How not to become a full-time writer

I love writing. Building individual words into words and articles that demonstrate my knowledge and wit has been an incredibly fun way to spend my time and energy outside of bartending. However, I've recently become aware that some habits I've formed are not conducive in any way, shape or form to expanding my freelance markets. I've put together a list of the worst offenders to help others avoid my mistakes.

• Netflix is a fantastic substitute for cable. However, there are millions of hours' worth of TV shows and movies available instantly. Getting sucked into a show (or three or four) is easy, but extracting yourself is not. Start watching Supernatural at your own risk.
• Complacency is easy. There's something to be said for treating your current clients like gold -- it's absolutely necessary for a freelancer to succeed -- but it's another to stay within your boundaries because they're comfortable. Taking action will mean facing rejection and bouncing back, but just asking could lead to possibilities you'd only imagined. After reading mental_floss as a kid, I never thought I'd actually have a column on their website, but I do. It's more awesome than I could have imagined.
• Networking is a buzzword for a reason. Writing and freelancing do depend on your knowledge, but breaking into new markets is just as dependent on who you know as what you know. Until you reach out to your friends and acquaintances, you'll never know what opportunities their networks can offer.
• A personal blog can be a great way to put your thoughts out there for the Internet to judge, but it can also turn into a distraction from real, paying deadlines and important personal connections. Balance is key.
• Ignoring your limits is a great way to get yourself sick, overwhelmed and unable to function at all. Taking on too much work can seem like the perfect way to set yourself apart from the crowd, but it can also backfire -- hard. If you get exhausted and miss a deadline, it'll make an editor remember you in a way that can harmfully impact your personal brand.

How to change your form

After attending a running form clinic, I was informed that I was "caught in the marathon shuffle." My knees weren't driving forward much at all, and the rest of my body was compensating. As a result, I burn more energy than necessary and am not building strength or endurance effectively. The report from the clinic also outlined ways to start changing my stride, and I found that many items were applicable in both running and writing.

• One step at a time. It's difficult to focus on more than one thing at a time while you're running, so consciously work to change one aspect of your form at a time. For writing, choose one stylistic element to tweak whether it's your diction, syntax or grammar. The tiny changes will add up.
• Be mindful. Your body and writing won't stand up well to abuse. Work towards change; don't try to force it all at once. You're liable to get burned out and/or injured.
• Research experts' advice. Just like in writing, you have to research authors' credentials and backgrounds. Their information will inform how you treat your body or body of work, so choose and implement information only from trusted sources.
• Don't fight it. Yes, you're trying to change ingrained behavior patterns. No, it's not going to be particularly easy. Change happens, and with some direction on your part, it can ensure better results.
• Uncomfortable is normal, overwhelming pain is not. Running through minor pain and cramping is par for the course. If the pain gets unbearable or overwhelming, slow down. You'll be out of the game longer with a compound injury than you would if you slow your training. Likewise, writing in new areas can expand your boundaries as an author, but if an article topic makes you downright uncomfortable, it might not be a good fit. Your emotional health is more important.

InstaVine that tweet

When anything remotely photo worthy happens at the Octane bar, one of the bartenders will usually start saying something along the lines of "InstaVine that! Better catch it now!" You haven't missed out on a new social media outlet. We just like to treat them as a unified whole. It's easier that way. My relationship with Twitter is specifically pretty good. I love the creativity the 140 character limit inspires. It's an extremely easy way to share content with a lot of people and to gauge their future responses to different subjects. It can also turn into a mob of disgruntled, faceless bullies in a heartbeat. Personally, I've given into making my Twitter account my own rather than trying to turn myself into a branded wonder. It's just not who I am.

In the writing world, I follow a lot of amazing writers. If not for @writeousbabe and the @seejanewritemag Blog Like Crazy challenge last year, I wouldn't have a blog. Javacia, the beauty and brains behind it, has been immeasurably helpful in providing advice (directly and indirectly) that has made my freelancing what it is. I also owe @bhamboxset for getting started both freelancing and blogging -- Carla Jean has been my mentor and friend and occasional tech support since 2011. Listing all of the writers and bloggers I admire and follow would take days, so I'll keep my list abbreviated.

