Motivate me.

You know how sometimes you just realize that you've gotten into a slump or a rut? No?

I don't believe you. Not one bit.

My slump-rut is specifically related to working out. Buh. I cannot get myself back into a routine. I won't say, "no matter how hard I try," because I've admittedly not been trying too terribly hard.

Why is it that I can most easily keep up a running routine, but not a standard workout routine?

Beats me. But there's only one answer to this conundrum: Start running again. And stop putting it off. I have a 5k in July, which I guess is a little bit of motivation, but not enough.

Maybe a book will help. I going to start reading "Born to Run." I had forgotten all about the book until I read the New York Times piece "Caballo Blanco's Last Run: The Micah True Story." (Seriously moving read--you should check it out.)

How can someone run that much and get that much joy out of it? I might have known, at one point. So it's time to get back to that, little by little. It's sad how short of a run leaves me breathless these days; it's time to change that. Time to find a race to sign up for (at least a half marathon), commit to it, and get to training.

On a different note, I got my first piece published in the Huffington Post. Check it out!

Gap ikat shorts and top, Old Navy vest, gifted earrings

Dreams

Weird things happened in my dreams last night.

First, I dreamed that I had a hole in my leg. It didn't hurt, but it was like something had eaten away at some flesh and tissue and left this fatty, fibrous hole. I was embarrassed by it, so I wrapped it up before any one could see.

Next, I dreamed that this Wednesday was Black Friday. Some friends know that this Wednesday is also Death Cab for Cutie Day (accompanied by my pal Minna's Magikd*Magik Orchestra). Yes, I have really cool friends.

Anyway, in the dream I decided to brave the crowds at the Gap for some apparel deals. I figured I had plenty of time to shop and make it to the concert on time. But when I made it to the fitting room to try on my finds, I looked at my phone and saw it was already 10pm. Then I woke up, quite upset.

The lesson here? 

1. If you find a hole in your leg, go to the doctor.

2. Black Friday ruins your life.

Today on Learning Curd: A shout out to Brooklyn Slate Co.'s sweet cheese boards.

American Eagle top, gifted jeans, Gap scarf, Target belt and shoes, Banana Republic bag

I ate this for brunch on Saturday at Plow. I just want to point out that the things on the left are their amazing lemon ricotta pancakes.

I made ricotta.

Me, just a simple human being with a penchant (sometimes) for doing domestic things, created cheese. With my bare hands. Well, my bare hands and three different types of dairy products. You can see the fruit of my labor over at Learning Curd. (Did you know I have a cheese blog now? You should have. You know, if you're really my friend.)

It was incredibly delicious. If anyone has some good ricotta recipes, I'm all ears. I just have to make that cheese again and find more things to do with it.

In other news, the hubs has been away in Hong Kong for work (why am I not wearing his clothes?), and I've been more domestic. That means he'll be bombarded by home-cooked food and a clean apartment when he gets back Wednesday night. There are worse things you could be bombarded by, aren't there?

This is my attractive pose.

Gifted jeans, American Eagle sweater, Gap scarf, Banana Republic shoes, F21 shades

What are you playing at?

Do you ever feel like you're playing at being a grown up?

Playing at having a grown-up job. Playing at having your own health insurance. Playing at having your own place. Playing at eating out at fancy grown-up restaurants. Playing at making your own big life decisions. Playing at being married.

I could go on and on.

Sometimes I feel like I'm not old enough for these things. I still like eating a big bowl of popcorn for dinner (shout out to family movie nights!). I still like sleeping in on Saturdays and staying in my pajamas as long as possible. I still like wearing flats (my feet like it, too). I still like watching slightly immature movies and TV shows. I still like jumping in puddles when it's raining and I'm wearing my rain boots.

Don't get me wrong. I also like being a grown-up. But I hope I never lose my like for youthful things, as long as it's tinted in  maturity.

When I have my own kids, I hope I can still relate to their childishness.

Anthropologie top (2008), Prana scarf (via See Jane Run), gifted jeans, Steve Madden Intyce boots, Target bracelet

Less is best.

Gap pants and infinity scarf (I love this new scarf), gifted top, Converse shoes

I went through this phase when I was in high school and college when I wore more makeup that I should. Maybe I was rebelling against the fact that I didn't start wearing makeup until high school. Which is totally fine, but was stil late by my friends' standards.

So I went through a phase of wearing eyeliner everyday. (By the way, there's nothing wrong with that.) But now it seems like just too much work in the morning. Especially on days when I go to the gym during lunch. I just end up redoing it. So I'm ditching the eyeliner, except when I want to look fancy. It's liberating to skip the details every so often.

I'm having way too much fun with my new tripod and camera remote.

In case you were wondering, here's an exciting list of my beauty items of choice:

• Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer (spf 15)
• Bare Escentuals Prime Time Brightening Primer
• Bare Minerals Original SPF Foundation in Fairly Light
• Bare Minerals All Over Face Color - Warmth
• Cover Girl LashBlast Mascara
• or Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Lash Mascara
• Tarte Cheek Stain
• Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer (sometimes)

What products do you use?

Also, I'm willing to take another chance on eyeliner, if someone can give me a good recommendation on a brand.

Grass it is!

Thanks for voting! More than 70 percent of you were digging the blog header with the grass, so I went with that one for Learning Curd. (Make sure you check out the latest post on mozzarella making.)

I still have a few more things to do with the new blog to get it in tip-top shape (like figure out how to disconnect my learningcurd.com--without the "www"--address from Wordpress), but I'm really happy with how it looks. And I'm really really happy with my new camera (Canon Rebel T3i). It takes lovely photos. My next stop is to get a 50mm fixed lens to take even lovelier food photos.

Supposedly some of you are demanding that I not abandon this blog. (Ok, one of you may have mentioned I should keep up with it. It certainly wasn't a demand.) Never fear, I don't plan to. I've just been preoccupied.

The good news is that I bought these boots and think they're pretty rockin'. There's just something about wearing heels that makes me feel invincible. (But I'm not. Please don't shoot me.) The other good news is that these boots were on sale, with an extra 30 percent off. Booyah.

This is my "Oh, I'm so shy" pose.

And this is my, "I'm laughing at something over there." pose.

Gifted top, Old Navy tank, Gap jeans, Banana Republic boots, American Eagle necklace

Hello there, long lost friend.

Whoa. It's been a while, eh?

Sorry for the lack of communication, friends. Since we've been apart I've:

• Found a love for audiobooks. Finished "The Help," "Night Circus," "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (wasn't a huge fan) and now I'm on to Stephen King's "11/22/63." Listening to novels is a great way to pass the time walking to work.
• Been slacking off on my workouts. (So sue me. I'm working on it.)
• Watched "Titanic" all over again. In 3D. (Don't hate.)
• Started a new blog.

See what I did there? I snuck it in. I'm a sneaky one. The new blog, Learning Curd, is about--you guessed it--CHEESE.

I've fallen in love with the stuff, and I figured I should make my interest a new hobby, and write about it, too. Who knew that California had the highest number of artisan cheese makers in the country? My teacher at my very first cheese tasting class, that's who.

I'll still blog here (when I remember to take outfit photos. I know you've missed seeing all of my outfits), but I'll be concentrating most of my efforts over here. So stop by. And you can also follow my cheese antics on Twitter.

(For your reference, I can also be found at @bhardeman.)

Gap khakis, Banana Republic top, Target cardigan and flats

One last thing. Help me vote on my new blog header? After much deliberation (and the awesome designs from my friend!) I can't choose between two headers.

Header #1: Grass

Header #2: No grass