Balanc-ed in moderation.

Ah, it is amazing what a restful weekend can do for the soul!  Sometimes there is nothing sweeter than being in bed by midnight with tired legs, a fully tummy, and a happy heart.
Today productivity started strong, and lagged after lunch, though I don't feel bad about taking a little me time today.  The attempted theme of this week is balance, what should be a life theme, I think.  And so I will give myself some blog browsing time if it means I'll bang out the 30 grant payments waiting to be processed tomorrow morning.  I will take the trip home tomorrow night for dinner with baby sis, and maybe fit in a tennis session to feed my need for a good run around before bed.  I will skip the gym for a catch up session with the girls later this week.  I often get lost in the 'need to do,' 'should really,' and 'wish I did's of life.  It's time to recognize the 'sure, why not's.

It doesn't matter how many times it is said, we always forget that the to do list will be there tomorrow.  A good life, like a good drink, should have equal parts sweetness, tart, and spice.  May you be drunk with happiness this week.  But remember, all in moderation.

Undecid-ed: Lame or Not?

It's Friday evening and the greatest decision of the week stands before me.

Do I catch up on a sleepless and workout-less week of vacation with a long run, a dose of exploratory wandering in a new neighborhood in search of a good cup of coffee and a quiet spot in a corner cafe to do a little studying before stumbling home under the bright NY weekend sky to bed?

OR

Do I rally the troops, attend a small dinner party with friends and friends of friends which will inevitably turn into a drink party with dancing, joking, and general tom-foolery?

Essentially, do I spend the evening in my own company or in the company of others?  It's a tricky answer.  Some nights, a solo date is the perfect way to spend an evening, but other nights it can be disastrous for the human psyche.

The greatest decision of the week: to be lame or not to be lame?

pics: weheartit.

Peak-ed into the Future.

As my plane landed last night, a sinking feeling began to grow in my stomach.  A sinking feeling that it was over; that our vacation was coming to a close, and reality would tuck away all of the good things in life until the next time we hit the beach.  And a sinking feeling that I'd never leave again, forgetting that I'm lucky enough to have another trip planned two weeks from now.

How do our brains have a way of making everything so final sometimes?

Today sitting at my desk, I had to remind myself there will always be a next new big thing.  That just because one event, one experience, one day is over, it does not mean that there won't be an even better one to follow.  There will always be something to look forward to, no matter how small.  In fact, life isn't always about the big things.  It's about the anxious feeling of cracking open a new notebook on the first day of class.  It's about the dizzy laughter you share over crisp white wine on the first days of summer.  It's about the hugs you get walking through the door back home. 

Life's landscape is not a steady climb, but a jagged, twisting path dipping into valleys and soaring to the peaks above the clouds.  The best climbers understand that there is just as much beauty in the valley as there is from the top.

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. 

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.

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.

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.