To keep myself informed and entertained, I follow @mental_floss. Full disclosure: I write a column for their website, but their lists and informational stuff is too awesome not to share. For all things girl nerdy, I follow @ThreeChicGeeks and @BakerStBabes and a ridiculous number of others. My nerd is strong.

Otherwise, I follow friends, people I admire, magazines and websites I want to write for and many others. Oh, and @fernetbranca. If you're not familiar with their deliciously herbaceous and bitter spirit, remedy that. After all, it had a medical dispensation during Prohibition, so it's medicine, and medicine's good for you, right? Let's go with that.

Today's topic was to shout out to the people I follow on Twitter. There are a lot, so I chose seven.

Cocktail of the Hour -- the Champs Elysees

If you've ever taken a French class, chances are that your teacher made you sing the song called "Champs Elysées." When I first stumbled across the Champs Elysées cocktail on drinkboy.com, I couldn't get the song out of my head for weeks.

Tasting this drink made the earbug worth it. As a Sidecar variation, this brandy-based beverage is at once herbaceous, bold and delicately balanced. By most accounts, it's a cocktail that's remained largely obscure since it first appeared in Henry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. In this edition, the recipe calls for Chartreuse, while elsewhere the green or yellow is specified. This ambiguity allows the bartender (or home bartender) some room to play, so use whichever you prefer.

So little is known about this drink's history that, much like the Last Word, ordering it is a pretty easy way to demonstrate interest in classic cocktails. It's also worth noting that brandy-based cocktails are sometimes viewed as foreign but are actually as old (if not older than) some of the most revered whiskey cocktails.

Recipe:

1 dash Angostura bitters

.5 oz simple syrup

.5 oz (green or yellow) Chartreuse

.75 oz lemon juice

1.5 oz brandy

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake for 13-16 seconds or until combined. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and enjoy.

Happy birthday, See Clair Write!

It's fitting that my blog's birthday falls on the day where the Blog Like Crazy prompt is to talk about your beliefs. See Clair Write has become an outgrowth of those, and I love working to show them plainly.

For me, trust and belief go hand in hand. These internal markers are an excellent way to flesh out the relationships and conversations I have with others. As I've said before, I'm a compulsive list maker. Things as personal as beliefs are no different. Here are some random ones of mine:

• Cocktails are cultural artifacts. Whether through their origins, backstories or associations, cocktails are a great way to connect with the bright -- and sordid -- moments in our collective history. In a contemporary setting, asking a bartender about a drink's name can spark hours of discussion about their history (or the bar's).
• I'm a nerd. A huge, flaming, Doctor Who and Sherlock watching, China Mieville reading, football enjoying, drink mixing, cosplaying, music snobby nerd. I can talk for hours about all of these things. However, I'm also nerdy because I keep friends with a lot of people who are outside these fandoms because they have something to teach me and vice versa. It's part of why I fell in love with Adam.
• When I stop learning, I will die. Overdramatic statement? Maybe, but it's pretty much the truth. Anytime I stop reading or research or writing for more than a day, I feel much less alive. I hadn't realized how much I missed reading fiction until I read my friend Cecilia Dominic's book The Mountain Shadow in two days.
• I judge our friendship through hugs. I love hugs. They're a good barometer of how trusting and trustworthy an individual is. Though I understand that there's a boundary of not forcing too much physical contact on someone, a bear hug will almost always go a longer ways than a side-hug-slash-pat-on-the-back.
• Respect, respect, respect. Chances are that we don't see eye to eye on everything and are unlikely to change each others' minds on topics such as religion, politics, sex, etc. Judgment isn't going to win over my heart and mind. If we can't discuss them civilly or intellectually, we won't discuss them at all.
• Conversation is hugely important. Since the filter between my brain and mouth resembles a sieve, we're probably going to end up talking about religion, politics, sex, etc. I'm always fascinated by others' backgrounds and opinions...until they degenerate into proselytization or judgment. If it gets to that point, I'm out.

Fiercely feminine

Being a woman in the South isn't easy. Social pressures build the image of the perfect woman as demure, witty but not too smart and permanently happy. As the daughter of teachers, I was brought up to believe that living fully required the pursuit of knowledge. Though I was taught respect, I wasn't taught to suppress my opinions to garner public favor or to act any less intelligent than I am. I was brought up to be a nerd, and it's now a comfortable part of my identity.

