Run, write and repeat

As you may have gathered, I started running regularly a few months ago. Recently, the change in season and position in the service industry left me susceptible to illness. Over the past week, a particularly nasty cold left me exhausted and unable to function, so this week I'll focus on what running has taught me about writing.

• Be careful about Internet sources. Since Pinterest became popular, running and exercise plans are readily available. As with anything else, make sure that the source is a reliable expert in the field. Just as an unreliable training program can get you hurt physically, writing based on unverified sources can cripple your career.
• Practice smarter, not harder. Flailing around in running can lead to a satisfying tiredness, but it doesn't build endurance or speed. In writing, undirected practice does little to build a professional portfolio. In the long run, both can do more harm than good. Stay focused, and your directed practice will build your chops.
• Balance your physical and mental health. Balance is a buzzword in both fitness and entrepreneurship for a reason. Runners and freelancers alike suffer when they're unable to practice, so making time to do both is integral to your success.
• Find fun in your work/running. Exercise is necessary to your focus and longevity, but running can sometimes seem as tedious as editing poorly written medical copy. Listening to trashy music, running a new trail or even treating yourself to new running duds can break you out of a rut.
• Pace yourself. You're in this for the long haul, so practice accordingly. If you start to feel yourself getting burned out, take a step back. Consider saying no to new commitments so you can effectively manage your time. Write or exercise a little bit every day to keep yourself in shape.

Got any other tips? Leave them in the comments!

Cocktail of the Hour: the Algonquin

Sometimes the most interesting lore about a cocktail only tangentially relates to the drink itself. Such is the case with the Algonquin. Named for its supposed birthplace, New York City's Algonquin Hotel, this Prohibition era drink is more famous for its proximity to fame and wit.

During Prohibition, the Algonquin played host to a daily luncheon of the era's intelligentsia. Called the Algonquin Round Table, this midday meeting of minds was attended by poet and critic Dorothy Parker, New Yorker magazine founder Harold Ross and others including Harpo Marx. However, most of the Round Table's members were avowed highball drinkers, so it's unlikely they ever consumed a drink named after their group.

Interestingly, several 1920s drinks were named Algonquin in a bid to cash in on the action. Save this whiskey-based beverage, no others survived to modernity. According to some sources, another contender involved Bénédictine, blackberry brandy and rum. I'll pass.

Taste-wise, the Algonquin has a bit of a bite from the rye that helps to ease the first chill of fall. The whiskey also adds spicy notes balanced by the dryness of the vermouth, and the taste is rounded out by the tartness and sweetness of the pineapple juice.

Recipe:

2 dashes orange bitters

1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

1 oz dry vermouth

2 oz rye whiskey

Combine ingredients and shake for 10-12 seconds or until combined. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Be prepared for everything

People are jerks. In fact, anyone who is around others on a regular basis should probably have insurance because of all those assholes. As a freelancer who may work out of coffee shops more than occasionally or a 9-to-5er with a small child in school, car accidents and illness happen.

Last Thursday night, someone hit my car. Hard. Whoever it was didn't leave a note, and since I'm female, I don't linger around my car or check it for damage every night. The next morning, I walked out of my apartment to find that the side of the car facing the sidewalk had been subject to a hit-and-run.

I was shaken up, but went on with my daily activities. Later that day, I spoke with a policeman who was very kind and let me know that, though it sucks, it happens all the time. According to the inspector, the damage is more than enough to total out my car. So, for the first time since I was 19, I technically don't own any means of transportation. I've got my eye on one new-to-me car in particular, but will continue actively looking over the weekend.

Over the past week, I've gotten some funny looks for my continued cheer. Yes, I'm ticked off, but too many factors in this situation are out of my control. Allowing it to constantly affect my mood would inhibit me from taking the necessary steps to find a new car and work to earn the money to pay for it.

That said, I'm in the best possible situation to deal with the expense of a car. I have saved an emergency fund, built rock solid credit and planned to rebuild it all in type of situation. It's not convenient timing. In fact, it's incredibly inconvenient, but that's life. 

On the sentimental side, the Prizm was my first car. Though you might not think she's sexy, she's been my safe place and refuge during nine moves and a couple breakups. We survived a summer without air conditioning (in either the apartment or car) together. She's weathered a few scrapes and bumps along the way, but has been incredibly reliable. I'll miss her, but in reality, a car is a means of transportation. It's not an investment*, it's a convenience. For that, I'll be just as thankful for my next car.

