Five Things My Mom Was Right About

Maybe it’s just me “getting old,” but I’m realizing more and more that my mom has actually been right about a lot of things (yes, I admit it).

And so, going against all my rebellious-teenager instincts (and in honor of Mother's Day), here are five things my mom was right about…

1.) “One day, you’ll thank me for all these hikes.”

Growing up in Maryland, I was ridiculously lucky to be within about an hours’ driving distance of many beautiful state parks that boasted waterfalls, endless forests, and gorgeous rocky clearings that provided sweeping views. Almost every weekend, my parents and I would load up into the car and head to one of the many state parks for a morning or an afternoon of hiking.

And almost every weekend, without fail, I’d whine and complain about how hiking was “boring” and how much I hated it. In my mind, nature was stagnant and dull – there was nothing exciting to do when all you could do was walk… Oftentimes, it was also sticky and hot (Maryland is pretty much a swamp in the spring and summer), and I hated getting sweaty and yucky when I could have been watching TV at home, in the air conditioning.

Now, over ten years later, I can honestly say – thanks mom, you were right.

Thanks for instilling an awe-inspiring love of nature in me, despite my unwillingness to acknowledge it until years later. Today, I ardently miss those hikes and the proximity to such beautiful state parks, and I thrive being outdoors and being active. I definitely attribute this to my mom and her determination to get me outdoors and moving… Despite my childish resistance.

2.) “You can do it.”

This applies to many situations to list… From arduous group projects in college with teammates who drove me mad to uncertainty in my professional endeavors, it always seemed impossible until it was done.

And you were right mom. I did it. And I can do it again.

3.) “Give it time, you’ll learn to love coffee (and beer).”

This is hilariously true because I now can’t go a day without having at least two cups of coffee. When I was younger though? Coffee was bitter, black, and too disgusting to stomach. Beer was pretty much the same – too carbonated, too bitter, too much of an aftertaste. Now I’m eating (or drinking) my words.

4.) “You’re in too much of hurry to grow up – you’re going to miss these days.”

My last semester of college, I was so ready and so excited to be done. No more tests, no more quizzes, no more papers – bring it on! I was ready to enter the “real world” and be a “professional,” working in a fun, exciting job, and to be living on my own in my very own apartment.

Well, I did work a fun, exciting job… For about two months until everything changed and went downhill quickly. Reality set in, and I quickly learned what it really meant to dread going into work every day and to hate your job…

And yes, I also really missed college. Despite those pesky quizzes, tests, and papers, I missed the freedom of being a student and the invigorating environment of academia.

So you’re right, mom. I do miss those days. And I was in too much of a hurry to grow up.

5.) “Be patient, work hard, and good things will come.”

Finding a job in my last semester of college was equally stressful and frustrating because I wanted to have everything perfectly planned out right now. I wanted to be able to apply for a job, go to an interview, and hear back about an offer within a matter of days… But of course, we all know that’s not how it works.

At moments, it was frustrating and disappointing to be left weeks without word from any of the dozens of shops that I had sent applications to, and I felt like I had worked so hard in college for nothing.

After wasting too much time and energy on stress and impatience, things finally started coming to fruition when I “let go” and allowed time to do its thing…

So mom, you were right. And you’re still right, even if my impatience is trying to overrule that again.

You hear that, mom? That’s me admitting defeat (lovingly). You were right, and you’re going to continue to be right about more and more…

But just to be clear, you’re never going to be right about me eating meat again. There’s too much vegetarian guilt in me for that.

Happy Mother’s Day.

xx
ola

Five Things Post-Grad Life Has Taught Me (So Far)

Last year, I wrote an open letter to the class of 2015 (my own).

It’s scary to think that it’s been almost a full year to the day since I walked across the stage, victoriously held my hard-earned diploma in my hands, and transitioned from “college kid” to “college grad” with a flip of my tassel.


And now, here I am. A year older, wiser (?), and fully immersed into the big bad “real world” of post-grad life and so-called “adulthood.”

This past year has been nothing like I expected, and has – quite frankly – been an uphill battle. More often than not, it’s been marked by struggle, by self-doubt, by more questions than answers, and by many tough decisions.

