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1. I wish I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and never worry about it. Not obsessing over food would be nice. I wouldn't even gorge and overdo it - just not thinking about it for more than the amount of time it takes to plan, eat, and enjoy a meal would be wonderful. I spend way too much time, effort, and energy thinking about what I've eaten, what I'm eating, what I'm going to eat. Considering that the average person eats three meals a day plus snacks, that's a LOT of time, effort, and energy.

2. I wish I could control my climate. I hate being too hot, hate being too cold, hate when it's too damp or too humid or too dry. In my perfect world, it would be 30 degrees and sunny every day, 10 degrees every night, with a couple hours of rain overnight - perfect beach weather in the daytime, comfortable for sleeping at night.

3. I wish I could add extra hours to every day. Days go by way too quickly - being able to make them longer at will would be fabulous (especially considering every day is 30 degrees and sunny). What would I do with my extra time? Listen to music. Read. Drink wine. Nap. Take baths. Watch old movies. Learn how to take photos. Take long walks. Go to the beach. Write in my journal. My favourite things...the things I rarely have time for.

If you had three selfish wishes, what would they be? Not world peace, not good health for your family, not do-gooder disease-curing wishes...three wishes that are 100% in your own best interests.

I hate not being prepared, not feeling ready for things. I am the kind of person who prefers to drive to the client meeting alone in order to have that solo time in the car to get my thoughts together. I currently have a list of my outfits planned out for the next 28 days. Spontaneity does not come easily to this girl. I find that I can adapt quickly and go with the flow easily enough if I don't think about it or I have no choice. In a work setting, for example, I can switch from project to project midstream with very little trouble, but in my personal life it's a different story. If I don't know what's for dinner by mid-morning that day, I'm completely out of sorts. Weekends are scheduled two weeks in advance. I guess it's my way of controlling the aspects of my life I CAN control (i.e., not work or mandatory stuff like doctor's appointments).

Not being ready throws me completely off kilter, and right now there are a few things I don't feel remotely prepared for.

[+] Snow and winter weather, complete with the wearing of winter coats, hats, scarves, and mitts
[+] Christmas stuff - Christmas commercials, Christmas cups in Starbucks, Christmas displays in stores
[+] Babies
[+] My parents getting old
[+] Putting away the patio furniture, fire pit and BBQ
[+] Turning 30 in less than six months. Feeling unaccomplished and fail-y.

Is there anything you're dreading or just not prepared for?

So it's NOvember again (that was not a typo, friends. Stay with me) and it's time to batten down the hatches and get shit in order up in this ma. The fun and frivolity of Halloween is over. The leaves have mostly fallen. The clocks are going back an hour this weekend. It's bone-chilling cold outside. Poop's about to get real.

NOvember means...

-NO purchasing clothes for myself for the entire month *cries*
-NO junk food binges, random handfuls of chocolate chips just because, dipping my finger into the butter dish and then the sugar canister. I'm an animal.
-NO skipping a day of blogging (NaBloPoMo! yay!)
-NO skipping a day of working out (NaWoOuMo! yay!)
-NO EXCUSES!!

The reason I'm going all Jillian Michaels on fun stuff is because November is just such a bleak, gross month, it's easy to fall into bad habits to get through it, at least in my experience. It's dark and cold and yucky out, so you buy three new dresses and eat a Deep and Delicious cake for breakfast to cope. It happens. This year, I'm trying to keep myself in check. Save some money. Make room in my closet. Feel healthy and energetic, not akin to 10 pounds of shit in a five-pound bag come the Christmas holidays.

By focusing on good stuff, like eating well, exercising, sticking to a budget and to some simple goals, I'm hoping November will be a more pleasant month and not the absolute Tyrannosaurus Rex of horrid it's been in the past.

I have lots of things to look forward to (upcoming bachelorette party and wedding to attend, getting ready for the holidays, dog shopping) and lots of things that are going to cost a lot of money (uhhh, bachelorette party and wedding, getting ready for the holidays, dog shopping, plus car insurance for the year, yada yada) so saving money wherever I can is going to be pretty important.

NaBloPoMo will help keep me occupied when I can't be doing other things - like shopping for clothes or eating my face off.

Annnnnd not buying any new clothes means there will be room in my closet and drawers for all the piles of new stuff I will undoubtedly be getting for Christmas for being such a good girl during NOvember!

WIN!