*That said, antique cars have historically gained more value in a given time period than stocks, but I'll stick to building my 401K. It's harder to dent.

How to slow down

Sometimes, you slow down your pace to build endurance. Other times, you slow down your activities and your life because illness or pain require it. Last Saturday, I ran three miles for the first time. By itself, that run was the longest distance and time I have ever completed. At a few points, I wanted to give up, to go back to my car and go home. Though my knee and ankle twinged a few times, the pain had subsided within 30 minutes of being home. During the second mile, my pace got difficult. I wanted badly to go faster, to run at the pace I was used to. But I didn't -- I slowed back down and was able to keep going when my side cramped up and my knee tightened. Back in my world of freelancing, bartending and tutoring, I was finding the same thing. By scheduling out every single work commitments, I could also find  time to rest.

This week, rest has been especially important. I was unusually tired after my run on Saturday, but social commitments required me to stay awake and cognizant. A couple days later, the tiredness had progressed into a head cold. Luckily, the cold was short-lived, and forced me into an even slower pace in my work and runs.

Next week, I'll need all the energy I can muster. I have three paid deadlines, three blog posts, four runs and four shifts at work. Needless to say, pacing will all important, and as a result, I have already scheduled most of my commitments down to the hour. It may be a slightly obsessive response, but it's the healthiest coping mechanism I have.

For the next few days, my social media presence will be lessened. It may seem counterproductive, but planning out every run and writing assignment will ease some of the associated pressures. This balance will be crucial for my ability to rest and recover from this darn head cold. Going slowly right now will not only allow me to build back my health, but also to get in shape and hopefully to prevent future illness.

Cocktail of the Hour: the Improved Whiskey Cocktail

I'm not much for the idea that the certain spirits should only be drunk during certain times of the year. If I waited for cold weather in Alabama to drink red wine or whiskey, I would still have a long time to wait. Luckily, even a spirituous* cocktail can revive a thirsty soul and cool him or her down. One such beverage is the Improved Whiskey Cocktail. With recipes dating back to the 1876 edition of Jerry Thomas's How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant's Companion or The Bartender's Guide, this cocktail sprang from a source similar to the Old Fashioned. In the days of yore, few drinks had defined names. Simply enough, patrons wanting any sort of mixture of whiskey, water and sugar would order a Whiskey Cocktail.

As maraschino liqueur, absinthe and other spirits came on the scene, their introduction into this family of beverage spawned a new creation -- the Fancy Whiskey Cocktail. About fourteen years later, the Improved Whiskey Cocktail joined its fancy counterpart in Thomas's book. Since that time, both of the cocktails have been reformulated to fit more modern standards of measurement by David Wondrich in Imbibe! which was later picked up by The PDT Cocktail Book. This recipe is the one below.

Currently, the PDT recipe is my favorite riff on this particular cocktail. It's a simple drink with sweet and bitter notes that balance and soften the edges of the rye whiskey. As they say, rye whiskey makes the band sound better, makes your baby cuter, makes itself taste sweeter, oh boy!

Recipe:

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 dash absinthe (or rinse the glass with absinthe)

.25 oz simple syrup

.25 oz maraschino liqueur

2 oz overproof rye whiskey

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and drop in a handful of crushed ice. Put a few whole cubes on top and stir til the drink is diluted to your taste or about 13-17 seconds. Garnish with a lemon peel.

*spirituous: A drink that contains (almost) all liquor and no citrus.

Dress like a freelancer

When I quit my office job, I spent the first couple days surfing the web for writing inspiration. After three days, I had exhausted my patience for silly memes. Before transitioning to full-on writing, I combed my hair and changed into slacks and blouse. I didn't change my workspace or routine, but dressing professionally made me feel like I was on the clock.

Psychologically, putting on comfortable but professional clothing can signal your brain and body that it's time for work. When you change out of your pajamas, you're able to stop resting and start knocking out tasks on your to-do list. Since minimizing distractions is crucial in succeeding as a freelancer of any kind, taking all possible steps to delineate work time from play time is essential.

