saw Iron Man 3 and The Great Gatsby. This week we plan to see Hangover 3.

Anticipating: The end of spring and the start of summer. I’m so over my spring allergies, it’s not even funny; I’m tired of runny noses and sneeze attacks. Spring can suck it. Plus, I have lots of fun summer plans.

Listening to: My workout playlist on my ipod nano. I recently added some new songs to get me excited about my workouts, like Icona Pop’s “I Love It,” Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” and will.i.am’s “Scream and Shout.” Those songs get me moving!

Planning: On starting a book club. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while. Now that I have my nights and weekends free, I can finally make it happen.

Working On: Strengthening my friendships. I’ve been feeling a little bit of a lull in my friendship activity lately, so this is an area I plan on focusing on again.

Wishing: The long weekend was here so Chris and I can start our vacation/my birthday weekend in San Diego. Can’t wait!

What are you currently up to?

Five highlights from my week:

• Mother’s Day is always a little somber for me, but this year, I actually managed to have a good Mother’s Day. My siblings and I agreed we should all get together at one point during the day to remember our mom, so they came over in the morning and I cooked them breakfast. In the evening, Chris and I went to his mom’s house to spend time with her. I adore my mother-in-law, so I was happy to see and spend time with her.
• On Tuesday, I finally took advantage of my apartment complex’s resort-like pool and laid out/went swimming. I really can’t express how ecstatic I am to have easy access to a pool again. I haven’t had easy access to a pool since 2008, so having a pool this summer is going to be a major treat.
• I finished up my restaurant job on Monday and started my new office job on Wednesday! I’m so happy to be done with my part-time serving job and onto a full-time 9-5 job. Another reason why this summer is going to be awesome: my nights and weekends will be FREE.
• Since I’m not working nights anymore, I have more opportunities to cook dinner for me and Chris and really work on my cooking skills. This week I tried a few new recipes, such as baked salmon, pan-seared paprika chicken, and garlic mashed potatoes. And they all came out successful! Now that I have more time, I can’t wait to keep trying new recipes every week and get better and better at cooking.
• Three words: Target shopping spree.

Five awesome links you should check out:

Ashley wrote a super awesome post on 7 things you need to stop telling yourself. We can be our own worst critics, and sometimes, we can be a little too mean to ourselves. Ashley really opens up our eyes to this in her post.

I LOVE this guest post on the Adulting blog on how to share your cause or beliefs without being a total jerk. I think everyone could learn a thing or two from reading this.

Amy wrote about making a gentle return to healthy habits. I can so relate to this since I’ve been trying to get back on track with healthy eating for a while now.

Ashlee wrote about what she’s learned during her first year of motherhood. This post made me really excited to become a mom someday.

My good friend Emily wrote a very informative post on how to get married at SF City Hall. I got married at SF City Hall and loved every second of it, so I’m a huge advocate of getting married there. Emily supplies a lot of useful information in her post, plus yours truly makes a small appearance!

How was your week? What are your plans for the weekend?

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Summertime is getting closer, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. The sunshine, the pool time, the cute dresses and the flip flops, the BBQs and the cold sweet treats– all of it! Summer is my favorite season, so of course, I already have a list of fun things I want to do from late May to early September:

• Host a few summer soirees. I’ve turned into quite the hostess ever since Chris and I moved into a bigger apartment; we seem to host a get-together once a month (Game Nights, St. Patrick’s Day dinner, Cinco de Mayo dinner, etc.). I want to keep this little tradition going throughout the summer, only I want to start incorporating pool time, too. There are four pools in our apartment complex, so I’m sure our friends and families would appreciate if we not only invited them over for dinner, but invited them to use our pools as well. 
• Learn how to make summer cocktails. Summer isn’t summer without margaritas, sangria, mojitos, pina coladas, and daiquiris. I want to learn how to make them all, and make them well.
• Visit San Diego. The plans for this trip is actually already in the works! Chris is taking me there for my birthday at the end of the month. I’m super excited for this trip because I haven’t been there in 10 years, and Chris has never been, so it will surely be an adventure for us.
• Plan a girls’ wine tasting day in Napa. This is something I wanted to do last year but never got around to it. I really want to make it happen this summer. I haven’t been to Napa since I moved back from Korea, and that’s just unacceptable. (Napa is only an hour away!)
• Attend a Rivercats game. The Rivercats are Sacramento’s minor league baseball team. Attending a Rivercats game is one of the prime activities to do during the Sacramento summers. I mean, nothing screams “SUMMER!” like baseball, hot dogs, and fireworks at the end of the game.
• Attend the California State Fair. It may be expensive and overrated, but it’s a family tradition that my mom started and loved, so the tradition must live on.
• Visit Folsom Lake and the American River. Since there aren’t exactly any beaches IN Sacramento, people here tend to hang out at Folsom Lake and the American River when they want an opportunity to cool down during the hot summer months. Both are great places to meet up with friends/family and have a picnic before rafting in the river or tubing on the lake.
• Go camping, particularly in Yosemite. I want to go camping. Like, really go camping. The only two times I’ve gone camping were only for one night and, because of work circumstances, I had to meet up with everyone at the camp site late and leave early. So, I want to go camping, and I would prefer to do so in Yosemite, because I’ve never been there (crazy, I know).

