Tough Men

Scene: Watching a big Thursday night college football game. W on the floor with Bo.

A: Are you singing to him?
W: (in a duh tone) a football song

It's Simple

(Voluspa Soleil)

+

Some Tunes

= 

Suddenly all is well with the world

Home Sweet Home

http://gardenandgun.com/article/greenville

I miss you. I'm happy for you all of your recent recognition, but please quit being published everywhere. I liked it better when you were a secret and I felt like I was one of the lucky few to know about you. Now it feels like you're mentioned everywhere and you will soon be taken over by high prices and cocky attitudes instead of the charm that remained when we left. 

Please stop growing. You are perfect just the way are.

Moving Forward Monday

To get the week off to the right start, here is what I'm aiming for long term and short:

• Focus - knock out a lot of work since I'm not traveling until Friday - woohoo!
• Get to the gym minimum three times a week but I'm shooting for the stars and saying everyday. Sometimes it may only be 20-30 minutes of cardio but that's better than nothing
• Present - focus on the here and now and not the tomorrow
• Fall - while this greatly contradicts my point above, I'm ready to put away these shoes for the year 

and put on these

While I would love to expand my collection of both of the above, it is really just not necessary. However, here's a delicious add on I've been eyeing for oh 18 months

I haven't pulled the trigger because, surprise, I can't decide on a color and working from home makes it hard to justify $100+ on rain boots.

Perhaps I'll drool over fall clothes in a future post.

GTL

minus the "TL."

I did it. After months and months of debating, I joined a gym. The student gym. Things to note about day 1, workout 1. Rush is going on and apparently they now do this in the lower level of the gym. I think I was one of 500 girls (women?) not wearing a rush tshirt. I realized that's because I am eight years older than some of them. (First "I feel old" moment)

My hand wouldn't scan to get into the gym. The front desk help asked if I'd registered. Yes, the day before. I have my receipt. The line is now building up (keep tshirt fact in mind). I try again. No luck. Front desk worker: "ooohhh you're not a student are you? You're a spouse membership, right? You can enter over here." I can feel tshirt stares behind me and "she's old" thoughts running through their young minds. (Second "I feel old" moment)

I finish my time on the elliptical (the reason for the membership) and decide I need to at least attempt something else besides just cardio. I head to the machines and free weight area. ADD kicked in right away. Too many options. I don't give up. I sit at what looks like a somewhat familiar leg machine from my last gym experience five years ago. I finally adjust the seat and appendages, but can't get the rod in the weight stack. I really thought to myself "idiot (in a napolean dynamite voice) just put the rod in the hole." It really wouldn't go. I give up, let it dangle and do a few presses (read as "two") just because I felt like I had to since I'd been sitting there for so long. I walk around to other machines and read what they are acting like I am looking for something in particular. I give the machines another shot, sitting at an ab machine - one that I am not familiar with. Repeat leg machine instance. I feel old and stupid. I give up.

I don't give up on the cardio gym. I'm on my way back today. I miss Fike. I miss Clemson.

All In

That was a crazy game of poker gin

Style

It is true - your style evolves.

I often test myself and ask what my style is. I get nervous (yes, this is still just with myself) because I can't come up with an answer so I force one. Usually I just settle with traditional but I'm never satisfied. I'm not traditional. In some ways, yes, but style, not really. I like classic, elegant, cozy, etc. Cozy is always in my description.

I have decided that I don't need to define my style. Why does it matter anyway? I've learned that what I like and my style depend on the feeling I get when I see the picture, object, etc. If I get that warm, cozy feeling then that is my style. Actually creating the vision, now that's something I still have to work on.

source






source


source

source

I'm not redecorating. Just dreaming of the future. And I think it will be fun to see how my style continues to change and evolve over time. 

No Pressure

For the past couple of weeks I've been thinking about blogging again. I don't know why. I don't have anything "super cool" to discuss. I don't think others would find our life especially interesting. But, I still keep thinking about it. Therefore I'm starting back again.

I'm not making an "announcement" and won't advertise my blog. I may not even tell a single person for a little while. I don't want pressure. I don't want the pressure to write everyday if I don't feel like it. I want this to be for me/us - an outlet. I want to talk about anything and everything and not be restricted to one category. I want the flexibility to be serious or not, to write one line or ten paragraphs, to be who I am/we are at that very moment.

At this very moment, I'm content. School is starting back up tomorrow for W. Year 2, here we come. To say I'm proud of his accomplishments over the past year (actually since I've known him) would be a huge understatement. It is hard for me not to recite his "resume" when I tell someone about him. Sometimes I hate that. I don't want to brag but I am so proud. It makes me nervous that I will be "that" mom one day. At least I'm aware and make an effort to not overdo it.

I could go on, but it will continue to be a jumbled mess and word vomit.

Life is good.