I think I’m about due for one of my two-a-year updates. Welcome 2013!

I could talk about the two main camps of New Years Resolutions – You’re either into them and writing up a whole laundry list of things to accomplish in this brand spankin’ New Year, or you don’t really do the resolution thing and you carry on with your fresh days of 2013 as you would have if they were still a part of 2012.

I don’t think I’ll get into that though. Everyone else has done it enough already. But for the record, I stand more in group #2.

That being said, I do like that fresh feeling a new year brings. Even if I don’t set any specific year-long resolutions to meet. And I did happen to introduce a few new mini challenges and activities to this first month of the new year.

1. SPIN – I had tried it before a couple years ago. Loved it but only tried it on a trial gym membership and that died after a month (21 days, $21!) so… so did my spin experience. Now that I have a real gym membership, I finally brought some spin back into my life a couple weeks ago and am I ever glad I did.

2. DODGEBALL - Oh yes.  A regular 6th grade pro (*cough*…or not), this game all but disappeared from my life well over ten years ago and with my recent joining of a dodgeball team, I’m bringing the skills back! …Now if I could only learn to throw…

3. PCS – Rotating sessions of 100 pushups, crunches or squats every day. I did this successfully a while back. Tried again last month (not quite as successfully) but now I’m in it for the haul!

4. Photo-a-day – As it sounds. One photo, every day. No topics or leading words. Just snapping a photo of something every single day. I’m sure not doing this to portray my glamourous life (especially considering every single photo has been taken in the comfort of my own home, of things directly in front of me – like my water bottle or an awkward figurine of a duck), nor to improve my photography skills (as is evidenced by the photos). It’s more of an exercise in discipline – Can I complete it?

And, well… I’ve already missed a couple days so if that’s considered a fail then I guess not. But fortunately for ME! the fact that I’ve managed to pull out the camera and take a picture of something non food-related almost every single day so far, especially considering my camera had been on vacation for a long while before this month, is a pass in my books. And this challenge is ruled 100% by my books. Win!

The rest of January’s in-home visuals so far?

Peering at the winter wonderland first thing in the morning.

Fruit platter in the making.

Bouquets at breakfast.

…Beer at breakfast? (Or rather just one of my brother’s many daily beers of Christmas break).

Christmas florals -poinsettia – as viewed through a tree (Aren’t I artsy).

The aftermath of my breakfast smoothie – Ninja’d! 

Black coffee and an article about the makers of Holy Crap! cereal (haven’t tried it yet but I’ve seen it on the shelves and sure am more tempted now). Great little startup!

This bulb hangs out in my fake bedroom tree year-round. Who said bulbs in trees were Christmas-exclusive?

My daily dose of apple cider vinegar and gummy multivitamins.

My keyboard is dazzling.

As is the decor atop my dresser. I heart glitter.

My saving grace on the days I work from home in the most ice-frigid room of the house.

Dinner anyone? (Oops. I was trying to avoid taking food pictures for my photo of the day. But food prep doesn’t count. As I’ve officially ruled right now.)

My sputtering Blackberry that likes to die on me at random after bare minimal use. New battery currently in the mail. New phone upgrade due… soon? Please?!

Chugging water all day, ‘er day.

How the heck am I going to find another two weeks worth of awkward household objects to take pictures of? The real challenge begins…

Disappear. Come back. Disappear. Pop in again. Disappear.

What a pattern…

I miss blogging. Well… writing. 

Of trying to figure out what to be, how to be, who to be.

Maybe the “food blog” thing doesn’t fit to a T anymore. Well, frankly, I don’t think it ever fit to a T per se, but it fit well enough that it could remain one of my semi-regular outfits with a bit of mild tugging and adjusting.

I think, though, that maybe I’ve outgrown that outfit now. Or maybe just for now.

But one way or the other, it just doesn’t feel like it fits anymore. And I think that’s why I struggle with writing. Because I just want to write outside of the box that I originally pigeon-holed this blog into in the first place.

I just can’t take picture of all my “meals” anymore. It’s fun once in a while. I’ll probably still do it once in a while. But not everyday. Or every second, or third. Done with that…for right now. (Plus, no iPhone = no Instagram… and that is the newest, trendiest way to food blog, no?)

Time to reach beyond meals and exercise. They mean something, but what else is out there? What else is out there for Me?

It might soon be time to move beyond the ‘Lighter Portions’ walls. New blog box to settle into? Maybe.

