scaling back my priorities

As hard as I tried, I couldn't convince anyone to go on an exotic vacation with me over Memorial Day. Believe me, I tried. Any one, any where; I'dve done it.

Now, Colorado is no Prague or Zurich, but I'm happy to announce that I'll be relaxing and probably lazing around not doing much partying with the amazing Katie over the long weekend. (In one of the four corners states that's not Utah or Arizona! Gasp!)

Thank you JetBlue, for not realizing that's a long weekend and hyper inflating your prices. (Oh crap. Did I book the wrong weekend? Panic.)

Thrilled to death, and sharing the good news I had the following conversation with Julie:

Me: Last year it was a quick weekend jaunt to central Europe. This year is Denver. Exotic, huh? Oh well, 2010 is the year of scaling back.

Julie: Scaling back for me means packing a lunch. For you, it means flying domestically instead of internationally.

Well. She has a point. But I'm now taking applicants for this year's Thanksgiving Week. Save me from a trip to Toledo*, huh?

* Though I'm sure it's lovely there**.
** Right? Has anyone actually been to Toledo***?
*** In one of those horoscope books, Toledo was actually called out as my lucky**** city.
**** Oh snap, I think this means I should. Newsflash: now recruiting for Thanksgiving in Toledo 2010*****. Who knows what wonders await!
***** I actually wrote 2008 and then had to delete it. What the time warp?

I have fifteen minutes...

• I need a new blog header. You know it, I know it, and the lack of any creative intrigue drives me nuts. I website for a living; I can't believe I've let it go on this long. Soonly! But, for what it's worth, the default image (eww, I don't know I've ever been considered default) is a picture of the Zakim bridge in Boston.

• Last night was the official kick off of for this year's half marathon training. I finally ran last year (I know, I can hardly believe it either) and lost my mind long enough to register again. But Mallory is taking her first big trip cross-country by herself to a) come visit me and b) run the Half as well! It's been so fun talking about and comparing our training. The thought of 13 miles still strikes dread in my heart, but it's fun knowing one of my sisters is coming to be crazy with me as well.

• While at work yesterday I committed myself to running five miles. My first major run of the year and I'm quite pleased with how well it went. I'm listening to a book on my ipod ("Hunger Games") and it's a rather fantastic way to pass the time mindlessly. I'm in better shape than I thought I was -- I ran my fast split maybe ever. Why?

• Not sure if you know what Zumba is, but you really should find out. The easiest way for me to describe it is a latin-ballroom dance cardio linedance class at our gym. The best part is the company. There are six of us gals who routinely attend (3-5 of us each time) and I literally can't quit smiling when we're there. I've never, ever, ever, ever been so sweaty in my whole life. (Not even here.) This is the week I break out the sweatband because the sweat keeps getting in my eyes. Are you sicked out yet? It's fairly amazing. I'll convert you all yet, I promise.

• Twice this week, a Christmas song has hit a random shuffle of iTunes. I've let it play both times.
  

• I'm an adult (I think), but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be allowed to make my own food choices. The eight-year-old version of me would be head-over-heels for this v27, but I'm pretty sure I need to hire a personal assistant to be in charge of my food. And my shoes. I have a rough time with shoe selection.
  

• Remember when I used to blog about the Celtics all the time? Those were the days. Lest you think I've forgotten about the guys in green, I'm headed to the Garden tonight. The game is against the Knicks who were totally bottom of the barrel until the trade deadline last Thursday and now they own the likes of T-Mac, and Nate Robinson (Kryptonate!) is now wearing green and playing against his old team and half of you have quit reading this paragraph and have moved on. But here's the nugget for those of you who soldiered through: I like to think there are blessings for righteous living scattered all over the place.

• My 15 minutes are up, I'm running to catch the T, meet up with a visiting bestie for dinner and then to the Gaaaaaaaaahden. Oh man I love my life today.
  

And my hair looks good. That's always an upper, yah?

riddle me this

I'll admit it. I'm not the most patient person in the world. In fact, the act of waiting is near the list of my top least favorite activities of all time (see also: touching butter, picking up cockroaches with wadded up toilet paper, and listening to a radiator pop and hiss).

Sadly, this February is challenging my sanity with marathon events of waiting. Waiting for warmer weather. Waiting for work projects to slow down. Waiting for the Olympics to end (love them though I may) so I can get my life back. Waiting for the bus. Waiting for the phone to ring.

Is distraction the only medication for waiting?

holy history

So last night I spit dozens of random photos at you from an unorganized hard drive. Well folks, I've hit the mother load. Where my photos were a discombobulated wreck, my documents are pristinely ordered and labeled.

And these aren't new documents--but writing pieces, journal entries, and written missionary letters that cover about a eight year span of time starting my sophomore year of high school and into my college days. Oh. My. Dramatic.

