Brita, Cartel, and Iron

These are the things that I've decided that I am very partial to at the moment:

1. Brita Water Pitchers
This item that I inherited from my old roommate upon my return to my old apartment is really hitting the spot right now.  First of all, we don't have an ice maker in our freezer, so we have to do it manually, with those little ice cube trays.  Pain in my ass.  Since I'm not motivated enough to make the ice cubes, I drink the water at the coldest temperature that it comes out of the tap -- not terribly cold.  Although I am too lazy to make ice cubes, I do like cold water, particularly after a run in the brutal Richmond heat.  My Brita not only provides me with excellently cold water, but clean as well.  Plus one for Brita.

2. Cycles by Cartel
This album, released by Cartel in 2009, is a redeeming effort following their previous effort, Cartel (which was terrible).  This album is the perfect soundtrack to an acute post-breakup life.  It has the right mix of upbeat pop songs to make me happy, while also blending in typical "emo/pop punk" lyrics that help poor sad souls (me) and highschool losers alike (not me) get over lost romances and romances that will never be.  Kudos to Cartel.

3. Lifting weights
Today I benched 100 pounds on my 4th set, 8 reps.  This is the first time I have benched a triple digit number in 11 months.  All in all, I am getting into that "obsessed with lifting weights" zone that I get into 2 to 3 times per  year.  It is my goal to continue lifting 3x per week through the rest of the summer, while I simultaneously increase my running volume.  The current loose goal is either the Richmond Marathon or Half Marathon in November.  I'm not concerned with a concrete goal or training plan at the moment, just trying to get back to fitness.

All three of these things are contributing to my overall goal of self improvement.  In times like these, it is important to go back to the drawing board and determine where improvements can be made.  This is a very epic time of my life.  I am starting my first real job as a physical therapist in 2 days, and am finally making the transition to adulthood.  Along with that comes a strong desire to be a better person.  Armed with my Britra, Cartel, and Iron, I'm confident I'm moving in the right direction.