Life is full of a whole lot of maybes right now. A whole lot. Probably more maybes (and a whole lot more I don’t knows and what the hecks and help me pleases) than I’ve ever experienced before. Quarter life crisis and GO. Thank you 20s.  You’re terrifying…awesomely full of potential, but still unbelievably terrifying.

And that about sums up the current state of my mind – Random, inconclusive, messy, confused, over analytical and never, ever shutting off.

During the day I do this thing referred to as a desk job. You know, that ’9-5 plug away in front of computer screen sitting in cubicle’ stint (mine’s 10-6:30 but that’s beside the point)…(*coughselloutcough*).

Often when I get home I’m simultaneously tired yet antsy (sitting all day really revs up those ants in the pants). Typically I’ve already done my workout for the day (6:45 AM baby!) and doubling up on dripping sweat sessions just isn’t likely (sorry mushy tushy).

Lately, with the lovely warm weather and the sunshine’s late bedtime hour, evening walks with my jams are my go-to to wind down the pant ants. There’s little more calming and therapeutic than a long evening walk with blasting tunes and setting sun. And if I really had a bad day, loud angry music and stomping steps are practically active meditation.

But on those nights when the clouds are heavy or I’m just extra hungry (or can’t ignore my rampant sweet tooth…so basically every night), nothing cures the post-work oxymoronic needs for calm yet stimulation like a good dose of baking. Soothing yet frantic. Relaxing yet chaotic.

I probably bake more than I should for sitting on my derrière for my entire day. But I use 98% “healthy” recipes so it’s okay, right? The poor derrière might not agree (especially since it’s rare that anyone else around here besides me will touch my “special” treats) but I’ll bet my nutrient load is spectacular.

Anyway.

I like really simple recipes that I can throw together and have baked and finished in no time flat. Really like. NO fuss = GOOD.

If your recipe includes pumpkin, egg whites, applesauce, yogurt or cocoa powder, I’ll probably try it (I never said my standards were high). If it’s a muffin, I’ll especially probably try it.

If it includes protein powder… I might not. I’ve had some pretty failed attempts at protein powder and baking. I know, I know, it depends on the type yada yada. But anyway, I gave protein powder baking another shot recently and I’m pleased to say, remakes might happen!

Banana Muffins  - My mom tried these… and LIKED them. They have protein powder and coconut flour… and she still liked them. I practically fell over.

I actually made two banana protein powder muffin recipes last week but do you think I can find the second one? Of course not. I do have a picture though. They collapsed in the middle but tasted like banana bliss.

There’s also this little “PowerCakes” craze going around that I’m pretty down with. I baked up this beauty but without the carrot … I was too lazy to shred it in the moment, what can I say (I did throw in plenty of spinach though). I captured just about the worst picture ever but don’t trust my photography skills, trust the recipe!

I say I bake a lot but I also mix even more. Mix, combine, meld, whatever you want to call it. I like throwing things together. They don’t necessarily have to come out of an oven.

Example: “Ice Cream” or something like it. Something like That Darn Ice Cream that Katie and Stuft Mama have made me crave for ages now.

So I finally caved and made it (here with cereal and frozen choco bits). I can’t say it goes head to head with a big classic cone of the real stuff, but it’s light and delicious in its own perfect way.

Where was I going with this? Basically I’ve just made a ridiculous amount of food-like things lately as the result of an overdone after work hobby and I felt like sharing a few. There will be more I’m sure.

But for now, it is time to cut off the rambling.

***Help? I also need to figure out a better way to blog. I used to be PC. Now I’ve gone over to the dark Macbook side. But I miss Windows Live Writer! I can’t lie, not a fan of blogging via WordPress. And my google research tells me nothing Mac-compatible even compares blogging software-wise… or $$-wise (free is unbeatable). Recommendations, anything?

So. Where to begin…

How about right in the middle?
My middle.

I just drank some ACV (or Apple Cider Vinegar for all you non-informed) and it’s currently sitting a little unsoundly in middle so it’s on my mind.

There’s some hype around this stuff (just Pinterest-search it, you’ll see)

I’m sure there have been many positive and negative experiences with all of the above options.

I can only vouch for myself and so far I’ve only tried drinking the stuff. And I drink it almost every day. About a Tbsp plus a dash of cayenne pepper and a dash of cinnamon mixed into a large  glass of cold water.

Whether or not it’s actually doing something, I’m going to keep at it for now. Word on the street sounds promising and I figure it can’t hurt…well, unless it actually is eating away at my stomach. But let’s just say it’s not and go with that. Next step is trying it topically… my Clinique toner just isn’t satisfying my skin’s needs.