But you know what? If nothing else, it’s been one of the most learned years of my life. And if you know me, you know I’m a sucker for advice and sharing with others, so here are the five things that post-grad life has taught me (thus far):

1.  You’re going to have friendships that fade away no matter how hard you try to maintain them, and that’s okay.

People start new careers, further their education, move back home, get married, start a family, whatever – all of a sudden, there are dozens of new priorities in life and some friendships will naturally fade away. It’s a part of life, and in the end, the people who are meant to be there will remain.

2.  You will never again have as much free time as you did in college. 

I understand that this may not be the case for some people who took 20+ hour semesters and worked one or more part-time jobs to pay for everything, but for most of us, it will ring painfully true. Even if your job does not necessitate long hours, you will find that between your commute, your daily workout, taking care of your pets, getting chores done, etc. your day will fly by until it’s time for bed again. Don’t take it as a bad thing, per say; just take it in stride and learn to take a step back to really embrace the now.

3.  There’s a decent chance you won’t even spend a year at your first job, and it will not put a scarlet letter put on your resume. 

Three months into my first job post-grad, I realized I was absolutely miserable and that the job I had so eagerly accepted a month before graduation no longer existed. In fact, I was working at a completely different company than the one I had interviewed with (almost literally – the company had undergone a name change, among other things), and my job responsibilities were no longer the ones I had been so excited to undertake. I woke up every week day with a pit of dread in my stomach, and I made the morning commute with an overwhelming sense of gloom.

I knew I had to make a change, but I was terrified to do so because I kept coming back to a single phrase: job hopper. I didn’t want to be seen as the “stereotypical millennial” - bored and needing a complete job change every few months just because one or two things were off-kilter and feeling entitled to more…

But eventually, after listening to similar sentiments from my colleagues, I was encouraged to start a job hunt. I honestly wasn’t expecting much – I was still pretty fresh out of college, after all – and I was pleasantly surprised with the traction I received after a week of searching. By Halloween, I had a job offer with a higher salary, and by the first week of November, I was employed elsewhere.

So if you find yourself at an unpleasant place in your professional life mere months after starting, don’t be intimidated by the prospect of being considered a “job hopper” to be pursuing other opportunities.

4.  You’re going to look at others and wonder why you’re not doing more with your life.

Good grief, this is probably one of the hardest lessons I’ve had to swallow this year.

At some point, you’re going to catch yourself doing it, “Man, I can’t believe she’s only 22 and is getting to travel all over the world with her high-profile job… What am I doing with my life?”

Just because so-and-so is making double your salary at a job they can’t stop raving about and your sorority sister is getting married this summer to her college sweetheart does not mean that your place in life is to be looked at in a lesser light. We all have our own journeys with our own ebbs and flows – you will never know the full, intimate details of someone else’s story, so it is absolutely pointless to try and compare yourself.

5.  You’re going to emerge stronger, smarter, and more confident.

Despite the curveballs life will throw you in your first year of post-grad life (be it job changes, cross-country moves, or unexpected joys), you will learn to be stronger, smarter, and more confident.

This is the first year of my life that I have ever lived completely alone, and every tiny little thing I had to deal with has taught me a valuable lesson. From having to confront my immense fear of roaches head-on instead of relying on someone else to kill them for me (thanks Raid) to adopting and then taking care of a new furry family member, every challenge and new experience has contributed to making me a more well-rounded person.

No matter what your situation is, you too, will emerge stronger, smarter, and more confident. Whether you’ve made the (sometimes tough) decision to move back in with your parents, the bold decision to move to a brand-new state, or simply chosen to move to the next city over, every experience will help you grow… If you let it.

So whether you’re a young professional struggling to find your place, or a bright-eyed soon-to-be-grad with your sights on the “real word,” it’ll be okay.

Don’t ever feel alone, because there’s a damn good chance that someone else is right there with you, no matter what your circumstances. And if you're ever in doubt, just laugh. Life's too short and too full of stupid shit to be taken seriously.

xx
ola

Chow Mein "Zoodles" with Tempeh Crumbles

I have a new culinary obsession: zoodles (otherwise known as zucchini noodles).

