I’m feeling awesome guys.
Like full of awesome. And full of self confidence. I am awesome!
So I tried coffee for the first time this week. I drank a cup of iced black coffee just to see what it was like consuming that much caffeine (I only drink water normally). It was INSANE. I felt so hyper and excited and couldn’t stop moving around for an hour. It was fun and I might keep drinking coffee just for that reason along with some others. I don’t totally love it but I’ve come a long way from my former coffee hating self who refused to drink it ever.
Coffee and awesomeness. That sums up my week pretty well. Now on to the 5 things…
One More Wedding Post
Here’s some wedding goodness if you missed it:
Wedding Recap: Things I Learned
Two Things I Ate Today
1. Egg sandwich for breakfast.
2. Captain Crunch Berries for a snack. (I bought cereal! I rarely do this because I love and devour it. This was a special treat and I love it!)
Three Good Things From This Week
1. Kepa’s best friend’s birthday party is tomorrow! FUN! Good food, drinks, and company ahead for us this weekend.
2. I haven’t been in the gym but I’ve still be very active and felt great. I’ve rediscovered my love (or just nurtured it really) of doing things outside like hiking and biking.
3. Found a place to stay while I’m in Memphis, some transportation options, things to do, etc. Basically this week the trip all came together like it was meant to happen. Or at least that’s what the boss tells me since they’ve tried to talk me into moving back to the US since before I even left. ;) Still this week’s plan making eliminating a lot of anxiety and I’m feeling good about it.
Four Recent Thoughts About New Zealand
1. People don’t wear shoes sometimes. Okay, pretty often. I go to the grocery store and every single time see at least one if not ten people not wearing shoes in the stores. Weirds me out every time I see bare feet in the store while I’m buying groceries.
2. The sun burns. I get sunburned almost every day if I spend over 20 minutes outside. Even if just stay inside but sit too close to a window I get pink. With sunblock on. My pasty white skin does not do well in a country underneath a holy ozone layer.
3. Easter was a big thing. I’m from the Bible Belt so I get stores and things closing on religious holidays and even on Sundays (I’m looking at you Chick Fil A). But it still surprises me that in New Zealand everything is closed on Easter AND Good Friday, or they have to pay the government extra money. But oh well, at least there were hot cross buns which are quite nice. People go crazy when stores are going to be closed for one day. The day before Good Friday and the day between it and Easter meant PACKED supermarkets. Everyone seemed to have the sudden need to shop even late at night (when we normally go) when it’s normally quite empty. This might be a phenomenon that happens everywhere if stores are closing but I’ve only just noticed it.
4. There is a marmite shortage and people are upset. I don’t really understand the vegemite and marmite love. I think it tastes gross. But apparently the production got shut down because of earthquakes so stores are out and people are upset. The crazier ones are spending hundreds to thousands to get what is available. There was a radio commercial about “getting through” the shortage with support which I’m hoping was a joke.
Five Questions You Need To Answer
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order?
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item?
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.)
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster?
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no?
Have a great weekend! :)
{ 41 comments }
*waves* Hi! :) I’m pretty sure the radio ad is a joke. Partly. At least, I think they’re trying to reassure people that marmite will be back in a humourous way…
1. I’d order a caramel sundae. Yum. :)
2. My favourite fast food is sushi, but in terms of burgers etc I like BK Chicken.
3. 3 bedroom house all to myself – I feel so spoiled, but rent is cheap in the boonies.
4. My external hard drive. It has all my photos on it!
5. Vegemite is delicious, but I was brought up on it. I’m not sure what I’d think if I tried it for the first time as an adult! I did a blind taste test recently to see if I really did notice a difference between vegemite and marmite, and was shocked at how disgusting marmite is. You can taste and feel the grains of sugar in it. Ewwwww.
I thought it was a joke when I first heard it but then hearing stories about people buying marmite for crazy amounts of money made me think maybe it wasn’t a joke. Haha. I haven’t actually tried marmite, only vegemite, but have no desire to try it really.
I’d love a 3 bedroom house! Maybe I need to move further out from the city. ;)
Your recount of trying coffee amused me no end :-) I love it, I love skinny lattes (I love full fat ones better but its an easy swap for me)
The marmite shortage thing sounds very obscure and farcical.
