Encounters of the Human Kind

Subscribe already!

2009-07-16T09:45:00.001-04:00

OMG - why the F#@% are you still coming here?

Okay, so I do suck - I didn't put up an RSS doohickey. So here you go.

Subscribe in a reader

There's one on my new blog too. SEE HERE to visit and get me back into your readers. I'll love you forever!

Cheers!

-A

Still?

2009-07-15T09:39:00.001-04:00

Why are you still coming here?!?!

I live HERE now, remember.

Http://www.ravesandreviews.com. Add it to your Google Reader NOW. You'll be happy you did.

Cheers!

-A

New Post @ New Blog

2009-07-14T13:10:00.001-04:00

Remember - I moved. http://www.ravesandreviews.com

Haven't updated your Reader yet? Shame on you!

Head on over to read my latest post on the best Chinese food in town! Click here now.

Cheers!

-A

Don't forget!

2009-07-13T08:48:00.004-04:00

I'm over here now.

http://www.ravesandreviews.com.

If you haven't changed it up in your reader yet, please do so soon! Reminders will stop soon.

I posted a little ditty today that includes a bar review and a run in with one of our favorite Cleveland bloggers. Check it out to see who and where.

Cheers!

-A

Switching it up

2009-07-08T17:00:00.006-04:00

Well my little blogger friends, as you know I'm constantly dying for change, so I've decided to put my money where my mouth is - or rather, my blog.

That's right, kiddos, there's about be a change up in hizzle.

You may have noticed that my bio at the right has changed recently.

No? Okay, well now you know.

Starting next week, Encounters of the Human Kind will no longer exist as we know it. But don't get too upset yet, I'm not gone for good.

What's actually happening is that the name will be changing, and we'll all be heading over to a new domain name. One I actually own.

See, I am putting my money where my mouth is!

So, here it is - my new blog name: Raves and Reviews

http://www.ravesandreviews.com

This move is highly appropriate as I've already been providing rants, raves, and reviews on a regular basis (yes, of course rants are included. check the tagline). So the switch is less about changing focus and more about building a site around what I've already been doing.

Because really, when was the last time I actually posted about someone that I met - especially someone that doesn't skydive. Besides, that's what Skydive Chick is for (my uuber cool blog about skydiving).

In essence, this doesn't affect y'all as much as you might think. Blogger will continue to be my platform. It'll still be me and my smart mouth, everyday, providing the same opinionated crap as always. But hopefully now, you'll be able to take away some good, bad and ugly of everything I consume and encounter on a daily basis.

See, I'm doing this for you. My dearest readers!

And of course, if there's something you're curious about but don't have the guts to try or buy, let me know. Odds are, I'll do it and give you the rundown.

Now, in theory, given that I'll be exporting the contents of EHK to the new site, Blogger is supposed to continue directing y'all who visit recentencounters.blogspot.com to that domain, but I'm not all that trusting of how the interwebs might actually function with this change. So...if you have me bookmarked, or I'm in your Google Reader, now is the time to add the new domain.

Please and thank you!

Of course, until that time comes I'll be banging this into your head, a la LiLu and her recent move.

Hope y'all are as excited for this change as I am. It's bound to be an enlightening experience for us all.

So keep coming back for my raves and reviews, and of course, some rants in my typical cynical fashion, as a 20-something consumer.

Cheers!

-A

You don't want my shoes

2009-07-08T08:27:00.004-04:00

Late last night the SO and I were talking about our day. Thankfully, mine was rather uneventful, as his was fairly high-stress.

In the recap he was discussing a conversation with a man on his team that was so intense it got me worked up just listening to it.

Here's a little background for you: apparently in his prime this man used to be an executive of sorts, making "six figs" as he puts it, but given the economic decline and the near disappearance of his line of work, he's stuck working with the 20-somethings, doing work that he believes to be beneath him.

Editor's note: I don't understand half of what the SO does for a living, it's so complex. But of course, this is coming from a communications professional, what do I know?

So while arguing with the SO about leaving early, regardless if his work is done, Mr. Executive says, "try walking a day in my shoes."

Now, this brings me to my point.

No one, no matter what they've been through in their life, has the right to say that to someone else. Ever.

You just don't know what the person you're saying that to has gone through. You have no idea.

Giving this guy the benefit of the doubt, I'm sure he looks at the SO and thinks to himself that a 20-something kid has no idea what it's like to work his way to the top only to be smacked back down by elements that are out of your control, all the while trying to support a family - and so on and so forth.

But the fact of the matter is, he really doesn't know. Just because someone looks like they've lived a charmed life, it doesn't mean they have - nor does it mean they don't understand stress.

Oh, did I mention that he said "you don't know what stress is." Yeah, right. That too.

And truthfully, what this guy was complaining about is nothing in the grand scheme of the kinds of stress life can bring. Really, anyone who's ever endured true stress and life hardships, only to be left standing tall on the other side, doesn't go around rubbing it in others faces. They just don't.

So take a lesson from this douche - don't be one - and never assume you know how someone else leads their life. They could be two, or twenty, or ninety, you just don't know what kind of life experiences they've live through. No one has the right to assume their life is more difficult than others around them.

Seriously, you just don't know.

Cheers!

-A

4th recap

2009-07-06T09:15:00.008-04:00

Okay, so as y'all are probably aware, I'm not a huge fan of weekend recaps. However, this weekend was especially eventful, and honestly I don't have much else to talk about. So here goes.

Like most people in the corporate world, I had Friday off. Even better, our office closed at 3 p.m. on Thursday. So I had a couple more hours of weekend to enjoy.

Of course, I spent it cleaning and working out*, but that's just what a girl's gotta do.

Then I had a 9 p.m. appointment for an airbrush tan with Lisa from Optima Sun Labs. Which by the way, I have to say was fantastic. She was quick and super personable. And I even recruited her for skydiving! It was a little pricey, but definitely worth it for the occasional tan.

On Friday the SO and I headed to Cedar Point for our first trip of the year. It was rather nostalgic for us as this is where he first kissed me - in line for Top Thrill Dragster actually (awww).

We hit up all the big rides - Raptor, Millennium Force, Maverick, and of course Dragster. By that time we'd had it. Our feet were tired, our heads hurt, and we were sunburned. Being stuck in an office day in and day out has really made us soft, yeesh!

So we headed home for a nap, woke up absolutely ravenous, and headed to the Winking Lizard in Lakewood to feed my craving for nachos. Mmmm...

We followed this up with a trip to visit some friends who recently got a puppy - a 3 month old coonhound-ridgeback mix. Other than the constant digging and attempts to dominate the SO, he was adorable. Corona's and cornhole ensued.

The night closed with an at-home viewing of Gran Torino. If you haven't seen this movie, it's a MUST. Clint Eastwood is beyond phenomenal in this role.

Saturday was a sleep in day. And boy did that feel great. The day actually started out pretty slow - leisurely breakfast, got in another workout and then I had to bite the bullet and get some groceries (given that breakfast included my scraping the sides of the peanut butter jar with a butter knife in hopes of getting a little more sustenance).

So off I headed to the cluster-f**k that was Giant Eagle. A minor panic attack rose to the surface as I tried to figure out the logistics of how to maneuver the last-minute picnic shoppers and their carts full of hot dogs, but then I realized I had no choice. I literally ran around the store to get the basics, found the shortest checkout line and peaced out as quickly as possible.

With fridge fully stocked, it was off to the East side with the SO for a cookout and cornhole - again. Now I have to stop and say this was a big step for the SO as he's one of those West-siders that doesn't cross the Cuyahoga. EVER. In fact, this may have been the first time we'd been to the East side together.

Anywhosits, it was a great time. I tend to get a little squirmy when I'm around a group of 10+ people I've never met before, but everyone was so nice and so laid back, it was easy to relax. I felt like I fit right in.

The food was great and the SO and I even beat the old guys in cornhole. The night was capped off with a walk down to Lakewood park for fireworks and then back home where we both passed out on the couch.

Grandma and Grandpa were tired!

Sunday was another early start to head to the drop zone for a couple jumps. It'd been two weeks so I was definitely nervous, but of course I fell right back in (no pun intended) like I'd never missed a day.

(All smiles in my new gear!)

I got to fly my new jumpsuit and altimeter and even got Lonnie to come up with me for jump #13 and get some new solo pics. You can find some here. Or on my Facebook or Flickr pages.

So tell me dear readers, how was your 4th of July weekend?

Cheers!

-A

*I'm keeping up with my EA Sports Active challenge. Entering a successful 3rd week on the program. What's up!?

Morning person

2009-07-02T07:32:00.005-04:00

I've always prided myself on being a morning person. My brain seems to work so much better in the early mornings. And the fact that the office is dead until 8:30 really helps my concentration too.

But what I'm not that best at in the mornings is talking to people. At least not until I have my coffee.

I've found that on the days where I decided to get a little extra shut eye and get into the office after my cube neighbors that, until I've had time to caffeinate and settle in, I'm rather annoyed by the pure existence of others.

In fact, I find anyone who has already consumed caffeine to be highly irritating first thing in the morning.

I need a sign that says: BEWARE! Use caution when speaking to the Bitch before 9 a.m.

Even on those days when the SO sleeps over it's not usually a problem because he's just as mute as I in the mornings.

That is, until today. Given that we both have so much work to do before the holiday weekend, we decided to set the alarm earlier and get into the office for a productive morning.

Groggy, I pull myself from the warmth of my bed and stumble toward the bathroom, only to be met by the SOs foot swinging through the air - you know, as if he were attempting to kick me in the face.

He was chipper and had energy like I'd never seen before 10 a.m. What gives, SO?

Thing was, with only 6 hours of sleep under my belt I didn't have the energy to do more than grumble a "you're hyper this morning" in his general direction.

Hindsight, if he would have kicked me in the face maybe I could have called off today. Only kidding...unless he broke my nose.

Ha. J/K again! He couldn't get his foot up that high anyhow.

Just kidding, Just kidding. SO, you're the best.

Really, his chipperness was a refreshing change from our typical silent mornings. But when it comes to anyone else, if I have to see you before my coffee, I prefer a silent interaction.

Though I'd love to not see you at all!

So tell me dear readers, what does your routine look like prior to coffee consumption?

On another note, it's a long weekend! YAY!! I'm excited to report that I'll be spending tomorrow at Cedar Point riding roller coasters and Sunday falling through the air at 120 mph (skydiving, naturally). I'll get to put my new jumpsuit and altimeter to good use. And I'm hoping to have some solo skydiver pics to share with y'all next week!

Any big plans for the 4th?

Cheers!

-A

Moe Knows

2009-06-30T10:07:00.004-04:00

Coming hot off a post about Fatty McFatterson Jr. I found it appropriate to talk about my most recent encounter - with food!

Last night after accompanying the SO to pick up his new car, he took me to Moe's Southwest Grill as a "reward."

And let me just tell you, it blew my mind!

For those who are not familiar, Moe's is a quick casual restaurant similar to Chipotle and Qdoba, a make your own burrito type of joint. Of course, they have tacos and quesadillas and nachos too. But let's talk about my burrito experience, shall we?

The SO'd been talking about this place for a while now, saying how much better it is than Chipotle, that there's a lot more variety, but I didn't believe it till I saw it.

Not only can you choose toppings like black olives and jalepenos, but they even have free chips and a salsa bar. YEAH!

So when your burrito isn't spicy enough or you want to try a different salsa with your FREE CHIPS, it's all there for you.

On top of that, their sour cream is a lot thicker and their queso is delish! It's made with one of those white cheeses, tasted like Chihuahua.

Here in NE Ohio they have one in Avon and in North Olmsted, but I highly recommend you look them up in your area. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Cheers!

-A

p.s., I don't feel bad about chowing down last night after completing my third EA Sports Active workout. I'm gonna kick this 30-day challenge in the ass!

I wish you'd just transform already

2009-06-29T09:55:00.003-04:00

So this weekend I got to see the new Transformers movie - Revenge of the Fallen. It was over two hours and I have virtually no complaints about the movie - great special effects, a few good chuckles, and who can moan about about watching men like Tyrese Gibson and Josh Duhamel on the big screen?

At least, not in a bad way. Ha!

But there was one little annoyance during this flick - or shall I say on very large annoyance.

Just before the movie started a man and two boys plopped down next to us. One boy looked like a normal 8-year-old, chatting with his friend, excited about seeing a late-night Transformers movie. The other, was, well, how do I say this....fat.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not against fat people in the slightest. However, when a parent has a kid who's clearly going to have (or who probably already has) health problems because they've let them have too many brownies in their life, it kinda pisses me off.

At the parent - not the child.

It also pisses me off when they allow them to act in the way this kid did throughout the entire movie.

As I mentioned, they started out rather chatty but shut right up when the movie started. This was a good sign. Or so I thought.

But as soon as he ate his way to the bottom of his jumbo popcorn - yes, he had his own - he went to town on slurping down the remainder of his large soda.

Lord only knows how, over the course of 2 and 1/2 hours how this kid didn't have to get up to pee at least once, but he kept his ass glued in that chair somehow.

Once the soda was gone he proceeded to poke on the plastic top and break it until it had completely collapsed into the cup.

After that noise subsided he apparently got bored and slid to the front of his seat so his feet could touch the floor.

Why?

So he could loudly crunch every single kernel of popcorn that had missed his mouth earlier in the movie.

About this time, the other kid and the man, who we decided was probably the father of the smaller child as he seemed like a reasonable man who would have told his own kid to shut the hell up about an hour earlier, got up to go to the bathroom.

When they came back, the chubster proceeded to use his outdoor voice to tell his friend what he'd missed.

At the end of the movie, we all got up to leave, following this group out the door. Just before he got to the isle way, the fat one bent over and stuck his hand into what was left of the dad's popcorn for one last snack.

Mmmm....floor popcorn.

Okay, so not exactly, but once the bucket is on the floor and the movie is over it might as well be straight from the floor.

Regardless of the distraction, it was a great movie. Highly recommended!