By dressing up, you're enforcing a small measure of self-accountability. When practiced on a regular basis, it can help increase productivity and focus. If you surf the web for cat pictures instead of potential pitches, you're wasting your own valuable time. I've found that it's much more difficult to justify an hour spent on Pinterest or Facebook when I have set goals for the day's writing.

That said, my one pair of dress slacks is more comfortable any of my jeans. As a result, I'm more comfortable in business casual. By dressing up, I'm also able to schedule and attend last minute meetings away from my couch. More importantly, as I build my freelance base, learning how to define the border between work and personal time will be absolutely crucial to maintaining my passions -- and my sanity.

Balancing all of these aspects of my life will be tricky, but it will be doable with practice and support. Luckily, if any of these gets too overwhelming, I will take a step back and rest. All the freelance pitches will still be out in the world tomorrow -- and so will the cat pictures.

If you freelance, do you dress up to go to work?

Running into the wall

After completing my first race last week, I kicked off my new and improved training schedule with a few days of sickness and gentle cross training. It definitely wasn't the hard-hitting regimen I wanted to start, but I made do. At this point, I shouldn't have been surprised. Since school started, I've either tutored or bartended each weeknight and freelance during the day. The workload is manageable when I don't run several miles on four hours' sleep. Lesson learned. Those four days off made for a rough first run. I started out way too fast and had to walk most of the second mile. The second run of the week was slightly better paced, but was pretty short.

Yesterday, I completed the first run on my shiny, new, professionally-made training schedule. It was at an easy pace, but let me tell you, running is tough. I fought the pace for most of the mile (yes, just one), and was just as sweaty and out of breath as if I had run much faster or longer. It's not fun, but it will increase my endurance and make me a better runner over the long term.

After running came the foam rolling and, as usual, lots of cursing. My workout schedule for the rest of the week includes a long, slow run, hip strengthening workout and speed work -- all new to me. Also new is a weekly check in with my coach, Ann Thomas, to discuss my progress and shortcomings in that week's workouts. Up to this point, I've only been accountable in running to myself and the Internet, and honestly, I need more.

For the next few weeks, I'm not making any drastic or life-altering decisions outside of this plan. Upping my weekly mileage will be a big accomplishment, and sticking to a schedule will help me to get back into the healthy exercise habit I've been trying to cultivate for so long. After that point, the sky's the limit.

Have any running or cross training tips to share? Leave them in the comments!

Cocktail of the Hour: the Daiquiri

In much of the restaurant industry, "blender" is a curse word. They are not only loud, breakable and time-consuming, but also pretty much useless in classic recipes. Believe it or not, one such drink is the daiquiri.

Named for a Cuban beach, this beverage's root date back to before the Spanish-American War. From there, its history gets hazy. Some sources suggest that the classic daiquiri's proportions mimic the daily rations of rum, citrus and sugar given to British sailors, suggesting that their grog was a less refined version of this cocktail. Other stories suggest that, since sugar cane and lime are indigenous to Cuba, that it was a combination of available resources.

What we know for sure is that this drink -- and many of its many variations -- has served up inspiration for writers and artists of all kinds. Hemingway himself frequented Cuba's La Florida (the self-proclaimed "Cradle of the Daiquiri"), and his drink made it into 1937's Bar La Florida Cocktails as "The Henmiway Special." Boasting translation skills on par with its spelling, this book is entertaining, but probably not the most reliable source.

After that point, the daiquiri became popular again in the 1940s and 1970s. Like many other cocktails, its most recognizable present form is actually a re-imagining from the 1960s/70s/80s that ratcheted up its sugar content to appeal to the public palate. Its most classic form, however, is a humble beverage that balances tart with sweet. Mix one up today to find out why it's inspired countless variations.

Recipe:

2 oz white rum

1 oz lime juice

1 oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake for 10-12 seconds or until cooled through. Strain and serve straight up.

Six ways to build an editorial calendar

In both blogging and running, I've learned a lot through trial and error. After a hiatus during a technical medical writing gig, I'm doing right by my writing. I'm in the habit of writing something every day, and I'm making sure to balance that work with physical exertion. Here are some tips for setting up an editorial calendar of your own.

