Ushering in the Holidays

{Gap top and scarf | Old Navy premium Rockstar denim leggings (awesome) | Banana Republic bag | Target necklace and flats}

I think I'm going to start lifting weights. I mean really lifting weights. The hubs shared this article with me, and I realized it's completely true. After all, the only time I've been more in shape then when at my peak running days was right before my wedding - when I was pumping some iron in grad school. Killah.

So get ready for some guns. Well, first I'll see how sore I am from today's workout. Wah - I'm weak.

On another note, I ate way too much over Thanksgiving and the weekend. But that's how it should be. We enjoyed a spectacular Friendsgiving at our place and the hubs did the turkey. (I couldn't be more proud.) Plus we relaxed a lot, went on a City Guides walking tour in Sutro Heights that was really great, and saw Henry Rollins at Yoshi's with some really awesome friends. I get what all the fuss is about. He's really an interesting and entertaining guy. He has this punk-rock anger about him that he's able to channel into being really interested in people and human nature and people who are different from him. Sure, he's political and controversial, but he's not mean. I like that.

It's obvious in all of our photos - he loves me.

I told him to do his best impression of a style blogger.

Yay to Christmas in Union Square!

Should You Watch It? Episode 3: LOLwork

Have you heard of this show?

Can we all go back to posting videos of cute puppies now?

{Gap dress (seriously stalked this one online until it came to the store) | Old Navy wedges}

My favorite thing about social media is that we can all express our opinions and change each others' minds through our Facebook statuses, Tweets and Instagrams. The power of influencing others with a quippy ecard or meme is incredible. After all, when I was in the voting booth this morning, I whipped out my phone just so I could check my "friends" statuses to make sure I was making the right decision.

None of this is true. My real favorite thing about social media is puppies and kitties and other baby animals.

So this post is dedicated to everyone who has missed puppies and kitties as much as I did during this election season. Enjoy the clickies!

Puppy loves the windshield wipers

Baby panda kisses her mom

Tiny little otter pup

This is a puppy

This is another puppy

There. don't you feel better now? I know I do. Here's to filling up our Facebooks with puppies and kitties and other adorable animals once more!

Hey! It's me.

Photos of me!!! From weeks ago! Hooray!

I won't make excuses. I'm just lazy.

And busy. Ok--I made an excuse. I've done some cool things since we last spoke. I went to a goat farm (go look at these photos, pronto). We got our new City Target, just a short walk from our apartment. It's dangerous, y'all. I carved a couple of pumpkins. I don't even really like carving pumpkins. (There. I said it.) Our visiting friend from D.C. got stranded here in SF due to Sandy. I ran a trail race and determined based on that race and last year's that I'm no trail runner. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series and we got a second round of celebrating in the city (after 2010's win). And our SC pals who are now living in Walnut Creek came for a visit and we saw "Wreck-It Ralph." Highly recommend.

I'm getting pumped about the holidays. We'll host a little sumpin' sumpin' at our apartment for Thanksgiving (per usual) and head to South Carolina for Christmas. So I am stoked.

In clothing news, I had to retire this shirt after this photo shoot. It had seen one too many outings and was starting to pill like crazy. But I've already replaced it with a vintage tee from Old Navy (seriously soft and perfectly vee'd). And these adorable little jeans have tiny little polka dots all over them.

{Old Navy jeans | Gap top | Gap scarf | Dolce Vita shoes (same in black)}

Should You Watch It? Episode 2: Top Dog Model

Aaaaaand I'm back! Talking about a reality show with dogs. And British accents. Enjoy!

Hair Anxiety: I has it.

Isn't it nice when you learn new things about yourself?

I learned something new a couple of weeks ago. You see, since I moved to San Francisco, I haven't found a hair stylist to commit to. First, I was going to the Aveda salon school because it was cheap, but a couple of years ago I graduated to real salon status. And yet I hadn't found a stylist. I went to one, and she told me I had to stop tying my hair back so tightly when I run because I have a lot of breakage.

Who wants to hear that? (Even if it's true.)

Finally, I received a recommendation from a co-worker's significant other for a stylist just down the street from my apartment. "Ok," I thought, "going on a friend's tip is a much better idea."

So I left work a few weeks ago for my lunch break haircut. As I approached the salon, my heart started racing and I felt nervous. NERVOUS?

For a haircut??

Turns out, hair anxiety is a real thing that something people have. I was nervous about getting a bad haircut, hearing I had some irreparable damage (I kinda do), and having a stylist I couldn't get along with. But Paul Laxton (my new awesome stylist) helped me get over it my hair anxiety. Sure, he noted my ponytail breakage, too, but he also suggested a solution: ribbon hairbands.

Why, I think I've found my San Francisco stylist!

Do you have hair anxiety?

Image via

Hi. I'm Bethy. And I'm an athlete.

I've never considered myself an athlete. At least, not a real athlete. Yes, I know I probably should, but everyone has their insecurities. One of mine is that I don't really think I'm athletic, no matter how many races I run.

But something happened the other day at the gym. I don't typically choose to run on the treadmill, but since I was working it out during my lunch break, it was just convenience.

I snagged a treadmill right in front of the mirrors and started warming up. Then I glanced up. And I saw an athlete.

I'm not trying to be cheesy here, folks; I'm just telling you that for the first time, I looked like an athlete to ME. It didn't hurt that I was wearing short, black compression shorts and a black tank top. I could see my leg muscles contracting as I ran--I'd never done that before. Even my arms looked strong as I swung them in rhythm with my strides. And my face looked focused and determined.

I'm an athlete.

So no matter how many times I want to give up or I feel tired. Or even if I skip a workout. I've seen myself as an athlete in the mirror. And that's what I am.

{Gap dress: exactly | NYC scarf | Banana Republic boots: Exactly | Target earrings}