Here we go with Five Random things!
1) I have a hard time spelling Massachusetts I’m not a good speller; I never have been, but over the years with the help of spell check and memorization, I can usually avoid embarrassment. Some words that I have a particularly hard time with: chocolate, definitely, maintenance, and Massachusetts. I usually get these right these days, but I have to think about it, and they always kind of look funny and wrong. (I am now wondering how many words will be misspelled in this post…)
2) I use bloglovin’ to read blogs I really like it. Mostly because I can read any blog from any host. I could only read word press blogs in the word press reader. I do have one question, though. If I’m following people on bloglovin’ should I also follow them on word press? It would only take a second to click the follow button, but I usually don’t bother. Should I? Even if I don’t use the word press reader someone might like to know they’re being followed. Any one have thoughts on this?
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3) I took the Cherry Juice Challenge! Originally, I thought this would get it’s own post, but I didn’t really think I had enough interesting things to say. So here’s the bare bones: I read about the challenge on the No Meat Athlete blog, got some concentrate from the internet, and I drank 2 tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate (diluted in water) every day for 16 days. Tart cherry juice is supposed to help reduce muscle soreness and improve sleep quality. I can’t say I noticed a difference in muscle soreness; I’m not usually very sore in the first place, so there wasn’t much to compare. I think I’ve been sleeping more soundly, and my fitbit seems to agree (it says I’ve been restless less now than I was before), but I’ve never been a bad sleeper so again there’s not a lot of room for improvement. Final thoughts: Cherry Juice is delicious and I’m going to keep drinking it because I look forward to it every day. I like to think it’s beneficial, but when it comes down to it, my proof is somewhat flimsy. You’ll have to try it out for yourself.
I like to add the cherry concentrate to seltzer water.
4) Next week I’m changing up my eating For a whole bunch of boring reasons I’ve been wanting to change up what I’m eating, and because of that I’m doing a 28 day challenge/diet starting on Monday. I’m excited to try out some new foods and recipes and see how eating healthier makes me feel. But I’m also nervous. I’ll be cooking a lot more than normal (and I’m sort of delinquent in the kitchen), and I’ll be avoiding or switching up some recipes that are current staples for me. I’m a planner, so I’ve got a whole menu set out for next week already, I just need to do some serious food shopping and prep this weekend. Wish me luck! Since this isn’t a food blog, I probably won’t share too much about this, but if I find a particularly delicious recipe I’ll post it, and if the diet makes me run faster, longer, awesomer, I’ll be sure to let you know!
5) Walking 10,000 steps per day is tough! I’ve been building up my number of steps per day all summer, and ever since I passed 8,000 it’s been a lot trickier to get in enough steps, especially on days I don’t run. I’m not sure how many steps per day is my final goal, but I better start walking more if I have any hope of getting it.
Fitbit says: WALK MORE!
Happy Friday, friends!
Are you a good speller? Have you ever changed your diet drastically? How many steps do you walk per day?
Let's Go Running 
I had a great English teacher in 9th grade who gave us some awesome tips, which has helped me with words I find tricky like “definitely” (the word “finite” is in there), and “separate” (there’s a rat in there). Otherwise, I do ok, and with spellcheck, I get by just fine. But some words definitely always look wrong, or I spell wrong on the first try–embarrassed and occurrence are two good examples.
I think I would come off much worse without spell check. I’m glad it’s an option. I remember when it wasn’t, and having to look up words in the dictionary was such a drag! I like your teacher’s tips. I only have one of those, my social studies teacher used to say that independence isn’t a dance, and that’s how I remember it ends in “-dence”.
Massachusetts is a word I’ve always struggled with too… one of the ones I always have to double- or triple-check after I write it. The thing that helped me was to break it down into small chunks which made it easier to spot mistakes: Mass – ach – use – tts.
I find hitting 10,000 steps a day tough too, unless I can fit a run in or if I’m visiting somewhere and walking a lot (I was hitting 13,000+ when I was in DC!). Simon beeps at me constantly at work to get up and walk more, and on typical work days I’m pretty bad… usually 5-7 thousand. I should really switch to a standing desk… I feel like that would get me moving a little more!
I think part of my problem with Massachusetts is that I feel so much pressure to spell it right, since I live here. Haha. I like that breaking it up suggestion, I’m going to use it from now on.
I just discovered cherry juice and I love it. I haven’t been drinking it long enough to notice a difference in anything yet (literally had my first this week).
Isn’t it funny how some words just look wrong? Even when they aren’t?
I really love the cherry juice. I don’t even care if it does diddly squat, it just tastes so darn good! I do like to pretend to myself that it’s helpful because then it’s a good excuse to buy it. 🙂