When I was perusing various food blogs for a suitable new dinner recipe to try out a few weeks ago when I stumbled on Inspiralized. I found their recipe for vegetarian pad thai with zoodles, and I just knew that I absolutely had to try it.

I had to make a Walmart run anyway to pick up a few necessities, so I conveniently added this to my list. I figured I'd try a "basic" spiralizer before committing to anything larger, so this seemed like the logical choice; it was relatively inexpensive, small to store (a big plus in my tiny 500 square foot apartment), and easy to use. I busted it out to use that very evening and had a very satisfying dinner of zucchini pad thai.

And so the obsession began.

Now I pick up zucchini every time I go to the grocery store because I can't get enough of these delicious - and incredibly nutritious -  little spirals of sheer veggie joy.

This has become my favorite go-to dish when I'm craving something with an oriental tang to it - but not the guilt of trans fats and MSG associated with ordering takeout - chow mein zoodles with tempeh crumbles.

Big shoutout to White On Rice Couple for giving me the inspiration with their original recipe. If you follow my food Instagram (which you should if you don't already), you've probably seen me post an iteration of this recipe (with tofu instead of tempeh) already.

My version has a few tweaks (though I kept their recipe for the sauce - yum!) and is meatless:

The Sauce:

• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1/2 TSP sugar
• 1 TSP vinegar
• 2 TSP vegetarian oyster sauce

The Zoodles:

• One package (8 oz) tempeh
• 2 TBSP of olive oil, separated
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 ginger root (about the size of half of your thumb), chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped plus extra for garnish (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

The How-To:

• Prepare your "zoodles" by using a mandolin slicer or spiralizer.
• Heat about 1 TBSP of olive oil on medium high heat in a small skillet while you use your hands to break up the block of tempeh into crumbles. When the oil is hot, pour the crumbles into the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• While the tempeh crumbles are cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and vegetarian oyster sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
• Heat the remaining 1 TBSP of olive oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add pressed garlic, chopped ginger, chopped scallions, and chopped onion. Cook until the onion becomes clear and the garlic and ginger become fragrant - about 3-4 minutes.
• Add bell pepper and carrot; cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add tempeh and zoodles; cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour sauce over top zoodles and cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing it thoroughly into the dish.
• Serve & enjoy immediately, with an optional garnish of scallions!

Seriously y'all. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this dish. It's healthy and light but immensely flavorful and the addition of the tempeh packs in some much-needed protein.

Let me know if you make it and how it turns out in the comments!

xx

ola

An Open Letter to 2015...

So I did one of these blog posts last year, and after re-reading it a few times in the past week, I've decided to do another.

It's been a wonderful year.

You brought me change.
From graduation to switching jobs in just a few months, from living alone to adopting a furry little roommate, so many things have changed this year that it's hard for me to wrap my head around sometimes. That being said, though some of the changes may have been painful and uncomfortable in the moment, I can confidently look back at them all and see that they were for the best.

You brought me adventure.
I may not have traveled nearly as much as I did in 2014, but the travel memories I made this year seemed richer and more substantial than those I've made in years past. I went to Mardi Gras with some of my most favorite people and spent five days filled with laughter, beads, and incredible floats. I went to Peru for a week and saw awe-inspiring sights and experienced life-changing and humbling memories. I went back to NYC and DC where I was humbled enough to spend 9/11 at the official memorial and lucky enough to meet up with old friends that I hadn't seen in over five years.

You brought me doubt.
From the stress of securing a job upon graduation to finding an apartment in Dallas to switching jobs in the last quarter of the year, 2015 was definitely a year of uncertainty and doubt. But it reaffirmed my mantra of float on. There are only so many things that we can control in this world. The rest will just happen, and all will be okay. 2015 was more than just "okay," despite my harried moments of misgiving.

