Today has been jam-packed, but so much fun! I spent the morning volunteering my time at an Expanding Your Horizons conference at University of Arizona. The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program puts on this conference once a year where local middle school girls come and hear from women in the sciences about their jobs: a typical day at the office, what led them to their career, how fun and exciting it is, etc. It’s intended to help girls realize that they can pursue jobs in the sciences and that science can be fun!
Last year I served on a big Q & A panel with lots of other women in science-related professions. This year I actually hosted a workshop where I taught the girls all about how the brain works! It was a lot of fun – the girls got to do a real experiment and I showed some fun videos to explain phenomena like change blindness and attentional blindness (also called “tunnel vision”). Think you’re immune to these things? Go ahead – test YOUR awareness!
How’d you do? 
After volunteering, I ran to the store to grab some groceries, then got in almost 2 HOURS worth of P90X workout videos! (It was the last 30 minutes of yoga, an hour of Back & Chest, and 20 minutes of Ab Ripper X). It’s a pretty intense program, but I think it helps that I have mixed the videos into my workout routines before because I’m familiar with the moves and my body already has some experience with the stamina/endurance of the extra-long workouts.
Oh yeah, and a protein-packed green monster for recovery helps, too!
Reeses Fake-Out Protein Smoothie
1 full banana, a heaping tablespoon of Dark Chocolate PB&Co, 2 Tbs of chocolate soy protein, a big handfull of spinach, and enough unsweetened almond milk to make it blend. Just like a Reeses peanut butter cup….well, almost. 
And beautiful flowers make it feel like Spring!
So does a nice brisk walk on the sunny warm main strip by campus (a coffee run from this morning before I did the volunteer thing)
This afternoon a friend is coming over and we’re all going to bbq on the grill: ribs, chicken breasts, sausage, asparagus, and baked potatoes. And maybe we’ll have a friendly game of poker…who knows?
Have a great weekend!
Do you ever play poker with friends? Chris has played for years but I’ve just gotten into it over the past few months – now I really like it!!
I’ve never played poker with friends, but I bet it would be fun!
Good job on that mega workout!
By: Kara on March 5, 2011
at 4:23 pm
Haha! I’ve seen that video before, and I show it to people all the time now! I love poker nights. I’m a big gambling freak, and though I almost lose, it’s still a ton of fun! Have a great weekend!
By: Sophia @ Raven Waves on March 5, 2011
at 5:41 pm
I’m awful at Poker but my housemate is seriously so good. When we go to the casino-i play the slots and she plays the tables and wins a ton.
By: Hollie @ Lolzthatswim(andRun) on March 5, 2011
at 7:51 pm
I’ve watched that video before too… it’s crazy!!
By: Christin@purplebirdblog on March 5, 2011
at 9:55 pm
Oh, if only we could work out a way to really replicate a Reese’s Peanut Buttercup in a healthy way
Your version sounds pretty close, but alas I can’t get PB&Co in Australia!
By: Hannah on March 5, 2011
at 9:58 pm
That sounds like a great shake! What kind of protein powder do you use?
By: Faith on March 6, 2011
at 10:40 am
i totally mix it up – and i’m not married to any specific brand or anything. what do u use?
By: thefitacademic on March 7, 2011
at 7:36 am
I don’t even know how to play poker!! I stopped playing card games ages ago unfortunately. Hope you had fun!
By: Stacey on March 6, 2011
at 10:41 am
Ha, that video got me, love it. At first I was like, yes! I counted the right amount … I obviously missed the point completely until the end.
2 hours of PX90? That’s hardcore! : ]
By: Lesley on March 6, 2011
at 2:23 pm
I’ve never played poker before! Crazy
That is a hardcore workout! Here I am, being lazy about going to the gym to get on the elliptical!
By: Kate (What Kate is Cooking) on March 6, 2011
at 2:49 pm
so many people on my freshman floor in college played poker almost every night! i joined in a couple times after watching for a couple weeks. i like it, but i am certainly not very good at it!
By: Sarah on March 6, 2011
at 2:59 pm
2 hours of p90x? You go girl!!
By: simplyshaka on March 6, 2011
at 3:39 pm
OMG my teacher gave us that “test” once! =) too funny!!!
looove poker nights! Though I havent had one in years! We played texas holdem in highschool a ton and my friends always got mad b/c I was a shark =) hehe I think i’m too scared to play now and ruin my streak!!!
By: Jenn @ Peas & Crayons on March 6, 2011
at 3:57 pm
I love playing poker with my friends!! Pretty much none of them actually know how to play well so I always beat them;) Of course we don’t play seriously or anything!
By: Olivia on March 6, 2011
at 5:18 pm
I used to play poker when I was in college. I would never win because by the end of it, if I was still in I was always bored and would blow all potential money in one hand!
By: Allison @ PickyEatingRD on March 6, 2011
at 5:44 pm