So much to update (wks5-9 of princess half training!!) but for the time being....
xoxo, Manisha!
xoxo, Manisha!
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Liebster Award
I was recently nominated for a Liebster Award by my sweet sorority sis at Sorority Life to Army Wife. Her blog is great from the perspective as a military spouse so follow her NOW! I'm extremely flattered too b/c I feel like only 2 people read this so this is all sorts of exciting! I meant to write this post weeks ago but with a trip to Puerto Rico, Thanksgiving, and a wkend trip to Blacksburg, AND having a sinus infection, I have been sooo behind!
Here's an adorable Liebster pic from Lisa's blog!
The Liebster award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.
RULES:
1. Each person posts 11 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you, and create 10 more questions for the blogs you nominate.
3. Choose nominations and link them to your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
11 facts about me:
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Disney Princess Training: Week 3&4
OK sooo the past two weeks I have been mia/out of town so I missed my last 2 posts for my training week 3 and week 4! This will have to be the abridged version because I actually missed 3 runs when I was in Puerto Rico. Soo, here goes!
Week 3--> I only got in one regular run and I made up my long run when I got back from PR. The regular 35 min run was pretty good, maintained a 10-11 min pace but that was on the treadmill (which is nothing like running outside but at least I am staying active). The make-up long run was 5 miles and supposed to be done on the 10th but I ended up doing it on the 17th. It was pretty great run, and I got the about an 11:48 min mile average pace so I was ecstatic about that!!!! AND that was after a week in PR, not exercising, and eating/indulging myself in all the delish food items that I never normally eat hahah! I was so so cold after this run because I started around 430pm and by the time I finished it was dark and COLD (my hands were numb frm mile 4.5 on!!! Ultimately, I really enjoyed my long run and felt amazing afterwards. My only issue was that I didn't properly fuel for this run. I wasnt prepared with any gu's or chomps so afterwards I just had a gatorade and that clearly was not enough! I felt so weak all evening and had no energy even eating dinner was difficult!
Week 4--> I missed 2 of the regular runs for this week while I was in PR but I did the "long run" for week 4 which was only 3 miles. I actually did this 'run' with my sister (she is signed up for the 5K the saturday before my half marathon in disney world) so she could get some practice but it ended up being more of a power walk and then when my sister up and peaced out after 20 mins or so, I was so angry so I ran as fast as I could and ended up doing the last mile in about 9 mins so yeah haha it wasn't a great run but I got it done!
Week 5 is ok, I am feeling really sick today (sinuses, head cold) so I didnt run today. My mom thinks I just need to rest my body a couple days after running so much after a week off so I am going to do my week 5 runs on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I am a little nervous about my long run for this week (it's 6.5 miles) because I'm supposed to do it on saturday but I am going to Blacksburg for the VT-uva game so that clearly will not happen haha!
Still debating doing the long run on Friday before I leave or on Sunday after I get back.. just wait for the week 5 update for find out haha! OK, so friends, please enlighten me-- what do you do when you're on vacation and get off track from your workout/running plan or schedule? Do you just skip what you missed or try to make it all up?
Week 3--> I only got in one regular run and I made up my long run when I got back from PR. The regular 35 min run was pretty good, maintained a 10-11 min pace but that was on the treadmill (which is nothing like running outside but at least I am staying active). The make-up long run was 5 miles and supposed to be done on the 10th but I ended up doing it on the 17th. It was pretty great run, and I got the about an 11:48 min mile average pace so I was ecstatic about that!!!! AND that was after a week in PR, not exercising, and eating/indulging myself in all the delish food items that I never normally eat hahah! I was so so cold after this run because I started around 430pm and by the time I finished it was dark and COLD (my hands were numb frm mile 4.5 on!!! Ultimately, I really enjoyed my long run and felt amazing afterwards. My only issue was that I didn't properly fuel for this run. I wasnt prepared with any gu's or chomps so afterwards I just had a gatorade and that clearly was not enough! I felt so weak all evening and had no energy even eating dinner was difficult!
Week 4--> I missed 2 of the regular runs for this week while I was in PR but I did the "long run" for week 4 which was only 3 miles. I actually did this 'run' with my sister (she is signed up for the 5K the saturday before my half marathon in disney world) so she could get some practice but it ended up being more of a power walk and then when my sister up and peaced out after 20 mins or so, I was so angry so I ran as fast as I could and ended up doing the last mile in about 9 mins so yeah haha it wasn't a great run but I got it done!
Week 5 is ok, I am feeling really sick today (sinuses, head cold) so I didnt run today. My mom thinks I just need to rest my body a couple days after running so much after a week off so I am going to do my week 5 runs on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I am a little nervous about my long run for this week (it's 6.5 miles) because I'm supposed to do it on saturday but I am going to Blacksburg for the VT-uva game so that clearly will not happen haha!
Still debating doing the long run on Friday before I leave or on Sunday after I get back.. just wait for the week 5 update for find out haha! OK, so friends, please enlighten me-- what do you do when you're on vacation and get off track from your workout/running plan or schedule? Do you just skip what you missed or try to make it all up?
Monday, November 5, 2012
Disney Princess Training: Week 2
SO. week 2. my runs this week werent that bad but a bit painful because I think I got shin splints after my 5K last wkend?? Im not really sure what it was because I've never had them before but I decided I am definitely looking into some compression sleeves to start wearing for my long runs!!!
Soo, my first run for wk 2 was on Oct 30. It was a pretty good run. I started to do 35min because I had j been doing 30 mins every other day since I started running again back in September. I still maintained my fast treadmill pace (about 8:45 min/mi) but it was good just getting active and stretching my legs again!
Run #2 for wk 2 came on Nov 1. I was pretty lazy all day and ended up running for 35 min right before the VT football game started so that was dumb on my part. It was a good run and I started thinking a lot during the run. I find that running is so cathartic and leaves me with such happy-go-lucky feels its amazing. This was a bit of a rushed run but I'm glad I got active.
