Denise Austin Bootcamp

As anyone who knows me is already aware, I am not what some would classify as a "workout enthusiast". I believe this stems from my severe dislike of running or, more to the point, sweating in general. Obviously, I understand the importance of getting the old ticker pumping. After all, Elle Woods summarized it best in Legally Blonde:

"Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands."

Now how can you argue with that logic, I ask you? I certainly can't, so that's why I lean on my old friend Denise Austin to keep the endorphins coming. The lady knows what she is doing. She keeps you working, but not to the point that you are ready to have a heart attack. I opted to do her Yoga: Buns video yesterday morning before class. It gave me a delightful burst of energy and kept me bouncing around all day long. Of course, today I am paying for my infrequent workout strategy with soreness. But, it's a good kind of sore. The soreness that says, "I accomplished something". I just need to remember what this feeling is like so it's not another three months before I try it out again.

http://deniseaustin.shop.sportstoday.com/Product.aspx?pc=3NAM06DVD

To Get Your Heart Swooning

Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)

Frank Sinatra

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like

On a-Jupiter and Mars

In other words, hold my hand
In other words, darling, kiss me

Fill my heart with song
And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore

In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you

Fill my heart with song
Let me sing for ever more

You are all I long for

All I worship and adore

In other words, please be true
In other words, in other words
I love ... you

A Weekend of Opposites

My "Study" Zone

Now I fully acknowledge that the contents of this post will seem quite odd considering it's following a post about the glories of Fall. If anything, you should take it as a prime indicator of the quirky weather San Diego seems to thrive on. So, I opted to get some studying done on Saturday in an attempt to hold off the onslaught of reading I had waiting for me. Well where is a red blooded, San Diegian transplant to go to get this reading done, I ask you? To her backyard to sunbathe obviously! Of course, this particular study/tan combination was rather light on the whole study aspect, but I believe the effort was there. Which is really what counts after all! As I was soaking up the warm rays and listening to the sounds of the outdoors, I realized how little time I spend outside. Which seems so sad considering how just breathing in the fresh air immediately put me in a better mood. I've decided I'm going to make the effort to enjoy the outdoors more. In typical Brittany fashion, this is rather unfortunate timing for such a declaration seeing as colder weather is on its way, but I will prevail. I remain committed.

A Pretty Nice View Considering It's Studying

Coming off of that delightful re-acquaintance with the sun on Saturday I was prepared for another get together on Sunday. But nay. I became greedy and Mother Nature was not having it. I was greeted on Sunday with a rather gloomy, grey outlook. Now we are not talking a thunderstorm, or even particularly cold, but I immediately switched into Winter-mode. Tights and boots all the way! I even almost swaddled myself in a scarf, but I thought that might be considered too far. I did commit to a cup of Swiss mocha though, some things can't be compromised. It was wonderful! It's as if I got the perfect combination of Summer/Fall weather packaged neatly into one weekend. I feel quite lucky actually.

First Day of Tights!

 
From this lovely weekend, we move into today. I just want to share a nice smile-worthy incident from this Monday with you. I help at an activity center for older adults a few days a week, helping them learn the computer. Today I was giving a beautiful origami flower by one of the members who is starting a learning origami class. I was so touched that she wanted me to have it and it just brightened my day. So this was my Smile Moment of the day, what was yours? Did anything, either simple or momentous, happen to you today that made you smile to yourself?

Goofy Me Modeling

My Beautifully Made Flower

Fall Has Arrived

Happy first official day of Fall! I am truly excited by this shifting of seasons. I love Summer, absolutely adore sunshine and the beach and all of those wonderful activities. But, I'll admit, I am ready for a change. I have decided that I am mentally ready for colder weather. Of course, as I write this it is 80degrees outside in sunny San Diego, an area that hardly sees the four seasons. So I suppose I am, in fact,  more ready for this hypothetical Fall season that is still likely another two months off. Regardless, here is a list of just some of the things I eagerly await:

Warm, Cozy Jackets

Delicious Hot Beverages

Chunky Scarves

Pumpkins and Pumpkin Flavored Everything

 
This is just a small portion of my Fall-time loves. Just picking out these photos and thinking about what is awaiting me in the coming months has gotten me excited! Quite appropriately, as I write this the smell of baking banana bread is wafting upstairs.                             That and a cup of coffee are calling my name.

So are you excited about Fall? What are you most looking forward to?

Cards On the Table

Now that the cat is out of the bag about my questionable (read: nerdish) tastes in music with the mention of a certain boy band in my previous post, I feel I can also be full disclosure about my taste in television shows. I have been in a spectacular mood all day today, as I suspect I will continue to be every Thursday because a certain show has come back...

That's right folks, Vampire Diaries is back!! I know for the general population I just lost a little more credibility. I can not explain nor even wish to defend my love for this series. Its just inherent. I have this lovely little set-up: I make myself a delicious salad for dinner, park myself on the couch and watch in near silence until the commercials come on. That's when I text my sister-in-law, who is three hours ahead of me, and we dissect every detail together. It's my little piece of heaven on a Thursday night and if that's wrong, I don't want to be right!

Now I know I am not the only one out there with a guilty pleasure. I am convinced they are specifically created to make the week bearable and give everyone their own personal pick me up. After all, everyone loves something to look forward to! So that begs the question, what show do you absolutely love to look forward to?

Putting The FUN in Dysfunctional

As the title of this suggests, this morning I was the picture of dysfunction. You know those mornings when you already know you are headed for a meltdown before you even change out of your pjs? This was one of those mornings. Why, you ask? Well, as trivial as it sounds, I could not for the life of me dress myself. You know those movies where the girl is going out and she ends up with a mile high pile of clothes on her floor because she "doesn't have a thing to wear"? That is a slightly dramatic, over-representation of  what happened to me today. Not Earth shattering, I know. But still a bit stressful as anyone who has experienced such predicament can attest.
From the Clothing Debacle of 2011, I move along to spilling coffee on the shirt I finally decided to wear, almost getting run down by a man driving like a bat out of hell in a parking structure and being late for class. 

But then, the clouds parted and a little nugget of happiness came springing into my day! This nugget came in the form of an email from a friend titled "To Brighten Your Day". Isn't it funny how close friends or family just seem to know when you need a pick me up?. Of course, she knows exactly how to make me laugh out loud and smile: A picture of a band we love dressed up in speedos!

I mean, what more could you want?!

 

 

 

This is Big Time Rush and one of my more embarrassing pleasures to admit. I was actually hoping to keep this one on the down low a bit longer, but hey, if it makes you happy, then be happy! It's the little things like this, that keep life going, so embrace it!

I Do Believe Introductions Are in Order

Well, first and foremost, I want to say welcome to Sunshiny Beat!
It seems you and I are in the same boat; we are both newcomers. So, as you learn about me and my life, I hope to learn from you as well; not to mention learn about this whole blogging thing.

Me with My favorite thing in the world: Coffee!

I'll go first in introductions. My name is Brittany and I am a twenty-something girl trying to navigate the twists and turns of life with a smile on my face and pep in my walk. Sometimes these turns take me into situations I never expected, lend themselves to hilarious memories I will never forget and, inevitably, get me lost more often than not. My belief is that life is beautiful and happiness can be found in the simple things: someone holding the door for you, a water stain in the shape of a heart or the perfect cup of coffee. Sunshiny Beat is my way of sharing the things that make me smile with you. Just consider it your daily dose of happiness!

This is my excited face saying, "let's get this happy wagon rolling!"