1. Choose your blog's focus. Unless your blog goes viral or you have thousands of followers, your devoted readers will most likely be people you know. Pick a subject that you want to read about, and write posts that would education and challenge you.
2. Set a schedule and put it on your calendar. If you're only posting once a week, do it like clockwork. It's easier for your readers to catch your posts if they have a general idea of when they'll go live.
3. Practice regularly. Find the time to write every day. Developing a voice and skill set requires regular practice, and with time, it will take less time to sculpt each word of a post.
4. Write in advance. If you're always scrambling to meet self-imposed due dates, come up with a list of posts for the week or month and write them all. That way, you have posts in reserve if a current event or other topic strikes your fancy.
5. Schedule posts. Most blogging platforms allow users to schedule posts. This function can take the guesswork and variability out of an editorial calendar once it's set.
6. Link up social media. Want your posts to go up in the morning without waking you up? Link your social media accounts to your blog. Every time a post is published, so will a tweet or Facebook status with a link to the entry.
7. Ask a friend to be your accountability buddy. Have them call you out if you miss a post. In any craft, having a support system can make all the difference, especially when you're starting out.

Personally, I've still got some work to do. My non-negotiable editorial calendar goes into effect next week, and the order of my posts will change. Though I still need to ask someone to be my accountability buddy, I've been doing better with every other part of this list. For here forward, expect Cocktail of the Week posts to go live on Mondays, running updates on Wednesdays and writing on Fridays.

Cocktail of the Hour: The Southside

As the story goes, the Southside was named for the South Side of Chicago's bootlegging joints. During Prohibition, citrus and sugar were mixed with bathtub gin to make it drinkable. Even if it wasn't one of the creations of that era, it is still a delicious gimlet variation. In the years since, it has become an institution at many country clubs. Even Tory Burch has claimed a vodka-based version of this drink as her favorite. The version documented in Townsend's The Bartender's Book is gin-based, and the spirit's botanicals add a layer of complexity to the taste. Fortunately, we don't live during Prohibition, and many of the products previously unavailable in Alabama are now here. Experimenting with different gins will yield slight changes in the cocktail's flavor and body, but the citrus and mint are somewhat forgiving.

This beverage is best made while the weather is warm and mint is in season. Since we've only got a few weeks left that meet both requirements, shake one (or few) up for the perfect picnic/tailgating/afternoon tipple.

Recipe:

4-6 mint leaves

1 dash Angostura bitters*

1 oz lime juice

1 oz simple syrup

2 oz gin of your choice

Lightly bruise -- do not pulverize -- mint leaves in the shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake for 10-12 seconds to combine. Strain into a chilled glass.

*Editor's note: the traditional Southside isn't made with bitters, but they add depth of flavor. Try it both ways!

How (not) to run a 5K

Last Saturday, I ran my first 5K. Though I did walk at some points during the Monkey C Monkey Run race, I ran every hill and beat my time goal. That said, I didn't care for myself well in the days leading up to the race. In fact, I could have injured myself badly during the race due to my stupidity.

In the future, I will get a good night's sleep before a race. Last Saturday, I worked a bar shift, and got four hours of sleep. Adam drove me to the race so I didn't have to stress out about parking or having an accident, but I get even clumsier when I don't rest.

I will pace my first mile better so I don't burn through all of my energy. Even though I beat my time goal, my energy level was shot for the rest of the day. Interval training will also help me to build endurance so I'm not bedridden for the weekend.

Speaking of training, I will do more cross training and yoga. After the race, I didn't cool down properly. Even after 45 minutes with my torture tube -- errr -- foam roller, my gluteus maximus is still pretty sore. Again, it's something that I usually do religiously, but my sleep deprived brain rejected stretching in favor of huddling under a towel during breakfast.

Despite the number of silly ways I undermined my race, I did do a few things right. The day before, I over-hydrated. I stretched out well before work and stuck to the dinner and snacks I had packed. I ran once early this week, and worked out my core so I wouldn't fatigue my legs.

After setting a benchmark time, I have signed up for another race on November 16th. By that time, I will most likely have started training for a half marathon (a what? a half marathon). Right now, I think this distance will be more of a challenge than anything, but I have an amazing resource in the coaches and classes at Resolute Running. Just knowing that I'm not training alone is a huge comfort.

When I race in November, I plan to run the entire route without stopping and to improve my time. These goals may be modest, but they're doable as long as I exercise regularly. The bump in energy and productivity that regular activity can provide me with the impetus to work through my to do list and to set new goals. From there, the possibilities are endless.