What good movies have you seen lately?

Cheers!

-A

A post not about MJ

2009-06-26T08:09:00.002-04:00

Not that I don't feel bad about Michael Jackson's death, but it hasn't even been 24 hours and I'm already sick of hearing about it.

Yes he had a rough childhood, sure he may have molested a few boys, and of course he was talented, but c'mon. I mean, Farrah Fawcett passed away yesterday from a battle with cancer and how come she's just a minor sub-heading on CNN?

CREAPSTER MICHAEL JACKSON DIES AT AGE 50 -- MACAULAY CULKIN WEEPS AT HIS BEDSIDE

Oh right, and Farrah Fawcett died too.

Anywhosits, enough about all that.

So remember how a couple weeks ago I mentioned starting the 30 day EA Sports Active challenge....uh yeah, that hasn't happened.

You were supposed to push me, remember? "Man up!"

Yeah, I blame you.

Okay, so not really. It's actually been a series of unfortunate health incidents that has set me back - starting with a massive head cold last week followed by a minor elbow injury on Sunday that's still in the mending stages.

But I will start this weekend. You better believe that.

Mostly because I want to get this conquered before my trip to L.A. in early August - I'm definitely not in shape for the beach right now.

But of course, that's not going to stop me from going out to dinner with the SO and his family tonight, followed by a trip to one of my favorite places tomorrow morning - the West Side Market of course.

And of course, if the elbow permits, I'll be headed to the drop zone this weekend for some more fun jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

What are you weekend plans?

Cheers!

-A

Blog Carnival: A blast from the past

2009-06-24T09:48:00.003-04:00

So I wasn't going to post today, but then, as I was going through my Google Reader I came across this post, again from my friend Susan over at Transient Travels. Thanks for the reminder, Susan.

The post below is from way back, last year, when I first started my blog. And, this post is part of 20SB's Looking Back Blog Carnival, and Ben & Jerry's is awarding free ice cream to lucky bloggers and readers.

Who doesn't like free ice cream.

When I got this challenge I knew EXACTLY which story I would use. And though it's technically not from the first 2 months of the blog, it happened within that time frame, so I still think it counts.

So, enjoy this little blast from the past!

___________________________

Should Have Escaped While I Could

Though I am typically opposed to documenting personal information or dating experiences in the public blogosphere, I decided that the following story is just too good not to share. It came up during a game of Wii bowling late last night with my roommate and a couple of our friends and it was the entertining topic of the night. In fact, when I first told my roommate about this first-date experience, she chuckled lightly and responded with, "you just made me feel better about every bad date I've had the past six months, thanks." You're welcome.

A while back I met a boy while I was out with my friends. He was mid-20s, attractive, had a job to support himself, and could hold a conversation so when he suggested we hang out again I considered it. After discussing with my friends (as all girls do) they agreed that he seemed like a decent person. So when it came time to decide if I was going to attend a sporting event with him one evening after work, my mind went back to our first encounter and it seemed like a good idea. And in fact, it was. He managed to get my roommate and I two great seats to the game and we all had a good time. At the end of the night we concluded that he was really cool and I should definitely hang out with him again. But boy did he fool us.

He had asked me out for the following Saturday, mentioning dinner and a movie as a good possibility given that it was supposed to rain. During the day before the rain set in I managed to enjoy some sun and accomplish all of my weekend chores. Come 8 p.m. he had still not called, though by this time my stomach overruled my brain and I made myself dinner. A text message asking if he still wanted to hang out revealed that he did, but not until 10 p.m. This is where, if I would have been smart, I would have backed away. Maybe subconsciously I knew what was coming, and at least I'd have a good story to tell later, right?

...10:00, 10:30, 10:45 - incoming text: "left later than I wanted, be there by 11." ...11:00, 11:15, 11:25 - incoming call: "i'm waiting downstairs."

In the car I give him the benefit of the doubt and pretend that I forgot he said we'd be going to dinner. "So, how was your day? Did you get to enjoy the weather before this rain started?" To which he replied that in fact he got caught up in building his Web site and lost track of time. *Strike one* - since when is any Web site better than going on a date with a cute girl?

He suggests we go to a local bar because there's a good band playing. Given my experiences with local bands, I was skeptical, but for some reason believed the words that were coming out of his mouth (though if I'd listened to the music coming out of his stereo I would have known the band was going to suck). Regardless, we go, there's a $3 cover charge. He hands the guy a $5, gets his change and walks in. That's right. Not only does he not pay for my $3 cover, but he doesn't wait for me to pay my own way! *Stike two* - hello, moron. You asked me out on this "date." Man up!

Oh, but it gets better...

So after one drink (for which he surprisingly paid), I can't take thesuckiness of the band anymore and suggest we leave. Head to another local bar with a better band and no cover for one more drink. The conversation was dull, and the moment he asked me if I had beaten my score on Wii bowling yet (huh?) it was time to leave. As we are walking out he says, "I'm hungry." Well,I'm not, and I'm ready to go home, and at this point I only give a damn about myself. I should have asked for him to take me home first (in hindsight, I should have done a lot of things differently, but you know what they say about highdsight). Regardless, I shut my trap and pointed him in the direction of the nearest fast-food restaurant still open. He gets in line, orders the biggest meal he can, turns to me and says, "I don't have any cash."

Me: "They take credit cards."
Terrible date: "Oh, I don't do credit cards at fast food restaurants. Can I have some cash." - which rendered me speechless for quite some time - but oh the things I could have said...
Me: *Taking the longest pause EVER, looking at him like he just asked me to give him my left kidney*

Terrible date: "Like 5 bucks if you got it."

Me: *Hands him the 5 dollars...only God knows why, I'll never see that 5 bucks again. But I figure the quicker I give him the money, the quicker I get home and am rid of him forever.*

He pays, get's change back, and pockets it. Shaking my head and laughing at the situation at this point, I'm just happy his car is headed in the direction of my apartment. When we arrive I let out a huge sigh of relief and get out of the car; and so does he! I should have asked him where the hell he thought he was going, but of course I didn't. He comes up to my apartment, sits on my couch with the assumption that he's going to scarf down the fast food meal that I just purchased for him right there in front of me, when finally I get the cojones to kick him out so I can go to bed and forget about this night. He seemed surprised (ohwake up son!). When I walked him to the door, the last words I ever heard him speak were "so, can I chat with you online tomorrow?"

Sure, right after my World of Warcraft marathon and before I start my Halo game... *Strike 3, 4, 5, and 6* - no explanation needed

I, in fact, said nothing and shut the door.

So there you have it folks. Next time a date goes bad and you're feeling a litte depressed, please feel free to revisit this post for a reminder of how bad it could have been - and of course for a good laugh!

Comments on other date stories that are rediculous, funny, or just plain sad highly encouraged.

Cheers!

-A

Sucked in

2009-06-23T08:48:00.003-04:00

Why is it that no matter how hard I try I always end up getting sucked into this ridiculous celebrity gossip BS?

Seriously. It's so mind numbing. And yet, I follow these "scandals" like an entranced minion of the entertainment industry.

Wake UP Ashley! This crap never has been, and never will be, "entertainment."

Sad thing is, I know I'm dumber for following these things, even while I'm in the middle of watching the latest fight between Jon and Kate, but for some reason I can't freakin' make myself turn it off. What the hell is wrong with me?

It's not as if there's a lack of excitement in my life. I mean, skydiving, hello!

What's even sadder is that it's not just with really stupid shows like this, but I even love watching things like Extreme Home Makeover and The Biggest Loser, purely for the personal stories involved. Okay, and because I dream of having on of those kitchens designed by Ty some day.

Tell me I'm not the only 20-something out there who finds that after a long day at the office, a junky reality TV show is just the ticket.

Is this an escape from life or a reminder that sometimes boring is better?

What shows have sucked you in lately?

Cheers!

-A

Thanks, Dad

2009-06-22T09:43:00.002-04:00

Given that it's the day after Father's Day, I thought it highly appropriate to give a shout out to my good ole pops.

This weekend was a whirlwind, driving home in torrential rains on Friday, family stuff on Saturday before heading back that night so I could work at the drop zone on Sunday.

So needless to say I feel a little more than guilty for not spending Sunday with my dad.

But after reading this post by rs27 - who writes by far one of the funnies blogs ever, Your Beard is Good - I felt inspired to reflect on all those things my dad has done for me over the years.

After a recent conversion with my big brother, who in his pre-marriage counseling has to fill out a chart, plotting points on a graph of his relationship with his family members over time, I got to thinking about my relationship with my parents over the years.

Every teenage girl has those turbulent years with her mother, so we'll shy away from that. But don't worry, mom and I get along great now!

But in my 25 years, I can't once think of a time where I could have asked for a better dad.

I was lucky that during my elementary school days my dad worked the night shift. He came to all of my school functions, signed up to chaperon every field trip, and I loved it.

He would pick me up from school and I was always proud to be walking out with my dad while the other kids got on the bus. Sometimes, on nice days, he'd even pick me up on one of our motorcycles - think dirt bike, not Harley.

After school and on weekends we'd be out shooting the basketball or I'd be running errands with him. I loved the time we spent together in the car, just the two of us, talking about who knows what anymore.

The summer before I started high school my dad took over a newspaper delivery route for a family friend. It required middle of the night drop offs - from 1 until 4 a.m. typically - driving around the country back roads. This was a daily adventure that I decided to help him out with.

Some of the best conversations took place in the front seat of his truck that summer. I gained an appreciation for music of his generation and I'd like to think he did for mine as well, maybe. Eh, Dad?

We even became immune to scent of skunk together. Had to be there, I guess.

Needless to say, I was sad when that summer ended. After that, my teenage years set in and boys became a main focus.

But no matter what I was involved in, my dad was there for it. Track meets in the rain. Tennis matches in the heat of the fall. And we can't forget how much time he spent with me on the court every summer. A little tradition that carried through to college - playing a couple sets indoors any chance we got.

Moving away wasn't easy, especially since he's not much of a phone talker, but I cherish the moments I get to spend at home and those days he comes to visit me. Next, I'm working on getting him to jump out of an airplane with me. Baby steps.

Thanks Dad, for always being there.

What are the best memories of your dad?

Cheers!

-A

I'm a quitter

2009-06-18T09:06:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about my running behavior, or lack there of, and have realized just how unsuccessful I've been in reaching my goals these last, ahem, five years.

During this time I've signed up for or verbally committed to run three half marathons and countless 5 and 10Ks that were never completed.

Training FAIL.

It was almost five years ago now that I endured my first running injury that put me in a back brace for almost six months.

Hyperextension WIN...?

Anywhosits, after much deliberation, I think I've come to a decision with my distance running.

You ready for this?

I'm officially giving up competitive running. (!!!!!!)

Here's how I see it. Right now I only feel inclined to run so that I don't embarrass myself at the next race. And when my training doesn't go as planned I back out of the race. This then causes me to feel bad about myself and stay at home to eat Cool Ranch Doritos on the couch instead of going for a leisurely run.

It's all a downward spiral from there.

When I first started running I used to truly enjoy the sport - running for me, for the enjoyment, for the high. Once I started racing, it became a whole different ball game, and my competitive spirit got the best of me. I ran for the race, to win. It was no longer about the intrinsic value.

Recently I've found that when there isn't a looming race to prepare for I enjoy the act of running much more. I can mix things up, do sprints when I'm inclined, walk for a little to enjoy the scenery without feeling guilty about it.

Not to mention that the pressure to hit the treadmill the minute I enter the gym significantly declines.

Let's not forget about the other factor of races - the money. Sure, it's only $25 to enter a race, but that's also the cost of a skydive. And we're all acutely aware of what I'd rather be doing.

Long story short, I need to run for me, not just to compete with the other runners around me.

I'm much happier when I participate in a variety of activities to keep me healthy, and honestly, when I'm training and running 6 days a week I'm not at my peak health. I have X-rays of two fractured feet to prove that.

So for now, I'm going to focus on enjoying my workouts, running or otherwise, and gain some endurance back the fun way. And who knows, maybe one day you'll see me at the starting line again, complete with Asics and racing number.

But until then, I'll see you in spinning class.

What's your workout of choice these days?

Cheers!

-A

Obsession

2009-06-16T10:51:00.004-04:00

For all y'all who may not know me very well, let me tell you something about me. I'm a highly passionate person.

This is a trait I've come to love about myself. However, if not handled properly, it can backfire like that '56 Chevy truck parked on your grandpa's front lawn. Loud. Explosive. And everyone notices.

Personally, I have a tendency to get wrapped up those things I'm passionate about - to an almost obsessive extent.

Like when I started cooking a few months back and have found a new love for food. Sure, I wrote about the Food Network a lot but, to squash any beliefs you may have, no, I did not stalk Bobby Flay.

Though I still believe that one day Bobby will find my blog and decide to head to the Cleve for a guacamole Throwdown.

It's more like healthy obsession, if there is such a thing.

Take right now, for instance. I'm beyond obsessed with skydiving.

*GASP* Shocker, right?

When I'm not working I'm thinking about, planning for, or participating in the sport. It's all I want to talk about, as you probably noticed. Sorry if it's annoying.

I'm constantly reading about it, watching videos, meeting new jumpers on the Skydiver Network. I want to soak up every aspect of the sport and learn everything I possibly can.

I even dream about it.

The last few nights my dreams have been consumed with visions of me and my skydiving friends throwing ourselves from perfectly good airplanes.

But, what usually happens when I get like this is that I run out of steam. The obsession subsides and I slowly start to lose interest.

Though, I definitely don't see that happening here. Sure, the dreams may stop and I may read a little less, but my passion for skydiving isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

So tell me dear readers, what is your current obsession? What are you most passionate about this summer?

Cheers!

-A

A Sniffling Wreck

2009-06-15T08:03:00.002-04:00

I am the worst when it comes to being sick.

Yes, me. The girl who jumps out of airplanes for fun. When I get a cold I'm the most whiny, pathetic sight you've ever seen.