Ohhhh run #3= the long run of the week. This wk I was set for 4 miles for my long run. I was 100% set on going to Country Park and running 2 laps around the path but Saturday (the orig day planned for the long run) I literally could not even go down/up my stairs. My right leg was cramping and my shin hurt so bad it was like a giant, day-long charlie horse on my right leg. to say it was painful is a GROSS understatement. Soooo, instead of running on saturday, I took the day off and went to the outlets w my parents which ended early bc I could barely walk and I missed my Rusty at home. Soo I ended up doing my long run for wk 2 on Sunday (yesterday) after taking ibuprofen &aleve the past 3 days. My leg feels good so hopefully it won't act up again. My long run was great. I ran at a realistic pace (my outside run/walk pace is about 11:30 min/mi) for 4 miles. It took me a hair over 40 mins which is great but I think I still did it too fast but I guess if I maintain that pace when I run on the treadmill it will ultimately help me when I run outside? If anyone has any experience/perspective on treadmill&outside running, please enlighten me!!!!!
Ultimately, week 2 was full of some great runs. I'm a bit concerned about this upcoming week because I am going to Puerto Rico on Thursday so I am going to miss run #2& my long run for this week. Im planning on taking my running shoes, clothes, etc to PR so hopefully I can find somewhere I can get my runs in, at the very least a treadmill!!! I have 5 miles on my plan for the long run so I'm a bit nervous trying to get that in but I am determined to train for the race properly so I am going to do everythign I can to stay on track!!
OK well, time for bed. I've got a couple of separation agreements to finish in the morning and then I'm heading to Danville to VOTE! I love voting, I hope everyone gets out tomorrow! If you cant get off your couch to vote then you literally have no right to complain about the state of this country. srsly.
ANYWAYS. here are some cute before/after pictures from my 5K on 10/27!
Soo, my first run for wk 2 was on Oct 30. It was a pretty good run. I started to do 35min because I had j been doing 30 mins every other day since I started running again back in September. I still maintained my fast treadmill pace (about 8:45 min/mi) but it was good just getting active and stretching my legs again!
Run #2 for wk 2 came on Nov 1. I was pretty lazy all day and ended up running for 35 min right before the VT football game started so that was dumb on my part. It was a good run and I started thinking a lot during the run. I find that running is so cathartic and leaves me with such happy-go-lucky feels its amazing. This was a bit of a rushed run but I'm glad I got active.
Ohhhh run #3= the long run of the week. This wk I was set for 4 miles for my long run. I was 100% set on going to Country Park and running 2 laps around the path but Saturday (the orig day planned for the long run) I literally could not even go down/up my stairs. My right leg was cramping and my shin hurt so bad it was like a giant, day-long charlie horse on my right leg. to say it was painful is a GROSS understatement. Soooo, instead of running on saturday, I took the day off and went to the outlets w my parents which ended early bc I could barely walk and I missed my Rusty at home. Soo I ended up doing my long run for wk 2 on Sunday (yesterday) after taking ibuprofen &aleve the past 3 days. My leg feels good so hopefully it won't act up again. My long run was great. I ran at a realistic pace (my outside run/walk pace is about 11:30 min/mi) for 4 miles. It took me a hair over 40 mins which is great but I think I still did it too fast but I guess if I maintain that pace when I run on the treadmill it will ultimately help me when I run outside? If anyone has any experience/perspective on treadmill&outside running, please enlighten me!!!!!
Ultimately, week 2 was full of some great runs. I'm a bit concerned about this upcoming week because I am going to Puerto Rico on Thursday so I am going to miss run #2& my long run for this week. Im planning on taking my running shoes, clothes, etc to PR so hopefully I can find somewhere I can get my runs in, at the very least a treadmill!!! I have 5 miles on my plan for the long run so I'm a bit nervous trying to get that in but I am determined to train for the race properly so I am going to do everythign I can to stay on track!!
OK well, time for bed. I've got a couple of separation agreements to finish in the morning and then I'm heading to Danville to VOTE! I love voting, I hope everyone gets out tomorrow! If you cant get off your couch to vote then you literally have no right to complain about the state of this country. srsly.
ANYWAYS. here are some cute before/after pictures from my 5K on 10/27!
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| My baby Rusty is ready to cheer me on!!! |
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| A post-race congratulatory kiss!!! |
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Disney Princess Training: Week 1
SO. this post is a couple days late but oh well. I decided last weekend that I am going to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon next February! Most people following this blog probably remembers all of my posts about training for this race in 2011 but I ended up with health issues for about 3 months before the race and I finished in a little less than 3.5 hours. Since then, I've run 2 more half marathons and countless smaller races. I guess a lot has happened in the past year and half and there is so much uncertainty (seriously, I have no idea where I will be this time next year let alone 6 mos from now) so I figure that having this race on my calendar and having that goal for February 23, 2013 I can at least focus my life on something other than stressing about the terrible legal market in NC..!
This time around, I am going to do this race the healthy way!!! I registered this past week and started my 19-wk training plan last week. I technically started the training plan a week late but based on my runs last week it all worked out! I am using Jeff Galloway's 2013 Training Plan for Experienced Runners to simply finish. I am hoping to work on my speed for this race. I've PR'ed every half marathon before this one by at least cutting 5-15 mins from my previous time so I am hoping that this race I can finally get as close to 2.5hrs as possible! I actually PRed my 5K time this past weekend which was great because I stopped running probs mid june-mid september so it's super motivating to run at this pace again. I am by no means 'fast' but I am just proud of myself for getting active and healthy again! I'm probs around an 11:30-12 min mile so that's not too bad. If I can keep up this pace for 13.1 miles, then I will finish in a little less than 2.5 hrs. Right now, Ive been doing Jeff Galloway's interval timing so I do 3 mins running and 1 min walking. Im hoping to keep this up as I increase my mileage. My running pace is about 10-10:30 min mile and my walking is pretty slow so my pace averages out to about 12ish min mile. I guess the one thing that keeps me occupied during my runs is all that math hahaha, counting every 3 mins, then 1 min and then adding the number of 4min segments hahaha.
