tuesday tip

This Tuesday, my suggestion is with virtual organization.  I utilize Google Calendar and keep everything straight with the great color coding feature: purple personal, blue Bryce Harlow, orange work, red school, etc.  I keep BF on track with events and gatherings we've previously agreed on by sending him calendar invitations, so when he goes to make plans with someone else, he can just check his calendar and see if it's free.  If it's free, it's fair game!

Making a committment to organizing your life in a way that you can access on the go is really a saving grace!  The iPhone is my favorite, but I assume any smart phone would work!

cupcake for dinner

I have a confession.

Tonight, at 5:15pm, instead of pulling out my cheese and crackers and greek yogurt, I went downstairs to Crumbs and bought a Halloween themed cupcake and ate it for dinner.  Well, half of it.  The other half is still in the fridge at work.  And I'll be eating it tomorrow.  And it is kind of gross.  But I seriously don't care.  See picture to the left--it's the chocolate one that looks like a hostess cupcake with swirls!

Sometimes, you just need a cupcake for dinner.  It's been a long week, and it's going to be a long weekend...kind of bittersweet with BF moving an hour away and the realization of homework.  So, I'm not going to feel guilty, and I'm not going to gym, on principle (and because I don't have time).

Just had to share :)  Yum.

Sidenote: I am aware that cheese and crackers and greek yogurt doesn't sound like dinner, but sometimes I run out of options!  A money saver for me is bringing breakfast, lunch, and dinner to work--saves so much money when the average DC lunch is $12-15!  If you want a great food blog with awesome dinner recipes, I'm not the blog since I'm never home to cook.  (It's on my someday list).  But definitely visit my friend and coworker's new blog: http://mommaaimone.blogspot.com/.

tuesday tip

Each Tuesday, I'll try to share a time saving or other relevant tip!  This morning, I ended up hitting snooze three times, getting in the shower 10 minutes late, then rushing around my 455 square feet studio like a madwoman trying to get ready.

Today's Tuesday tip is to cut out at least one press of the snooze button in the morning.  It's unrealistic that I'll wake up 30 minutes or more early before work to get dishes, cleaning, or general tidying done, but 10 minutes a day can add up!  In 10 minutes, I've found that I can:

-put away all of the shoes I have laying around the apartment
-clean the coffee pot
-run a swiffer on the piano, TV, coffee table, dresser
-pack a really nice lunch
-hang up some of my business clothes that I've draped on the couch

Not all of those, but one or two off the list can happen in just 10 minutes a day!

pies, ghouls, and wineries: the week ahead october 23

What a great weekend!  BF and I spent Saturday and Sunday in New Jersey at Fright Fest, and then Emery's farm and Laurita Winery.  It's so great to get out of the city, even for a short time, to relax and spend time doing something other than work and school!  We also saw Paranormal Activity 3 last night with his roommate, and I want to scream to the world DO NOT see it.  It is completely false advertising from what the previews suggest, wasn't scary at all, and is missing key scenes that would have explained the story.  BF is planning to get his money back from the theatre...terrible.

Now, back to the daily grind!

This week, I have my take home midterm due on Tuesday at midnight.  I'm planning to finish it tonight since I'm taking the day off to study and work on it at home.  Wednesday I'll come to campus early to attend a townhall for my focus: Nonprofit Management.  I'm thrilled the program is offering an evening session since that's exactly what I'm advocating for on student government.

Tuesday, I am attending a special dinner with my colleague with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute--my company has donated to allow them to move into a new building which they very much need.  Their current space is dilapidated and too small for the great programs they run.

This weekend is moving weekend for BF and we'll probably head to our friend's house for a relaxing Halloween get together after the move is all over.  I'm a little sad he's going to be moving from one block away from me to a full hour drive away--and we've been dating for more than 5 years!  But, it's a new change and we'll enjoy visiting each other on the weekends!

By now you might be thinking--how does she do it?