What can I say, I just don't take being sick well.

And because of this, I'm doing a cop-out weekend recap post - my head is too stuffy to think of anything else.

Friday I decided, since it was going to be nice, to take the day off for some skydiving. So after sleeping in a bit, I headed out to Cleveland Parachute Center around 11 a.m. for my first jump of the day.

Success!

A quick 'chute repack and I was right back up in the sky for a second successful jump.

The best part about it - I passed my AFF courses and am now a SOLO SKYDIVER!!

Friday night I headed over to the Nautica Pavilion for the O.A.R concert with the SO and his friends. I'd never seen them live before - they were good, but the show only lasted just over an hour. I'm not sure that was worth 40 bucks, honestly.

After, given that I missed the Stanley Cup Finals, I headed home to watch it - thank you, TiVO!

And no, I don't want to talk about the outcome of that game, thankyouverymuch.

Saturday I was able to sleep in for a change before heading to the zoo for a pet adoption event. Going in, we knew there was no chance we'd be adopting a dog, so we pretty much went just to torture ourselves.

But I did get to talk to a golden retriever rescue group so I know where I might be adopting from in the future!!

From there we headed to one of my favorite Cleveland destinations - the West Side Market - to pick up some staples.

That night we went to the movies and saw The Hangover. Highly recommended, by the way. It's freakin' hilarious.

We finished the night with another movie, Transformers, since the new one is coming out soon.

Sunday was spent at the drop zone again, after making breakfast tacos in the morning. YUM!

Then, last night, as I was winding down I realized I was getting sick. So here I am, feeling miserable with a cold that most people take in stride.

I'm not too proud to admit I'm a baby when it comes to being ill. I just wish there was time to sleep it off.

Oh well, back to work.

How was your weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Feeling inspired

2009-06-11T09:41:00.005-04:00

Last night as I sat on my butt watching re-runs of Extreme Home Makeover I couldn't help but think that I'm in desperate need of some inspiration.

Ever since the cruise I've been pretty lazy - in general. Not only is my body out of shape, so is my apartment. Finding time to hit the gym and clean just hasn't been a priority.

Though in my defense, I haven't wanted to pick up too many new workout routines for fear of immense soreness like last week when I tried my first EA Sports Active workout. It was a lower body workout that, to be honest, I didn't even finish because my quads were killing me.

And they continued to throughout the week. Thankfully, I did this on Tuesday so I was healed and ready for my skydives by the weekend.

The last thing I need right now is additional muscle soreness getting in the way of solid jumps.

But, after reading about this 30 day EA Sports Active challenge on GeekSugar that a number of bloggers are participating in, I found the inspiration I needed. I'm going to talk about it in public.

Or, in the blogosphere...same thing, right?

Don't worry, not every day, just on occasion so that I can stay accountable. And if you see me slacking, feel free to call me out on it. Hell, you can bring this to Twitter and Facebook too, if you want. "Man up, Mead!" Don't worry, I can take it.

I'm determined to finish this thing.

Of course, since I'm planning a couple jumps tomorrow on a lovely vacation day I've scheduled (!!!!) I won't be starting until this weekend, but you can bet come Monday I'll have plenty of gripes about my soreness.

Anyone interested in joining me? C'mon, you know you are.

Cheers!

-A

p.s., today is my mom's birthday. Happy B-day MOM!!

Full and shivering

2009-06-10T08:26:00.003-04:00

Look Food, we all know how much I love you and your nourishing goodness, but I've got a serious beef with you.

Stupid pun not intended.

This is a problem I've been suffering with for years. Almost immediately after consuming your pure deliciousness my extremities get so cold they feel as if they might fall off.

C'mon food, I know this is your fault, it's been happening for too long now for this to be some kind of coincidence.

What's more - when I wash you down with pure, crystal clear water it only escalates the situation.

Now, this becomes a problem when I need to eat outside of my house, because it certainly isn't acceptable for a grown 25 year old woman to carry around a blanket to wrap herself in post-meal. And I'm certainly not wearing a Snuggie around in public.

So tell me Food, what's a girl to do? Please do tell, because I know I'm not the only person out there who suffers this debilitating coldness after eating, and I'm certainly not going to go on living like this.

Until I get an appropriate response, I'm boycotting. I'll live on coffee and tea until we can work something out, Food.

Hungrily yours,

-A

p.s. Anyone who believes I'm actually giving up food, even for a second, is out of your bloody mind.

Stand on your head, biotch

2009-06-09T09:18:00.004-04:00

If you haven't noticed, I've been a sad, whiny, pathetic excuse for a human being lately.

Haha, human.

Sorry, had to be there.

What pisses me off most about this is that I have almost nothing to complain about. I mean, c'mon, who in their right mind bitches about having to balance fun stuff like skydiving and running outside in this beautiful weather and spending time with an amazing boyfriend like the SO.

Really, I don't suck so much at life as I suck at appreciating it.

I've spent so much of my life being a perfectionist and control freak (which comes in handy at the office and in free fall, but is otherwise rather annoying) that I have yet to learn how to enjoy the moments that don't go quite as planned.

Honestly, when I first moved to the Cleve, I was much more laid back than this. My weekends were spent out drinking with whatever friends would have me and happily working 60+ hours a week because, well, I didn't have anything else to do.

But, to steal a line from the SO's lovely mom: my life wasn't that great back then.

There's gotta be a happy medium though, right? I mean, there is no reason why I can't strive for perfection while also being comfortable with where things are now.

I just have to figure out how to do that so I can stop being such a freakin' Debbie Downer and get back to being cynical about things that really matter - like the rude cashier who looked at me funny this morning at Starbucks. Bastard.

Cheers!

-A

Can you hear it skipping?

2009-06-08T08:48:00.005-04:00

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but I still feel as if I'm sucking at life.

I thought maybe if I wrote about it last week that things would change - but they haven't. Not one bit.

A few weeks back I read an interview with Lost's Evangeline Lilly in Women's Health where she had a great line that hit close to home: "I'm not a highly social person. I'm a highly productive person."

Now, for many of my blogger friends this may seem confusing, since getting me to shut my yap, even in the virtual world, is nearly impossible. However, if you look at my daily patterns, I have a tendency to keep to myself.

Regardless, this isn't exactly the point. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm not only sucking at my social life, but at being productive, too.

So what am I doing then? Seems to me like I'm half-assing a lot of things. Though I'm trying my best to stay engaged and dedicated to my work.

And, naturally, get in as much skydiving as possible. Even still, I feel a little guilty that I'm not out at the drop zone more.

Enough whining about it. This week I'm really going to set my goals high and accomplish everything I set my mind to - including regular trips to the gym, studying and practice for skydiving, tying up loose ends on the numerous chores I have started, and spending some quality time with the SO. Who knows, maybe I'll even catch up with a friend or two.

So tell me dear readers, how do you do it all without being preoccupied with the other things you should be doing?

Cheers!

-A

It'll take you back

2009-06-04T10:51:00.005-04:00

Guess what? I'm back in the Big Apple again!

GASP!!!

Huge surprise there, right? Given that Manhattan has become my home away from home these past 6 months.

Anywhosits. As I sit here, catching up on my Google Reader, I came across a post from my blogger buddy Susan over at Transient Travels. (She writes an amazing travel blog...a must read.)

Her most recent post entitled, "When Music Takes you Places" really hit home with me.

As a lover of music and someone who finds memories attach easily to sound - only beaten by smell in my book - I found there to be an endless number of songs that correlate to specific events or past times in my life.

So rather than record them all in Susan's comments, I thought I'd steal her post idea and make a list of my own.

What do ya think about that?!

Ha. Right, like I care what you think. I'm making the list anyway!

When I hear AC/DC's Thunderstruck I'm instantly back in Spartan Stadium, pre-game in the student section, back before they started using clips from the movie 300. This was a huge crowd booster as Sparty beat down the mascot from the opposing team.

As I mentioned to Susan, Untouched by The Veronicas takes me back to the Cessna-185 that I jump from at Cleveland Parachute. Somehow it's become the song I sing to myself as I climb to my knees and mentally prepare before each jump.

No Sunlight by Death Cab for Cutie takes me back to last year's trip to San Francisco. Actually, the entire Narrow Stairs album reminds me of my time in the city and the trip up to wine country.

If I want to travel back to my high school band camp days (shut up) all I have to do is turn on Hysteria by Def Leppard and I'm back on the top bunk, curled up with Marilyn Manson's autobiography and relaxing from a day of field marching (shut up!).

Slide by the Goo Goo Dolls takes me back to a summer pool party I had in high school. It definitely reminds me of a more innocent time. Though I still have a little crush on Johnny!

Fall Out Boy's Thanks for the Memories has strong ties to when I first moved to Cleveland and some decisions I made along the way. Enough said.

Rihanna's Disturbia is by far one of her best, and will always remind me of the 10 days I spent in New York City, gallivanting around Manhattan and hosting a week long even in Chelsea.

So tell me dear readers, what songs bring back vivid memories from your past?

Cheers!

-A

A few reviews

2009-06-03T08:34:00.006-04:00

In the last few days I've had a chance to try out some new products that, I must say, I either loved or hated with a passion.

And since I care dearly for all my readers out there, I wanted to share my experiences with y'all so you can know what to expect if you find any of these products being added to your wish list.

Let's start with the one overly-negative experience and get that out of the way.

Mariani Dried Cherries by Far Away Foods - after picking these up at the store on a whim (I read somewhere recently that dried cherries have lots of antioxidants and have been dying to try them) I took them home to enjoy by the handful. After popping one - just one - in my mouth I bit down HARD on a cherry pit!

Now, let me just say that when I was a kid this same thing happened to my dad, only it was with an olive that should have been pitted, and he had to have a root canal because he cracked his tooth.

Today, I'm in pain. But of course, I looked at the back of the package and there's a small-print warning that, due to machine pitting, there may be remnants of pits left in the snack.

So, they covered their asses, but I'm still pissed none the less, and will only be buying Sunmaid brand in the future!

(If you see these in the store, back away slowly and save your teeth!)

Now, onto greener pastures, shall we?

EA Sports Active for Nintendo Wii - I avoided Wii Fit like the plague, mainly because of availability and cost, (oh and that little fact that you have to own up to how much you actually weigh and stuff on that little board...) but at a minor $59 bucks on Amazon, I decided to give this at-home workout game a chance. Last night I took it for a spin. To my surprise, the 17 minute "easy" lower body workout I participated in about killed me.

If you see me walking funny today, it's because my quads are killing me. Damn you inventor of squats. You suck! But this product certainly doesn't. It was a fun and challenging workout. I can't wait to test out another workout - once my legs are back from their current Jell-O-like state.

Special K Protein bars (strawberry) - I found these by accident, needing to pick up a little something on the way to skydiving a couple weeks back. Not only are they delicious, but they aren't the type of protein bar that sits like a brick in your stomach. And the texture isn't grainy at all.

(These come in three flavors, all delish I'm sure!)

These have become my standard breakfast, skydiving or just heading to the office. It's what I should have eaten instead of those two cupcakes today (follow me on twitter for more stupid updates like this @ashleymead).

What products have you tried out lately?

Cheers!

-A

Sucking a little

2009-06-01T12:04:00.004-04:00

Hi. Guess what? I suck.

Oh, you already knew that? Well then I'm late in the game figuring that one out.

Things have been so crazy lately, between work, wedding stuff (my big brother, not me, for those who haven't been paying attention), skydiving, practicing skydiving, spending time with friends and the SO, and just the general upkeep of life. Sometimes being an adult is exhausting.

Can't I just go back to being a kid again? With no responsibilities, getting to play outside and be all innocent and stuff. CAN'T I???

Then, maybe it wouldn't matter so much that I'm stinking it up so much. Just look at all the areas where I suck:

*Family: This weekend I went home for some wedding stuff, stayed for less than 24 hours for my bridesmaid duties and barely got to see my dad or brother at all. I haven't seen my grandma since Christmas and this trip was no different. I even had to postpone dinner plans with friends so I could make it back for skydiving. Which brings me to my next point...

*Friends: I haven't seen my Cleveland friends in weeks - nor have I returned phone calls from some of my friends around the country. When I know a long conversation is due it's hard to find the time, making the next conversation just that much longer. Vicious cycle.

*Exercise: This is a biggie. I've committed to a 5 miler on July 4th and the Chicago 1/2 marathon. Right now I might be able to comfortably run 2 miles without stopping. Maybe.

*The SO: Another biggie. I'm trying my best to be a good girlfriend, but there are still times, like this weekend, where things are so whirlwind that I'm not around much. And when I am in town Cleveland Parachute gets a lot of my free time. At least I managed to attend his rec league basketball game last night. Brownie points there, right?

*Adult life stuff: Bills, cleaning, car maintenance. If it wasn't for online bill pay the bill collectors would be knocking down my door. Sometimes my apartment looks like a tornado went through and my car has needed an oil change for way too long now.

*Skydiving: Although it may seem like all my time is devoted here, it's not. This license isn't going to earn itself and unless I can stick it out and get in multiple jumps on the weekends I may not meet my goal of 'A' by the fall.

*Sleep: I'm a girl who not only likes her sleep, but I need it to function. This 5-6 hour a night pattern that I've got going on right now just isn't cutting it.

*Blogging: Between work and SkydiveChick I've been neglecting y'all. Sorry my posts haven't been the most engaging lately. I promise to try and step it up a little.

It appears, that I suck at life. Seems like there was a time in my life where I was on top, and I don't know how to turn it back around.

HELP!

-A

Photography Friday: AFF Skydiving

2009-05-29T08:16:00.014-04:00

Welcome to the first skydiving edition of Photography Friday.

About freaking time, right?

I know, I've been terrible. With the beautiful weather comes skydiving, not photography. Which is precisely why I'm going to share a couple of my favorites from my adventures last weekend!

(Check me out in my jump suit and rig. w00t!)