When I started my first office job, being a woman wasn't easy. Within a month, I had found out that raises and promotions were scarce, and for women they were almost nonexistent. Most of my female coworkers had gotten married straight out of college and their lives revolved around their work and husbands. Yes, there was a significant age difference between us, but our interests rarely overlapped. My main point of connection with the others was through the knitting group that met twice a week. Even though I kept quiet for most of the time to avoid offending anyone, knitting became my camouflage.

Outside of work, knitting has always been a way to befriend other women. I've spent hours detangling yarn over wine while talking about breakups and childhood and friendship and knitting and sometimes nothing. These sessions have taught me patience, grace and meditation. My gentle friends have helped me to relax through and in knitting, teasing me about my tight stitches (seriously, it was ridiculous) and giving me room to adjust into a more comfortable technique.

Most importantly, knitting has taught me friendship. After a rough breakup, one of my friends sat with me while I untangled a lot of yarn. I wasn't talking, but she was showing me a very deep love by being there. As another friend says, "That's what friends do. They sit." For me, knitting with others is sitting. It's a way to be there without the pressure of conversation or convention. It's a space to relax into the motions and to sort out the tangled threads of thought.

Recently, I haven't been knitting. I haven't been spending time with my support network or the beautiful women who taught me so much. It's past time to pick it back up, but time and financial constraints have restricted my ability to do so. With the weather getting colder, there will probably nights in the near future where I curl up with a mug of tea, blanket and my knitting for some well-deserved rest, but for right now, I'll just nap.

Appsolutely Crazy

Despite my technological nerdiness, I didn't adopt a smartphone until 2009. After a lot of thought and gnashing of teeth, I gave in to the iTool and bought my first in 2011. For the first time, I didn't have to get text message notifications about my Facebook account. I was able to download useful apps and integrate them into my life and workflow.

But I didn't. Until earlier this year, all my apps were either social media outlets or iPhone presets. Embarrassing, I know, but I'd already gotten addicted to real-time texting and e-mail and Facebook and couldn't handle any more...or so I thought. Really, the problem was my slacking on time management, but it seemed like my phone was causing the trouble.

Before I had my run-in with Candy Crush addiction (it's real, people!), I started downloading apps. I discovered a ton of healthful, helpful and informative apps. Here are five of my favorites in alpha order:

1. Argus. This health app uses the iPhone's built-in pedometer and your input to track your activity, water consumption and caloric intake in a beautifully designed feed. If you're so inclined -- I'm not -- to share this information with others, you can connect with friends and family to share it all. Pros: Gorgeous design, easy use, great layout and data stream. Cons: The pedometer doesn't always work. The automatic switch over to running mode can also be buggy and it has been crashing randomly since the software update. Cost: $1.99
2. Duolingo. If you want to learn a foreign language and are willing to spend a few minutes every day for it, download this app. Its game-based system gives the user a little bit of freedom to choose areas of vocab but also checks your pronounciation and corrects your grammar. Pros: User friendly, makes topic accessible, not very time consuming. Cons: If you don't practice daily by a certain time, you'll get an e-mail reminder. The tiniest grammar errors can ruin your score, which is fair considering a lot of words have very similar meanings. Cost: Free
3. LearnVest. As I've mentioned before, LearnVest is my go-to financial organization web service/app. Daily e-mails from the service provide well-curated content that brings readers' experiences into a larger context. Pros: The service provides an easy way to link all your accounts with their dashboard and set both short-term and long-term financial goals. If you mainly use debit or credit to pay for all your expenses, this service is the hands down best way to track them. If not, you can add cash transactions, but the process is not as streamlined. Cons: Daily e-mails and offers on their website for paid services. That said, their newsletter and the free short call I had with one of their professionals have been extremely informative. Cost: Free
4. On The Bar. As a bartender and occasional bar patron, this app is the bomb. Bartenders can check in to let their networks know when and where they're working, and customers can tag their bar adventures. Pros: Easy to connect with and find your favorite bartenders. Cons: The app can be a bit buggy. Certain features aren't always totally functional. Cost: Free
5. Over. I downloaded this app during the App Store's Fifth Anniversary sale while it was free. It's been useful for giving photo credit and commentary within my Instagram posts. Pros: Easy and fun to use. Cons: Only a few fonts and graphics are available for free. The rest are available in bundles for a modest fee, but the ones that require paid access aren't labeled as such. Cost: $1.99

Blogging Bucket List

For a long time, I've been afraid to write a bucket list for blogging. I have a list of publications I want a byline in, but I've been subconsciously viewing my blog as a very personal project. Though its an active sample of my writing, assigning goals for its use holds me accountable and almost takes it out of my personal control. Today, though, I'm taking the leap into commitment to my blog. I've started cross posting each cocktail history blog post to liquor.com and to The Southern Coterie, so in some ways it's already gotten serious.