ANYWAYS. I will be posting at least once a week for the next 18 wks now with updates about my training so it not only gives me some accountability to myself but also keep all my wonderful friends/readers updated!!
So, my first run last week was just a test of how much i could run non-stop on the treadmill w/o stopping at all. I did about 3.3 miles in 30 mins so that was pretty exciting. My second run last week was in my parents' neighborhood with about a 11:45 min pace/5K distance in 36 mins. My long run on the weekend was the Danville 5K. My time was about 36:17 (I used my nike+ chip for timing and distance) but the "official" time was only based on when i crossed the finish not when i crossed the starting line so my official time is about 30-60 seconds more than my actual time. I'm pretty proud of myself with my pacing but I know I have a long way to go from 3.1 miles to 13.1!!! I know I can do it and I will but I just want to do better than my last race! It's going to be a great 3.5 months training for this race! I am going to start running at Country Park in greensboro! It's a nice 2ish mile circle around 2 large fishing ponds so not only will it be nice to run outside but also gives me more practice outside and off the treadmill! I'm excited for this challenge!
It's official!
This time around, I am going to do this race the healthy way!!! I registered this past week and started my 19-wk training plan last week. I technically started the training plan a week late but based on my runs last week it all worked out! I am using Jeff Galloway's 2013 Training Plan for Experienced Runners to simply finish. I am hoping to work on my speed for this race. I've PR'ed every half marathon before this one by at least cutting 5-15 mins from my previous time so I am hoping that this race I can finally get as close to 2.5hrs as possible! I actually PRed my 5K time this past weekend which was great because I stopped running probs mid june-mid september so it's super motivating to run at this pace again. I am by no means 'fast' but I am just proud of myself for getting active and healthy again! I'm probs around an 11:30-12 min mile so that's not too bad. If I can keep up this pace for 13.1 miles, then I will finish in a little less than 2.5 hrs. Right now, Ive been doing Jeff Galloway's interval timing so I do 3 mins running and 1 min walking. Im hoping to keep this up as I increase my mileage. My running pace is about 10-10:30 min mile and my walking is pretty slow so my pace averages out to about 12ish min mile. I guess the one thing that keeps me occupied during my runs is all that math hahaha, counting every 3 mins, then 1 min and then adding the number of 4min segments hahaha.
ANYWAYS. I will be posting at least once a week for the next 18 wks now with updates about my training so it not only gives me some accountability to myself but also keep all my wonderful friends/readers updated!!
So, my first run last week was just a test of how much i could run non-stop on the treadmill w/o stopping at all. I did about 3.3 miles in 30 mins so that was pretty exciting. My second run last week was in my parents' neighborhood with about a 11:45 min pace/5K distance in 36 mins. My long run on the weekend was the Danville 5K. My time was about 36:17 (I used my nike+ chip for timing and distance) but the "official" time was only based on when i crossed the finish not when i crossed the starting line so my official time is about 30-60 seconds more than my actual time. I'm pretty proud of myself with my pacing but I know I have a long way to go from 3.1 miles to 13.1!!! I know I can do it and I will but I just want to do better than my last race! It's going to be a great 3.5 months training for this race! I am going to start running at Country Park in greensboro! It's a nice 2ish mile circle around 2 large fishing ponds so not only will it be nice to run outside but also gives me more practice outside and off the treadmill! I'm excited for this challenge!
It's official!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Single-ness
Soooo life now. I've gone through 4yrs undergrad, got 2 bachelors. I went to law school and got my JD. Took the bar and finally passed. I received my license to practice law, was sworn in as an Attorney in North Carolina all within the past few weeks..Andddd the main question asked by the majority of my family is "So when are you getting married???" My only thought= REALLY???? It's not just even family- friends, former coworkers/bosses, etc all are like 'soo when are you going to settle down and meet someone serious?" (not that Im all getting around but the fact I've been single for so long).
I feel like with my cultural background (one of 3 members of my family/extended fam that was born and raised in the US, everyone else came from India abt 20yrs ago), it's a touchy subject. Typically, with old school Indian people (at least with my parents/extended family), a person really hasn't succeeded in life until they are married with a family. I can't even make this up-- a few years ago, a couple of my cousins got married (not to each other but to 2 other people) and my mom was crying at their pre-wedding events here in the US before we all went to india for the actual weddings and I asked her why she was so upset b/c its a happy time/wedding/etc and she was like 'im just really sad (see: jealous) that none of my kids are married." SERIOUSLY. And that was about 3 years ago...I just dont understand, how many mothers can say that all THREE of her children have multiple degrees/doctorates and careers/paths other than some medial job that any high school graduate can do??? It's like in Indian families, nothing you can do is enough or 'successful' in the older/traditional people's eyes unless you are married. I am 26 and have 3 degrees (one of which is a doctorate degree) and it's still not enough for my family because I am single..It's even gotten to the point where the day after I became licensed to practice law, my mom pushed me to make my biodata (to put it bluntly, a marriage resume) and she started to send it to extended family in case they knew of any eligible men in my age range. To appease my mom, I made the dreaded shaadi.com account and for good measure, I reactivated my match.com account I made a few years back (ughh more on that later). It's so crazy because it was never talked about (dating/etc) but now my mom is all like 'so have you met anyone yet?" I cannot even describe some of the crazies that have emailed me from both that I'm on the verge of losing my parents' money (you better believe I made them pay for those accounts) and deactivating it all!
I used to be ashamed of the fact that I've been single for so long and always show up to events without utilizing my "plus 1" or whatever. Now, I love it! Not that there is anything wrong with being married/having a family because so many of my friends and sorority sisters are married/have families because I love celebrating all of life's important events with them (umm hellooo, who doesnt love a wedding where you can get away w having a good cry in public or buying baby shower gifts or gawking over someone's dress or even their wedding website!!!)! I love doing all of those things and I love all of my friends so much I wouldn't think of not celebrating such events with them! I find myself so lucky that I have people in my life that WANT me around for the big days in their life! I know I will have them by my side too for the important milestones in my life (for example, my best friend her husband and her not even yr old baby girl drove the 6+hrs for my law school graduation!!!)!