Currently I'm in the Advanced Free Fall (AFF) training phase of student skydiving. I get to free fall between two instructors and ride down under the canopy solo. It's an exhilarating experiences to say the least.

These photos were taken by 'Danger' at Cleveland Parachute - mainly for training purposes, but they sure are pretty, too! Thanks, Dan.

(The climb out)

(Just out of the aircraft, falling between my instructors)

(Altitude check!)

(Deploying the 'chute.)

(Coming in for a smooth landing.)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you've ever considered, even for a moment, that you might want to go skydiving, you have to do it.

If you ever want to come out with me, let me know. Cleveland Parachute is the best!

Cheers!

-A

Can't get enough skydiving? Head on over to SkydiveChick.com to follow my adventures and learn more about the skydiving community.

It's WHAT day?

2009-05-28T08:44:00.004-04:00

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE long weekends. But seriously - how on Earth is it Thursday already?

There's so much that still needs to get done. Yikes!

And I found out recently that I'll be headed back up to Michigan on Friday to help with wedding stuff. My big brother is getting married and it's a bridesmaid's duties to try on pretty dresses in the planning phase.

Okay, so there's more to it than that, but on Saturday, that's essentially what I'll be doing.

But with the short notice and my pre-planned skydiving adventures this weekend it's going to be a busy couple days. Looks like the weather is going to cooperate so if all goes as planned I should be able to head up to Michigan, do some wedding stuff, have sushi with some friends and see their new puppy - we all know that's a priority - and head back down for Sunday morning jumping at Cleveland Parachute.

It'll likely be exhausting, but totally worth it!

What do y'all have planned for this weekend?

Cheers!

-A

p.s. If you're interested in keeping up with my skydiving adventures or just want to know more about the sport and what's going on in that community, come on over to SkydiveChick.com - or follow theskydivechick on Twitter (that's me!) and check it out.

A complete blank

2009-05-27T08:28:00.003-04:00

My mind is, at least.

The last couple days I've been thinking hard about the topic of today's post, and to be honest, I got nothin'.

Most of my weekend was spent skydiving - which I'm sure comes as no surprise - and y'all don't wanna hear the details of that, I'm sure.

But on the way in this morning I did think of something that might be of interest.

So as you might be aware I'm slightly obsessed with the Food Network and Bobby Flay. Well while I was in NYC last week a few of my colleagues and I headed out to Mesa Grill - one of Bobby's Manhattan restaurants.

I was surprised to see an item on the menu that was recently showcased in a Throwdown. It was a chile relleno.

As you can see, the presentation was gorgeous - and the taste was even more sensational. It left me with a spicy taste in my mouth for the rest of the night.

We also indulged on his dessert sampler that consisted of 6-7 featured items on the dessert menu. Needless to say, my standard PinkBerry run was not needed this time around.

If you're ever in the NYC area, check out Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

-A

The Three Day Weekend

2009-05-22T09:16:00.004-04:00

(Editor's Note: with my 200th post I tried switching it up a bit and discussing a topic that's a little more serious. Well, with a whopping ZERO comments we can see how well that went over. So, it's back to talking about me I guess.)

Gotta love a good three day weekend!

With Memorial Day right around the corner I have decided to add to this lovely extended weekend by extending it just a little longer - yep, I took Tuesday off, too. w00t!

Normally I'd have something great planned for these four days, but to be honest, with my busy business travel schedule as of late I'm excited to have a little down time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely without plans.

Tomorrow morning I have to get up early to head down to Cleveland Parachute for a little ground school and a couple of jumps.

These are the first two solo jumps toward my license. And I couldn't be more excited about it. Though I am a little nervous - going out on my own. But what's life without a little challenge, right?

The rest of the weekend is going to consist of relaxing, catching up on my reading, meeting up with some girlfriends and doing some much needed spring cleaning around the apartment. There are clothes in bins that I've had stashed away for way too long now.

Anyone know of any good second-hand stores?

Tuesday tentatively is reserved for a 'chute packing class. Girl's gotta learn sometime, right?

So tell me dear readers, what are you doing with your long weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Age 12 is just too young for that!

2009-05-20T16:41:00.004-04:00

I just want to start this off by saying that this is my 200th post. And tomorrow is my 25th birthday. This week is just filled with crazy milestones. Where the heck has the time gone? Thanks for sticking around!

There's been a lot of hype in the news and in blogs about the sexting craze that seems to be happening among teens - talking dirty via text, and whatnot.

This is something that parents are all in a tizzy about, but I'm starting to think they are missing the bigger picture here.

I've heard stories from my friends who have siblings still in high school about conversations they overhear between these teenagers about "getting laid" last night or giving a "BJ" in a janitors closet.

One of my teacher friends has even walked into a middle school bathroom to find two students having sex in a stall. We're talking middle school here people!

I didn't even understand the mechanics of sex at that age, let alone how to have it standing up, balanced between a mop and a floor waxer. My excitement consisted of waiting for the bell to ring and dismiss us from class so I could walk by my crush at his locker and pass him the note I wrote him in study hall.

"Will you go out with me? Circle yes or no." And no, "out" did not mean to the girls bathroom to hump it out.

Okay, so my lame past is totally not the point.

This behavior is definitely something that won't be remedied by taking away your teenager's (or pre-teen, as the case with middle schoolers) cell phone. There's definitely a deeper issue here.

I've always believed that kids should be properly educated about sex. Now I'm not just talking about preaching abstinence and showing grody pictures of STIs to scare kids out of having sex. No, what the public school system really needs to do is discuss the options - maybe then we wouldn't have so many "oops" situations on our hands.

(Editor's Note: I've heard that some schools are educating on contraceptive options, but where I grew up, in podunk Michigan, they did not.)

It seems like texting is the ICQ of our days - please tell me I'm not the only nerd who used this technology. Best IM ever!

Anywhosits. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it is all about the sexting, and if we take away the cell phones the rest of the behavior will stop too.

But I tend to think that kids these days (I'm sounding older already) are starting down the path of finding their sexuality a lot sooner than we ever imagined doing.

With all the crazy MTV shows that portray drinking and drugs and sex as glamorous, who could blame them right? So maybe, let's take away all technology and kick the kids of today outside for some fresh air - after all, that's what our parents did to us, right?

What are your thoughts on the teen sexting issue?

Cheers!

-A

It's already a quarter over!

2009-05-19T11:10:00.011-04:00

My life, that is.

This week I turn 25. Ugh, just looking at that statement makes me throw up in my mouth a little. What the hell happened to "the best years of my life" or whatever?

Rather than dwell on the fact that I'm now an adult - with the ability to rent a car at standard pricing - I've decided to make some changes and set some goals for myself along the way.

Sort of like New Year's Resolutions for the 25th year of life, if you will. I'll be damned if the quarter-life crisis is going to overtake this girl. *insert double thumb point in my direction*

It's time now to take a look at the direction I'm heading and make the necessary alterations. After all, I really only have 5 more good years in me before things stop functioning properly.

Hello adult diapers!

I kid, I kid.

But by the time 30 hits I'd like to have accomplished a lot and be well on my way to having the life I've always dreamed.

Like, for instance, focusing my attention on the people in my life. I've spent the majority of the last three years focusing solely on my career - and the four years before that on getting a career, and the four years before that getting into school so I can get a career...you get the point.

Now, with the addition of the SO and his wonderful family, planned trips with the old college crew, my brother getting married to the love of his life, and my beyond supportive friends and family who have seen me through moves across the country and back - and are still in my life, mind you - it's about time I threw a little of my positive energy in their direction.

The older I get the more I realize just how important the people who support you are to your success. It's true that I'm not going to be lying on my death bed wishing I spent more time working. Thank heaven for my employers encouragement of a work/life balance.

Here are a few other goals I intend to accomplish in my 25th year of life:

1) Run a 1/2 marathon. I've been saying it for the last few years and have been hindered by injuries every time. I think I've got the training figured out - now it's time to follow through. Chicago, here I come!

2) Get my skydiving license. I'm going for my A by the end of the summer. Then I can jump anywhere I travel. Maybe my B license by 26?

(I dream of one day being on a team like this)

3) Take on a new challenge at work. I need something to get me out of my comfort zone, that's where I grow the most. I will find this project.

4) Get my finances in order. Lately, I've been a whole lot of talk and not a lot of action on this front. And with my rather expensive hobbies saving hasn't been easy. To be out of debt and living comfortably by 26 is the goal.

5) Read a book every month. This might be a long shot, but I really want to get back into my reading habit.

6) Focus on my health. This is the time to get and stay healthy. It won't always be this easy.

I'm sure there are more, but that's a good start, and I've got a couple more days to lay out all these goals.

So tell me dear readers, what are some of your goals for the next year?

Cheers!

-A

Little bit of everything

2009-05-18T08:05:00.009-04:00

Today feels pretty random, so here's a random mess of stuff about today.

I'm currently in love with:

-Anberlin. I can't get enough of their music. Especially from the Cities album.

-The West Side Market. This has become a regular Saturday morning venue.

-Skydiving. But I'm sure y'all know that by now. Solo jump on Saturday!

-The Tweetie iPhone application. I often update from my phone even when TweetDeck is right in front of my face.

-The SouperMarket. Not only some of the best soup on the planet, but they have fabulous salads, too. My favorite is the Tomato Ginger with a Market Greens salad. There's one in Ohio City and Lakewood. Score!

Confessions:

-I often read my horoscope. Today's is spot on as it addresses my desire for change. It suggested wearing lavender eye shadow today. So I did. That's slightly embarrassing.

-When SmartWater is on sale I buy it because I think it tastes better than any other water - even though deep down I know it's from a tap somewhere.

-I cheated on my vegetarianism this weekend with lots of meat and cheese. And honestly, it wasn't that satisfying.

-Most everyone I know thinks I have no brain to mouth filter. In reality, there's a lot I consciously don't say.

-Ice cream makes my stomach hurt, but I eat it anyway because I love it so much.

-Mornings are extremely productive for me, but if I were you, I'd never, ever talk to me before I have two cups of coffee.

-I've had to start wearing my glasses at work. I think my computer is ruining my vision.

I wish...

-...I had the money to visit Dallas every couple months. I miss my friends.

-...there were more hours in the day so I could have more time to be lazy. (That should probably be in the confessions section, eh?)

-...I could see my dad every day.

-...there wasn't so much clutter. It feels like I'm always cleaning.

-...I wasn't turning 25 this week.

-...someone was watching over my finances, making sure I could stick to my budget.

I'm excited for:

-Dinner at Mesa Grill on Wednesday.

-Finishing ground school so I can solo jump this weekend.

-Visiting my family at home this summer.

-NHL playoffs. My 'Wings have a good shot at the cup again this year!

What are some of your random tidbits this morning?

Cheers!

-A

And of course - we can't forget the random comic of the day. In honor of Monday - Dilbert!

Sleep is underrated

2009-05-14T08:20:00.002-04:00

Seriously underrated.

When I was a Dallasite and, let's just be honest here, my personal life borderline sucked, I would get a full eight hours every night - after a solid workout and a couple chapters from a good book.

Sounds nice, right? Well after the 80th consecutive day it gets a little monotonous, trust me.

This is so not the point.

Lately sleep has taken a back seat in my life. Between work, running, skydiving, spending time with the SO, NHL playoffs (which are WAY more important than the NBA playoffs, in my book) and trying to keep up with chores at home, there isn't enough time to get even 6 hours, let alone a full eight.

This week it caught up with me as I passed out in the middle of a DVR'd episode of Gossip Girl, face down on the arm rest of the couch, at which point the SO carried my sorry ass to bed and recaptured the remote to fill his weekly 24 fix.

Looks like I just revealed another guilty pleasure of mine. Oh shut it. You like Gossip Girl too, just admit it!

Then last night, I made plans to head to the gym and wrap up some chores that I've been slacking on all week. I was determined! That is, until I ate a pre-run bagel that put me into a near coma on the couch - only to realize what happened when I awoke to a phone call two hours later.

Needless to say my apartment is still a disaster and my thighs aren't getting any smaller on this carbo-load / nap combination. But I do have to admit that the sleep was needed and I felt pretty amazing after. And I was able to knock out a few chores post-nap so all was not lost.

But I got to thinking this morning, as I got out of bed feeling more refreshed than I have in weeks, this whole sleep thing is way underrated.

I've always stuck to the belief that I'm a bad napper - once I drift off to dreamland it's over, I'm dead to the world for hours. Power naps have never been my specialty, and I've never been good at waking up.

This is something that can be learned, right?

I mean, all it takes is a good nap and I'm rejuvenated and ready to kick some ass - figuratively, of course. Any of y'all who know me in real life are well aware that I'm not kicking anyones ass, ever.

So maybe, instead of giving the SO a bunch of crap the next time he suggests a power nap, I should shut up and surrender to the blissful sleep that's calling my name. After all, a little nap never hurt anyone, right?

In need of a change

2009-05-12T09:51:00.005-04:00

There are two types of people in this world:

1) The ones who fear change and,

2) The ones who embrace it.

I fall into the latter category. Not only do I embrace change, I thrive on it.

In fact, without frequent change I get bored and uninspired and restless. So for me, change is more of a need than anything else.

Yep, change is an addiction.

Is there some sort of support group for this? Probably not, eh? With people like me we'd get bored with those supporters way too quickly.

Anywhosits.....I've found that with regular change, I tend to operate at optimal performance levels.

Why this is has remained a mystery to me, but the more frequent change occurs the happier I am. And the larger the change, the more productive I am.

Stupid, right? Maybe it's this constant need to adapt new technologies that my generation feels that's driving my desire for something different every day. It's a good thing I'm in marketing - we're always up to something new every day.

Even still, it's not enough. I've found that I seek out opportunities for change - from small things like new workouts that are bound to encourage soreness the next day to more substantial changes like moving across the country.

For the last two years I've lived and worked within a 5 mile radius. Just reading over that sentence makes me shudder a little. You might as well have told me I've been locked in a padded room - it's essentially the same for this adventure-driven girl.

