Managing Life

Whelp…. I fell off the blogging wagon….at least for my personal blog. Which is a catch 22…I haven’t been active on this blog but very active blogging for work / at work and busy with the ShrednTrim project I mentioned last blog post. I suppose that is how life happens, you get busy and something sort of falls of the wagon. Not intentional, of course, and since this blog was originally to help me land a job and that mission has been completed, I can’t harp over my absences for too long.

I thought I could kick off my new monthly blogging trend by shedding light into my personal world for just a moment. Not that I am over here complaining or wishing my routine is any different but I am one busy bee. Totally just snuck up on me! Here is what an average Thursday looks like for me:

4:45 a.m – Alarm goes off
5:05 a.m – Meet gym partner (who is my neighbor) at the cars
5:20 a.m. – 7: 10 a.m. – Gym!
7: 40 a.m. – noon – Work
Noon – 1:00 p.m. – Usually do some outdoor activity, pay bills, clean, etc
1: 00 p.m – 4:00 p.m. – Work
4:00 p.m. – 6: 00 p.m. – Run errands, catch up with my Bf, etc.
6: 00 – 8: 30 – Prep dinner, cook, clean
8: 30 – 9:30 – Wind down for bed time / write workout plan for next day
9:30 – Sleep!

It is pretty clear to see that fitness takes a lot of my time. I exercise in the morning and try to do some sort of afternoon cardio, resulting in two workouts a day. I’ve increased my fitness routine for a couple of reasons but here are the top three:

1. Alert during working hours
2. To be more healthy
3. To feel more comfortable with my body

I thought about my time management today while on my lunch break run and realized that life truly is about managing time. Even though I haven’t blogged here in a while, it’s simply because I didn’t manage that time in my life. Hey, I am human! What I have managed is my time at work and meeting deadlines (uber important), my health (uber important) and my down time (uber important).

I suppose we can take this as a kick start back on the blogging wagon! Keep in touch 😉

Until next time,

Jenn L.

Lunch break cardio selfie!

#HappyThanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is on Thursday! Yay! It is important to reflect on your blessings not just on Thanksgiving Day but all year. I thought it would be fun to post 28 things I am thankful for. The number 28 is chosen because Thanksgiving is on the 28th day of the November this year. Before I dive into my list of blessings….check out a few Thanksgiving Day facts from WHSV.

• The Macy’s Day Parade began in the 1920’s
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States
• Turkeys have poor night vision
• Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef

I am thankful for….

1. My relationship with God – I am not one to push religion onto anyone as I respect other viewpoints. However, ever since attending Real Life, my life has changed for the better.
2. My supportive family – they have stuck by my side through all of my adventures and encouraged me to keep on keepin’ on when I didn’t think I could.
3. My incredibly awesome boyfriend, James – he inspires me to become a better person.
4. My job – so many people are jobless and I am beyond blessed to not only have a job but a job that is in my field of study. Read more here.
5. My awesome boss & supervisor – they support my decision to relocate due to my BF’s pilot training and support me working from home. Yes, I work from home 3 days a week. (Stay tuned to learn more in my next blog post, next month!)
6. My college degree – It was during this time that I really soul searched and found out who I was and tested my determination. College was a big challenge for me BUT I did it!
7. My health insurance  –  Thanks to my employer, nothing comes out of my pay check for health insurance.
8. My car – although, it is not my dream car, it is dependable & it was a college graduation gift that I got to use throughout high school. 🙂
9. My home – I live in a cottage (cabin) on a lake and it is beautiful!
10. Food in the fridge – it is crazy to think that people struggle everyday to put food on the table. I always have a stocked fridge and I am beyond blessed for that.
11. Clothes on my back – I am very blessed to have a closet stocked with clothes.
12. Clean air – Although we aren’t as clean air consciences as we should be, many people live in highly polluted areas that impacts their health. 
13. This blog….the dedication I have put towards this blog really shaped my job hunt.
14. Stories such as the USF student who performed 22 acts of random kindness on HER birthday, instills faith in humanity.
15. The experience of working in the hospitality industry, I have a deeper understanding of how a restaurant operates & the value of customer service.
16. Being a part of the Katie Marchetti Foundation & teaching others the importance of wearing a seat belt! Read more here.
17. Participating in a driving study–  not only was I helping to improve the roadways, I was able to focus on MY driving and became a better driver in the process.
18. Pageants – the experience made me feel comfortable with public speaking, stage presence and most importantly, interviewing! Read more here.
19. My courage – I was able to participate in the Red Bull Flugtag event that was so symbolic to another part of my life, it was so amazing. I will have to share with my readers the symbolism.  Read more about the event here.
20. Computers – where would we be without them! So much hard work from many people complied the computer technology we use today. Not to forget to mention, many other people in the world don’t have a computer in their lives.
21.  The internet – the internet has opened many doors for many people and because of that we are all evolving to a advanced technological lifestyle. 
22. Books – and literature in general! One of my favorite courses in school would be anything literature related. All of the symbolism and other elements has always been so interesting to me. 
23. HootSuite – thanks to HootSuite, it is SO MUCH EASIER to schedule social media postings for multiple clients during the holidays. 
24. Tire Dealers – tire dealers are primarily the accounts I work with at Upright Communications, they pay our bills!
    
