27.5.10

Miscommunicat-ed.

So this past week, the boyfriend and I have been preparing for a wonderful tropical getaway.  There is, like with any trip, lots to be planned, plenty to be packed, and errands to be run.  Of course I have a million questions and reminders for him, and he, as always, has encouraging words.  However, the questions, reminders, and kind thoughts are never exchanged and so the annoyance with one another under minute stress begins to mount. 

"Why won't he return my calls? Doesn't he know we have to make a plan?!"

"Why didn't she respond to my text?!  I need to know how many bottles of sunscreen to pick up at the grocery store!"

In the chaos of preparation, our phones decided to stop communicating with one another.  (Thank you, AT&T). I would send a text and he would never receive it.  He would call three times, but my phone would never ring.  So while we are both frantically running around getting ready for our Saturday departure, the annoyance of no communication grew larger and larger.

When we finally figured out the real reason neither of us had heard from one another, it was a bit of a relief. 

You know the standard break up line: "It's not you, it's me?"  I'd venture to guess that most of the time, "It's not you, and it's not me, it's really just the situation."  Often we confuse being angry at the person with being angry at the situation. 

I hope the boyfriend will remember this when we are rushing to the airport Saturday morning.  Please remember it is not me that is crazy, it is the situation. It is the 3 cramped train rides it takes to get to the airport.  It is the rushed removal of clothing and shoes as I tiptoe barefoot through security.  It is the long lines and anxious holiday crowds, that make me crazy.  It isn't me, it's the situation.  I swear.

So next time you're angry with someone, stop and think.  Is it the person or the situation you're angry at?  Once you've determined that, you are free to take your agression out on the appropriate party. 

17.5.10

Season-ed with Love.

Weddings, weddings, everywhere!  The season is definitely in full swing and you can smell it in the air.  Between college friends and family, old friends and office acquaintances, lately it seems everyone is tying the knot and pledging their love to one another.  Perhaps I notice it a bit more than usual since I'm of the age where it's something I think about too, or perhaps I'm of the age where I know more people old enough to wed.  Either way, this wedding fever, though a bit exhausting (and draining on the wallet), is quite a delightful maladie.  After all, is there any better disease than lovesickness?

I'll be sharing some fun photos from the wedding we attended this past weekend.  Congrats, Val & Joe!

Sidenote:  Wouldn't it be just absolutely heart-wrenchingly perfect to be proposed to here?  Hint. Hint.

14.5.10

All Book-ed!

It's official, I've booked my flight to France!  Per my boyfriend's lovely invitation, I will depart June 18 for the land of mountains, friendly French faces, and stinky cheese.  Please excuse the beginning of many a daydream post.

I imagine myself meandering through mountain trails, picking fresh goodies and breathing in deep gulps of crisp alpine air, then unpacking a summit picnic and digging my toes into the cool dirt, all the while stopping for quick bisous from le garcon.



10.5.10

Help Request-ed

Dear Friends,

I need your help.  Lately work has been a real struggle and I can't seem to get back on my feet.  The little work I have on my plate is far from fulfilling and the rest of the time I try to fill the hours with other tasks, but can't help feeling like I'm wasting my life sitting at this desk.

I need some serious motivational tips.  How do I go about getting back into that place where I feel satisfaction from my work?  And/or how do I go about making a move towards finding the right work?

Life is all about asking the right questions.  Help me find the right answers.

Love always,
Your chronicler in search of her -ed.

4.5.10

Well Advis-ed.

A very dear friend introduced me to Ben Casnocha's blog this morning and I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't pass it along. Ben currently has a fantastic post about what one might do if he were given the opportunity to live his life anew: commit more errors, eat more ice cream, take few things seriously, run more risks, etc.

A little tidbit of advice that I also gained from Ben's latest tweet is the following:

"Keep two lists: What gets you up in the morning? And what keeps you up at night?"

I believe that the answer to both questions is the same for me: the thought that something bigger is out there.

pic:weheartit

3.5.10

Strung out and start-ed anew

A few realizations I came to this past week:
  1. I need one weeknight to take a 'me' break: organize paperwork, spend time reading on the couch, try out a new recipe, have a special dinner with the lovely roommate, etc.  As much as I love a great weeknight workout to unwind, a day off does me a lot of good.
  2. I need to stop asking too many 'big' questions at once: thoughts about the future tend to snowball.  Though it's important to ask these questions sometimes, I need to avoid overwhelming myself so often and spend more time enjoying the present. 
  3. Dance parties are good for the soul: this weekend a few girlfriends and I turned on some '80s music after a dinner of margaritas.  We jumped around, waving our arms and tapping our feet like pre-teens at a Jonas Brothers concert.  What sweet release it was!
And now, looking back at my realizations, I realize that perhaps the string is wound just a little too tight.  I know I've been trying to slowly unwind, but maybe it's time to cut the string and start anew.

Snip, snip.