I've settled for minor changes like becoming a brunette and slowly blonding (yes, that's a word, I just made it one) back again, picking up new hobbies like rock cli

mbing and skydiving, eating at new restaurants every chance I get (lucky for me the Cleve is filled with awesome restaurants), and even dabbling in the cooking arena myself.

But lately I've been in a rut and I'm starting to feel the change itch coming on.

This is where you come in. I need HELP. Desperately.

How do I fulfill this need for change without doing something drastic?

So tell me dear readers, how do you satisfy your need for change? What have you done differently that you've enjoyed?

Cheers!

-A

p.s. As promised - here's my value add for the day. Inspired by one of my favorites, Anna's daily read, Pearls Before Swine.

Whoa that's hot!

2009-05-11T08:19:00.008-04:00

LIAR!

My pants are on fire, but just a little bit. Hey, I never said it was going to be a long break.

What can I say, I couldn't stay away! Blogging is just too much a part of me to give it up for very long; even if I don't really have anything interesting to say.

I'm still wondering how I bring value in to y'alls lives, cuz it's certainly not my brains or my wit.

Maybe I'll start posting a comic strip every day. That's valuable, right?

Growing up I loved Garfield. Okay, so it was more of an obsession.

I still miss the days where I sat in the living room before school, eating my cereal and watching Garfield and Friends.

Oh that Jim Davis, he gets me every time.

But I never did get into the Garfield movies - they just weren't the same.

These days, I'm a big fan of Dilbert. My friend and colleague Luke Armour often shares these with me. Definitely makes my day.

The SO is a big fan of Calvin & Hobbes. HA!

It is pretty cool that he's from Chagrin Falls, OH. Gotta love a good Cleveland shout out every now and again. It does explain why the comic takes place in the winter for 9 months of the year.

So tell me dear readers, what's your favorite comic of choice? Who knows, it may just appear in an upcoming blog post.

Cheers!

-A

Break time

2009-05-06T08:34:00.005-04:00

It's become obvious that a little time away is needed.

Things just aren't operating as smoothly as they should. It's mostly my fault - too much time is being focused here when it should be devoted to other aspects of my life that, frankly, have been neglected as of late.

A little time off is definitely what is needed right now. In the end, it's a benefit to all of us.

It's important for you to miss me, to be happy to hear from me, to crave what you're missing when I'm not around.

Right now, that's not the case.

Maybe it's time to take a step back and re-evaluate; to take a look at our options. Is this going where we want it to? Are we benefitting from the current path we're on? Or is a change of course in order?

All things that have crossed my mind from time to time, though there hasn't been sufficient time to work through these thoughts.

I used to get caught up in life, now I'm absorbed in this whole new world and maybe I'm missing out, maybe I should be approaching this differently. There are endless opportunities, so many paths to choose from - am I headed down the right one? Or is there a better option, one that is beneficial to me, to you?

Yep, re-evaluation is in order. Time to take a step back and really look at what I want from all this. Just as importantly, probably even more so, what is it that you want from me?

Am I giving you everything you could hope for? Are there things that are missing? I hope you use this time to think about that, too, and give me constructive feedback so I can be the best you've ever had. I want you to want me.

Yep...I'm singing that in my head now, too.

Knowing me, I won't be able to stay away long. But hopefully, in the time I do take, I'll have an opportunity to figure everything out, and come back stronger than ever.

But just know, I'm still here. You know where to find me, if you miss me too much.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

You're the best.

-A

Hard work? What's that?

2009-05-04T12:06:00.005-04:00

This morning on the way into work I was listening to what is typically a mind-numbing morning show that forces me to turn to my CD player in disgust and listen to REMs Greatest Hits, again.

For some reason, I continue giving these Cleveland morning shows a chance - after Bob and Tom got replaced by Rover my morning commute just hasn't been the same...or nearly as funny. Regardless, today's show did more than make me feel dumber for listening, and I'm glad I tuned in.

The hosts were discussing a recent issue they had with management regarding the cancellation of an anticipated event and the ensuing action that was taken to resolve this issue.

What happened, you ask? Well, I'm getting there - hold your horses.

That's the first time I've ever written out that statement, and now I'm not so sure I understand...

Rather than resting on his laurels, like most people might expect a morning show host to do, he took action, used his brain, came up with some ideas, presented them to management and BOOM, they're back in business; event un-cancelled.

With a little hard work, brain power and creativity they came up with a solution that benefited everyone.

So, what's the point?

Well, most who are reading this right now probably don't get what the big deal is because y'all are hard-working professionals who bust ass everyday to complete work that you're proud of and to have a flourishing career...or maybe just to pay the bills, whatever.

But there are so many people out there who aren't willing to put in that kind of effort, who will do just about anything to avoid doing real work. We'll call this type Lazy Man (LM).

With news like this, the LM would have said, "oh well, that's just the way it is." Or even worse, would have been happy because now he doesn't have to put in the work to pull off an event.

People like this piss me off.

I've encountered too many of them in my short career so far. LM pawns off the hard work, or comes to a roadblock and says that it just can't be done. And this happens at every level, too. From the receptionists and administrative assistants, to interns and entry level employees, all the way up the food chain to the executives.

What gets me the most is when people are not terminated because of this. Laziness is not in your job description, people!

Though I've found that the interns and entry level folks who do this don't last long - at least not in my industry. But that's not the point, now is it?

There are just too many good people out there looking for work, especially in these times, for people to be able to get away with hard work avoidance. The market is flooded with smart, hard-working individuals who are willing to bust their booties for a company - at way less than market value, I'm sure - and yet the LMs of the world are still employed.

WHY?!

So as much crap as I give these morning-show hosts about the daily mind-numbing topics they often discuss, at least they're working hard to keep their careers afloat. And in looking at it, with all the lazy, unthinking people out there, the content of these morning shows caters perfectly to the general public.

All I have to say is this - no one is going to do it for you, people. It's time to get off your ass and take your career into you own hands. For those who don't really care about this path, please, I'm begging you, at least do something to benefit the rest of us. No one likes a waste of space - especially in the office.

Stepping down from my soap box....now.

Thank you.

-A

Quiz or obsession?

2009-05-04T08:54:00.005-04:00

I have a confession to make.

You know those little quizzes that seem to be popping up by the minute in your Facebook news feed?

Secretly, I love them. And no, it's not because I give a crap about your answers...kidding, you know I love you... But I complete them every time I see a new one that catches my eye.

Though I never, ever have them published - just so no one knows my little secret. Until now that is.

I'm not sure what it is about these things, but they are just so much fun. In high school I was always the girl who would get those really long e-mail surveys, fill them out with gusto and forward on to all my friends. It was an obsession, to say the least.

And now, Facebook isn't helping my need to find out stupid personality quirks based on questions like: what's your favorite Jelly Belly flavor? It's tutti-frutti in case you were wondering.

Anywhooo...

Given that I've never made these public, I thought this might be the perfect venue for sharing. So without further adieu, here is my personality according to Facebook.

Q: What breed of dog are you?
A: Golden Retriever

You are fun, loving and kind to others. You are very outgoing and love to meet new people. You are a faithful friend and sympathetic and understanding of others and their needs. You can be full of energy, but know how to relax and take it easy as well. You thrive when you are around the people that you love. You are golden in both personality and heart. You are something special, so don't stop being who you are!

And this is totally one of my favorite breeds ever.

Q: What color is your heart? (who comes up with this crap?)
A:Violet

The Violet Heart is resourceful, thorough, dependable, responsible, loyal, patient, placid, stable, sensual, affectionate, comfortable, solid, earthy, strong, money-oriented, practical, productive, cautious, musical, and artistic. They can also sometimes be stubborn, indulgent, insecure, acquisitive, possessive, rigid, stodgy and slow.

I dunno about the slow part, but I'm definitely stubborn and indulgent!

Q: How Texan are you?
A: A little bit Texas

The whole not owning a gun thing definitely set me back on this scale. But there's so much more to being a Texan at heart.

Q: What Periodic Element are you?
A: Iron

You are strong in character, emotions, ethics and physically. People who know you believe you are reliable and steady. You say what you mean and you will follow through with it because you weighed the positives and negatives of the commitment before you even said yes. Life may though difficulties your way but you are able to cope with them because of your strength.

Iron seemed scary at first, but I like what it's got to say.

Q: What Hills character are you?
A: Whitney Port

I'm not a regular watcher, is this good?

What Facebook quizzes have you taken lately? Oh c'mon, fess up. You know you have!

Cheers!

-A

But...it won't fit in that bucket.

2009-04-30T08:13:00.009-04:00

In reflecting on my amazing weekend with the lovely Christina, a conversation about our bucket lists comes to mind.

This was a branch off from a previous discussion about passions - and living for what you're passionate about, and most importantly, finding someone to share your life with that's equally passionate about something....anything.

Most definitely an important quality - but that's a topic for another day.

Given that we've been skydiving, multiple times now, that's a scratch off the ole bucket list for both of us. But a question that came to mind is this: can you alter your list? Because now, my ambition has changed - instead of "go skydiving" can I change my list to reflect my desire to earn my USPA license?

It also got me to thinking more about the other things that I hope to experience in this life.

Up until now, I really haven't developed such a list.

Shocker right? The queen of obsessive list making doesn't have a list of things she wants to accomplish in this lifetime? WHAT?!?

I guess the closest I've come to doing so is through my New Year's Resolution making each year.

Well it's about damn time that changed. So I'm starting one. Right here. In public.

Because who better to share this with than y'all?

While my list doesn't nearly compare - what can I say, I just don't have the guts to try out for a show like Survivor -here’s a snippet of what I’ve got so far:

1) ~~Skydive~~ Earn my B skydiving license from the USPA.

2) Teach a creative writing course.

3) Eat sushi in Japan.

4) Attend SXSW and Austin City Limits.

5) Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.

6) Ride in a hot air balloon.

7) Visit the Taj Mahal.

8) Ski the Rockies.

9) Own a dog.

10) Volunteer at a soup kitchen.

11) Learn the last dance from Dirty Dancing.

12) Visit Rio de Jenero.

13) Hold a koala bear in Australia.

14) Run a marathon.

15) Swim with dolphins.

16) Complete a HALO skydive.

17) Throw fish in Seattle.

18) Recycle and become more Green.

19) Visit the zen and lotus gardens in Kyoto, Japan.

20) Win the lottery.

This is just a small glimpse at my list. What can I say, as I started putting it together my ambitions started rolling in.

And of course, some of these I've completed, like skiing in the Rockies, and many of them require world travel - some are even dreams that may never come true (ahem, the lottery. But I'm trying, and you gotta play to win, and someones gotta win so you never know...).

This is a list that will definitely continue to grow and maybe even change over time.

So tell me dear readers, what's on your bucket list, and what have you already been able to cross off?

Cheers!

-A

Feisty morning

2009-04-27T08:17:00.005-04:00

That's the most accurate way to describe me this morning.

Feisty.

And NOT in the good way.

I blame the weekend. It was one of the best I've had in quite some time. So of course, waking up this morning knowing it was over and I had to return to the daily grind put me in an immediate funk.

Now, I'm not much for blogging about my weekend adventures, but this is one worth telling...

Or at least, I think so.

........................................

Last week on a whim - which is pretty standard for her - my dear friend Christina decided to make the two hour drive up to spend the weekend.

In our oh-so spontaneous fashion we decided to go sky diving on Saturday. Unfortunately, the winds did not cooperate at 20+ mph so we got pushed back to Sunday. Don't worry though, we did get to kiss the sky, after all.

But back to Saturday...

Once she got into town and we had an exciting reunion - two months is too long, we need more regular contact, lady - and then our stomachs got the best of us. Seeing as it was a beautiful day outside we headed to a local patio to post up and stuff our faces.

Oh, and we proceeded to burn our shoulders in the mid-day sun as well, but if that's the worst of it, I can deal.

After lunch we discussed the plans for dinner - being the food-obsessed runners that we are - and came up with a great plan to cook out at my place. Since I don't have a grill it was more like cooking in than out but it was tasty, regardless.

Our idea required fresh produce - tacos and Corona anyone? - so we popped over to the West Side Market for a bit.

Now, I have a confession. I've lived here for two years and this was my first trip to the market.

I know - I should be shunned for that.

But now, I'm addicted. This is definitely one of Cleveland's gems. I'll never buy my produce from anywhere else. It makes Giant Eagle look like the Bloomingdale's of the grocery world. Way too expensive for my taste.

And the vendors there are great. Since we were stocking up on veggies for my famous guacamole - okay, so not quite yet, but one day it will be...maybe this is where Bobby shows up for a Throw Down eh?

Sorry, off track.

So we were perusing the market and needed two fresh jalapenos, which the vendor gave us for free, and one lime, which we also got for free.

How nice are these vendors?

Or was it because we were two 20-something chicks in tank tops on a hot day that worked in our favor? We may never know for sure.

Getting a group around wasn't too difficult - free food and beer on a beautiful day pretty much sells itself. Needless to say, the guacamole and the taco party went over well.

(Pictures of the lovely spread to come.)

Then my friends and I headed to the rooftop deck to soak up a little more of the beautiful weather - once the wind died down that is. Though conversation was cut short again as us girls decided, once again, that our stomachs were more important and we headed to East Coast Custard to finish off the night.

Yep, you heard me right. We finished the night with ice cream. Where most other 20-somethings were doing shots of Patron and grinding on each other in the club basements on West 6th street, we were yawning, finishing our custard and preparing to put on our comfy pants and head to bed.

LAME.

But I have to admit, it was pretty awesome. After all, we did have to get up a 7:30 the next morning to jump out of an airplane.

I'll spare you the details, you get the idea of what happened. We did an hour or so worth of training, watched our instructor pack the 'chute and off we went.

Though it's worth noting that we both pulled our own 'chutes, learned a series of hand signals, and passed the progression course. We're cleared to solo jump within the next 30 days! With our log books growing, we're now officially sports parachutists.