• Marketing. Leveraging my blog to connect with new writing markets and clients will expand the possibilities for my writing career. It should also help me to overcome my aversion to writing about myself and pitching my services.
• Traffic. I've recently reached out to several highly visible bloggers to guest post or regularly contribute to their work. These steps should hopefully boost my traffic and readership, which may aid in marketing.
• Monetization. Though it might not pay any of my bills, using the blog as a passive source of income could provide a few extra dollars for my savings and/or retirement. It may not seem like a lot now, but every dollar put away now is one I don't have to worry about in 40 years.
• Connections. The connections I've made while blogging have been invaluable. It's been a way to connect with other writers and like-minded individuals. Like social media, it's a fantastic way to start conversations with those you admire. After the first connection is established and it's natural, continuing the conversation over coffee is easy. In today's world, that's how some true friendships begin. I love this aspect of the web-based world and will continue to seek out and build these relationships.

Currently

Today's Blog Like Crazy prompt is to list things that I'm currently into. It's a simple idea, but I found that my categories were pretty different from others'. Without further ado,

• Watching: After figuring out I was getting overstimulated from watching television while writing, I've started turning off the boob tube. I'm watching less television than I have in a long time, but still manage to keep up with a few programs. Adam and I have been watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Grimm since they started, and are still current on both. They're fun, (mostly) well-written and light. We also keep up with Boardwalk Empire and are looking forward to the springtime return of Game of Thrones.
• Listening to: I have no music on my phone thanks to Spotify. About a year ago, my five-year-old iPod went belly up and I haven't been able to spring for a new one yet. Since I mainly used it in the car, it hasn't been worth the money to replace. Over the past few months, I've been jamming out to The Strokes, Foals, Young The Giant, Leagues -- all bands that are played regularly at Octane. My coworkers' tastes in music may differ from my own, but they're pretty darn good.
• Planning: One of my goals for this month is to build my blog's visibility and to build a client base for my writing. I have a tentative plan in place of how to achieve both, but it'll take an investment of a good deal of time.
• Looking forward to: Thanksgiving. I'm taking some time off to rest and relax and spend time with Adam while he's off work and out of class. It'll be nice to be able to just hang out and not have to worry about so many things.
• Reading: Cocktail books. Lots of cocktail books.
• Making me happy: My new running shoes are still making me happy and helping to motivate my runs, leading to increased seratonin levels and chemically-induced good feelings. I dig it.

Cocktails, food and more cocktails

Before you get worried, let me clarify: the title describes my reading list, not my nightly routine. Currently, I've got a foot-high stack of cocktail history books on my coffee table and a couple more in my bag. As both a craft bartender and food/drink writer, deep dives into cocktail history and lore have sharpened my skills and deepened my interest in the subject. I'm also lucky to have friends and loved ones who loan me books. Since the craft cocktail movement is still building here in Birmingham, it is also relatively new to public understanding. As a result, local libraries don't have much related material. My coworkers and friends have been invaluable in pointing me towards the best history and reference books in the field. Here are a few books that I've thoroughly enjoyed:

