Oh are you starting a new job? NBD.

#1- Start a new job.

Done!

It feels great to check the first thing off of my list...not to mention one of the hardest! Yesterday was my first day but I was way too exhausted to post. Not just because I have to get up a little earlier...just emotionally exhausted.

I am super excited to be starting and so far I enjoy the work and I see how much I can learn and grow in the position. But there is a reason people stick with their jobs for so long- starting over is hard! New colleagues, new tasks, new procedures...it can make your head spin.

But I think the first day is the hardest. I'm excited to be past that so I can dive in to my new workload. So far I know that I will be writing press releases, drafting letters, coordinating the placement of newspaper ads, and editing and printing flyers from various templates. My two colleagues have design backgrounds so they are happy to turn some of the content writing over to me. I may even be writing the entire newsletter! (So what if its only two pages long?)

I don't have my own office for those of you who were wondering. I share with two other girls. But I do have this fancy nameplate: 

So that's about it. Hopefully this new job will be one of the things that makes 25 a great year for me. 

Why Dwight Schrute Was Right About Beets

(#13) Taste 25 Foods I've Never Tasted Before


1. Pattypan Squash
2. Beets

Today we tried beets. And I am so glad we did! We always try to eat healthy but sometimes we get vegetable fatigue and wind up going with french fries instead. But I think we'll definitely add beets to our side dish rotation.

Call me crazy, but I swear the taste reminded me of corn on the cob. Ronnie will back me up on this. It was sweet and a little buttery. I don't know what I was expecting, but certainly not that. 

The texture was also really pleasant. Smooth, but firm. 

Here's how I cooked them.

Roasted Beet Salad

Beets

Blue Cheese

Chopped Walnuts

Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

1. Cut off the tops of the beets and drizzle them with olive oil. Roast them skin-on in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, until tender.
2. Let them cool, then peel the skin off. 
3. Slice off the tops and the root, then slice the beets into about half-inch slices.
4. Top with a handful of blue cheese and a handful of walnuts. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and a little more olive oil, to taste.

I hope you'll give them a try. Schrute Farms will thank you.

By the way, check back tomorrow for news on my first day at my new job!

Patty-pan Squash: the Fancyman's Zucchini

(#13) Taste 25 Foods I've Never Tasted Before

1. Pattypan Squash

It has a funny name. It has a funny shape. I first saw it on Farmville and assumed that it was made up. But its real! And its first on my list of new foods to try.

The before shot:

This vegetable's shape is undoubtedly the most interesting thing about it. It can get even flatter and more dramatic-looking than these two. I got them at the farmer's market (for you VA peeps, its located near the Fairfax County Courthouse, every Saturday morning May-October. We always find good stuff).

I looked up how to cook them and found that most recipes were comparable to zucchini recipes. So I decided to incorporate some zucchini and cook them in a way I was familiar. I suppose the fanciness would be more evident if you kept them whole.

The after shot: 

I have to admit...it was delicious. I diced them up and roasted them with olive oil, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder, for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Then I added about a tablespoon of butter and roasted for ten more minutes. 

The pattypan tasted more like yellow squash than zucchini (not surprising since it is yellow)...it had a light and sweet flavor. It was a little awkward to chop up though.

In conclusion...Pattypan squash is okay if you want to make your vegetable side dish feel a little fancier. But I wouldn't consider it life-changing. I'll probably stick to normally-shaped produce.

   

The List

25 Things to Do While I'm 25
(in no particular order)

1. Start a new job
2. Read 25 books
3. Take a Zumba class
4. Take a yoga class
5. Study Spanish
6. Submit at least 3 pieces of writing for publication, anywhere
7. Read at an open mic night
8. Get my eyebrows waxed
9. Start a blog
10. Master 25 new recipes
11. Get a tan
12. Teach someone something
13. Taste 25 foods I've never tasted before
14. Visit a state I've never been to before
15. Stick to my 200 words-per-day writing habit
16. Reconnect with an old friend I didn't see while I was 24
17. Watch 25 classic movies
18. Take a risk I never thought I'd take
19. Make a new friend
20. Face a fear
21. Spend 25 hours volunteering
22. Meet someone famous
23. Learn a new skill
24. Sing karaoke
25. Let the universe decide  (Get engaged!)

The Inspiration

So I turned the big 2-5 this year. To me, 25 sounds...well, old. It's a quarter of a century. It's so deep into your twenties that you can't even see your teens anymore. It's three years beyond college graduation. You're no longer part of the 18-24 year-old demographic whose business all of consumerist America is coveting. 

But, to most of the people around me and most of the universe, 25 is young. It's the perfect age- far from 30, but old enough that you've established yourself a little in the world. You're not a kid and (for me anyway) not ready to have kids of your own. People look at me like they wish they were turning 25. 

What we can all agree on is that 25 is a milestone. So why am I not freaking out, as I've been known to do on lesser birthdays/life changes? Because I've got a plan. 

It started with my new job. I'll be starting on Tuesday, just a week after my 25th birthday. I figured this was a sign. I'm starting out the year with a big change, accomplishing something. Making 25 count. 

So, I thought to myself, why stop there?

That's when I came up with the list. 25 things I want to have accomplished  by the time I'm 26. 25 ways to ensure that this is the best year it can be.   

Don't expect me to be doing anything TOO crazy- bungee jumping, curing cancer, going on an African safari...I'm trying to be realistic. I'm only 25, after all. I have financial limitations. And, with a new job, I can't take too much time off.

Of course, your list, whatever your age, would be totally different than mine. These are the things that I love to do and things that I want to accomplish and a lot of them probably seem odd or mundane to some of you. But I know that if, at 26, I see a list with 25 check marks, I'll be happy with how I've spent my time. 

And, I hope, my modest adventures can provide you with some entertainment along the way. 

Good news- I can already check off #9- starting a blog. 

Enjoy!