Highly recommend Cleveland Parachute if you're from NE Ohio and in the market for a great jumping experience.

And now....well, I'm sad that my lady friend has left me, and a little feisty now that I have to go back to real life.

I learned this weekend that happiness [for me at least] lies in spending time with good friends and jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

How was your weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Detox Delight

2009-04-24T08:06:00.004-04:00

Alliteration!

...now I'm just doing it to be annoying.

And apparently super cheesy in the process. Honestly, I'm a little embarrassed this time.

Anywho, for those who follow me on Twitter (@ashleymead for those who don't) you may recall past tweets about my 3-day fruit detoxes.

Note: I just spent the last 10 minutes searching for these tweets so I could show you...to no avail.

Twitter search just doesn't want me to find these gosh darn things.

Twit FAIL.

Regardless, I have done these detoxes twice this year already. The first was to get my body back on track after the holidays and the second was to drop some extra poundage before my vacation. Successfully I might add. In three days I averaged 5-6 pounds. Not too shabby.

Well, given that willpower is not my strong suit (read: I have none), I'm back at this detox thing again.

Only this time, it's for one day, juice only, as a sort of reset.

I've found that one day of this detox is all that's really needed to stop cravings in their tracks.

Granted, it's one day of pure withdrawal HELL, but what's 24 hours, really?

I've found these Naked juices to be the best. They are a little expensive but tasty and natural - and honestly less expensive and time consuming than juicing your own fruit. I'm a fan of the Red Machine, Pomegranate Acai, and Watermelon Chill flavors.

So I'm hoping that by tomorrow I'm craving salads and wheat germ. Okay, so it's not that good, but if your body needs a reset, I highly recommend giving it a shot.

Just be prepared for the ensuing caffeine withdrawal headache.

So tell me dear readers, what's your technique for a health reset?

Cheers!

-A

Pasta Paradise

2009-04-23T08:13:00.008-04:00

For some reason I really wanted to use alliteration in the title today.

Though this doesn't have anything to do with paradise, and honestly, the pasta I'm talking about isn't really all that special, I still felt compelled.

Shut up.

Lately I've been on this pasta kick. Lunch typically consists of some form of pasta - mainly because companies like Lean Cuisine and Kashi only know how to make vegetarian meals with spaghetti, linguine or penne.

There are other options here, folks.

But I'm not here to bitch.

*gasp* I know, right?!

Actually, I'm here to brag a little. I've been feeling rather good about my cooking skills that seem to be improving. By modifying recipes I find to fit my diet - like my stuffed peppers that are a version of Giada's - and coming up with little concoctions of my own I've become quite the little chef in the last six months.

Food Network here I come!

Okay, so maybe not quite yet.

Sure, I'm not creating sauces from scratch or anything, but I'm pretty proud of my recent pasta creations.

A few weeks back I was working from home and got hung up on what to make for lunch. When I'm not at the office I refuse to microwave my meals - fresh is always better.

So I grabbed a box of whole wheat penne from the pantry and thought it a good idea to create my own recipe on the spot. After all, I had 12 minutes of boiling time to come up with something great.

How hard can it be, right?

Surprisingly, not all that difficult at all!

A can of white mushrooms and some fresh, halved Kalamata olives and my pasta was in good shape. And lucky for me I always have sun-dried tomatoes lying around for just such an occasion. Toss with a little extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground black pepper and viola!

Then this week, I had to head home from the office early for the installation of AT&T U-verse in my apartment (which, by the way, if you don't have you NEED. It's amazing, and I'm not even that much of a TV watcher...but I digress).

So for lunch, it was time to create!

I pulled out the second half of that trusty box of whole wheat penne and went to work. Only this time, instead of adding veggies straight from the jar, I sauteed some white mushrooms and Kalamata olives (again), and switched it up with some cheery tomatoes.

The pasta was cooked al dente and added to the sautee pan along with some pesto sauce from the fridge. I prefer Buitoni brand - it tastes fresher.

Once the meal was cooked evenly I plated it and garnished with some shredded pecorino romano for a nice little flavor burst.

Essentially, these were the same dish with minor alterations. But I have to admit I definitely favored the latter version with pesto and cherry tomatoes. Though next time, I'm going to let the tomatoes burst for a little more flavor.

All in all, I'm pleased, and I think my pasta skills have improved exponentially since I started.

So what do you say Bobby - are you ready for a Throw Down?

Cheers!

-A

(p.s. - yes, I truly believe that if I link to the Food Network site enough times that they'll notice me and want to hire me because I'm just that cool...)

Help keep a Mommy Blogger off the Street

2009-04-22T07:56:00.001-04:00

Hello! It is I, Rachel from I'm A Mom In Real Life!

I have been fortunate enough to be paired up with the lovely Ashley for the 20SB Blog swap! So I guess that means I have to write something......
..........
..........
crap
..........
You know what, I am going to use this opportunity to beg;
Someone please hire me!!!!

I'm not asking for much, I just need some part time work. I have filled out a million applications, including their stupid psych questions ("Politicians are dishonest; 70% of the time, 50% of the time, 25% of the time? What the %$#@ does that have to do with me working a cash register at Target???).

To be honest, if I was looking at my application I wouldn't hire me either. The problem is the fact that many applications ask how long I worked at a job but not why I left. Example;

From 6/2003-8/2003 I was a mural artist for Great Harvest. When I was done with the painting I was done with the job. But if you don't realize that then you see that I "Left Voluntarily" after working a few months.

From 10/2003-1/2004 I was a bartender, but had to "Leave Voluntarily" when I got pregnant and haven't had a job since. So looking at my applications I tried this whole "working" thing and didn't like it.

Yeah, not looking good for me.

I talked about this with my fellow Chicago blogger bud Free and Flawed. She recommended that I post a "Hire Me!" ad in the Printed Blog. But what would I say?

I will be sitting by my phone, eagerly awaiting the inevitable barrage of phone calls I am sure to be getting.

Bloggie Burnout?

2009-04-20T08:41:00.004-04:00

Okay, so on my way in to work this morning I couldn't come up with one damn thing to write about.

Normally, I spend this five minutes - yes, I have a five minute commute, it's okay to hate on me, I would, if I were you - thinking up all the great topics I could blog about, picking the most entertaining and/or what I feel the strongest about that day.

Yeah, now it's making sense right...I only have five minutes to come up with entertaining material, so this is what you get.

Anywho, I got nothin'.

(The sad part is, this is true 100 percent of the time...not just now.)

So I thought to myself, what a great opportunity to discuss this little burnout issue that seems to be going around.

Then of course, I realized that I'm kinda burnt out on this topic.

Okay, so really I'm just jealous that people beat me to it. We've even got bloggers blogging about other bloggers who are blogging about it.

Huh?

Dolce posted a funny blogger boredom list, an RS27 original. Thanks, guys, for helping me keep things at least mildly entertaining around here.

My bitterness, though, is centered around the fact that until today I was feeling pretty good about where this was all going. Topics were flowing in, lurkers were recently revealed, and things were starting to look up.

Then this morning, it all came crashing down into the hot, steaming pile of dragon poo that is my creativity. Yes, dragon poo. What of it?

So now what?

In a recent Tweet chain between Narm, Ben, Maxie, Lauren, myself, and a whole host of other bored 20-somethings, a thought was tossed around that we should start our own group blog of burnouts - or a reality TV show, but my vote is for the former, unless of course I can become a professional reality television blogger.

That has to pay well, right? Hmmm....

Anyone else feeling the pains of blogger burnout? Any cures out there?

This blogger is in desperate need of some inspiration.

Cheers!

-A

p.s. - all bloggers listed above are way more entertaining than me. Highly recommend checking them out if you haven't already.

Photography Friday...on a Thursday

2009-04-16T10:44:00.008-04:00

(The brilliant idea for this title, stolen from my good blogger buddy and real-life friend Narm.)

It's that time again...this time it's the Jamaica edition.

Please note, that most of these images were not taken with a professional-grade camera. In fact, on all of our excursions we took one of those disposable waterproof, hard plastic cameras on a rubber band string doohickeys.

You get the point.

Oh Jamaica...where do I even start?

Let's just say if I never went back to that island I'd be a happy camper. Don't get me wrong, the island was beautiful, and I actually wish we would have had more time to explore the rain forest, maybe even do a zip line tour - which we passed up because upon further inspection it wasn't that adventurous after all - but I'm sure the scenery was gorgeous.

Looking at this, I'd imagine so:

(Some form of steam coming from the forest...)

Anyway, so when you get off the ship at what I understand to be an old sugar mine, you are immediately accosted by locals trying to get you to go into their cab to take you God knows where on this island.

Once we found our group we waiting, and waited - you'll find this to be a theme throughout.

Our excursion was split into two separate events. The first was what they referred to as white water tubing. We were going tubing down a river with exciting rapids, stopping at one point to cliff dive 30 feet into the ocean, or at least, this is what I was sold.

In reality, the river looked more like this throughout.

(White water...huh?)

There was a five year old girl in her own tube, what does that tell you?

When we stopped half-way through, we saw the "cliff," which was a man-made wooden plank about 15 feet above the river water, which at that point was, oh, about 2 and 1/2 feet deep, tops.

It said jump at your own risk. Unfortunately, I didn't capture this on film - I was too appalled.

If it says that in Jamaica, it's translated as "you will most likely die if you attempt this," in American.

Needless to say, we passed on that opportunity.

After tubing we were supposed to get picked up by our driver. So we waited, and waited, in the hot ass sun, slightly frustrated from our overly-hyped river tubing experience, and getting more pissed off by the minute.

And since we were told to leave all our stuff on the van we were all slightly concerned about our belongings, too.

But he showed, eventually, and then we were off to our next adventure. And that it was!

We climbed Dunns River Falls - a 600 foot, never-ending waterfall. The experience was one of my favorites from the trip. There was just enough danger and excitement involved that it kept our blood pumping.

(A small section of the 600 feet we climbed that day!)

Though after, we were led through a tourist trap of Jamaican shops. We were caught by the first tent by a guy who called himself the Termite - real name, Jason Smith....quite Jamaican if I do say so.

We were led back into his lair where the SO purchased a Bob Marley shirt for his roommate, and the Termite proceeded to carve our names into these mahogany figurines. Then he told us some story about stacking them on top of one another when we are "mounting" each other. No joke. This guy was a trip.

Anyhow, after that we really had to get back to the ship so we practically ran through the rest of the shop area, getting touched and yelled at by Jamaicans, telling us we had no respect.

Sorry people, we had no time, either.

The driver picked us up right on time - GASP - and we made it back to the ship in one piece - though starving and exhausted from a long day on the island.

It was a great experience, but next time, I'm choosing Turks and Caicos over another visit to Jamaica, mon!

Cheers!

-A

Birthdays...a thing of the past?

2009-04-14T16:00:00.004-04:00

(Commence the celebration of the unbirthday!)

I love birthdays.

It's true. Just like when I was a kid I still look forward to this day as it approaches every year.

Only now I don't bring cupcakes to share with the class - though I bet my co-workers wouldn't mind so much if I did. But no singing please, that I can do without.

I also despise the happy birthday songs they sing to you in restaurants. Sure you get free dessert, but it's so not worth the public attention and humiliation. And usually the songs are way lame. Trust me, I used to work at Chi Chi's, which had the lamest birthday song ever. But the fried ice cream was pretty damn good.

Okay, so not the point.

Blast, I'm way off topic now.

Oh, birthdays, right.

I like birthdays. And not just my own. In fact, I think I might like to celebrate other people's birthdays even more than my own. It's the gift giving that gets me...I love giving people presents.

Now, I didn't say I loved buying them, but it's fun to give someone something they wanted, needed, or just something pretty that they like. It's all about putting a smile on someones face.

What can I say, I'm a giver.

The best part about a birthday is that it's the one time a year where you get to celebrate the individual. One day where it's all about them.

Most other celebrations are about family, friends, religion, a couple. But birthdays are just about you.

But the older I get the more I'm realizing how other people don't really feel the same way I do about this annual event.

If they did, I wouldn't be traveling for work for the third consecutive year on this oh-so-special day.

Three years in a row. Are you freaking kidding me?

Actually, I wasn't all that surprised. When I found out about it, I laughed right out loud - in the middle of a meeting - with no good explanation per usual.

Maybe this is the universe trying to tell me to give up on the birthday. After all, what's so special about them now? We're just getting closer to things not working the way they should, right?

I guess after 21 it doesn't really matter anyhow. The only perk to 25 is the onset of the quarter-life crisis and the nervous breakdown that's bound to ensue.

Oh and my car insurance is going down. But I got that call in March so how much of a birthday surprise is that, really?

Well, the universe can suck it, because now I'm just going to spoil the crap out of my friends and family for their birthdays since I can't even enjoy my own.

Take that, bastard!

-A

Delurking time

2009-04-14T09:49:00.006-04:00

So, if there is one thing that's changed about my social media habits since my return it's this: I've become a lurker.

I used to pride myself on my ability to not only keep up with so many of your blogs each day, but to thoughtfully comment on them as well.

Y'all felt the love and it showed - the comments flowed in to my posts as well.

And now, I suck. Completely and totally suck.

In attempt to defend myself, it has been difficult catching up on a lost week, but now that my Google Reader is down to (fairly) manageable numbers it's time to start putting myself out there again and add some freaking value.

I know, I know. It's about damn time. But I've changed, it's back to my old ways and you're going to hear from me whether you like it or not.

So what about all you other lurkers out there? I see my daily analytics, there are still readers out there. And with almost 100 unique visitors yesterday I had not a single comment.

Nope, not one.

How about we all put the binoculars down, come out from behind the shadows and make a little noise.

At the very least, tell me why you're here. And I promise to do the same.

Let the delurking begin!

Cheers!

-A

Flying lyrics

2009-04-13T10:37:00.008-04:00

Photo: Las Vegas Sky Diving

Lately I've been into songs about flying, falling, soaring...you get my drift. Music like this tends to be freeing, with lyrics that migrate toward liberating.