What are your plans for summer? What are you most excited for?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about where I’m at in my adulthood. The reason for this is because I’ll be 28 in less than three weeks, which means…

…DUN, DUN, DUUUUUN…

…I’ll only be two years away from turning 30.

They say your 20′s are when you learn to become an adult, and your 30′s are for actually, you know, being an adult. My realization of the fact that I only have two years left of my 20′s has me thinking, “Am I as mature as I should be in my late 20′s? Am I ready for my 30′s? Am I well on my way to becoming a REAL adult?”

I’ll admit that I’m afraid of turning 30 in only a couple years, because sometimes I feel like I’m ready for it, and sometimes I don’t. It’s the same kind of fear I got as a kid when my dad kept threatening to take the training wheels off my bike: “I want to be a big kid and ride a big kid bike, I really do. But I just need a more time to get it right.” I’ve been in my twenties for so long and have learned so much, yet I still feel like I need more time– more than just two years. Below I’ve listed a few things I’ve done or learned in my 20′s that make me feel like a real adult who is ready for the big 3-0, and a few things I still feel like I need time to work on:

What Makes Me Feel Like an Adult

• I’m married. There’s nothing like committing yourself to someone for the rest of your life to expedite the growing up process.  
• I pay my bills on time. I was bad about this in college. The lesson I learned? Not paying your bills on time equals late fees which equals more money out of my wallet. Now I know better, and knowing is half the battle.
• Most nights, I’d rather stay in than go out. I can definitely say that I’ve reached the age where I prefer drinking a glass of $10 Pinot Noir from Trader Joe’s in the comfort of my own home and being in bed by 10pm, rather than spending $50 on tequila shots at a loud, crowded bar until 2am and nursing a hangover the next morning. For example, on St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo, I hosted family dinners instead of going out to partake in the drinking festivities. If that doesn’t scream “ADULTHOOD,” I don’t know what does.
• I can cook. In college, the only thing I knew how to cook was scrambled eggs and spaghetti. Now I can confidently say I can whip up a variety of dishes and meal plan like a boss. So happy I’ve finally acquired this basic life skill.
• I just got a full-time 9-5 job. Finally, I’ll have a real work schedule again! No more working late nights that interfere with my 10pm bedtime.
• My love and appreciation for wine. I think many people can say wine is a mature, grown-up drink (unlike, say, Smirnoff Vodka). So the fact that I enjoy drinking wine, have a strong knowledge of different wine varietals, and own a fancy wine rack with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot on it makes me feel mature and grown-up.

What Doesn’t Make Me Feel Like an Adult

• My finances. I have money in my personal savings account, but it’s not as much as I’d like. And don’t even get me started on my credit cards…
• I don’t have health insurance. Unfortunately, Chris and I don’t have health insurance right now because I’m working in a restaurant and he’s working a temp job (and soon, I’ll be working a temp job, too). Chris just interviewed for a permanent position with the company he’s temping for, so if he gets it, we’ll both have health insurance again. Fingers crossed!
• I’m still working on getting my career going. My new job is going to be a great start towards gaining professional work experience and starting my career, but I still have a ways to go before I can actually say I’m a full-fledged career woman.