• Jim Meehan's The PDT Cocktail Book This funky, modern cocktail book breaks down every part of the bar experience into interesting and manageable segments. All pieces of drink-making and preparation are explained, including infusions and syrups specific to each recipe. Though some home bartenders may have to rebalance a few recipes to please their own palates, it's a wonderfully accessible primer on all things bar-related.
• Jerry Thomas's How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant's Companion or The Bartender's Guide Thomas's historical cocktail guide is delightfully Victorian without being prudish. Widely considered the great-great-great grandfather of modern mixology, Thomas is responsible for much of the flair and technique that made the American Cock-Tail into what it's become today. However, many of the recipes are written in measurements vague enough to kill even the best constructed drink. Luckily, modern cocktail historian David Wondrich has written a fantastic biography of Jerry Thomas called Imbibe! that translates and, in some cases, slightly rebalances these cocktails for the modern palate.
• Wondrich also crafted a fantastic history of punch in Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl. At once sassy and informative, this guide traces the drink's origins, takes a stab at its exact date of birth, goes on to give historical recipes with translated, user friendly modern equivalents.
• David Embury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks is an unintentionally hilarious, overtly sexist and absolutely curmudgeonly take on bartending. Embury himself never worked a bar shift, but had such strong ideas of how drinks should be made that he taught seminars on the matter after Prohibition. I'm only a few chapters in, but have laughed out loud multiple times.
• Brad Thomas Parsons's Bitters is both historical and practical for the home bartender. If you've ever been curious on what exactly bitters are or how they're made, pick up a copy and enjoy. (Disclaimer: I've only read the introduction).
• Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails is a delightful romp through pre- and post-Prohibition cocktails. Home bartenders beware: some of the recipes aren't balanced for modern tastes. Some drinks might not be to your taste.

Cocktail of the Hour -- Blood and Sand

As much as I love all things whisk(e)y, I'm still dipping my toes in the peaty waters of scotch and scotch cocktails. One of my recent favorites is the classic Blood & Sand. Composed of equal parts blended scotch, Heering cherry, orange juice and sweet vermouth, the drink is surprisingly smooth and sensuous. This tipple first appears on the radar in Henry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. Its name is most likely derived from the 1922 movie that starred Rudolph Valentino, but its history is otherwise unknown. More recently, its revival was almost halted by its ingredient list. In fact, master bartender Dale DeGroff rediscovered the recipe in the mid-1990s and was so intrigued by the combination that he both doubted its value and had to try one.

Though the ingredients might seem incompatible at first glance, the result is a rich, almost-tropical-punch drink. Rich cherry liqueur adds weight, sweetness and velvety texture that's balanced by the orange juice's acidity. The scotch gives the drink the smoky, peaty notes that are grounded by the rich wine-y-ness of the sweet vermouth. On paper, it appears of be a cacophony of tastes, but in reality, it all comes together for a right, delicious experience.

Recipe:

.75 oz orange juice .75 oz Heering cherry .75 oz sweet vermouth .75 oz blended scotch 

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until well-mixed, about 13-17 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and serve.

Peace and quiet

My couch is my refuge. I don't actually have a desk, so I usually settle into a spot on the center cushion. It's not particularly comfortable, which is part of the appeal -- I have to be productive so I can get up and move before I mess up my back. Instead of slowing falling asleep, I can concentrate on writing.

Once I'm settled, I usually check my e-mail, Facebook and Twitter to see if anyone's posting material that's interesting and/or pertinent to the day's writing. If not, I start researching. After opening 10-20 pages in separate tabs, the writing begins. The first draft usually gets trashed or overhauled. The second is bearable, and the third usually gets posted.

It might seem silly to spend so much time on each piece, but I'm a perfectionist. This set of tendencies also motivates me to give even more time and focus than my personal posts. As a freelancer, each story/article/post that carries my name also impacts my reputation. No pressure, right?

Wrong. Somewhere along the line, I picked up the idea that mediocre writing was equivalent to failure. After some time, it became ingrained. Since then, writing has been fun, but it's also riddled with anxiety. This feeling gets worse if I cut a deadline too close or skip a few days. My anxiety level is also directly proportional to the size of the assignment -- if it's a short piece for my blog, I'm fine. For my first two mentalfloss.com pieces, each inspired a fear that's almost a paralytic. The results have been awesome, but that part of the process isn't fun.

Working through this emotional block can be a challenge to any writer. For me, breaking these tasks into manageable chunks like transcription, research and writing makes them less daunting. On any day where I'm feeling off I can knock out one or two of the preliminary steps. After a few hours or days working like this, each article is broken down into its components and outlined. At this point, I'm raring to do anything other than grunt work and usually knock the actual writing out quickly.

My process might not be the healthiest, but it's mine and it usually works. Allowing myself the time to go through these steps and create new writing is especially important during this month's Blog Like Crazy challenge. After scheduling out my exercise for the next month, I'm looking forward to seeing how a new balance impacts my blog and writing career.

Have a different process? Please share it in the comments!