As for the sun in New Zealand I cant imagine how scorching it is, I went to Tasmania a couple of years ago and got burnt on chilly overcast days!
1. Haven’t been to McDonalds in over a decade but I used to love the chocolate thick shakes or the soft serve, one or the other would work
2. The only fast food I ever get these days is sushi or Trios felafel wrap (they bake the felafel so they dont leave me feeling greasy on the inside)
3 2 bedroom apartment, shared from time to time
4 Can I grab two? Laptop as it has so many photos on and my grandmother’s necklace which has avoided being stolen despite having my home burgled 3 times in my life
5 I used to love English Marmite but I dont think it’s really me any more as for Vegemite the only time I can eat that is laced in 13g fat in a cheesymite scroll (delicious) Personally Im a promite girl with low fat ricotta or cottage cheese on toast.
D´s last [type] ..32 days
Haha. Coffee was an EXPERIENCE for me. :)
I’m sorry to say I haven’t been keeping up with your blogs lately, Mary dearest! It’s been a bit hectic here but you know I love you & I’m glad I got to check in today :) so awesome to hear you’re doing awesome!
1. Unfortunately, we frequent McD’s more often than I’d like (and I’d like to never go), but I always order from the dollar menu. Right now, I would get a plain mcdouble and a caramel sundae. :9
2. I don’t like fast food, but my favorite would be Jack In The Box. Maybe because the serve breakfast all day, and I love breakfast biscuit sandwiches.
3. We are in the middle of a move (Danny is going on deployment soon & Misa and I will stay in SD during it), so we’re in an officer’s barracks right now. It’s one bedroom with a bathroom, and it’s pretty much like a hotel room. Quite small.
4. My external hard drive that has all my pictures & videos on it.
5. I’ve never tried Vegemite, and I’ve never even heard of Marmite. I HAVE heard of Nutella, and I’m obsessed with it. Just to put that out there lol. :)
Yaaaay I love when you comment! :) I understand not keeping up with blogs especially when you have a cute little Misa to take care of. :)
Well, I cannot believe you drank coffee, but now maybe we can have some together, like Kepa and his mum!
I would get a Egg McMuffin with cheese and sausage. It is 615 am here!
I think maybe Arbys and their chicken salad sandwich.
Our house is three bedrooms (mostly storage right now) 1300 sq ft and the garage.
I would save my pictures, all of them if I had time, but the ones of you four kids for sure.
I have no idea what either of them are???????
Love you sweet, see you soon. MOM
I know, right? I drank coffee! When we come back I’ll go with you and you can tell me what good stuff I should get. Can’t wait to see you!
1. McChicken sandwich – its my go to sneak meal when I would stop on my way home from work.
2. It used to be taco bell. I havent had any fast food since the birth of my daughter in December though. Now thinking about what I would want… NOTHING sounds good.
3. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 living rooms and a workout room. Having written that it sounds like alot but we are bursting at the seems between all of our crap we keep and 2 kids!
4. As long as the kdis/pets were out I dont think I would rush to save anything else. The important documents/pictures are in a fire proof safe.
5. NO clue what either of them are… may need to go google :) Sounds gross though.
Christina
Christina´s last [type] ..morning everyone
That is WEIRD about the no shoes thing!!!
1. Medium Diet Coke, light ice.
2. Medium Diet Coke, light ice.
3. 2 bedrooms/townhouse
4. photos/scrapbooks
5. never tried it; im from the midwest.
Eating as a Path to Yoga´s last [type] ..Using Art Therapy with Binge Eating
1. A regular cheeseburger but only if it was made fresh which seems to be a rarity with those people.
2. I don’t go to fast food places except once or twice a year and always regret it, see above.
3. Under 1000 sq ft. It’s just us and I don’t need empty rooms to dust or people thinking they can come live with us! HA!
4. I have a bin full of pictures, I have always said that’s the first thing I’d grab. The Mr would grab our back up drives. LOL
5. I’ve tried vegamite. No thank you.
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh´s last [type] ..SATW Q & A
Uh oh… you’ve started your coffee journey! I used to hate it too, but love it now :)
1. Probably french fries or a Caramel Frappe.
2. Chick-fil-A. It’s a problem, actually…
3. Our new place is right around 1800 square feet. It feels nice to spread out since our last house was less than half of that!