I guess, I've come to the point where I am truly happy with the place I'm in right now with life. Even though I don't quite have a job yet or know what Im doing with the rest of my life, I at least know that there is some direction and that is forward. The past year and half even that was uncertain and so my confidence level plummeted and I hardly recognized myself from 2010 manisha to present day manisha. I guess I just need to keep reminding myself that it's not the end of the world (no matter how much my mom/family presses the issue) that I am single/unmarried no matter what other people say. I honestly love it. I am far too selfish at this point in my life to even think of someone else first for even 50% of time haha. Seriously. I have no business being in a relationship right now and I wish my family would realize that (um fat chance with my big/loud/sometimes obnoxious extended indian family). I have enough to worry about with my baby Rusty (new pictures belowww).
ANYways, my point is, there is a lot of pressure to get married and settle down now that I am pretty much done with all educational avenues and am licensed, etc. I am in a good place and working on liking myself again (if youve read this blog since July 2011, you probs know I haven't been very nice to myself at all) and working on being a confidant professional woman. If I happen to meet someone, then great but if not, I am totally ok with that!!! Not gunna lie though, I did find this tumblr a few wks ago (http://beautifulindianbrides.tumblr.com) and I became pretty much obsessed with those wedding videos. After spending like 4 hrs watching them one day few wks ago, I decided that IF (and that is a BIG IF) I ever get married, I am totally eloping. I will call my mom from the airport on my way to wherever I am going (hopefully hawaii hahahahah) and then having a big party after the fact with all of my family and friends. end of story. hahaha (that's a lot of planning for someone not looking to get married in the foreseeable future, I know).
OK SO MORAL OF THE STORY: BEING SINGLE IS AWESOME NOT SUCKY AND BEING MARRIED IS GREAT TOO IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT!!!
ALSO, THIS TUMBLR IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND I LOVE IT: http://myfriendsaremarried.tumblr.com
I feel like with my cultural background (one of 3 members of my family/extended fam that was born and raised in the US, everyone else came from India abt 20yrs ago), it's a touchy subject. Typically, with old school Indian people (at least with my parents/extended family), a person really hasn't succeeded in life until they are married with a family. I can't even make this up-- a few years ago, a couple of my cousins got married (not to each other but to 2 other people) and my mom was crying at their pre-wedding events here in the US before we all went to india for the actual weddings and I asked her why she was so upset b/c its a happy time/wedding/etc and she was like 'im just really sad (see: jealous) that none of my kids are married." SERIOUSLY. And that was about 3 years ago...I just dont understand, how many mothers can say that all THREE of her children have multiple degrees/doctorates and careers/paths other than some medial job that any high school graduate can do??? It's like in Indian families, nothing you can do is enough or 'successful' in the older/traditional people's eyes unless you are married. I am 26 and have 3 degrees (one of which is a doctorate degree) and it's still not enough for my family because I am single..It's even gotten to the point where the day after I became licensed to practice law, my mom pushed me to make my biodata (to put it bluntly, a marriage resume) and she started to send it to extended family in case they knew of any eligible men in my age range. To appease my mom, I made the dreaded shaadi.com account and for good measure, I reactivated my match.com account I made a few years back (ughh more on that later). It's so crazy because it was never talked about (dating/etc) but now my mom is all like 'so have you met anyone yet?" I cannot even describe some of the crazies that have emailed me from both that I'm on the verge of losing my parents' money (you better believe I made them pay for those accounts) and deactivating it all!
I used to be ashamed of the fact that I've been single for so long and always show up to events without utilizing my "plus 1" or whatever. Now, I love it! Not that there is anything wrong with being married/having a family because so many of my friends and sorority sisters are married/have families because I love celebrating all of life's important events with them (umm hellooo, who doesnt love a wedding where you can get away w having a good cry in public or buying baby shower gifts or gawking over someone's dress or even their wedding website!!!)! I love doing all of those things and I love all of my friends so much I wouldn't think of not celebrating such events with them! I find myself so lucky that I have people in my life that WANT me around for the big days in their life! I know I will have them by my side too for the important milestones in my life (for example, my best friend her husband and her not even yr old baby girl drove the 6+hrs for my law school graduation!!!)!
I guess, I've come to the point where I am truly happy with the place I'm in right now with life. Even though I don't quite have a job yet or know what Im doing with the rest of my life, I at least know that there is some direction and that is forward. The past year and half even that was uncertain and so my confidence level plummeted and I hardly recognized myself from 2010 manisha to present day manisha. I guess I just need to keep reminding myself that it's not the end of the world (no matter how much my mom/family presses the issue) that I am single/unmarried no matter what other people say. I honestly love it. I am far too selfish at this point in my life to even think of someone else first for even 50% of time haha. Seriously. I have no business being in a relationship right now and I wish my family would realize that (um fat chance with my big/loud/sometimes obnoxious extended indian family). I have enough to worry about with my baby Rusty (new pictures belowww).
ANYways, my point is, there is a lot of pressure to get married and settle down now that I am pretty much done with all educational avenues and am licensed, etc. I am in a good place and working on liking myself again (if youve read this blog since July 2011, you probs know I haven't been very nice to myself at all) and working on being a confidant professional woman. If I happen to meet someone, then great but if not, I am totally ok with that!!! Not gunna lie though, I did find this tumblr a few wks ago (http://beautifulindianbrides.tumblr.com) and I became pretty much obsessed with those wedding videos. After spending like 4 hrs watching them one day few wks ago, I decided that IF (and that is a BIG IF) I ever get married, I am totally eloping. I will call my mom from the airport on my way to wherever I am going (hopefully hawaii hahahahah) and then having a big party after the fact with all of my family and friends. end of story. hahaha (that's a lot of planning for someone not looking to get married in the foreseeable future, I know).