Why I blog

For the past year, I've blogged to clear out my head. Cataloging my thoughts and organizing them into an ever-evolving portfolio has landed me a couple new writing gigs and has put me in contact with some of the most interesting people I know. It constantly challenges me to interact with words and other writers, which always expands my world.

All of these things have been surprising. I resisted starting a website or blog for three years because I didn't want to be obligated to create content that might delve into my personal life. For this sometimes introvert, the idea of writing about my life was terrifying. Though I absolutely adored seeing my name in print, I could avoid including any personal details in these articles. Sharing them with my social networks gave me joy, and it was almost enough.

Starting to blog made it easier to form or re-form personal connections with others online. Sharing blog posts on social media has started conversations with old connections I'd been meaning to contact, and has proved valuable in freelancing as well.

It's also changed how I write. Nowadays, I only commit to writing for a few carefully chosen unpaid outlets. Each has been selected or recommended to break into new markets, advertise my services or to follow my passion. These pieces receive the same care and scrutiny as their paid counterparts, but they can be a drain on time and energy if they become the majority of your work.*

Despite my work schedule, blogging remains a way for me to keep up with my friends and family even when our schedules overlap so much. For me, it's also become an exercise in commitment and punctuality. It's made me more aware of deadlines and my own boundaries, and more appreciative of times I can disconnect.

More importantly, it's given me a sense of the value of my own time. I've taken that for granted in the past, and have exhausted myself. Since that point, I've put a premium on my time, and if an activity or assignment doesn't meet that threshold, I don't accept it. In conjunction with a standard for spending time with friends and loved ones, this system has done a lot of good for my sanity.  Time can't be recuperated, and I'm going to spend mine as wisely as possible.

*And you're not building your portfolio. In that case, building a library of high quality clips can be more important than pay.

Five November Blogging Resolutions

This month, I'm going to Blog Like Crazy through Birmingham's See Jane Write blogging group. Our fearless leader Javacia has once again challenged us to blog daily for the entire month of November. Last year, after reading ten or eleven days' worth of amazing posts, I was itching to write my own, and this blog was born. In honor of the month's beginning, here are my five blogging resolutions:

1. Hustle. This month, I will actively work to grow my freelance writing clientele base. I will target new clients more intelligently and efficiently, even after a few rounds of unanswered queries. I will pitch more and write more as I prepare for the future.
2. Use my time wisely. I'm a master of lists, but I'm also easily distracted. Scheduling my writing, running and reading will create accountability and explicitly lay out my work time and free time.
3. Take time for self-care. It may not be a session with a professional masseuse or personal trainer, but exercising and being still now receive designated spots in my calendar. With bartending, tutoring and writing stretching me thin, it's absolutely imperative that I make time to unplug.
4. Loosen up. Last week, it was brought to my attention that I'm pretty serious which can translate into people thinking I'm unapproachable. As a bartender, that's not acceptable. I'm hoping to loosen up by lessening my stress levels through items 3 and 4. If not, I'll find another way.
5. Show more love. I have the most amazing support system -- to whom I rarely reach out. This month, I'm going to contact some of those people to let them know how much they mean to me. I've already tried to start doing so with Adam, and want to actively continue that trend through this month.

Running (and singing) in the rain

Last Sunday's three miler was my first run in the rain. Coupled with temperate temperatures, the rain added an element of whimsy and fun to my long run. Watch out, world. I've just uncovered a socially acceptable way to play in the rain as an adult. On a more serious note, I got lucky. The sun set around the two mile mark, and despite the wet and my clumsiness, I didn't fall or twist a joint or run into any long-hanging branches. My steps were sure, and I was still comfortable afterwards. Adam and I had started our respective runs at the same time, and I finished shortly after he did.

I also ran the last mile too fast. The rain made me feel unstoppable and a little giddy, so I went a little faster. It also reminded me that I don't suck at running and that even longer runs can be pleasant. After two weeks of plodding through fairly uncomfortable bouts with exercise, it was really refreshing to feel comfortable and confident in my physical abilities.

As a result, I've had a pretty good week for running so far, but I want to stay positive. I'm also going to start gradually adding in weight training again to make sure that my entire body gets stronger, not just my legs. If it follows the pattern it has in the past, it should also help relax my shoulders and upper back -- areas where I carry most of my stress.