So far this month, I've definitely eaten out more than cooked, and have barely watched any TV.  I've also let laundry pile up, but did find time to clean during the first weekend of October.  I try to focus on my successes and the parts of my days that are fun, but the truth is, I can't always "do it all."  If you're reading this, you'll start to see that I just have to choose some things over others to fit as much in as I can.  It works for now!

midterms week

It's midterms week, and I studied a bit this weekend in my free time, and plan to study a ton tonight (after I post this of course!).  I have my Microeconomics midterm test Thurday night (study session is Tuesday night), and then have a take home exam for Strategic Management for nonprofits due on Tuesday the 25th at midnight. 

Midterms are always a tough time for me because of working full time and having so many other commitments.  But, it's this week each semester in particular when I don't want to complain.  Going to grad school at night was my choice, and going part time while working full time lets me gain practical and real-world experience, not as an intern as many of my peers are, but with real accountable responsibility.  My boss is so understanding, and is allowing me to take a study day this coming Monday the 24th to work on my take home exam.

Planning ahead comes in to play big time this week--over the summer, I had booked a weekend trip up to New Jersey with bf to visit my Aunt, Uncle, and only two cousins who are 12 and 14.  We're going to Fright Fest at Six Flags.  I looked ahead at the office School of Public Policy academic calendar, and figured midterms would be over this week, so this coming weekend would be a perfect weekend away.  I was wrong, because I still have a take home exam due next week.  So, unfortunately, I miscalculated and it messed things up slightly.  But, I am able to take time from work and get my school work done.  I couldn't do it without support at work, so if you're considering going back to school the way I'm doing it--make sure you're prepared!

This week, I also have my Bryce Harlow Fellows luncheon with the board of the organization.  It's an annual luncheon where we introduce ourselves to each other and the board, and get the first opportunity to network.  The fellowship is a monetary gift, but also a networking and mentorship opportunity with an organization that supports ethics in advocacy, something I also plan to uphold in my own career going forward.  I'm excited to meet this year's fellows--I'm a second year fellow, so also hope to see other second years as well!

brunch parties are adorable

My friend, Colleen, had me and a few of her close girlfriends over for an absolutely adorable girls brunch party today. She made french toast souffle, another girl made baked brie, another made egg casserole, I brought snickers salad, and then Colleen gave everyone her amazing concoction of pumpkin granola for a party favor!

It was so great to catch up with the girls and spend the afternoon together! 

Afterwards, in a dress, I ended up stopping by my boyfriend's grandfather's (Patah) house--bf is moving in to the house with his now-roommate because his grandfather has permanently moved up to CT to live with bf's mom and dad and sisters--he'll be 90 soon and can't live on his own anymore, so bf is living there rent free in exchange for taking care of the house! Amazingly generous deal.  I figured I'd help vacuum in preparation for the move, but ended up scrubbing kitchen cabinets and making a trip to Home Depot instead!  So much fun--next time I'm bringing a change of clothes though!  He and his roommate took me to Via Veneto as a thank you, though, so it was totally worth it! 

Side note: Via Veneto is run by two sisters who immigrated to the US from Italy...their daughters, now in their 40s and 50s are the waitresses, and it's a tiny, well-run, homemade Italian food place.  Patah has been going there for 25 years so they know him really well--he still remembers eating dinner there when the one daughter announced she was pregnant--now her son is our age!

regroup and the week ahead: october 9

Happy Columbus Day long weekend to everyone who works for the government!  I work tomorrow, and had to laugh after seeing this week's The Office (on DVR of course, I'm never home to watch live TV)--Robert California gave Andy a hard time for wanting a three day weekend for the office for Columbus Day:
"You want a three and a half day weekend for Columbus Day?  And you are aware Columbus and his legions committed genocide against an entire civilization of Native Americans?" 