After compiling these lists and doing a little soul-searching, I think the answer to the aforementioned questions are: no, no, and yes.  I’m not quite as mature as I should be in my late 20′s and I’m not ready for my 30′s, but I’m sure as hell working on it. I think if I keep putting work into starting my career (like I have been), within the next couple years I’ll have a permanent full-time job, which means I’ll have health benefits and I’ll be making more money to put in my savings/pay down my credit card debt. And then? Then I’ll feel ready for 30.

What makes you feel like a real adult? What doesn’t?

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Last July, I decided not to pursue my post-Korea plan of going back to school to become an English teacher. I made this decision because I realized that teaching isn’t something I’m passionate about; teaching was just something I thought I should do because I didn’t know what else to do once I moved back to California. Also, in college, I majored in English. That’s what all English majors do after they graduate, right? They become teachers.

After I made this decision, I felt lost. I panicked and wondered, “What will I pursue as a career now? I’m in my late 20′s, so I need to figure out something SOON.” In case you’re wondering, trying to figure out what you want to do for a career is even harder once you’re out of college because 1) you can’t change your major to explore other options and 2) you don’t have the convenience of guidance counselors to give you ideas and help you figure out your next move.

So I brainstormed on my own. I considered a restaurant management position because I had just been promoted from server to shift leader at my restaurant. Plus I love learning about and being surrounded by good food and wine, and I have over 10 years of restaurant experience, so this career option seemed feasible. However, I soon learned that I don’t have the right personality to be a manager: I don’t like telling people what to do, and I’m a sensitive person– the thought of having to fire someone makes me want to cry!

I kept brainstorming. I considered becoming a full-time blogger, but I don’t like the idea of working from home. I also considered getting a job as an administrative assistant, but at the time, I had no office skills, so that idea was out. Chris and I even considered moving back to Korea to teach English again because it would be easy money and we could travel more. But then we realized doing that would just be an escape from facing the crappy economy here in the U.S. and working on our careers.

Come September, I was running out of ideas. All I knew was that I wanted to get out of the service industry and get a full-time 9-5 job that could lead to a career. I knew that I had a college degree and I didn’t want to throw it away by letting myself turn into a career server. I knew that if I was going to get out of restaurant work, I would need to gain new work experience somehow– professional work experience. What I needed was professional development, so I decided to start volunteering.

I decided to volunteer with the American Cancer Society because it’s an organization I can relate to; my mom died from breast cancer, and my dad is currently battling prostate cancer, so ACS’s mission to fight, prevent, and put an end to cancer is something I’m passionate about. Volunteering with ACS soon led to an internship with their sister organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. ACS CAN fights cancer in a different way: they promote cancer advocacy by proposing and supporting legislation that will help prevent people from getting cancer and help people who already have it. For example, ACS CAN works hard to increase tobacco taxes so people will be less inclined to smoke/start smoking, further preventing their chances of getting lung cancer. They are also big advocates of the Affordable Care Act, which will provide health care for anyone who has cancer, regardless of their income, pre-existing condition, etc.

I started my internship with ACS CAN last October, so for the last seven months, I’ve been gaining experience with advocacy, public policy, lobbying, networking, working in a professional office environment, and learning how a non-profit works. This internship has been great for me because not only has it given me professional development and new skills to add to my resume, but it’s given me a new career focus: I want to work in non-profit, specifically one related to public health. As far as a specific role, I’m interested in one that has to do with community outreach and working directly with volunteers.

Something else my internship has given me is a job! In a little over a week, I will start my new job with ACS as an Outreach Specialist. It’s a full-time 9-5 job like I wanted, which means no more restaurant job! (And no more having to work nights and weekends!) Unfortunately, this job is only a six month temp job, but I’m hoping it will turn into a permanent job come November. And if not? Then at least I’ll have a lot of new, professional work experience under my belt that can hopefully help me find a job with another non-profit organization.

I am beyond excited for my new job. But most of all, I am happy that I finally have some direction as to what I want to do with my life. In the last seven months, I realized I want a career where I can help others. By working for the American Cancer Society, I’ll be helping others AND helping fight cancer– a cause I’m passionate about. And I firmly believe that my passion for fighting cancer will fuel my success in my new position, as well as my newfound career path.