For the first time in a while, I'm excited and actively planning to exercise. My calendar is filling up with reminders to exercise and the distance or workout that I need to complete. It's also starting to feel like more of a reward for doing good work with writing and bartending rather than an obligation, and for that, I couldn't be happier.

Today's title is a play on "Singing in the Rain." Since I often sing and dance along to my music while I run, I thought it was only appropriate.

Cocktail of the Hour -- the Negroni

Despite all of the amazing alcoholic products exported from Italy, it's not a place known for its cocktails. Since the country didn't have to get creative to make illegal spirits palatable, few recipes have emerged. However, a few Italian cocktails have become critical parts of cocktail history.

One that has inspired endless variations is the Negroni. Like many other cocktails, this one doesn't have a clear cut backstory. Its origin is traced by some back to 1919. At that time, Count Camillo Negroni is said to have ordered an Americano (equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth) with gin and no soda.

The result was and is a cocktail with a beautiful ruby tone. Taste-wise, the Campari adds a bitterness and sweetness that plays around the gin's herbaceous bite. Sweet vermouth balances these flavors with a smoky, wine-y earthiness. Though many bartenders have rebalanced this cocktail to please modern palates, others argue passionately that these variations are not actually Negronis.

For that reason, I've included the original recipe. By what I can tell, it's also the most historical, so it's the best suited for my purposes. Other interesting variations to try include the Boulevardier (sub bourbon for gin), a 1794 (sub rye for gin) or a Boulevarista (sub tequila for gin). With one Google search, I uncovered more than twenty variations, and scores of others exist in books and bars all over the world. With the number of possibilities available, it's just a matter of finding one that's to your taste.

Recipe:

1 oz Campari

1 oz sweet vermouth

1 oz gin

Combine in a mixing glass and stir for 12-15 seconds or until combined to taste. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.

Profession vs. personality

Professionally, my life is split between two extremes. As a freelance writer, I sit on my couch and translate my thoughts into words that are published on websites, blogs and print. These jobs challenge the boundaries of what I think I can write and continuously expand my horizons. I'm alone when I write, but I'm seldom lonely.

Most days, I leave my apartment only to run or to go to work. In the past months, running has become an exercise in pacing both my strides and my life. It's not always something I do well, but I keep trying. I have more energy when I run, and am more able to tackle all of the challenges thrown my way.

When I'm behind the bar, I step it up. I drink more tea and if I'm really tired, some espresso to keep my energy levels high. I joke, banter, tell stories, talk to customers/friends and keep moving. If I'm in motion, I'm awake and can keep the momentum going. It's fast-paced, hospitality-oriented and way different from anything else I've done.

I've found recently that I'm having more trouble recharging after my shifts. Whether it's exhaustion, an inconsistent sleep schedule, lack of exercise or overstimulation, I can't seem to get rested. Though I've put a plan into effect to get back to regular exercise and have started blocking off time to read. After deleting Candy Crush, this plan seems to be working. My energy levels are slightly higher, and I have finally worked through my to do list.

Next week, I'm looking forward to more time to myself. I'll also be putting together a Halloween costume and getting ready to start the November #bloglikecrazy challenge. Though it'll add daily blogging to my to do list, I'm looking forward to getting back in the habit of writing and taking time out for my blog each day. As well, sitting down with my writing every day will give me the chance to evaluate my priorities as a freelancer. I may not like what I find, but it'll make me more honest.

Until then, I'm going to keep on working towards balancing my work obligations and personal needs. Right now, it's time to read.

Have any advice for balancing your personality type with job expectations? Leave them in the comments!

How to change your attitude

Last week, I took advantage of a sale at a local running shop and scooped up a pair of new kicks. After nine months of using the same tennis shoes for both exercise and work, it was past time. While I was barbacking, I found that I was walking more than four miles a night when we were busy. Combined with about five miles of running, I was logging 18-20 miles on the shoes every week.

It's not surprising, then, that they started bottoming out six months later. As they wore down, my knee pain increased and my ability to run through it wore down. After a week of too much activity in general, my body doesn't handle physical activity well. It's not healthy, and I tend to crash for at least one day each week. The result?

I haven't been running on a regular basis because of the residual pain and fatigue, so I haven't built up the energy or physical addiction to running. Without these incentives, it's much more difficult to run, and a viscous cycle continues.

