A fabulous Friday so far...

... of course, in my book, all Fridays are fabulous! But this one has been extra-fabulous, and is only going to get better! Here are all the reasons why I had such a great Friday:

 

*Well, first and foremost, another work week is over! This was actually a particularly good work week for me... I was busy but not overwhelmed, I worked on some really important projects, I didn't get any e-mails on my designated e-mail day (normally I get bombarded!), and the work week seemed to go by pretty quickly in general for me, especially the past two days!

*My boss gave me a free pint of strawberries! She's leaving for the shore tomorrow morning and wouldn't get a chance to use them up before they went bad, so she gave them to me. I absolutely love strawberries, and I haven't bought them in a while because they haven't been on sale, so I'm totally jonesing for them, and so I was more than happy to take them off her hands! They really do look like they're on their last limb, though- I had to throw a few out, and if they make it to tomorrow afternoon, I'll be surprised. But that's okay. I could eat a whole pint of strawberries in one sitting if given the opportunity. So I've decided to salvage the ones that don't look too scary and eat them tonight, and then take the rest of them, and... wait for it... wait for it... make a strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast tomorrow! I've never made a smoothie before (I actually don't even own a blender, but my roommate does), so I'm pretty excited. This also helps me use up the rest of my milk, which is also just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Expirationland.

*I acquired three more free books today to go towards No Book Left Behind! Woo-hoo! We have an empty cubicle at work where people anonymously donate old books that they don't want anymore. They're usually pretty crappy, but I've gotten some decent ones- a Jennifer Weiner hardback in brand-new condition (she's one of my faves), a women's health book, etc. And today there were three decent ones (well, I considered them decent enough to take home, anyway). They'll be revealed as they are drawn out of the No Book Left Behind Lottery (because it's much more fun and suspenseful that way). I did leave behind Mickey Rooney's autobiography. I didn't feel the urge to add that to my book collection. One of my coworkers did, though. I also found a few other books on my shelves that I haven't gotten to read yet- two more, plus the three I acquired today... bringing the new total to 172 books. This number will definitely be increasing, as I don't intend to stop going to book sales (although I'm really going to try to abstain until my all-time favorite huge book sale, which isn't until October). So this project might not ever have an end in sight. That's a little unsettling and nerve-wracking, as there are about 500 books that are on my "to-read" list. Hmmm. Well, let's cross that bridge in October, shall we? Back to the super-awesome Friday that's still happening...

*I tried an awesome new energy bar as my pre-workout gym snack... a KIND Fruit and Nut Bar, Walnut and Date-flavored. I loved, loved, LOVED this bar! It was so delicious! I liked it more than, dare I say it, the Cherry Pie Larabar that I tried this week (sorry- I know a lot of people rave about the Larabar brand, but I thought it was just okay). I didn't want to stop eating this bar, I loved it so much!!! Here's a pic:

Every bite was pure happiness. And it totally fueled my workout! I kicked booty on the Epliptical today. I wouldn't eat it on a day that I was going to lift weights (it only had 2 grams of protein, and I prefer energy bars that have more protein than that when I lift or do strength training), but it had 22 g of carbs and 17 g of natural sugars from the fruits and nuts, so it was perfect fuel for a nice cardio workout! These are going to be a repeat purchase! (*I know that my Whole Foods connection reads this blog... cough cough... KIND Bars...last price check request I make for this week, I promise!!!*)

*I am planning on relaxing tonight- I rented Season One of The Closer  from the library (although, knowing me, I'll probably just end up watching The Food Network, haha- I love the Food Network), and am planning on trying a new healthy recipe out for dinner- Shrimp Stir-Fry over whole wheat couscous, with an arugula-based side salad (in case you couldn't tell, I have a lot of produce that needs to be used up tonight, hence the veggie-filled meal!). Should you choose to read this blog on a regular basis (which I hope you do!), you will learn quickly that I love to try out new healthy recipes and meal ideas. Also, you will learn that  I lead a bit of a quiet life (I'm guessing that not too many people in the proofreading/editing/writing industry live it up Paris Hilton-style... we're more the bookish librarian types. A big night out for us is a night of movies and board games with friends, at least in my world!) I'd much rather stay in and relax than go out to clubs and bars and tap kegs with people that I don't know and will never see again. Been there, done that, over it! I'm all about the R&R. I'd rather chill at home with a good book and the remote and good friends, which my mind, body, and wallet certainly appreciate! Especially on Fridays- I'd rather unwind at home after a long and tiring (and usually sleep-deprived... I'm a bit of a night owl and it's hard for me to go to bed early) week! And tomorrow night I'm going out with some girlfriends, so there you go... happy balance of chillaxing and a fun social life!

*And last but not least, tonight marks the very first Book Debut of No Book Left Behind!!! I can't wait!!! I'm going to pounce my roommate the minute she walks in the door, which I'm sure she'll appreciate. But she promised to capture the moment on film, which I think is an awesome idea! So I'm willing to wait! She's not coming home until later, and I have plenty to occupy my time with... I have the remote, and I'm three months' behind on my Cosmo issues (I do that on purpose), and I still have to make dinner, and I'm doing laundry- I desperately needed to wash clothes and bedsheets- it's always nice to sleep in on a Saturday morning under freshly washed sheets.  ;-)

*The very first Book Debut will be here in just a matter of hours! Be patient! I'll be back!   :-)