4. Probably my box of pictures/wedding album. And my blanket that I have from when I was a baby! ( I cheated… that’s two things…)
5. Never tried it. I’ll try anything once, though!
1. I love their breakfast sandwhiches! Don’t go their a lot anymore but would get a bacon,egg and cheese biscuit, hash browns and OJ.
2. I love qdoba and subway.
3. its a two story home. Don’t really know how many square ft. Not a lot though, I dislike it.
4. Pictures.
5. When I went to Australia last November they were huge vegemite fans. I never tried it but I don’t think I ever will.
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order?
I dont’ like their food – but I LOVE their diet coke. It’s extra bubbly for some reason – so I would order a medium diet coke!
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item?
I like Chick Fil A alot, and Chipotle.
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.)
We “upsized” past summer. From 1350 square feet and 1 bathroom to 2100 square feet and 3 1/2 bathrooms!
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster?
Probably pictures. I have a lot of pictures of my grandparents etc, up that aren’t saved digtally. Hmmm…maybe I ought to get on scanning them in just in case.
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no?
Um, no. Frankly it just sounds kind of barfy.
1. A coffee – They have good Newman’s Own coffee.
2. There is a burrito shop near work that makes the best burritos. Viva Burritos, if you are in Boston.
3. 1 bedroom/1 bad/ About 900 sf.
4. My phone. I know but I don’t know anyone’s phone numbers and to get help for myself, I would need them and my car keys.
5. Ugh, now. It does not appeal to me.
Yum burritos. I could go for a good burrito.
Your experience with coffee is one of the reason’s I don’t want to try!! I’m afraid I’ll get addicted to that wonderful buzzing experience! LOL
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order?
If I could indulge and not feel guilty it would be chicken nuggets, large fries, and a vanilla shake!
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item?
Tim Horton’s!! Oatmeal for breakfast, chili for lunch. Doughnuts for those rare occasions I treat myself.
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.)
I’m lucky at my in-laws. I have 4 bedroom, 2 bath (~2000 sq ft) all to myself for now. It is way too big for one person and their dog.
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster?
My laptop/external harddrive because they have all my photos on them, if I could grab one more item, it would be my professional wedding albums.
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no?
I have never tried it ~ smelled it, but haven’t been brave enough to try!
I will agree with you on the sunburn thing! No matter how much sunscreen I put on, I will always burn when I am in warm / hot climates. This is proving to be an issue since my husband wants to move somewhere warm! Oh well, I’ll wear my glow in the dark legs and freckles with pride!
Crystal´s last [type] ..What I’m Reading
Yeah don’t try it! I see why people get addicted. And with my personality type that’s just a bad match. LOL.
I’ve heard about Tim Horton’s a lot but never been to one since they weren’t in my area. I’ve gotta go there at some point in my life!
Hi Mary! :)
1. A crunchie *with* caramel sauce McFlurry
2. Pizza
3. 2 Bed, 1 bathroom apartment
4. iPad
5. I’ve never tried it. Doesn’t smell that nice though.
Hi Rose! Your answer to #1 sound YUMMY! ;)
Shocking to know people don’t wear shoes in New Zealand sometimes. That’s a good trivia. What’s special about the place for you? Thanks for sharing your adventure. The picture looks very inspiring as well.
-Marlyn
Marlyn G.´s last [type] ..how to seduce a woman
Yeah. It’s the whole laid back island culture thing. Kids especially don’t wear shoes a lot of the time. I live in the suburbs of a big city (in a smaller city itself really) and I see it a lot. I can only imagine it’s even more common further away from the city and closer to the beach. Hah.
I can’t believe you had your first coffee experience BLACK – you brave soul. I love coffee, but I need french vanilla creamer to tone down the bitterness. I never would have survived the first year of parenthood without coffee though!
1. I would probably order a caramel frappe – but then I’d feel guilty about all those calories! Also – I agree with the above…there is just something about their diet coke
2. Probably In -N-Out – or maybe taco bell
3. We recently bought a 3 bedroom/2bath house with a 2 car garage…about 1300 square feet. Biggest house I’ve ever lived in :)
4. Same as most – my harddrive / memory cards
5. I have alot of family in NZ and some close friends who lived in Australia for ten years – so I HAVE tried Vegemite and…no…just no. They spread it on crackers and toast…bleck.