OK SO MORAL OF THE STORY: BEING SINGLE IS AWESOME NOT SUCKY AND BEING MARRIED IS GREAT TOO IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT!!!
ALSO, THIS TUMBLR IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND I LOVE IT: http://myfriendsaremarried.tumblr.com
So Friends, what is/are your thoughts on the single life and if you are one of my many amazing married friends, thoughts on the transition from single life to married life/familial pressures?!?!!
xoxoManisha
YAY!
Okkkk some fun pictures of life, post-passing the bar exam!
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| Rusty and I before I left for the VT/gt game on labor day! |
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| WE WON IN OVERTIME! GO HOKIES!!! |
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| My mom and I went to Hawaii because I passed the bar exam!!!! |
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| beautiful night in paradise! |
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| We hiked Diamond Head Crater again! |
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| And we went to Hanauma Bay!!!!! |
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| AND I WENT SNORKELING FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!! |
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| Best mom EVER. She singlehandedly got me through the last year and half and never let me quit no matter what terrible things I said/thought about myself!!! I would be no where without her!!!! |
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| On our last morning! |
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| at the VT/bowling green game! GO HOKIES!!!! HI KORIN!!!!! |
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| Rusty was NOT happy but he graduated from Intermediate II classes!!!!!!!! |
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| My former boss introducing me to the court at my swearing in ceremony! |
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| taking the oath of attorney at law in North Carolina! |
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| Officially sworn in!!! Officially can practice law in North Carolina!!!!! |
OK. that's all. I'm currently in my hotel room in Raleigh for a 2day CLE (continuing legal education) program for the next two days so I guess I should get some sleep!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Product Review: Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
Soo after the bar exam, I started going to a new threading lady because the one Id been going to since I moved to Greensboro just up and closed her salon down for 3 mos and I was like "I cannot wait any longer to get my eyebrows done, Im looking man-ish" so like any other Indian lady I went to the Indian grocery store in town and asked around for other ladies who do threading. I used to wax but my face got so sensitive, I've been doing full face threading for the past 6 years. It's really great, my face instantly brightens and is so smooth and everything. Sooo, naturally I was extremely hesitant to go to a new lady given the fact that Im not big on change... WELL. she was pretty good but a little more 'indian' if that makes sense.. ANYWAYS. I got a facial w her after the first time I got her to do my threading and it was an.. experience. well, the mask she used felt amazing so I figured, let me try doing a mask at home 2x a wk like the lady told me and maybe thatd help w my recent breakouts/oily face!
I went to Sally Beauty to check out the different options they had and I settled on a small tub of Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque.
In case you're wondering, Queen Helene's is the same company that males that famous cocoa butter that I'm sure most parents' houses always had growing up, I know my parents swore by Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter lotion and I loved using it growing up!
ANYWAYS. Onto the mask review! It was a little awkward sticking my fingers into the tub so I used a qtip to get the goop out and not in my nails! The smell was a delightful minty scent and had a wonderful little tingly feeling upon application! I only had to put a thin layer on and based on the reviews frm Makeupally.com I decided to keep it on for longer than the time on the directions (~15 mins) and I kept it on for about 45 mins.
After a while the mask started to crack and crumble on my lap but it wasnt too bad. To take it off, I used a washcloth and warm water b/c I didn't want to make a mess in the bathroom and it worked out perfectly! I was slightly concerned based on other reviews that the mask leaves a pungent stench on your face but I didn't really notice it that much. A lot of the not so favorable reviews listed that their faces were too tight and dry and itchy after taking the mask off but I dont understand how dumb they are; the mask is designed specifically to pull out all the gunk and bad things in your face/skin/pores and minimize the appearance of your pores. the mask does exactly what it is supposed to do! All I did was put on a little oil of olay moisturizer (my go-to for the past um, 12-15 years??) and I felt AMAZING. I definitely recommend this face mask, and it's super economical! I can't remember exactly how much I paid for it at Sally Beauty w my sally card but it's only $4.71 for an 8oz tube at drugstore.com!!!
All in all, I definitely recommend this product to everyone! It feels amazing and its all fun and bright green and stuff! hahah warning though you look silly w it on so do it when you're home alone! I, of course, dont care so I put a picture of this online hahah
OK SO GO BUY THIS NOW!
xoxoManisha
I went to Sally Beauty to check out the different options they had and I settled on a small tub of Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque.
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| source |
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| Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion |
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| my beautiful face w the mask on! |
All in all, I definitely recommend this product to everyone! It feels amazing and its all fun and bright green and stuff! hahah warning though you look silly w it on so do it when you're home alone! I, of course, dont care so I put a picture of this online hahah
OK SO GO BUY THIS NOW!
xoxoManisha
Monday, August 27, 2012
EXCITEMENT
WELL friends. the day we've all been waiting for the past 12+ years.. frm the day I argued about the constitutionality of the death penalty in 8th grade at age 14 to a bitter 26yr old....
This is how I feel right now:
annnnnnd
annnd
and finally:
The past 14 months have definitely been beyond miserable and there were so many times I just wanted to quit and find a new career or do the traditional indian thing or go back to school to avoid 'real' life...but I know that I did the right thing and stuck with it no matter how many times I wanted to give up. This past June more than anything, I j wanted to quit but I know my Baa (grandma) would be proud of me that I never ever gave up on my dream no matter what happened. I'm j sad that I can't share this news with her...the first person I would have called today....
I think tonight will be the first time in at least 4 years I will sleep truly stress free...but thats still not going to stop me frm having benadryl induced sleep though:)
Thanks to all my friends, sisters, and my family that listened to me complain abt life and law school, and the bar exam over the past 4 years! I honestly would not be mentally stable (relatively...haha) without their love and support while I was caught up in all this crazieness.
annnnd now, it's time for a dance party!
LOVE MPP
ps. sorority sister Lisa came to visit this past wkend. We had a delightful time w adult capri suns, outlet shopping, and she helped to keep me distracted from stalking the mailman! Can't wait for another fun weekend!!!! LIEP
I PASSED THE NORTH CAROLINA BAR EXAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MANISHA P. PATEL, ESQ.
