#BeautyCakeGoals

I want that

cake cake cake cake cake. 

It’s been three weeks since I’ve had a piece of cake. Why? Because ladies and gentleman, you never thought it possible, but I am eating healthily and working out, everyday in fact. I run, I lift weights, I pump iron, I do sit ups, curls, lunges, bench presses, squats, the works. I’m getting me bodied because I’ll soon be touching down in London Town and I WILL look so fly the Queen will be counting the days till I arrive.

"Hey Chidi, did you see the Queen?" 

Me: "No honey cake, the Queen saw me." 

So with that lofty goal in mind, I won’t eat that

cake cake cake cake any longer. 

These balls are not my friends 

In the beginning of the summer I went to a cardio conditioning class with Roger, one of my guy friends. We were the only males there. Not only did we stick out because of our gender, but we were also absolutely terrible at doing exercises on one of those exercise balls. How is one supposed to be graceful on giant plastic technicolor balls of exercise torture? I was the mayor of struggle city that day my friends. It wasn't cute. 

The best part of the class occurred at the end where the instructor gave this speech:

Some of you girls *looks at Roger and me* and guys may be in this class because you may be unhappy about your appearance. You may want things to be tighter, slimmer, more tucked in. I completely understand where you all are coming from, but no matter what the outcome of the class is ladies…and gentleman, know that true beauty comes from within *she places her hand on her chest* and nobody can take that away from you.  

I had one word for her.

DELETE.

Needless to say, I never went back to the class.

I’m all for the Lady Gaga message of inner beauty and self-acceptance, I mean I was Born This Way yes, but does that mean I have to Stay This Way? Working on my #innerbeauty is synonymous with planning to be #foreveralone. 

That's right folks. I'm throwing truthbombs out here. BOOM! BOOM! Watch out!

Hahaha, I’m being facetious, I know :). In all seriousness, it feels wonderful to simply move. The most exercise I got in college was a toss up between walking up science hill or pumping my fists at Toads. A legitimate toss up because I’ve been told that I go Jersey Shore “ham” with the pumps. Sorry for party rocking. 

Other than working out, the summer has been a joy. I really enjoy my research project (which I’ll explain in a later post ) and living in the Elmhurst. I am no grungy hipster like many of the Elmhurst’s year long residents, but I enjoy pretending to be from time to time. Once I wore red shorts with white socks and flip-flops while listening to Katy Perry...all ironically of course. 

Two weeks ago, I went to an apartment party 1 floor above mine where people were writhing on the floor to folksy electronic spiritual music (no lie). A white guy dressed in traditional male Indian garb was banging a drum and a cat was casually making its away around the party. Oh hi Cat! I didn't know you were given the permission to attend a human party. Gosh, let me get you a drink.

Seriously, the audacity of some animals *rolls eyes* Oh btw, Mary Jane was the guest of honor. #Elmhurst

The Elmhurst

Summer 2012 feels free, it feels relaxed, it feels almost like a summer vacation until I realize that I’m not coming back to Yale. It hasn’t hit me just yet. When it does, I’ll be staring down what will be the rest of my life. So to prepare for that

I dubbed the summer of 2012 as the ‘Summer of Rediscovery" Then I remembered that was 2011’s theme (awk). Being the quick witted and creative person that I am, I renamed this summer the “Summer of Ultimate Rediscovery.” Emphasis on the Ultimate. 

I know I know some of you may be thinking how many times can you rediscover yourself Chidi? That’s a valid question. I think this is just part of my personality. I like deconstructing, analyzing, pushing back, looking in…I make lists of the lists I have to make…to do lists of the goals I have to accomplish, where one of the goals will be to make better lists of my work for the week. If I don’t catch myself I can spend half my life planning my life. 

Listing and goaling help prevent stress and as many of you already know, I can get easily stressed. Oftentimes though, the lists and goals actually stress me out. How's that for a chicken-egg conundrum? If I don't finish everything I have planned, I get stressed and then I stress eat, and soon it’s a hot cake/Oreo mess, fast forward 20 years, and I'm eating cakes on cakes on cakes while making life goals and reassuring my single self that it'll get better, my inner beauty is fabulous. *eats cake* 

#BeautyCakeGoals aka  #tragedy 

Everyday this summer I'm challenging myself to do something new and different, something out of the ordinary that won’t necessarily be on a to do list.

Some of these activities include:

Going to Fashionista

Walking to lab via a new route (Lake Pl behind the gym) 

Going to a cardio conditioning class

Making Cinnamon Toast Treats

On Wednesday I’m helping with a community health vision screen and on Thursday, I'm going to a ballet class with Chris Cho. If you have any suggestions, let me know! 

So yea, summer has been beautiful thus far. I have no complaints other than the heatwave, occasional thunderstorm, and cat party guest. Research is going well, I’m having fun with friends, and I’m getting me bodied for the UK. Queen Elizabeth, here I come! 

Work. Friends. Health. What more can I possibly want?

Shhhhhhh. Don’t say a word :) 

#innerbeauty 

From Your Soon to be London Bloke, 

ChidiCakeCakeCakeCake

PS: Song of the Week: Primadonna 

This is one of my favorite walking songs. If you're wondering, walking songs are songs you walk to that make you feel sexy, confident, and unconquerable (thank you Uche Ubozoh for introducing me to this pleasure). Such songs prompt you to walk as if you're strutting down the runways of Milan with paparrazi snapping photos left and right.

Walk walk fashion baby, work it, move that bitch crazy.  

 -"Bad Romance" Lady Gaga 

Last week I served you Dance Beat (Mirror) Empowerment realness. With this song, I'm serving Runway Strut Sashay Sass.

Favorite Lines: 
Get what I want because I asked for it, not because I'm really that deserving of it 
Living life like I'm in a play, in the limelight I want to stay
I know that I have a big ego, I really don't know why it's such a big deal though