25. DeeDee Miller Photography – a friend from high school that has captured amazing photos. She cheers me on & helps me capture my dream! (She took the image below)
26. Cell phones – Working in the cell phone industry was my first job, blessings for that but also for the fact that they changed the way we live.
27. Innovators – such as Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, Issac Newton, to name a few ! 
28. Polar heart rate monitor – seriously could not workout without it!

Liebster Award Nomination

I am delight to say that I have been nominated for the Liebster Award. Thank you, Christine. The Liebster Award nomination is special…  it is a special way to ‘shout-out’ to your fellow bloggers =) Mandi at All My Happy Endings provided us with the origins of the word Liebster. “Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.”

As Christine explained…. its all about getting to know each other!

Here are the rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions from your nominator.
3. Nominate 11 other blogs with under 200 followers and ask them 11 questions.

The 11 random facts of Jennifer L. Johnson: 

1. Born and raised Florida gal.
2. I am a Godiva member which is code for I am a chocolate connoisseur. 
3. I love wearing colorful outfits. In the words of Kate Spade, “Live Colorfully”.
4. Ever since attending my first merchandising convention, ENK, I’ve had a special passion for fashion.
5. My office is decorated with a Giraffe inspired theme…. and lots of color!
6. I have met several athletes while working at Brick House Tavern + Tap.
7. The best way to get over a fear is to face it! I was once fearful of karaoke… that was until summer 2011.
8. I have personal traditions such as: attending a concert once a year or going on vacation once a year. I believe that it is good for the soul!
9. I can vibe with all kinds of music but my favorite would have to be hip-hop and country. …Drake & Strait.
10. I do NOT like scary movies…. no thank you!
11. I once won a game of poker with a royal flush.

Questions from the Nominator: 

1. Why did you start blogging?  For the main purpose of creating a hub for employers to learn more about me. 
   
2. Describe yourself in two words. Conversation Savvy
3. What’s your all time favorite tv show? Friends… hands down.
4. What’s one quirky thing about yourself? Punctuality ! On time is early!
5. What’s your biggest inspiration? 
6. Name three places you’d like to travel to? Paris, London, Ireland
7. Have you ever sky dived? Would you?  I am sorry, but I do not favor sky diving. I am not one to take such risks.
8. What’s your favorite quality about yourself? Organized to the max!
9. What’s your favorite social media tool/network? Twitter!
10. If you won a million dollar’s, what would you do with it.  Donate &  invest!
11. What’s your all time favorite meal? Chocolate biscuits. Hmm… so delicious!

Who I nominate… 

• Wine In Tampa
• Indispensable Marketing 
• Jenn’s Trends
• Adventurous 
• It’s Not My Emergency
• Exploring Jessica’s Closet 
• Xtine Danielle (again)
• Epic Mommy Adventurous 
• All Happy Endings 

The questions for nominations:

1. Where are you from?
2. What is your favorite dish?
3. How would you describe your personal style?
4. What is your favorite season?
5. What is your hobby?
6. Are you a risk taker?
7. Where is your favorite place to escape too?
8. What is your favorite book?
9. What was your favorite age?
10. What is one of your goals?
11. What does your name mean?

Have fun ! 

Jenn!