This is how I feel right now:
annnnnnd
The past 14 months have definitely been beyond miserable and there were so many times I just wanted to quit and find a new career or do the traditional indian thing or go back to school to avoid 'real' life...but I know that I did the right thing and stuck with it no matter how many times I wanted to give up. This past June more than anything, I j wanted to quit but I know my Baa (grandma) would be proud of me that I never ever gave up on my dream no matter what happened. I'm j sad that I can't share this news with her...the first person I would have called today....
I think tonight will be the first time in at least 4 years I will sleep truly stress free...but thats still not going to stop me frm having benadryl induced sleep though:)
Thanks to all my friends, sisters, and my family that listened to me complain abt life and law school, and the bar exam over the past 4 years! I honestly would not be mentally stable (relatively...haha) without their love and support while I was caught up in all this crazieness.
annnnd now, it's time for a dance party!
LOVE MPP
ps. sorority sister Lisa came to visit this past wkend. We had a delightful time w adult capri suns, outlet shopping, and she helped to keep me distracted from stalking the mailman! Can't wait for another fun weekend!!!! LIEP
Friday, August 3, 2012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
2 more weeks...!
2 weeks till the bar exam..again. eek. my tutor told me yesterday that I sound ready to take the bar exam today so that's good to hear right???!
I'm surprisingly calm right now, but still more neurotic/anxious than usual...
Hopefully this goes well and I will be done worrying about the bar exam for a while.. well, regardless, Im moving back to VA as soon as I find an appropriate job/master's program sooo hopefully things will fall into place the next few months.. I'm tried of complaining and being ridiculous this past year.
OK back to my review of substantive law and multiple choice problem sets! wish me luck! bar exam=07/24-25!
ps this will be how I look on July 25 evening:
annnnnd
I'm surprisingly calm right now, but still more neurotic/anxious than usual...
Hopefully this goes well and I will be done worrying about the bar exam for a while.. well, regardless, Im moving back to VA as soon as I find an appropriate job/master's program sooo hopefully things will fall into place the next few months.. I'm tried of complaining and being ridiculous this past year.
OK back to my review of substantive law and multiple choice problem sets! wish me luck! bar exam=07/24-25!
ps this will be how I look on July 25 evening:
annnnnd
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
One Month Later..
Soooo a lot has gone on this past month... I feel like thats how I start every post lately!!
ANYWAYS. So yeah, June. Pretty much sucked. A big one.
So I wrote my last post in the wee hrs of June 1 (a Saturday) and one of my friend's from college was visiting me that wkend b/c I hadn't seen her since homecoming at Virginia Tech last October. WELL, we had a fun Saturday and Rusty went bananas while we were out to lunch and then meandering through Friendly Center for the afternoon. We then spent the evening doing typical girl things by drinking wine and watching movies. well.. we went to bed around 1 am and about 30 mins after I got in my bed (still awake), my mom calls me crying saying that my grandma (who lived w my aunt in Concord) fell in the bathroom and wasnt breathing. I told her I can tell my friend and leave right away (they live about 2 hrs frm my aunt's house and Im about 1hr away) and she said no to wait and shed call me if there are any updates. Well, around 2am I got word that my grandmother passed away after a sudden and VERYY unexpected heart attack on June 2. This shook all of us because she was the last grandparent left for my brother sister and I and my mom was incredibly close with her (mom). She had NO health problems when everyone in my family (on both sides) has something going on (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc).. My mom and grandma were only 17 years apart and my mom and her sis are 13ish years apart so it definitely hit everyone really hard. I ended up leaving my house around 3am-ish to get to my aunt's house and my brother had already bought tickets to come down from Detroit within 30 mins of me calling him crying about what just happened...My sister was already at my aunt's house when all of us got there.. I tried to keep everything in and stay strong for my mom but I had Rusty with me so it was definitely hard keeping him calm in a new place while everyone was so upset. I think he helped my mom a little because he made her smile at the very least.
I ended up driving to Danville that Sunday morning around 7-8am after my uncle and his family got to concord after driving all night from Baltimore. I went to danville to get all of our funeral clothes, which was depressing enough because the last time I had to do the same was when my grandfather (grandma's husband) died in 2008 (almost 4 yrs and 3 mos to the day, kinda weird). I was such a mess I couldnt even function because I j kept everything in when I was at my aunt's house... the drive in and of itself was miserable b/c I was exhausted from no sleep and crying practically the entire 2 hrs to danville, i had to stop on the side of the highway 2x to collect myself and wake up on top of everything else.
So Sunday June 2 was arguably one of the worst days of life. Ever. I went back to my house that night because I decided it would be best to board Rusty the entire week so I can spend time with my mom because I didn't want to leave her side. I know that she was another mother-figure for my aunt and my aunt was/is devastated so my mom and I stayed in Concord for the entire week after the funeral (I cant, I will cry just thinking about it..).
I ended up missing one of my dear sorority sister's wedding because of everything that happened (w Hinduism, there's typically a 13 day mourning period where you traditionally dont cook, wear bright colors, go to any events/celebrations/etc).. so that was unfortunate as well.. on the 10th-13th days after a family member dies, the oldest son of said family member does different (and v. intense/extensive) pujas so ensure the member's soul continues on with their next life, etc because technically their soul is still around us watching/observing us during this time..
So my uncle's wife ended up deciding to do all 4 days' pujas in one day on the 13th day after my grandma died (so on June 15) so my mom sister and I (daddy was on call so he couldnt leave the d-vegas) went to Baltimore because everything was at my uncle's house.. that wkend was an experience but I refuse to delve into that in a public forum... the one good thing that has been going on though is that after years of fighting/drama within the family, all of my cousins on my mom's side are starting to hang out and spend time together so that is good.