How to budget for freelance anything

As a bartender and freelance writer, my income is now completely variable. From week to week, my tips and invoiced articles depend on the economy, strength of my pitches and market saturation. Recently, things have slowed down and made me antsy. When I get nervous about money, I obsessively crunch numbers. Since I was in college, spreadsheets and kept receipts have been a kind of financial security blanket. Tracking every penny I earn and spend gives me (at least) the illusion of control. Currently, my plan is based on the tricks I've learned over the years of saving my pennies.

• Calculate your baseline income. Do you have a monthly column? Weekly blogging gig? How about a part-time job? This money defines your budget for your basic expenses. Keeping within this amount can ease your basic money worries.
• Map your basic expenses. Chart your costs for rent, utilities, insurance, credit card payments, etc. When you get a check or tipped out, immediately set this amount aside.
• Define other categories of costs. Food, gas, household items and personal care can be much more easily paid in cash. Divide the month up into manageable chunks and put the amount for each category into an envelope. Once the envelope is empty, you're effectively broke.
• Give yourself an allowance. If you're used to earning and spending freely, having something to spend at your discretion can make even the tightest budget more manageable. But, as in other categories, once it's spent, it's gone for that period.
• Save an emergency fund. Put $10 aside for every check or tip out you receive. Getting into the habit of saving even the smallest amount of money can add up quickly. After a few months, even the smallest amount of savings can provide a buffer if your income falls.
• Save your pennies. Seriously. Adam and I have now gone on two vacations from saving our pennies and using reward credit card for baseline expenses. However, for those who are starting out budgeting, don't touch the plastic. Establishing a cash-based system gives physical reinforcement when the amount is spent.

Have any freelance budget tips of your own? Pass 'em along!

Make a Living Writing Link Party

Introducing -- Cocktail of the Hour

At Octane, we bartenders use the daily dinner hour lull to Instagram pictures of drinks and their ingredients. Many of the cocktails are both beautifully colored and cleverly named. As a result, I've become somewhat engrossed in research on the subject.

Weekly Cocktail of the Hour posts will highlight one cocktail and its history as told by the books and online sites I frequent and love. This week, the Last Word hits the top of the list. Though the exact quantity varies, the basic recipe calls for equal parts gin, Maraschino liqueur, Green Chartreuse and lime juice.

Developed in Detroit right before the start of Prohibition, this cocktail is almost more famous for its disappearance than for its origin. Interestingly, the name's origin remains a mystery.

After its introduction in the early 1920s, the Last Word almost entirely disappears from the historical record for 80 years. Though it resurfaced in Ted Saucier's 1951 Bottoms Up, it remained obscure until it was rediscovered and brought back to fame in 2004 by Seattle's Zig Zag Cafe.

Though summer is drawing to a close, the Southern heat will most likely endure until early or mid-October. The lime's acidity, Chartreuse's earthiness, Maraschino's sweetness and gin's herbaceousness all come together to create a light, sippable cocktail you'll want to keep in your glass all day long.

Recipe:

3/4 oz lime juice

3/4 oz Green Chartreuse

3/4 oz Maraschino liqueur

3/4 oz gin

Shake for 10-15 seconds or until cooled through. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

How I became a football fan

Last night, my first dream featured SEC football teams  walking through an ESPN College Gameday-style entrance to a stadium. I got so excited I woke myself up. Growing up, I had very little interest in football. Since my entire family was rooted in the ACC, I grew up watching basketball and lacrosse. When we moved to Alabama, I resisted learning how to watch a new sport. In high school, I had to attend every Friday night football game while I was in band, but I didn't give a rip about college football. To me, it was something that happened during marching band competitions and distracted my peers.

During my semester off from college, SEC football became a grounding point. Each week, it gave me something to look forward to. Without leaving my living room, I could become a part of a larger collective while I was cheering for a team. I started self-identifying as a football fan. Now, my tutoring kids (and their parents) are shocked when I can hold a coherent conversation about recruiting programs, historical facts and pass completions. It's fun.

Here in Alabama, football is a rallying point. For many, it is also a way to connect; allegiances and alumni status often open a conversation about mutual connections. Another laughable or downright painful story may have made it to the national level, but the state is dominant in NCAA football.