April Highlights

• Starting and finishing Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to finish such an intense workout program, but I did, and I’m proud of myself for not quitting.
• Ending my internship and putting in my notice at my job. I’m SUPER EXCITED to 1) not work two jobs anymore and 2) have a 9-5 job soon! No more working nights and weekends!
• Giving my blog a makeover, blogging more, and reading three books this month. For April, I set an intention to blog and read more; I was successful this month, so hopefully I can keep it up from here on out.
• Finishing up our apartment. I made good progress on this one by adding a few prints and replacing the really ugly floor lamp in our living room with a nicer one. There’s still a little more work to be done, though, so hopefully I can get the apartment finished in May.

May Intentions

• Spring is almost over, so I need to get my spring cleaning done. Deep cleaning our apartment is definitely on my to-do list.
• Do Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred again this month, but add on a 30 minute run each time. I built up muscle in April, now time to lose some weight in May.
• Watch what I spend. I’ll admit, I’ve been a little spend-happy these last couple months (new clothes, new phone, etc.), so time to re-focus on saving money, especially since I’ll be making less money at my new job.

What did you love in April? What are your plans for May?

Last Friday marked six months since Chris and I got married.

I’ve been thinking a lot about our marriage lately now that we’ve reached the halfway point of our year as newlyweds. Throughout these last six months, many people have asked me, “So how’s married life?” A response I’ve heard for this question from others is “It’s the same as before we were married.” Well, my answer?

“It’s better.”

I say this because I feel like right now, at this point, our relationship is the strongest it’s ever been; things are so good, and we are so happy. We aren’t facing any rough patches like the hardships that come with long-distance relationships or the stress that comes with one spouse financially supporting the other. We aren’t adjusting to living together in a tiny, studio apartment and sharing a car. Instead, we’ve dug ourselves so far out of the hole we started out in a year ago and have ended up in a really good place.

We did it by believing in each other, believing in our relationship, and working together, which are important factors of any good marriage.

Here are some other areas we’re working on that are making our marriage stronger and more successful every day:

1) We’re making time for each other. I’ve heard that during the first year of marriage, it’s important to spend as much time together as possible. Right now, Chris and I are working completely opposite schedules. However, we are making it work by finding time in our work weeks to spend time together. Some days I’ll meet Chris on his lunch break, and some days, he’ll get off work early to come have lunch with me before I go to work. Also, we usually have Saturdays off together, so we’ll reserve Saturday nights for our weekly date night.

2) We are working on our finances. I’m not gonna lie. We are your typical poor newlyweds; Chris finally got a job about a month before we got married, so we’ve been recovering financially ever since. It’s taking us a while to get to where we want to be financially because we moved, I bought a car, and neither of us get paid very much to begin with. But the important thing is we’re paying our bills on time, we’re not fighting about money, and we’re both making a concerted effort to work on our credit scores and save money for our future together.

3) We are communicating. I have a bad habit of browsing on my phone or laptop instead of paying attention to people who are actually in front of me. (I think in a world of smart phones and social media, many people are guilty of this.) So I’ve been working on breaking this habit when someone is talking to me, especially when it’s Chris. When he is telling me about his day, his job, his family, his friends– anything, I put down my phone/turn away from my laptop and LISTEN. And I expect the same from him. I don’t ever want us to be one of those couples who go out to dinner and play on their phones the whole time instead of actually talking to each other.

So that’s how things are for us at the halfway point of newlywed life: a good place that’s getting better and better every day because of the work we’re putting in. I know that marriage isn’t always going to be all sunshine and rainbows; I’m sure we’ll go through more rough patches and adjustments in the future, like when we start having kids in a few years. But for now, everything is wonderful, and we couldn’t be happier.

I finally got around to reorganizing my bookshelf last Friday, and I have to say it turned out great. The reason I wanted to organize it in the first place is because I noticed my bookshelf had turned into a spot to store junk, rather than a spot to nicely display my books.

BEFORE:

So after doing a little bookshelf styling research on Pinterest, I got to work.

One of the tutorials I found on Pinterest recommended these tips for styling a bookshelf:

1. Variety
2. Use color
3. Add pictures
4. Statement pieces

So the first thing I did was run to Target and Urban Outfitters to find some cute, colorful, statement pieces to add to my bookshelf. Here’s what I found:

My next step was to strip everything off the bookshelf so I could start brand new. Once everything was off the shelf and on the floor, I took away everything I knew I did not want on the bookshelf anymore: my craft box, the license plate frame, Chris’ rancor, Chris’ binders, etc. Then I organized all of my books by genre.