You know the songs I mean: Free Falling, Learning to Fly, Jump, even Major Tom (yes, I know it's about space travel, but it feels the same to me).

It definitely ties back to my new love for skydiving.

Though one might think it's because I've been such a world-traveler lately.

Okay, so not really the world, more like Midwest to Northeast, with the occasional trip to sunnier places.

As you might have guessed, I'm back in New York City this week. I know, right? I barely manage to get unpacked from the vacation and I have to pack up again for another week in the big city.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good trip on the company dime, but five days away from home, five days sleeping in a strange bed, without the SO, eating out constantly, and having little to no routine - it's exhausting.

I'm going to need another vacation after this!

Especially given the amount of hours that I tend to put in while I'm out here. Whew!

So, given those circumstances, you can imagine my need for this Monday cop-out. Though your trip here wasn't for nothing...I leave you with a few more pictures from the Caribbean.

There are still more stories coming - promise.

(One of the other cruise ships anchored in Grand Cayman.)

(On our balcony, still in the Port of Miami.)

(These shoes got to see it all. And they saved our tootsies in the process.)

(A glimpse at the blue waters of Jamaica...more to come on this later.)

Cheers!

-A

Steve Irwin would be proud

2009-04-09T08:06:00.007-04:00

Alright, so back to the vacay.

One of my favorite excursions during the trip was on Grand Cayman Island.

Note: if you ever take a trip, try to book excursions with outside vendors rather than with your cruise line. There will be far fewer tourists in your group and it's often significantly cheaper.

And a huge perk of these islands is that you get to participate in at-your-own-risk events, in that there's no waiver, very few safety precautions, and often little to no direction. All of which are huge benefits if you're looking for adventure and definitely not something that would happen in the U.S. Did I mention that we spent an hour signing our lives away - literally - prior to skydiving?

Anywho, the Grand Cayman Wave Runner excursion was definitely an adventure!

After arriving at this gorgeous resort situated on a white sand beach overlooking the Gulf, we paid our money and were introduced to our jet skis.

With a total of three minutes of instruction, including a brief statement that if you've never driven a jet ski before you're kinda screwed, we rode off into the sunset.

Okay, not quite, it was 10 a.m.

But our rather rude "guide" kept the pack moving at a quick pace - though not quite quick enough given that the SO was reprimanded on more than one occasion for getting too far ahead of the others. Though what do you expect when you're moving along at full throttle?

Looking back, they definitely should have broken groups out based on ability level...then we really could have moved!

Regardless, it was a quick 4 mile trip over to the stingray sandbar.

This is where things got really interesting.

Okay, so nothing too out of the ordinary happened, actually, but it was great to hang out with these little....er, big guys.

We got to roam around with them:

Touch them:

(Note the appearance of the SO's hand here...)

And even kiss them!

I have to admit, there was a hint of fear inside me, given that these creatures have some lethal barbs that have been known to puncture the heart, but wading around in their turf, letting them swim by and rub up against you with their cool, smooth skin was pretty amazing.

And having them do this felt pretty good on the ole sunburned back!

If you're ever in Grand Cayman, I highly recommend taking a trip out to the sandbar. And if you can, get with a smaller group and make the trip on jet ski - it definitely made the experience that much more personal. I'll certainly be doing so again, if I have anything to say about it!

Cheers!

-A

Give it a rest, Debbie

2009-04-07T09:00:00.004-04:00

So I know y'all were expecting another vacation recap post today, but I thought instead, I'd break the mold a bit and discuss something that's been bugging me recently.

Surprise, the cynical side rears it's ugly head again.

But this time, it's for good reason.

It seems, as of late, there's been an epidemic going around. It's called Debbie Downer syndrome.

In recent interactions with friends and acquaintances, there's been this low cloud of negativity hanging around. And even when people seem happy on the surface, the undertones of conversation is often sullen.

Sure, you're probably thinking that I've got good reason to be chipper after a seven day tropical vacation. But I'm talking about emotion that runs a little deeper than that.

After all, I too am stuck in this snowy April weather like everyone else, and sure, my Spartans endured a tough loss to UNC last night in the NCAA national championship game, but you can't let that stuff rock you to the core.

Now don't get me wrong, there are some things in life, the unavoidable tragedies and unfortunate circumstances where grieving is not only acceptable and expected, but it's needed. These are not the situations to which I am referring.

It's these perpetual Debbie Downer types that really start to get to me after a while. What's worse, is the things they complain about. Ordinary, mundane issues of daily life. And often, a solution is well within their reach.

It's starting to seem like people are losing control over their own happiness.

Is it that we don't realize just how much power we have over our outlook on life?

Maybe it's that I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that encouraged my growth into a strong person. One that showed me how to take the reigns of my life, so to speak, and keep a level head.

Of course, we're all aware of my cynical nature - it's a defining characteristic, like it or not.

And as someone who often allows the actions of others to impact my own happiness, I've got some nerve preaching this concept to others (see what I did there...admitting it makes it okay). But if we all took a step back and looked at what we've got, you might be surprised at just how happy you really are right now.

And if you're still not, then do something about it and quit bringing the rest of us down with you. Jerk!

Follow a dream, explore a new passion, help someone. All of these things have the potential to bring you outside of yourself. Be a part of something bigger than just you.

And who knows, you might accomplish something you never dreamed was possible - like waking up and smiling.

Cheers!

-A

Back to reality

2009-04-05T14:25:00.004-04:00

Did you miss me?

Okay, don't answer that...but I'm back from a much needed seven day vacation in the Caribbean, and honestly, I'm not ready to be home.

Normally, after a vacation I'm ready to be back to a routine and feel rejuvenated. Not this time. Don't get me wrong, I'm relaxed and feeling more like myself than ever, but I spent the last day of vacay contemplating a strategy to sneak onto a neighboring cruise ship and do it all over again.

And as you've probably guessed, this week will be filled with stories of the people we met and adventures had. Trust me...there was a lot of both.

What a better way to kick it all off than by sharing the best part of the trip first.

It's pretty self-explanatory, really...skydiving in Miami.

We left this for our last day, going out on a high note - no pun intended. And boy was it ever!

The entire experience was perfect. It was a gorgeous 85 degree day. The staff at Skydive Miami was amazing and I had the best tandem instructor ever - Randy.

For a guy who's jumped over 1,400 times in his career he sure enjoyed our tandem experience, which made me enjoy it that much more. It's inspiring to meet someone who loves what he does so much that he's excited to share it with others. But really, who wouldn't be, if jumping out of an airplane was how you made a living?

On the plane ride up he asked about my job, and once he pulled the 'chute he welcomed me to his office.

And quite the welcome it was...

I have to say, it was the most thrilling and liberating experience of my life. I've conquered the sky and I can't wait to do it again. The next jump is already on the books for this spring!

So tell me dear readers, what has been one of your most exhilarating experiences?

Cheers!

-A

Checking out

2009-03-27T11:34:00.002-04:00

Well dear readers, this is it. The last post before I venture off to the Caribbean for 7 days.

And this is a total cop out because, well, my brain's just not in it today. But I wanted to stop by and let you know that I'll be thinking about you the entire time.

Okay, so really I just wanted to tell you that I won't have any updates until early April. Yeah...too lazy to line up guest posters.

So, I'm off to finish up some work and get some packing done. Hope y'all enjoy the next week.

Cheers!

-A

Confined to a padded room

2009-03-26T09:31:00.004-04:00

That's where I should be right about now.

Typically, I'm not much of a clumsy person - sure, I have my blonde moments as expected, but they usually don't put myself or others in danger.

Well I'm not entirely sure what's going on today, but there has been a string of events this morning that has me concerned for what's to come.

-When I opened the refrigerator to get water to take to work, a very juicy melon rolled out and splattered it's stickiness all over the floor and my feet. Then I hit myself in the shin with the door. And I never did get any water.

-In an effort to give my pasty white legs a little boost of color before the cruise, I sprayed on some self-tanner last night. Not only did I manage to produce unnatural orange streaks that spiral down my legs, but the bottoms of my feet are now officially Longhorns fans. Who knew walking barefoot in the bathroom post-spray was a bad idea?

-While getting out of my car I caught the heel of my shoe on my seat belt - don't ask how - and twisted my knee. Pretty sure the popping sound that ensued wasn't healthy.

-Upon opening my yogurt cup, I was welcomed by three large splatters projectliling onto my face.

-Since I never did get water at home, I stopped at a store in my building to get a bottle. After paying I managed to knock over the bottle on the counter, subsequently spilling the entire community penny tray onto the counter and the floor.

-With all the commotion this morning I forgot to put on makeup. Luckily I carry a few staples with me in case of emergency. Let's just say I still can't remove all the particles of mascara that made it into my right eye and leave it at that, shall we?

And now I have to do my best to concentrate at the office while remaining relatively injury free. Oy, it's going to be a long day.

Cheers!

-A

My very own confessional

2009-03-24T14:49:00.006-04:00

In sticking with my recent list theme, it seemed like a good idea to get a few things out in the open.

Believe it or not, I have flaws.

*GASP* - I know, you couldn't believe it either.

But believe it people, and there's more than you might think. Some of which I seriously need to work on.

And what a better way to kick my ass into gear than to share these issues on the interwebs for all to see, and subsequently mock me for.

No, ending sentences with prepositions is not on the list...apparently it should be.

Oh Lord -- on that note:

1) I am a social media over-sharer - as you're about to find out first hand.

2) Sometimes I like really bad music - currently, I'm listening to Nickelback's "Gotta be somebody." Yes, as someone who preaches her hatred for this group, I'm extremely embarrassed!

3) I procrastinate constantly - not just at work, but generally in life as well. Last year my boss told me I was an adrenaline junkie during my review. I'm pretty sure he wasn't complimenting me.

4) After the SO sleeps over, I use his pillow - it still smells like him, and for some reason that makes falling asleep a little easier. Sorry for the mush...but it's true.

5) My spending is OUT OF CONTROL - how is it possible that the economy is doing so bad when I'm out there feeding it daily?! This needs to be nipped in the bud immediately! Saving tips appreciated...

6) Keeping in touch with friends is hard - unfortunately, after college my friends and I scattered across the country for job offers, because even back then jobs in Michigan were scarce. And now we're all so busy with our careers and separate lives that phone calls are few and far between. Luckily this summer some of us are having a little reunion in LA, but that's not enough to tide me over. I dream everyday about living in the same city with them again....sigh.

7) It's rare that I disconnect - from phone, Internet, I even have Facebook on my Blackberry - probably for the reason above. I fear losing touch altogether. Though I never, ever take my phone into the gym or on a run with me. Gotta have some Ashley time every now and again.

And with #7 we loop back into being an online over-sharer. Though y'all seem to enjoy it so maybe I'm doing something right, eh?

So tell me dear readers, as I walk away slightly red in the face, what confessions do you have to share with us? C'mon, don't leave me blushing alone.

Cheers!

-A

More of the good stuff

2009-03-23T08:56:00.005-04:00

It's Monday again, can you believe it? Where did the weekend go?

Oh, that's right. I spent mine in a car.

Given that Christmas was the last time I visited my parents in Michigan, I forgot how draining these quick trips can be. And this time was even quicker than usual.

Leaving on Saturday morning really puts a dent in the amount of quality time with the fam. But what can I say, yoga was calling my name and knowing that I've gotta be ready for beach wear in less than a week, I really couldn't deny this need.

After arriving home I had just enough time to chat with the 'rents before heading out again to get my hair did. Oh and in case you care I'm a blonde again...whew! I definitely feel more like myself.

And after my appointment I decided to do a little more cruise shopping - I was already in the mall, after all.

Speaking of spending, I really need to get my budget in order after this vacation. Know of any good financial advisers?

Anyhow, lucky for me by the time I got back, a vegetarian pizza from my favorite joint back home - Deluca's - was waiting for me on the table.

Well, there goes the yoga class....but it was definitely well worth it. Yumm...

But the heavy dough put me to bed early. And in an effort not to miss my Spartans beat down on USC yesterday evening, I left Michigan earlier than anticipated. Sorry Mom and Dad. I promise to come back soon!

But in the meantime, I thought it would be fun to make some additions to my list of The Good Stuff that I started earlier this month. Because, let's be honest here, there's lost of good stuff out there.

Shirts straight out of the dryer. No matter how warm it is outside, donning a freshly dried hoodie always feels amazing. And it smells great too!
Trips on the company dime. This stems from my recent week spent in NYC. I love visiting that city. But it's expensive. So traveling there for work is always welcome as I get to stay for free. Sure, I spend the majority of the time working, but those little moments of downtime make it all worth it.
When a Barista learns your order. I love the Starbucks in my building. More than that, I love the fact that two of the Baristas know what I'm going to order. It definitely makes you feel like a valued customer.
An unexpected March Madness upset. Even when I didn't call it in my bracket, this is great to see. Like Cleveland State beating out Wake on Friday. Or Siena almost beating Louisville. And we all remember George Mason's run to the Final Four 3 years ago. Gotta love a great underdog victory!
Being a regular. Whether it's a bar, restaurant or even a store, being a regular somewhere has it's perks. You know there's always something you're going to like, you can bring friends and family to share in the experience and it never gets old, and sometimes even discounts are involved...just because they know you.
Perfect hugs. Let's be honest here, I'm a hugger. Friends, family, even people I've just met. And nothing beats a good hug. You know what I'm talking about. You're with a significant other and you find that spot that's just so comfortable you never want to let go. Yeah...that's what I'm talking about.
Natural blue. You know the color I mean - when you look up and say to yourself, "wow, the sky is really blue today." Or when you go on vacation and the water is this bright blue - almost turquoise - and yet when you walk in it's crystal clear. There's no color in the world like it.

Can you tell my brain has already checked out on vacation. Sorry y'all. I'm sure it's getting a little old. But there will be plenty of encounter stories when I get back. And of course, a Photography Friday with lots to share.