It wasn’t that bad really! I drank it pretty fast though so I wasn’t exactly savoring it. I’ll have to try some of the cooler drinks and creamers and stuff if I’m going to keep drinking it. :)
I always check out this website before buying any products in health and fitness – http://imreviewing.com/category/health. My personal favourite is The Diet Solution Program Review because I bought it and it really helped me a lot!
Hi Mary,
That is wild about the barefoot people. I would be scared I would get some weirdo foot fungus!
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order? Hmmm, probably a McFlurry, those are so good.
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item? I try not to eat fast food, but I do like Chick Fil A on occasion, nuggets of course.
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.) 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo.
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster? This is a hard one. I would probably save all my paperwork: passports/credit cards/marriage license, SS card. I don’t have many photos here, they’re all in Ohio at my parents house. The ones I do have I can easily replace.
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no? Nope, but it sounds gross. Isn’t it made from yeast or something? Not for this Midwestern raised girl :)
1. I would order a coffee :) maybe your inspiration!
2. cheesy bean and rice burrito from taco bell with potatoes added in
3. <450 sq ft for two of us — NYC… on a budget… the hardest part is having only one small closet for two :-/
4. my laptop. work is mostly backed-up but laptops are expensive!
5. no! i think its really gross and salty for some reason!
Just found your blog through Raina’s (Do You Have an Extra Large in This). I blogged about MARMITE today. It’s a serious situation! The mental health of kiwi’s might not last much longer! It taps into our deepest, most primal fears. haha.
I think coffee has more of a psychological effect on me, as in I ‘think’ it will make me more energetic, and therefore I am. But it’s a powerful effect….
1. I have been craving fries lately, so I’d get those.
2. The place down the street makes an awesome Greek salad wrap.
3. 700 sq feet. 1B/1B
4. I always make sure to grab my wallet and cell phone if there’s a fire alarm. I guess that makes me not very sentimental?
5. I haven’t tried either. I am open to it though!
The reason you felt like that from drinking coffee is because it’s a DRUG! The energy is “borrowed” from your adrenal glands. Having said that…
1) A large coffee
2) Thai veg wrap from Kauai (healthy fast food place)
3) I don’t know the square footage, but it’s a spacious bed-sit with a separate kitchen and bathroom and two enclosed balconies.
4) Handbag, car keys and Macbook.
5) Can’t stand Marmite. It’s one of those things you either love or hate, but I have always hated it. And yes, hate is a strong word to use, but justified in this instance.
In South Africa just about everything (even the gym) are closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday. And yes, people act as if the stores will be closed for a week!
Yay drugs!
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order?
NOTHING!! And not because I don’t eat burgers and fries, etc., but because when I eat fastfood burgers, fries, etc., they make me feel sick. I know they offer other things like salad, but I just don’t like supporting businesses like McDonalds.
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item?
Subway sandwiches aren’t bad.
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.)
1300 square feet (three small bedrooms, 1-1/2 baths)
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster?
Computer.
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no?
Haven’t tried either!
Mmmmmmm coffee…
Love cafe latte, but have been known to climb in to just about anything coffee related – except for chocolatey ones (Mocha for instance) . I love chocolate. Love coffee… but they shouldn’t be mixed (I think, millions disagree)
1: McDonalds: Nothing. It’s not food.
2: Nothing I cook takes more than 15 minutes to make, so fast food isn’t really a selling point BUT I have been known to eat the odd subway every now and then.
3: We live in a 4 bed place – sounds big, but we live in the middle east, for here it is only just average. Once I am no longer an expat I’ll have to re-adjust to smaller living arrangements I guess.
4: My shelf of travel trinkets.
5: Vegemite. Food of the gods.
Blobmosis.com´s last [type] ..You’ve got to give this a try.
