Nike.Com Audition Video: I did this in approximately 3 hours start to finish.

I am applying to be the new Nike.com female field reporter, where I would report on various things from October '08 to April '09. Kind of get in the way of my schooling, but I don't care. I can go to school while doing this, and this can be my internship!

Here is my video that I taped and edited today. It's not the best it could be, but I am still pretty freaking proud of it :) :) :)

Thank you BRADLEY for your patience in my artistic endeavors and creative visions while taping this for me.

Let me know what you think~~~~

Deter, Defect, Defend: Don't Steal My Money HO

I logged onto my Bank of America online account today and noticed there was a money through the form of an e-check taken out that I did NOT authorize, which resulted in my account being over-drawn. And B of A pillages your accounts with fees. I was not a happy camper. I called my bank, and was like, what is up, I did not approve this, and then I realized... I've been STOLEN FROM.

I am a victim of identity theft. (Take this quiz to see if you're safe from ID theft). I now have to close my account and open a new one.

Dear Whomever Stole My Money,

I want to kick you in the shins.

Sincerely,

Tracie

On top of everything else, I have been drinking Diet Coke every day this week (I worked 8-5p Monday at my receptionist job, then 6p-3a at Victoria's Secret, then got up and went to work again at 8a... Diet Coke was the only way to survive), and I haven't had one yet, and I am sluggish and tired and starting to get a headache and incensed/irked that my body has developed a dependency on Diet Coke so quickly.

BTW, I am overly-thrilled that Comfort went home last night on SYTYCD.

~~I'm fascinated/smitten/enamored with Stephen "Twitch" Boss~~

One Word: Divine.

Time for a Diet Coke run before I pass out from exhaustion.

"So You Think You Can Dance?" is my new favorite Reality-TV Competition Show.

Every time I watch a reality dance competition TV show aka Dancing with the Stars, I think to myself, 'I could do that!'. And then I have visions of grandeur about becoming a professional dancer and eventually dancing on the show. And then I go online and find dance classes I can take, sign up for them, and proceed to do just that (barring said "become a professional dancer" constituent). Example: After "Salsa" night on DWTS, I found the most exhilarating salsa dance studio here in Bakersfield... ~~Cha-cha-cha!~~.

I had an exceptionally titillating reality-dance-competition-show experience last night, complete with more visions of grandeur---I thought I liked DWTS---but "So, You Think You Can Dance?" is wayyyy better. It has so many different elements on their show---I feel like I connect on a deeper emotional level with the contestants than with DWTS, through the amazing choreography. (Only those who have not seen the show would dare roll their eyes at that statement). And though I despise the judging panel and host, and it makes me SO HAPPY [:)] to just sit and watch the show. Even happier than watching Kristi Yamaguchi do her jive.

The below video shows the best--by FAR--dance/choreography number from last night, a Bollywood number (Love love love belly dancing and shaking those hips!), featuring Katee and Josh. (Please ignore any hebetudinous-masked-as-witty comments made by host Cat Deeley.)

I could do that, right??

I voted 5 times for them and I feel goo-oo-ood about it.

Yay for elimination shows on reality competition shows so there are TWO nights of goodness to look forward to, instead of just one~(!)~

Yahoo! Answers is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Brittney West told me the other week that Yahoo! Answers is a really cool website and I should get on and ask any question I want, and it will be answered, and that answering questions is even more fun than asking. And I was like, Britt, it sounds cool, but it can't be as cool as you're making it out to be.

I was wrong.

Thousands of questions are being asked by people all over the world, by the hour. As a member of Yahoo! Answers, I get to answer any question I want.

The questions are broken down into categories. I spend all my time in the Health-Diet & Fitness section. I can't describe the elation I feel each time I answer a question related to diet or fitness, off the top of my head, thanks to the many many books I have read on this subject the past months. So far today, I've answered 18 questions.

This is it. I've found my calling. No need to spout off to friends, family, or my BLOG anymore about what to eat, how to exercise. I can answer questions by the MINUTE on what to eat, how to exercise, what constitutes one as an anorexic, and my favorite so far, "Should I stop eating artificial sweeteners?" (I've already blogged about this). I literally feel joy in my soul right now because I have an outlet for all my now-useful nutritional and excercise information.

Ask ANY question you want, and it will get answered. It made Time.Com's 50 Best Websites of 2008 list.

Because Harvard Business Review Said So...

Apparently splurging on over-priced items is good for your health in the long run, according to the Harvard Business Review. Read the article on Wall Street Journal Online.

All self-imposed limits have just gone out the window.

Take that, World! Science is on MY side.

Best Oatmeal and Chocolate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins EVER by ME

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Muffins:
2 c. Whole-grain Wheat flour
1 1/2 c. Whole-grain oatmeal
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
6 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. applesauce

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking poweder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon). Beat together eggs with milk. Add to dry ingredients. Add vegetable oil and applesauce. Fill muffin tins. Yields about 24 muffins. Bake @ 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I changed the Betty Crocker Oatmeal muffin recipe around to make them more moist and healthier than the regular one. I made them last night and, according to everyone who has tried them, they are AMAZING.

Chocolate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins:
2 c. whole-grain wheat flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 c. chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
2 c. milk

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder). Beat eggs together; add milk and vegetable oil. Alternate mixing dry ingredients in with egg mixture. Beat until lumpy batter forms. Add 1 3/4 c. chocolate chips. Put into muffin tins. Sprinkle rest of chocolate chips on top of muffins. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes approx. 24 muffins.

These muffins have gotten the best reviews so far by my guinea pigs. (Thank you Jill, Neil, family, and office of SBS)