ANYWAYS. Everything that has been going on has been keeping my mind occupied and I guess you're asking "Wait a hot second, aren't you taking the bar exam again in July?" well yes, yes I am. That is another thing-- I have been so unfocused the 3 weeks after the funeral I just want to spend time with my family. I know it'll just make me crazy but I have these constant thoughts that I may wake up tomorrow and my mom or my dad or one of my siblings may not and what if I didn't spend as much time with them as possible. My parents especially because they have a lot of health issues and my dad is ALWAYS under constant stress from his work (ironically he's a psychiatrist). So lately, ALL I've wanted to do is say FUCK the bar exam, I'll pass it one day but maybe this is not it, and I jsut want to spend time with my parents and family.. BUt then my mom reminded me how much my grandma bragged about me being the only lawyer in the family to others (idk if she realized that I'm not a real lawyer, I j graduated from law school) and so it's important to stay focused on the bar exam and pass.
Sooo, thats what I'm trying to do. The past month has been pretty miserable. But I decided to try something different and my former boss set me up with a friend who has been tutoring for the bar exam for 20+ years so Im hoping/praying that this is going to finally push me over the edge from where Ive been to finally passing. What's ironic of this all is after this last year, I can't even imagine myself practicing law/using my bar license. Im sure this is just my defense mechanism because Ive been so crushed career-wise this past year and I;ll def be thinking something different the day I pass hah!
ANYways. There's my life update. I miss my grandma. I love my family. I will pass the bar exam (one day).
Here are some of my favorite pictures of my grandma+family:
xoxoManisha
ANYWAYS. So yeah, June. Pretty much sucked. A big one.
So I wrote my last post in the wee hrs of June 1 (a Saturday) and one of my friend's from college was visiting me that wkend b/c I hadn't seen her since homecoming at Virginia Tech last October. WELL, we had a fun Saturday and Rusty went bananas while we were out to lunch and then meandering through Friendly Center for the afternoon. We then spent the evening doing typical girl things by drinking wine and watching movies. well.. we went to bed around 1 am and about 30 mins after I got in my bed (still awake), my mom calls me crying saying that my grandma (who lived w my aunt in Concord) fell in the bathroom and wasnt breathing. I told her I can tell my friend and leave right away (they live about 2 hrs frm my aunt's house and Im about 1hr away) and she said no to wait and shed call me if there are any updates. Well, around 2am I got word that my grandmother passed away after a sudden and VERYY unexpected heart attack on June 2. This shook all of us because she was the last grandparent left for my brother sister and I and my mom was incredibly close with her (mom). She had NO health problems when everyone in my family (on both sides) has something going on (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc).. My mom and grandma were only 17 years apart and my mom and her sis are 13ish years apart so it definitely hit everyone really hard. I ended up leaving my house around 3am-ish to get to my aunt's house and my brother had already bought tickets to come down from Detroit within 30 mins of me calling him crying about what just happened...My sister was already at my aunt's house when all of us got there.. I tried to keep everything in and stay strong for my mom but I had Rusty with me so it was definitely hard keeping him calm in a new place while everyone was so upset. I think he helped my mom a little because he made her smile at the very least.
I ended up driving to Danville that Sunday morning around 7-8am after my uncle and his family got to concord after driving all night from Baltimore. I went to danville to get all of our funeral clothes, which was depressing enough because the last time I had to do the same was when my grandfather (grandma's husband) died in 2008 (almost 4 yrs and 3 mos to the day, kinda weird). I was such a mess I couldnt even function because I j kept everything in when I was at my aunt's house... the drive in and of itself was miserable b/c I was exhausted from no sleep and crying practically the entire 2 hrs to danville, i had to stop on the side of the highway 2x to collect myself and wake up on top of everything else.
So Sunday June 2 was arguably one of the worst days of life. Ever. I went back to my house that night because I decided it would be best to board Rusty the entire week so I can spend time with my mom because I didn't want to leave her side. I know that she was another mother-figure for my aunt and my aunt was/is devastated so my mom and I stayed in Concord for the entire week after the funeral (I cant, I will cry just thinking about it..).
I ended up missing one of my dear sorority sister's wedding because of everything that happened (w Hinduism, there's typically a 13 day mourning period where you traditionally dont cook, wear bright colors, go to any events/celebrations/etc).. so that was unfortunate as well.. on the 10th-13th days after a family member dies, the oldest son of said family member does different (and v. intense/extensive) pujas so ensure the member's soul continues on with their next life, etc because technically their soul is still around us watching/observing us during this time..
So my uncle's wife ended up deciding to do all 4 days' pujas in one day on the 13th day after my grandma died (so on June 15) so my mom sister and I (daddy was on call so he couldnt leave the d-vegas) went to Baltimore because everything was at my uncle's house.. that wkend was an experience but I refuse to delve into that in a public forum... the one good thing that has been going on though is that after years of fighting/drama within the family, all of my cousins on my mom's side are starting to hang out and spend time together so that is good.
ANYWAYS. Everything that has been going on has been keeping my mind occupied and I guess you're asking "Wait a hot second, aren't you taking the bar exam again in July?" well yes, yes I am. That is another thing-- I have been so unfocused the 3 weeks after the funeral I just want to spend time with my family. I know it'll just make me crazy but I have these constant thoughts that I may wake up tomorrow and my mom or my dad or one of my siblings may not and what if I didn't spend as much time with them as possible. My parents especially because they have a lot of health issues and my dad is ALWAYS under constant stress from his work (ironically he's a psychiatrist). So lately, ALL I've wanted to do is say FUCK the bar exam, I'll pass it one day but maybe this is not it, and I jsut want to spend time with my parents and family.. BUt then my mom reminded me how much my grandma bragged about me being the only lawyer in the family to others (idk if she realized that I'm not a real lawyer, I j graduated from law school) and so it's important to stay focused on the bar exam and pass.
Sooo, thats what I'm trying to do. The past month has been pretty miserable. But I decided to try something different and my former boss set me up with a friend who has been tutoring for the bar exam for 20+ years so Im hoping/praying that this is going to finally push me over the edge from where Ive been to finally passing. What's ironic of this all is after this last year, I can't even imagine myself practicing law/using my bar license. Im sure this is just my defense mechanism because Ive been so crushed career-wise this past year and I;ll def be thinking something different the day I pass hah!