You taught me responsibility.
Ah yes, the first real taste of the "adult world" and being completely self-sufficient and figuring things out on my own. From the little victories of figuring out how to hook up my own Internet connection in my apartment to the slightly-bigger victories of managing to move from one city to another with an SUV and a borrowed pick-up truck to the major successes of landing a much-improved (by leaps and bounds) job within a single week, responsibility hit the ground running hard. And you know what? I think I might actually be getting the hang of this "adulthood" thing a little.

You taught me (even more about) love.
I wrote it last year, but I'll write it again this year: love is patient, love is kind; love is a cliche until you really know what it means. Love is a happy pup jumping up to greet you when you get home... Even if you've only been gone an hour or two. Love is a long trek to IKEA for a couch... Only to break down two minutes from my apartment. Love is the comfort of seeing your parents' house after a long drive and seeing excited smiling faces coming to welcome you home. Love is making an hour-long drive to sit around and do nothing with a friend in need.

You taught me faith.
I don't purport to be religious at all, but I have my own beliefs. I believe in karma. I believe in the power of positive thinking. I believe in love, and I believe in humanity. I've said it before and I'll say it again - there are only so many things in this world that we can control. Everything else takes a little bit of faith.

You taught me the value of never giving up.
It's easy to feel like hard work just quite isn't paying off, and that's because it takes time. Like a careful investment into a piece of property, a stock, or a business, life takes time to show some sort of result. So just because the hard work you're putting forth now isn't quite coming to fruition doesn't mean it won't a few months down the line. This was the year of my hard work finally coming to fruition, and it feels great.

You taught me humility.
It's stupidly easy to get wrapped up in me, me, me nowadays. With the widespread use of social media and social sharing, we're constantly getting bombarded by manipulated images of what our lives should look like, based on what our friends are doing. "Well she has that, and I don't; woe is me!" Going to Peru and being able to be unplugged for long stretches of time gave me a great reminder of the simple things in life, and just how lucky I am to have so many things that I often take for granted.

2015, you were a hell of a year. 2016's got a lot to live up to, but it's already started on a pretty killer note. Let's keep it coming.

xx
ola

Let's Talk About Love

I don't purport to be a political expert. In fact, I intentionally keep from engaging in political discussions with peers because I've seen far too many mere political discussions turn into heated arguments laden with cutting insults and raised voices. More so, I feel like I'm simply not nearly qualified nor informed enough to accurately voice and support my opinions.

Of course I try to keep myself pretty well informed on most current events, but I know that I - like many others in the modern era - generally fall short. There's only so far I can get through a CNN or BBC article before I get bored or distracted by a flashy headline for a listicle or social media (thanks, shortened attention span).

Lately, it's been increasingly difficult to be under-informed. Don't get me wrong - knowing and understanding what is happening in the world is great, but it becomes not-so-great when it happens under distressing circumstances.

My mom recently said to me, "I was thinking about everything that's been going on in the world lately, and I had a thought: what will the world look like for you and your children? Your children's children?"

I'm an eternal optimist and I will never waver in my belief of compassion and love for the human race and hope for the future, but I will be frank: I'm scared.

I'm scared that we're going to go to war.

I'm scared that history is repeating itself.

Most importantly, I'm scared that we're slowly entering into a new reality, where fear is the norm, violence is the answer, bloodshed is common, and hope is lost for humanity.

I refuse to accept that this is the future that we're heading towards because I know that we are capable of so much more, but still I worry.

I could get on my soapbox and talk about my opinions on violence and war, but instead I'll say this - I believe in love.

Call me the product of a "soft" generation that has been coddled and told over and over again that we're "special" and "loved" not only by our parents and peers but also by self-righteous bloggers writing about body acceptance and equal rights for all (Ah yes, irony), but I believe in love.

I believe in the power of loving your neighbor and loving your brother.

I believe that love sits at the very core of humanity. We're all capable of it, we all have the ability to love.

And while admittedly (in the words uttered during a recent conversation), "hugging a terrorist isn't going to make them throw their weapons down and forget their hatred," I believe in it nonetheless.

At the risk of sounding cliche, I think Anne Frank put it best:

"It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."

So as the world keeps brimming with the rumble of intermittent anger and violence, I choose to move forward with love.

Even if that makes me a cliche.

xx
ola