Anyway, it's been a great week.  Unfortunately, last night, the restaurant group at the Verizon Center accidentally lost my boyfriend's credit card, so that put a small damper on our great night with his brother and friends, but we ended up having a fun time anyway--plus the Caps won their season opener!  Before I went to the game, I had volunteered at the Virginia Arboretum's Blandy Farm at their annual Arbor Fest with a few members of the Tenfold Forty and we helped make scarecrows for kids.  It was so tiring, but we had a good time!  Today I went to my friend's pumpkin carving party which was a blast--she had provided paints, carving tools, some snacks and drink, and it was just really nice relaxing and carving a pumpkin.  This is what I ended up doing for my pumpkin!

This week, I'm traveling to Manhattan for work to host a delgation of Chinese officals with my boss, am attending both of my classes, and then have a fun and relaxing weekend planned: dinner with a friend from college on Saturday night, and an Oktoberfest girls brunch at another friend's house on Sunday!

the tenfold forty: new task

Tonight I joined the conference call with a few board members and another member to discuss corporate sponsorships and motivating our member base to participate in a letter writing campaign and support our efforts to raise more money. 

One best practice I've learned in my job and in my Master's is that asking for money requires that you have a buy in from your member base, and that you need to provide your potential donors with relevant and compelling information about what their money will go to.

My new task for the coming weeks is to create a portion of our fundraising package which will tie the monetary amount we're asking for to the cause we're supporting.  For example, one donor level will be $12,000, because every year, 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer.  Tenfold Forty's President is going to reach out to the doctor at Johns Hopkins Center for Cervical Dysplasia that we work with to get more statistics on research equipment and other relevant monetary needs that I can work into the packet.

I'm excited!

If you are interested in learning more or donating to the Tenfold Forty, definitely visit http://www.thetenfoldforty.com/.

the week ahead: october 2

Happy October!  I decided to start my "do it all dc" blog this month because of a couple of reasons:

1) Fall is my favorite season--leaves are turning, pumpkin spice lattes are spicing, and I'm generally getting into the swing of things with all of my committments in school, work, volunteering, and representing the Bryce Harlow Foundation as a fellow.

2) I've been thinking about starting this blog for a long time now, finally took the time to do it, and it happens to be October!

3) People ask me all the time "how do you do it all?" and this is the best way to explain how it all works!

This week, like all weeks, I work 40 + hours as Program Associate for a corporate government relations office.  What does that mean?  I am the liaison to our Foundation, the community in DC, manage all of our charitable donations and participation in events in the area, manage a few of our grassroots programs with our PAC Manager, and help the Vice President with whatever comes up.  I also manage our intern, which is great this "semester" because she's efficient, positive, and effective.

I am participating in a conference call with The Tenfold Forty, a DC-based nonprofit of "forty women giving back tenfold" by raising money, volunteering in the community, and hosting events to raise awareness of HPV-caused cervical cancer.  I'm not on the board, but will likely run for a position on it next year.  I was invited by the President and one of my best friends to join their call on corporate fundraising.  We need to establish a plan to raise $10,000--last year we raised $8,000, so we're looking to get some corporate sponsorships this year.  I have a lot of experience with that and am happy to help.  There is a meeting Wednesday night--we have monthly meetings--which I will have to miss for class (you can already see how it all double booked!), and an all-day volunteer event with them on Saturday which I am attending.

I also have class at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy Wednesday night (Strategic Management for Nonprofits) and Thursday night (Microeconomic Policy Analysis).  Thursday night before class, I'm participating in "Meet your PSGA week"--that's Policy Student Government Association, and yes I'm on the student government as Part Time Student Liaison acting as the voice of part time students like myself.

Socially, I am taking my boyfriend, his brother and his brother's friend, and another friend of ours to a Washington Capitals game on Saturday.  I just secured a new loge mini luxury box at the Verizon Center for my company and I'm still testing it out before our Vice President sees it.  Sunday, I'm going to a pumpkin carving party with some friends (it's BYOP--bring your own pumpkin--how cute!).

Busy week ahead, but I'm ready!