ANYways. There's my life update. I miss my grandma. I love my family. I will pass the bar exam (one day).
Here are some of my favorite pictures of my grandma+family:
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| My grandparents, mom &I (from my HS graduation party 2004 ) |
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| Me, momma, sister, and Baa at my cousin's wedding garba (January 2010) |
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| My masi's family w my sis and I on July 4, 2010 at Ashville Zoo (July 4th is also my masi's bday!!) and yes, we're all wearing matching flag tshirts frm old navy:) We love the USA! |
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| July 4, 2010 at Ashville Zoo (isnt she adorable?!) |
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| Me and Baa (Thanksgiving 2010) |
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| Brother & Baa (Thanksgiving 2010) |
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| Christmas 2010- Baa and her new snuggie:) |
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| We got her a new fleece coat too because she always got cold haha! |
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| Baa and her kids:) (I hadn't seen Baa look this happy in YEARS) |
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| My mom's uncle had this picture made for the funeral, for all of us to keep in our houses. RIP Baa. Love you. |
xoxoManisha
Friday, June 1, 2012
Now What?
SO the last few months have been absolutely bananas for me... I've kinda been taking the past 2 mos to figure out what I want to do w my life... most ppl close to me knw that I didn't pass the bar again this past February.. naturally this was an extremely demoralizing and frustrating roadblock in life. I have pretty much had this goal to be a lawyer since I was 14 and I feel like I am so close but I just cant figure out how to pass this ridiculous exam. I initially didn't want to take the bar for the third time this july because my heart just isn't in it anymore but my parents really pressured me to do so but I can only imagine what they've been thinking. I feel like this has pretty much cemented my position as the black sheep in the family... my dad even went as far as telling my mom to make me a shaadi.com account and find me a husband by the end of the summer. so yeah. life isn't looking too up lately.. I took a lot of time to just think of what I wanted to do with my life because I am j tired of being so dependent on my parents. Ive already spent the past year relying on them for everything and it's so hard when I have to be supported by my parents at age 26 and with 3 (useless?) degrees, one being a doctorate. I don't want to go into all the frustrations right now because it's no ones business but my own. WELL, long story short, I signed up to take the bar exam for the third time this July. I feel like I have been going through the motions of studying and doing practice problems/essays but my head/heart just isn't in it... hopefully this will change and something miraculous will happen and I will pass the bar this july! it's hard to sstay positive at this point but really, its like what do I have left to lose?!
my thoughts on not passing the bar (again):
As for the job front, I am almost 100% sure i want to move back to VA by the end of the year.. the hard part is actually finding a good paying job in VA somewhere desirable and then thinking abt moving all my crap frm this place ive lived for 4+ yrs already gives me anxiety!!! I've been applying to a ton of Federal and Virginia State jobs so we'll see what happens. At this point, Im j trying to stay focused and do everything in my power to hopefully pass in July..
Ill end this post w this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr that I discovered last fall-- I feel like this is my life mantra. No matter what happens, whatever place I am in, I need to remember to keep moving forward and not look backward to things that happened in the past. I need to move forward with life in every thing that I do.
“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
oooh and some pictures frm the past few months :)
OOOH I forgot to update abt my half marathon on May 20th!! WELL, I finished so thats good but I didnt think I PRed but the other day I got an email frm the Race Chair saying that they had complaints frm ppl that the course was more than 13.1 miles and so I was like wtf and so they re-measured it and it actually was more than 13.1 miles and they are getting the official ppl to come and remeasure/recertify the course so in a few weeks they are going to adjust everyone's times for 13.1 miles and then email it out soooo I am pretty sure I PR'ed in that situation b/c my time originally was about 30 secs off frm PRing soooo YAY!
ANYWAYS. Ill probs be back w to this blog sporadically throughout the summer b/c once again, i have that gd bar exam to focus on....
xoxoManisha
my thoughts on not passing the bar (again):
As for the job front, I am almost 100% sure i want to move back to VA by the end of the year.. the hard part is actually finding a good paying job in VA somewhere desirable and then thinking abt moving all my crap frm this place ive lived for 4+ yrs already gives me anxiety!!! I've been applying to a ton of Federal and Virginia State jobs so we'll see what happens. At this point, Im j trying to stay focused and do everything in my power to hopefully pass in July..
Ill end this post w this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr that I discovered last fall-- I feel like this is my life mantra. No matter what happens, whatever place I am in, I need to remember to keep moving forward and not look backward to things that happened in the past. I need to move forward with life in every thing that I do.
“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
oooh and some pictures frm the past few months :)
my adorable rusty!
that face!
sleeepy doggy!
only time he'll go near my dad is if he has treats hahah
HOKIE DOG!
afternoon at the dog park!
Rusty's first time meeting my brother!
a Hokie& Wolfpack at PriPri's graduation!
All the cousins (+2 spouses) on my mom's side (minus2) at Pri's grad frm NC State
Rusty graduated from training classes!! I love my little graduate!!!1
Went to Detroit for a hot sec to see Dr. Dre!!!!! I missed him so much!!
my sister loves Dr Dre now!
what a cutie!
Rusty found a new hangout (the top of the chaise)!
OOOH I forgot to update abt my half marathon on May 20th!! WELL, I finished so thats good but I didnt think I PRed but the other day I got an email frm the Race Chair saying that they had complaints frm ppl that the course was more than 13.1 miles and so I was like wtf and so they re-measured it and it actually was more than 13.1 miles and they are getting the official ppl to come and remeasure/recertify the course so in a few weeks they are going to adjust everyone's times for 13.1 miles and then email it out soooo I am pretty sure I PR'ed in that situation b/c my time originally was about 30 secs off frm PRing soooo YAY!
ANYWAYS. Ill probs be back w to this blog sporadically throughout the summer b/c once again, i have that gd bar exam to focus on....
xoxoManisha
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