As a writer, I'm curious to see what narratives will arise this year. Since last season's most inspiring story was a hoax, it will be interesting to see if more fact checking is incorporated into this year's mythmaking. The writing culture surrounding competitive sports demands heroes and underdogs. Without figureheads in these roles, it can become more difficult to connect with the sport in question, to cheer for the team (or player) who's gone through hell, but is able to overcome.

On a lighter note, some questions about the teams in Alabama remain. Can A.J. McCarron's tattoo get any more ridiculous? Will Gus Malzahn turn around the Auburn football program in his new role? Will the coaches of Alabama college teams wear funny hats to practice? We will just have to wait and see.

See Clair learn resilience (and fly fishing)

About a week after we first started dating, Adam told me about his family's trips to Colorado. After briefly mentioning the beautiful scenery and windy roads, he moved on to fly fishing. I learned about the sport's meditative and frustrating aspects and his affinity for it. Any trips he took out West, it seemed, would include several days in waders and a vest. Though some of the information filtered through, I tuned most of it out because I thought I might be able to get out of it. This spring, we finally planned a trip to Colorado. All I knew of fly fishing was that lures were artificial and learning the sport would make Adam happy. When he brought home a rod to teach me how to cast without a lure, I put off scheduling our date as long as possible. I procrastinated so well, in fact, that I only got an hour's practice before the actual trip.

During our time in Colorado, we fished almost every day. On the fifth day, I lapsed back into messy casting habits. As the frustration and hanger mounted, I got mean. Then I got out of the water. After 10 or 15 minutes and a granola bar, I started moving again. Not long after, I caught a feisty rainbow trout.

As someone who has gotten used to doing well at her hobbies and work, learning to fish was a different experience. The most interesting lesson in it for me had nothing to do about fish, but about my approach to marketing my talents. I had been pitching ideas without an exact target or followthrough. In both fishing and writing, omitting these two steps belies sloppy technique.

Since I returned home, I have been gathering information for new story ideas and am currently in the process of drafting tighter queries and letters of introduction to editors. Though even the best worded letter or spooled out line may not get a hit, doing it well and often heightens the chances it will succeed. As the old saw goes, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again."

Do or do not. There is no try

Since I graduated college, I have resisted defining myself by my job title. After being raised to be the author of my own story, the idea of describing my identity with others' words makes me feel like some manic pixie dream girl. Once I quit my day job to bartend and freelance, I have fewer reservations about shaping titles like these to fit my life.

Not using these titles became an excuse. Denying that I am a writer and a runner gives me the slack I need to put off blog posts and speed drills. Not admitting these parts of my identity gives me the room to fail without fear of consequence. If I'm not a writer, having a pitch ignored or rejected is just part of being an amateur freelancer. If I'm not a runner, spending the afternoon on my couch instead of the sidewalk isn't neglecting a training routine, it's personal care.

The truth is that I am both a writer and a runner. My spreadsheet of story ideas and markets won't pitch itself, and I'll never be able to run 3.11 miles if I don't lace up. Pretending that I have no responsibility to these titles won't cut it anymore. I simply can't ignore it anymore.

Tonight I work my first solo bartending shift at Octane. Though I haven't been too hesitant about calling myself a bartender, I qualify the title by adding "baby" or "in training." Truthfully, I will be learning new parts of the craft during every shift I work. If I keep using a qualified title now, I may never stop, further hindering my ability to hone my skills.

Needless to say, the denial and qualifications stop now. I am a writer, runner and bartender, and should direct my energy to develop these abilities instead of denying them. It's about damn time.

Today's title comes from Yoda's speech to Luke.

An ordinary life

A year is a surprisingly long time. At the beginning of August last year, I was on the verge of starting my first non-temporary office job. I had never seriously considered a career as a freelance writer, personally blogged or mixed a classic cocktail.

After spending several months in a cubicle, I was restless, lethargic and generally miserable. Tutoring and freelancing were the only paid gigs that reflected what I'd learned during my time in school, so I focused my energy there. At a certain point, it was too much. I'm pretty good at pacing myself, but six hours of sleep couldn't replenish the amount of energy burned each day.

Then I got an offer I couldn't expect -- a chance to learn the art of craft cocktails from one of my favorite bartenders in Birmingham. Two years' experience writing about cocktails had given me a taste of the industry, but not the deeper knowledge I needed to cover the topic in depth. My full-time job wouldn't accomodate this change, so I put in my two weeks' notice.

