Thursday, February 28, 2013

TINY STORIES


I first saw this on my best friend's pinterest (which she coincidentally pinned from another amazing friend of mine) and immediately fell in love with not only the gorgeous design, but the sentiment of the statement.

Not to get all sappy on you (after all Valentine's Day was two weeks ago... don't we get to be bitter and jaded again by now?), but this is a concept that my boyfriend and I talk about all the time: our little story.

It is so easy to get bogged down with the less-than-perfect moments.  The moments in which you let your frustration overcome your immense love for someone and you, hopefully unintentionally, use a tone of voice that is more harsh than hug.

Take Valentine's Day, for example.  I know, I know... two weeks ago.  Just hang in there with me for a second...

On Valentine's Day I suggested that the two of us just have dinner at home (his place, that is - we are not at the cohabitation stage, but that is a very different story) to spend some quality time together.  I offered to make dinner, and we were to open a great bottle of wine we'd purchased at a fantastic local Italian restaurant.  To go the extra mile, I even brought a sexy little ensemble to cook in.

Before you start nominating me for the Girlfriend of the Year award, let me finish the story.

I had three (or was it four) different pots and pans going on the stove top.  I've got a main dish, multiple side dishes, and salad in the works.  I'm going all out (in my sexy little ensemble!!) to really prove my abilities as a domestic goddess.

And then the chicken mega burned.

Blame the stove.  Blame the exhaustion.  Blame the cursed holiday.  Blame the stupid little ensemble that was distracting to both of us.

And then the meltdown consumed me.

Ugly crying ensued.  Mascara streamed down my face.  I used unladylike language.  I full out collapsed on the (probably dirty) linoleum floor... in my now anything-but-sexy little ensemble.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Once I finally calmed down (okay, honestly?  I don't think I ever fully calmed down) I made him swear never to tell anyone.  He, calmly, politely, and sweetly asked, "What about in a few years at our wedding?"

"No, NEVER!!" I sobbed (see?  I told you I never calmed down).

Obviously I've since come to my senses.  His nomination for Boyfriend of the Year is in the mail, as he (literally) lifted me up off the floor, dried my tears, and assured me that my horrific antics only made him love me more, as I actually am and not as some weird contrived sex/domestic goddess.

He even let me put my sweatpants on.

And (finally getting to my  point), he reminded me that this is just a part of our story.  The good, the bad, and the childish temper tantrums... it's just a page.  I am not my worst behavior.  Our relationship isn't our most trying moments.  Each of us has our own tiny story, and the two of us have chosen tie our tiny stories together.

Sometimes parts of the tiny stories suck, but the good news is... you can just turn the page and write a new chapter.




Wednesday, February 27, 2013

SOMETHING MORE

"I have a deeply hidden and inarticulate desire for something beyond the daily life."
Virginia Woolf

Do you ever get the nagging feeling at the very core of your being which asks, "Is this it?"

Call it the quarter-life crisis, call it the entitled millenials thinking they (we) deserve the world, call it growing up... call it whatever you want, but don't dismiss it.  It is real and, based upon my discussions with friends and the blogs I frequent, it is pervasive in this generation.

I am all too familiar with this feeling.  It is as persistent and distracting as an itch.  It aches like hunger pangs.

And it doesn't go away.  Or it just hasn't yet.  For me at least.

As an "engineer" I have gone about the process of picking this feeling apart piece by piece, attacking it as a scientist would; I created a controlled experiment.

It goes something like this:

Step 1 - identify the "source" of unrest (i.e. I don't like the company I work for)

Step 2 - eliminate source (i.e. quit or get laid off)

Step 3 - realize the feeling hasn't gone away

Step 4 - lather, rinse, repeat

I have left jobs, moved to the "happiest" city in America, started and ended serious relationships, moved and moved again and again, and STILL the feeling persists.

I have not given up hope.  I am still working at it, day by day and bit by bit.  I am currently somewhere between Steps 1 and 2 (for the I-don't-know-how-many-th time) and still feeling optimistic.

I stay sane by finding ways to experience life more fully and in ways that I do enjoy when I have "free" time.  Images like that above give me the energy to keep going.  I'm already counting down to the weekend.  To a few hours with my beautiful niece and big sister turned amazing mom.  To a good meal with new friends and potential new life paths to explore.

If anything about this post resonates with you, don't give up.  There is something more.

We just have to find it.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

RESURFACING


This is me (okay fine, it's totally not me - but let's be metaphorical) resurfacing after a much needed "mental health" day.

"What is that?" you ask.

It's when you use a sick day to give yourself some much-needed rest from the hullabaloo of being busy all day every day including (especially) weekends and holidays.

Here I am.

Ready?  Maybe.  I'm learning that whether or not you're ready, life happens.  I'm still working on the balance between frantically treading water and swimming, splashing, and enjoying the ride.


Monday, February 4, 2013

GET IT GIRL

If a female vocalist could ever remind me of Johnny Cash... it would be Brandi Carlile in this song.

So badass.  Get it girl.




Happy Monday :)

This song will definitely power me through a(nother) long week.


p.s. I am apparently SO right on because lookie here: Brandi covers Johnny Cash

Friday, February 1, 2013

THE LITTLE THINGS 2/1/13


It's the little things in life that can make or break a moment, day, week, month, year.

My goals for 2013 are to choose quality over quantity and joy over jealousy.


That being said, I'm going to try to take a few moments every week to catalog the little things that brightened my week.  Hopefully at the end of December, I can review these posts and remember how accentuating the positive made for a joyful year.


- I got a Jury Duty summons and didn't have to report.  In fact, NONE of us did!!


- I received a hand written note from my insurance claims representative thanking me for my business after my car got broken into last week.   A HAND WRITTEN NOTE!!


- I bought myself some yellow tulips and put one bud in the new (to me) milk glass vase my sweet boyfriend bought for me at an antique shop last weekend on our mini-getaway to Sonora.  It sits on my nightstand to brighten my nights and my mornings.


- I started planning my best friend's bridal shower.  Details will be shared in the coming weeks/months.


- The home team (ahem, GO NINERS!!) gets to compete in the Super Bowl this weekend for the first time since 1995.


My favorite links of the week?


Victoria posted this recipe last week for homemade queso (the photo alone got me drooling) and you can bet I'm bringing it to the Super Bowl party this weekend.


Design Bright (my real life best friend!!) posted a fantastic roundup of red and gold gear for the design savvy football fan.  I am dying over those flats.  Can I get them by Sunday?


Have a SUPER weekend!!

BIG PLANS

I used to live by myself.  For seven glorious (if not very expensive) months I had an entire two-bedroom apartment to myself.

My clean, organized, particular self.


And then I realized that I was very poor.  And then I was given the opportunity to take in a roommate and I was blinded by the possibility to cut my rent in half and took that opportunity.


And then I realized that I had to allow my new roommate some closet space.  In her room.


I guess that's fair...?


And then my room was overflowing with stuff.


My first course of action was to purge purge purge.  I donated 4 (or was it 5? 6?) stuffed bags of clothing, shoes, coats, and purses (to my friends reading this: I promise there was nothing you wanted in there).


Now I need to come up with creative and affordable and stylish storage solutions.  Enter IKEA.


I've got a hack planned and it involves this baby:



IKEA ODDA 3 drawer chest

Check back here for the results in a week or two.  Maybe longer.  I tend to over-commit my weekends, okay?