Seriously.

Perhaps I'll trot some of these goods out; or perhaps in an effort to save face I'll keep what was meant to be private private. 60 pages of typed letters to a boyfriend missionary? 45 pages of Olympic Volunteer stories? 10th grade chatter? Scholarship essays, church talks, bitter diatribes. It's all there. So. Dramatic.

Un/Fortunately, people from all periods of my life read this blog, so I'll have to figure out what can and can't be posted. I will tell you that my best HS friend Matt (the lone consistent figure from AZ with whom I'm still in contact) and I had a laugh tonight as I cut and pasted him snippets of writing.

To be honest, more than anything else, I'm glad these pieces of my history exist, but I really wish I could tell that sweet, insecure 16-year-old girl not to worry so much. Life is good, funny, beautiful, and meant to be enjoyed.

Now who wants to read how I got dumped from Guatemala?

Tonight? Photos of yesteryear that are going to make this post really long and hard to scroll. Good luck.

Lesson learned? My hard drive is in terrible disarray. You'll notice by the random collection of times and places and ordering. My logistical side is fighting the urge to leave as is (and comment on every photo), but my WILD side is telling everyone to shut up and have another Starburst. Why thank you self, I think I'll have two.

The one similarity in all these photos is that they were taken before the birth of this here blogging location. (Baby turns four next month! And siiiiiiiiiick. I just called my blog Baby. I'm gross.) And have yet to be posted. Good times. (Also? Aren't you glad I'm posting? I felt the urge tonight but decided to hold the "OMG, I luuuuuuuurve the Olympics" for an evening. Old timey photos it is!

Hit it:

i've got the fever

I ask that you kindly draw your attention to a blog post I wrote 30 months ago, about my time spent volunteering for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic games. It then shouldn't surprise you that I'm mostly MIA, spending hours each evening watching events I care very little for but still cry about.

Seriously. For me (for you) the Olympics induce more tears than episodes of the Biggest Loser and Extreme Home Makeover combined. Something about the whole event throws my sentimental, nostalgic, tender feelings into overdrive. I'm a mess. But I'm a mess who loves watching and can find excitement in any event. It's like my boyfriend Neil Patrick Harris tweeted the other day, "I friggin' love the Olympics. I never thought I could care so much for people or sports that I just learned about six minutes beforehand."

Gahhh. I love it. And it's eating all my free time. There are things I want to say and stories I want to tell and pictures I want to show about this, that, and the other.... all good things going on in my life right now -- but I can't tear myself away from the greatest show on earth. (Save now when I'm 'letting' Linda watch Lost.) If you're looking for someone to discuss the previous evening's events when you're bored at work -- shoot me an email. Or find me on line. Or text me. Some of you (:cough: Alicia :cough: Whitney) are already doing this. Yay. It makes me happy. Join the fun.

In the meantime, know that I'm happy. And excited. And writing on my longer version blog. Until the medals are handed out or I find the strength to tear myself away...

Of Posts and Ponytails

Tap tap tap. Is this thing on?

This is the time of year when dull is the word. The weather is drab, grey is omnipresent, and my hair just isn't very shiny. It's hard to feel motivated to do much besides burrow down, keep your feet warm, and try to survive yet another Boston winter. (For those keeping track, this is my fourth.)

This time of year is funny because I feel like so many of the things that make me inherently unique lie dormant for weeks and months at a time. In review, I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing, just an observation. Maybe this is me. The Q1 Nat.

Hi. It's good to be back. Part of me wants to write the longest blog in the history of blogs (and boy have I written some doozies) to make up for my time away -- to update you on what needs being updated. The other part of me wants to go back to wearing the same 8 outfits, slapping my hair into a ponytail, and allowing the chores of my life to stack up in favor of good books and TV.

As my previous post pointed out, I've had some real humdinger weeks at work. The worst appears to be past, so I'm going to cling to that hope. I'm also beyond grateful for a company that forced me into a mental health rejuvenation day and an unexpected 3-day weekend. I ended up going to NYC, partook of some festivities--and didn't manage to take a single photo. On a weekend with minimal ponytail usage and maximum color wearage... waste of a good opprotunity, huh?

This coming weekend will be another slow one--which is a plus given the pace I've been sprinting. It's a long weekend for most and Valentine's Day for most so maybe something exciting will happen. Chances are slim but a girl can always dream about getting flowers delivered, right?

Despite the lull in activity and excitement in my life, I'm going to try to bring the creativity back to this blog and back to my life. Won't that be fun? Because let's face it, a ponytail only looks good for so long.

*This photo brought to you from a creative event in the summer at a non-pony event. Nothing to do with this post, but 8 out of 9 readers want to see 67% more photos.

**This second photo brought to you by the color GREEN!