Yes, I quit my job to tend bar. Yes, it may sound like a quarter life crisis. No, it was not a bad idea.

So far, it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I have learned how to properly stir/shake a cocktail, explain a bar's worth of product and actually taste wine/beer/liqueur/liquor. Historical cocktail books became my reading materials, and my drink flashcards became a permanent fixture in my purse.

I love it. I love it all, and through it I've become part of the up-and-coming food and drink scene in Birmingham.

With my recent career and lifestyle changes, I've been considering splitting this blog into sections: writing, mixing and running. All three are topics I love, and each brings a part of my life into balance. However, the division into three separate blogs might be out of reach both financially and time-wise. For now, I will categorize posts based on these topics.

Today's title comes from a yoga instructor's discussion of the importance of an ordinary life. Obviously, my definition of ordinary has drastically changed over the past few months.

What is holding you back today?

Last week, I hobbled out of an (unexpectedly) hot yoga session with the instructor's question ringing in my ears. Since then, it has stuck with me, and on closer inspection, I've uncovered several things.

Mindfulness is absolutely necessary for maintaining a full and happy life. Last night's run sent me into a sneaky (self-)hate spiral, and left me wallowing in my car about my lack of athletic prowess for a few minutes. Afterwards, I started my car and drove home to write and cook. Despite the mild dehydration and soreness, my run fulfilled its purpose and burned off the excess energy that was keeping me distracted and unproductive.

Maintaining consistency is hard. Whether in scheduling, writing, bartending or exercising, perfect practice is the key to building skill and talent. Even if the drafts don't make it online or a shaker is full of ice water or a run is less than two miles, it's still improving my techniques if its done right.

Professionally and personally, rejection is not something to fear. Expanding into new markets as a freelance writer will inevitably involve rejection. Some relationships don't work out, and others end in bloody disagreement. However, this risk is offset by the deep and lasting connections that can be forged by taking chances.

Work diligently to combine passion and talent. Up to this point, my professional life has largely been an exercise in earning money. Now, a portion of my income is entirely dependent on my pursuing my freelancing goals. Once the school year starts back, tutoring will help offset my living expenses, but that still leaves my daytimes free to write and explore my interests. Venturing into bossland (even if I am my only employee) will be an adventure, and I promise to share it with the Internets on here.

Running for fun?

I fall into certain practices and habits very quickly. Unfortunately, exercise and fashion are the exceptions to that rule, so starting any sort of program or regular routine is very difficult. After I started running with Adam on Sundays, it was as much to my surprise as his when I began running with another friend during the week.

Then I was invited to go to a group class at Resolute Running, a Homewood-based running gym. Even when I could barely run a mile, they encouraged me to call myself a runner. During that time, Adam challenged me to push myself in running the way I push myself to do better in every other aspect of my life. At first, I was offended. These runs allowed me to wallow in my lack of athleticism instead of working out.

Once I thought about it for a time, I made the choice to push myself just a little bit more, but also to cross train and be mindful of my joints. After only four weeks, I could run almost 1.5 miles without stopping or severe joint pain. Though it might not sound like much, I am now regularly running longer routes than have compromised my knees in the past.

My goal is currently to run a 5K, then to work with a coach at Resolute Running to come up with a plan for a half marathon (a what?). I have recently purchased an actual athletic shirt, and have plans to go running in Philadelphia while I'm in there.

For me, continuing to run is now like sticking with physics in college. Neither of these things come easily to me, and I've poked fun of individuals who were masochistic enough to push through on either path. Finishing my physics degree became one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced, and completing it extremely satisfying.

It is my hope that crossing the finish line at my first 5K will be just as much of a rush. At this point, maybe I'll start actually calling myself a runner. Maybe. Until then, I'll keep going for runs.

Blame Maldon Sea Salt

If I ever develop heart disease, blame Maldon Sea Salt. Blame it for my licked clean fingers

After each pinch drops into

The pan of symmetric vegetable slices.

Blame the flake shared from a fingertip

For lighting a slow-burning love

Of cooking and a freckly back.

Blame its pyramids for writing a fresh rhythm

That stirred two bodies to dance

Between a spitting pan and sticky ball of naan.

Blame Maldon Sea Salt for a full heart.