I started adding back to the bookshelf by first placing my statement pieces in thoughtful places. For example, I knew I wanted the vintage globe (my favorite) on the top shelf so it could be seen easily. When I was done putting all of my statement pieces on the bookshelf, I added my books!

AFTER:

If you ask me, my bookshelf looks so much better! I love the idea of laying a stack of books flat, rather than standing them upright. I also love the clear vase filled with old wine corks. Such a simple, cheap, easy home decor idea!

I’m so glad I decided to give my bookshelf a makeover. Now it looks much cleaner and organized. And not to mention grown-up and classy!

What are some home projects you’re working on right now? 

Five highlights from my week:

• On Sunday night, Chris and I hosted a family game night for his side of the family. We served appetizers, wine, and cheesecake for dessert. And of course, we played Cards Against Humanity all night. It was a ton of fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. I love hosting get-togethers at our new place!
• On Tuesday, I gave my two-week notice at my restaurant job. It was a little sad because I’m going to miss some of the people I work with, but I’m excited for the new job opportunity that awaits me.
• Wednesday was the last day of my internship. The staff who work in the office sent me off with a generous gift card to a popular restaurant in Midtown Sacramento and a thank you card that made me tear up. So sweet!
• Chris surprised me a couple times this week by getting off work early so he could come spend time with me before I went to work. This sweet gesture means a lot since we have completely opposite work schedules and, therefore, hardly every see each other.
• My new smart phone is going to be delivered today. Also, PAYDAY!

Five awesome links you should check out:

I could totally relate to this article: 22 Changes You Make in Your 20′s

Chantelle shared 5 ways to create goodies from your Instagram photos. I’m an Instagram fanatic, so I’m pretty excited to see what I can make from all the photos I take.

On the Adulting Blog (AKA my favorite blog): How to Job Hunt as a 20-Something in 2013. SO RELEVANT.

This roasted tomato caprese with avocado looks AMAZING and oh-so-perfect for summer.

Ashley wrote a great article on 10 rules for feeling more confident.

How was your week? What are your plans for the weekend?

I started Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred about a month ago and I’m loving it! I decided to try it out because not only have I heard a lot of good things about it, but I was looking for some kind of strength training exercises to spice up my boring workout routine (30 minute run 3x a week). Now that I’m almost done with the monthly fitness routine, I thought I’d share what I’ve enjoyed about it and why I’d recommend it:

It’s short and sweet. The DVD is only 30 minutes long (this includes the warm-up and cool-down, as well as the actual workout). Even though I have a busy schedule, I feel like sparing 30 minutes of my day for a workout is not too much to ask.

It’s feminine. About a year ago, I tried doing P90X. One of the things I didn’t like about it was it made me feel like I was working out with a bunch of dudes. In the Jillian Michaels videos, it’s all women, which gives it more of a “Girl power!” feel to it.

It’s in the comfort of my own home. Need I say more? I’m so much more motivated to workout when all I have to do is walk into my living room and turn on the T.V. instead of getting in my car and driving to the gym.

I don’t need a lot of expensive workout equipment. The only equipment the DVD requires is a yoga mat and a set of weights. I already had the yoga mat, so all I had to do was buy a set of weights at Target. Done and done!

It has varying levels of difficulty. In the video, Jillian has two women helping her demonstrate the moves; one woman does an advanced version of the move, and the other woman does a beginner version, which is usually the move I go with since I’m still building up strength.

It has gotten me in the habit of working out every day. Since the fitness routine requires you to do it every day for a month, I’ve gotten in the habit of working out almost every day, which is a habit I’ve been wanting to acquire! Before I was working out only three days a week for 30 minutes; now I work out for 30 minutes 5-6 days a week, and some days, I’ll workout for an hour by adding on a 30 minute run!

As for the physical results, I’ve definitely built up muscle all over my body. I haven’t lost a ton of weight (only 2 pounds so far), but I do think that has to do with the fact that I’ve 1) gained muscle and 2) still need to work on eating healthier. I plan on doing the JM fitness routine again throughout the month of May (with heavier weights), so before I start, I’ll have to take body measurements instead of relying on the scale to tell me my progress. Oh, and I need to eat healthier…

What workouts are you loving right now? Who is your fitness motivation?