Hi Mary,
I came across your blog today via your Bodyrock.tv post. I couldn’t comment there, but wonder if you’ve continued their workouts? I am an addict. I made a beginner guide to BR, which I have posted on my site:
http://moveeatlivewell.blogspot.com/2012/01/jessicas-beginners-guide-to-bodyrocktv.html. I thought that your readers who were interested in BR but were intimidated may find my guide useful.
1. Water, but I’d probably go somewhere else so that McD didn’t get money from me!
2. No fast food for me…if I must, I reluctantly order salad.
3. 760sq ft 1bed/1bath
4. My wedding ring
5. I haven’t tried that.
1. If you were in line at McDonald’s right now what would you order?
Probably a milk shake
2. If you eat fast food, what is your favorite restaurant or item?
Arby’s.
3. How big is your current living space? (Rooms/bathrooms or sq ft.)
I live with one other roommate and we have a 2 bed/2bath condo.
4. What’s the one thing (not a person or a pet) you would try to save from your house in a natural disaster?
My camera
5. Have you ever/do you eat marmite or vegemite? Thoughts on it? Yummy or no?
Yes, I have never enjoyed it but Aussie’s swear by it.
1. Iced coffee. Their food makes me violently ill. Its the only thing on their menu that doesn’t make me sick.
2. Um… Subway. No contest. I always get a turkey on wheat with spinach, tomatoes, onion, olives, bell pepper, and honey mustard. Sometimes I splurge and get avocado too.
3. About 1100 sq ft, but part of that is a bedroom and bathroom attached to the back of the garage that we never use except as storage space.
4. My laptop.
5. I love marmite on grilled cheese sandwiches! Yum! Never tried vegemite though.
Deb´s last [type] ..Day 182
HA I had coffee for the first time when I was 27 and over the last year I’ve become a coffee drinker! People think I’m crazy for this fact. Weird. It’s never as good as the first time, though. haha.
1. Probably a kids meal, do they still give you toys with a kids meal?
2. Very very rarely, but when I do, it’s gotta be mexican. a steak burrito with everything. I had Chipotle today.
3. 1 bed/1 bath
4. My computer, at least my hard drive!! All of my pictures are on it.
5. No, and no desire to try. Seems gross.
Vegemite? Gross…. what’s gross about yeast shavings from beer production… ?
Wait… I just read that back.
I see your point. :-p
Blobmosis.com´s last [type] ..You’ve got to give this a try.
yuck! I honestly didn’t even know what it was.
I’m glad you’ve discovered your love for coffee. I still can’t stomach the stuff lol. I would rather the water or ice tea.
1. I’m not gonna lie I’d order a big Mac meal that darn sauce gets me every time.
2.McDonald’s
3. I have a two story 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bathrooms
4.My pictures so many memories of people still with s and some that have passed on
5. I haven’t tried either one.
Iced black coffee? Wow. I could not do that. I am not a coffee person but I like iced coffee, but only sweetened and milked (or, splenda’d and soy or almond milked, for me!). at work I put a quarter of a cup of coffee from the work kitchen that’s sitting there, then fill the rest with ice and milk, and I can REALLY feel that caffeine. I’d prob pass out from a whole one of black lol. I just don’t like the crash of caffeine though. Love your four thoughts about NZ it’s really interesting to learn things about there… even here in SF with naked people, they don’t let you in without shoes! I tried vegemite when I was a teen. Ew. I don’t get it. Its an acquired taste I guess. Here are the answers to your ?s: 1) I would NOT be in line at mcdonalds. Ew. I gave that stuff up after seeing super size me seven years or so ago. 2) Ditto to last answer, I don’t eat fast food. I actually don’t eat if that’s the only option, rather be hungry than feel ill. 3) My apartment is small, esp for 2 people. I skyped a tour to my sis and she asked ‘where’s the rest of it?’ We have one bathroom, one sorta half kitchen, one bedroom, and our living room has been converted into my roommate’s bedroom, so we have really no living room. I guess it seems I’m moving into a studio at the end of the year, which will be smaller. 4) Um..my wallet? It would be good to have identification. Or my cell, but that might not work if it’s such a disaster. Otherwise, I guess my roommate’s dj laptop, because I don’t want to lose all those songs! But really, everything can be replaced except people (human/pets). 5) oh I guess I covered this earlier. Not yummy. Yucky.
merri´s last [type] ..Last Chaos and The Next One