To give myself an incentive to run, I got those new shoes. Though it was only went a mile, my first run in them was virtually pain free. I'm going out today to get some super sexy restaurant/medical clogs for my bartending shifts to ease the wear on both my shoes and my legs. I'm also going running again for longer time- and distance-wise.

As my dad says, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Getting into distance running is the same way -- it will never be possible for me to run a half marathon if I don't run for shorter spells now. Food, hydration and other elements necessary to running regularly will follow. Once a regular routine is established in each of these areas, I'll be just about unstoppable.

It all began with those new shoes. They might not actually have magical properties, but they're still shiny and I'm not accustomed to seeing them on my feet. Hopefully that will be enough to keep me on my toes.

Cocktail of the Hour -- the Martinez

As you might have gathered, cocktail history is equal parts interesting, contentious and vague. For every cocktail with a crystal clear genealogy, five more exist in a much more nebulous place. Such is the case with the Martinez.

Sometimes called the father of the Martini, this drink is supposedly named for the town in California where it originated. Other cocktail lore suggests it is one of Jerry Thomas's creations or is named after the bartender who invented it. Unfortunately, there is little information to back up any of these stories.

Even if the Martinez didn't have a direct impact on the creation of the Martini, each drink represents a different route for mixing gin-based drinks. The Martinez is basically a gin Manhattan complete with sweet vermouth, while the Martini gets the dry vermouth treatment.Interestingly, recipes for each cocktail have varied widely over the last century. Thomas's How to Mix Drinks (etc) presents a cocktail that has a 2:1 vermouth to gin ratio, while The Savoy Cocktail Book inverts these proportions.

Personally, the more modern recipe is more pleasing for my palate. Though you can occasionally catch me drinking straight vermouth, I prefer cocktails that accentuate the base spirit rather than covering it. In this case, the vermouth tends to overpower the Old Tom gin. This style is heavier on botanicals than the now-popular London Dry gin, and is not as widely available. In fact, only one store in the entire state of Alabama carries a brand of Old Tom.*

The result is a light, nutty drink with a sweetness balanced by the addition of bitters. Even though it finishes dry, the addition of the sweet vermouth provides a depth of flavor beyond the Martini's searing dryness.

Recipe

2 dashes orange bitters

1 tsp maraschino cherry liqueur

1 oz sweet vermouth

2 oz Old Tom gin

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, stir for 12-15 seconds or until the drink is to your taste. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

*Hayman's Old Tom gin is available at Lou's Pub in Birmingham. Disclaimer: I have not been paid or compensated to mention them in this post.

Candy Crush Confessional

Yesterday, I deleted Candy Crush. After completing 123 levels, I had spent more time and energy on an iPhone app than anyone should. Since I never synced the app with my Facebook account, all of my "progress" is gone. Any incentive that might exist to start playing again is wiped out by the idea that I'd have to beat the same 123 levels again. Not linking with Facebook had the added incentive of not bothering my friends and family with requests and updates. Without the reinforcement of competition and an easy way to get extra lives, walking away was easier. I wasn't stuck on a level or particularly frustrated with the game when I deleted it -- I wanted to carve out some time from being overstimulated. You see, Candy Crush was specifically engineered to be one of the most addictive games of all time. By tapping into some of our basic instincts such as pattern recognition and partial reinforcement (the idea that praise or reinforcement is just around the corner), the game creates a series of tasks that humans perform well.

Unlike its earlier counterparts such as Bejeweled, this free app puts limits on the player's moves rather than time which both creates a more relaxed frame and allows players to spend more hours playing with brightly colored candies. If a player runs out of moves, a pop up option to purchase more appears. When I started playing, Adam made me promise not to spend money on it. Considering that Candy Crush's publisher makes an estimated $633,000 each day from the game, that promise was probably for the best.

I'll confess, I'm having minor withdrawals from the dopamine boosts triggered by completing in-game tasks. However, I've already checked three remaining items off this week's to do list and written a blog post. The time I would have spent playing on my phone is now going towards reading books and writing more, which will hopefully help to further advance my freelancing career.

As my schedule stands now, I don't get much time to spend with Adam or my friends and family. By eliminating a distractor from these situations, I hope to be a better, more present partner for Adam and a more attentive friend. Life is short and free time is limited. If giving up time wasting games will help me to become a more active part of my own story, count me in.