What'd y'all do this weekend? What are your additions to The Good Stuff?

Cheers!

-A

We'll see about that

2009-03-19T09:58:00.007-04:00

Life has been rather random lately. Not that I'm complaining - it keeps me on my toes, which I like.

You know what else I like, lists. This should come as no surprise to most of you. Just check out the number of posts labeled "lists" on this blog, that should tell you something. Or don't. I certainly wouldn't if I were you. It's much easier to take my word for it.

But this is not about my laziness.

I highly recommend, if you're also a lover of listing, that you check out this list of ways to acquire peace and happiness. It made me happy just reading it. This also happens to be from one of my favorite photography blogs, Shutter Sisters. You should definitely check back often for some great photography.

Oh wait, maybe it is about my laziness after all - I'm not even writing my own list.

Okay, okay - I'm sure I can come up with some random stuff.

What I really should be doing is making a list of all the crap that needs to be taken care of before my trip like buying sunscreen and getting cash from the ATM - because, really, who carries cash these days...certainly not me. Though this is hardly the venue for that type of list...y'all don't need to waste your time reading that boring drivel.

But I'm sure there are some things I can complain about in the meantime - to help balance out the peace and happiness stuff, anyhow.

Hmm...let's see.....................

Okay, so we're in the process of moving our office to another building right now and the office is so cluttered, and my personal office is half packed and the disorganization of it all is driving me bonkers.

Not to mention the fact that at home I'm only half unpacked from last week's New York trip and I've already started piling up items to take on the cruise - so my apartment is pretty messy too.

Today started with an early deadline which I took care of from home. It felt like a good start to the day - you know those days when you wake up and you're all like, "yeah, I own today. I'm going to kick today's ass." That thought was derailed the moment this intense, nagging headache set in. I'm not a girl who gets headaches, so this is rough.

Shut up, Thursday. I can hear you laughing. Don't be a bitch. Sure, you're whooping my ass now, but the day's not over. I have Advil and Enya on my side...you haven't won yet, Thursday.

Though it would help if the atmosphere was a little more serene around here. With all the disassembling of office furniture there's a lot more banging, stomping and power tool noise than usual.

Don't even get me started on the abundance of moving men walking past my office. Guess I won't be able to get in my usual 2 p.m. nap, eh? Just kidding, just kidding. Though I did used to work for someone who did this daily. Seriously. But that's a story for another day.

If there wasn't so much work to be done I wouldn't have to concentrate so hard. Not that I should be complaining.These days, lots of work is a good thing. But I am doing everything in my power not to mentally check out before next Friday. It's tough. I'm in desperate need of a vacation. Haven't had a real vacation since college...over three years ago.

Wow, I'm old.

On that note, it's time to excuse myself and show Thursday what I'm made of.

What's on your random list this week?

Cheers!

-A

*Editors Note: see I told you I could use my brain and make a list...random as it may be, it's highly appropriate to my current state.

Spring cleaning

2009-03-17T14:28:00.006-04:00

As a follow up to my discussion on a few things I love about spring, I thought it appropriate to broach the subject of spring cleaning.

It's time to face the facts, my life is cluttered.

Now I'm not just talking about my office or my apartment (both of which we can not leave off the list), but it's more about the intricacies of my mental state, rather than the physical world around me.

Believe it or not, there's a lot of deep thought going on upstairs that hasn't been addressed in quite some time.

So the time to clean out the proverbial mental closet is past-due. I definitely consider it a good thing that I'm headed back home for the weekend. The nice 3-4 hour drive gives me plenty of time to sort through everything that needs my attention.

And given that it's the weekend before the big Caribbean cruise - c'mon, you know you're excited for me - it'll do me a world of good to get the thinking out of the way so I can enjoy some fun in the sun.

Yes, I just said that.

Yes, I'm slightly embarrassed.

Yes, I'm sticking to it.

The time away, in and of itself, will definitely help ease the mental strain that comes from the constant interaction with social media and the virtual world around me, too.

In fact, I've even made the decision to turn my phone off for the duration of the 5-day cruise. Yes, willingly.

And, given the friendly threat from the SO, and I quote "if I see that you smuggled your Blackberry onto the cruise it's going into the f*cking Atlantic!" there won't be any work going on for an entire week.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy, in fact, I'm expecting a twinge of social media withdrawal, it's much needed. But of course, I'll miss you all dearly!

And until then, hopefully I can slip in some real spring cleaning with the remainder of my time.

What's on your spring cleaning to-do list?

Cheers!

-A

Things about spring

2009-03-17T07:57:00.010-04:00

As I look out my window at the rising sun, the corners of my mouth are turning up slightly - yes, just slightly, I haven't had my coffee yet, alright - because it's starting to feel like spring is here.

Living in the North, a frozen tundra from November until March, April, or even May, sometimes it can feel like the warmth will never come. Of course, once the 80+ degrees and 99 percent humidity of mid-summer hits it's easy to forget the cool breeze that accompanies a crisp winter morning.

When it comes down to it, I tend to be a fan of the North. I know, I know. After this brutal winter I must sound f-ing crazy. But truth of the matter is, it's only socially acceptable to take off so many clothes before you just have to suffer the heat and sweat it out, but you can always put on more clothing...

Yeah...now you see my point, eh?

If not, come back in the heat of the summer and then tell me how you feel about it.

Anyhow, so not the point.

Spring has a way of getting me excited - in more ways than one.

Now would be a good time to remove your head from the gutter, because I'm talking about a few other little gifts of spring that I enjoy:

Daylight savings. Now, I know I bitched about this last week, because it definitely threw me off - way more than it ever has before - but I do love the longer daylight hours at night, and honestly, it's great to get out of bed and head to work when it's still dark in the morning.

Leaving the windows open. At the house, in the car. Oh how I love the feel of spring breeze.

Warm rain. Though most of the year I bitch incessantly when it rains, a good spring rain has this way of making everything green, and it smells so refreshing. It's also pretty great to run in - and speaking of running...

Running outside. Sure, I do this on occasion in the winter, when the roads aren't icy and I know I won't kill myself. But it's so much more pleasant in the warmer months and your lungs aren't screaming from sucking in the below zero wind chills.

NCAA basketball. Can you say March Madness?

Seasonal fruits and veggies. Seeing ripe avocado in the grocery store makes me want to make a big batch of guacamole, pick up a case of Corona and throw a party for my friends out on my porch. Oh wait, I just might do that...

Baseball season. Though I've never been much of a follower, because 100+ games a season is just too much to handle, baseball screams American fun. Watching the sport on TV is out of the question for me - there's just not enough going on and the men aren't pretty enough to watch chewing and spitting and scratching in the dugout - but going to games with a group of friends is always a great time. What's even better, I'm an Indian's fan! So for once I can actually watch a sport with my friends in this town and be cheering on the same team. W00t!

(Front row, upper deck at Game 3 of the ALCS in 2007. Last play before the win!)

Peaceful walks to the park, sitting by the lake. The park is just a short walk from my apartment, and the first summer I moved here I found this great little spot to perch on a rock by the lake. It's secluded and really helps me clear my head.

(A shot from perched atop my favorite rock.)

Patios. Come springtime everyone is out and about. In the North, 40 degrees means shorts weather for some. And you gotta love when all the bars open up their patios for the summer. There's nothing like a refreshing beer on the patio with good friends.

Flip Flops. Enough said.

Of course, these are all in addition to the obvious benefit of being able to walk outside without snot freezing to your face.

So tell me dear readers, what is your favorite spring past time?

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday...on Monday?

2009-03-16T10:15:00.007-04:00

Welcome to the Monday edition of Photography Friday. Since I suck and ~~wanted to spend some time making out with the SO~~ was too exhausted after my flight back from NYC, I didn't get around to uploading any of my shots from the week.

Given that my free time in the city was rather limited, I'm pretty happy with the selection of photos I walked away with. Between Grand Central Terminal, The Daily News Building, and of course the streets of NYC, I managed a few artistic shots worth noting.

The clock on the timetables booth at the center of Grand Central.

Here's one I actually got around to Photoshopping. Another from Grand Central.

Outside the terminal. I'm obsessed with this clock. And thanks to my Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Asph. Macro Lens I was able to capture this from the street.

Chrysler Building. Enough said.

A tile around the edge of the World in The Daily News building.

All in all it was a great trip. Though I wouldn't mind going back for a little less work and a little more photo play time.

Cheers!

-A

Quite the imagination

2009-03-12T08:15:00.005-04:00

Last night was consumed with vivid dreams. And this is not at all uncommon.

In fact, I can't really remember a [sober] sleep night where I didn't wake up remembering, in detail, at least one dream from the night.

As far as I know, it's just always been this way.

Even as a kid I would regularly wake up having been so involved in a life-like dream that I would experience those thoughts and emotions in the physical world.

Like once, I woke up from a dream about hanging from a cliff and my body was half flung off the mattress, arms dangling on the floor. No wonder I was a little freaked out. And on numerous occasions I would awake from a scary or sad dream only to be sobbing in my bed.

Thankfully, my physical involvement in dreams has subsided with age. As far as I know I've never been one to walk or talk in my sleep, though I did recently have a sleep over with one of my favorites and she informed me that I was laughing in the middle of the night.

I suppose a little unconscious chuckle never hurt anyone, so I'll take it.

Regardless, my vivid dreams continue well into my adult life. I still even have the occasional tornado nightmare that's followed me from childhood. Though I must admit, the visions have become much less scary over time, but quite the picture all the same.

Someone once told me that people who regularly have vivid dreams are highly creative in the conscious world - but that could be a farce. Regardless, it sounds good so I'm sticking with it.

So tell me dear readers, do you often have vivid dreams? What about recurring dreams?

Cheers!

-A

To-do list

2009-03-11T09:42:00.008-04:00

Well, I'm half way through my stint in New York and I've barely put a dent in my to-do list.

It wasn't long, but aside from actual work, there were a few things I needed to accomplished while I was here:

1) Grand Central Photo Shoot - this has partially happened. But one of the best parts of Grand Central Station is the lighting, and honestly, that wasn't quite right yesterday. I'll be heading back tomorrow or Friday I hope.

2) Chelsea Market Visit - the intent was to go this morning after a run, neither of which happened. Maybe I can sneak out for lunch? I'm desperately in need of some Ninth Street Espresso and a tall glass of chocolate milk - the best of which is only found at CM.

3) Local Shopping - this isn't completely necessary, but being in the Big Apple it's just one of those things to do. Plus, I could really use a few things before the upcoming vacation. It's penciled in for after work today, we'll see how well that works in my favor.

4) Hotel Runs and Workouts - this is my being obsessive over not gaining weight before the aforementioned cruise and an attempt to stay somewhat on a normal schedule. And given that I'm staying at a pretty fabulous hotel right next door to Grand Central, they've got a well-stocked gym. Monday was a bust, but last night I made it. Fingers crossed for three more before the week's over.

5) A night out with colleagues - has been scheduled! I'm lucky to have some kick-ass co-workers in our office here that have decided on a night on the town the day before I head home. Looking forward to a great dinner and plenty of wine tomorrow night.

So maybe I'm not doing so bad after all. Though it doesn't seem like I've accomplished much yet, I have a good feeling that I'll walk away satisfied with the trip and content with my NYC fix for the time being.

Cheers!

-A

Daylight suckage

2009-03-09T17:00:00.005-04:00

I'm exhausted!

Ugh.

So this week I was sent to New York City for a client immersion of sorts. Feels more like submersion at this point because I'm beat.

Completely and utterly exhausted. And guess what, it's only day one.

I'm sure it has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't go to bed until 1ish this morning and had to peel myself out of bed at 4ish so I could make my butt-crack-of-dawn flight time.

But really I blame it on this daylight savings time garbage.

"Spring ahead" sounds so lovely, doesn't it? WRONG! Wrong on so many levels.

Today, it's been the bane of my existence.

Losing that hour on Saturday night caused me to sleep in later than I would have preferred on Sunday, so come Sunday night I couldn't go to sleep at a decent hour because of the "sleeping in," and having to get up way earlier than usual today has just about thrown me over the edge.

Quite the chain reaction there, eh?

If I wasn't a guest in our NYC office today I certainly would either be, a) on my way home for a nap (which, BTW, it's National Napping Day, so how appropriate), 2) asleep at my desk, or d) a combination of both, landing me somewhere in Lake Erie, or the East River, depending on which city I'm in.

And of course, tonight the team wants to take me out for my first night in the city for some dinner and drinks...regardless of how glazed over my eyes look. Let's just hope I don't end up face first in my margarita.

Cheers!
-A

Photography Friday: The Movies

2009-03-06T12:57:00.004-05:00

I know, I know. It's about damn time I got around to actually posting on Photography Friday.

I've been slacking hardcore this winter. What can I say, so what if I'd rather cuddle up in my Snuggie on the couch and veg out with the SO instead of braving the bitter cold Cleveland winters for a few good snow-covered shots. What's wrong with that?

However, a recent trip to Tower City Cinemas for a client filming event provided the perfect opportunity to get a good behind-the-scenes picture of the inner workings of the theater.

There were a number of artistic documentary-type images I was able to capture so I had a lot to choose from. But believe it or not, this was my favorite.

(Diet Dr. Pepper in the fountain machine...brings me back to Texas!)

Without the proper lighting (and because I'm not a big fan of indoor flash) the shutter speed was slowed way down which helped to capture the bright colors of the scene. And personally, I really enjoy the depth of field, here.

Next week I'm off to NYC for work, but hopefully I'll have some time to venture out with the camera so I have more photos to share next week, too.

Cheers!

-A

Lovely mornings

2009-03-05T09:06:00.009-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I love mornings. Though I don't necessarily consider myself a "morning person" per se, it's definitely rewarding to get up bright and early and start the day off right.

Yes, I know, you're sitting there thinking to yourself "why, Ashley, why?" But the better question is, what on God's green Earth is there to do at the crack of dawn anyhow?

Well, let me tell you.

But first, let me just say that for me, it's not so much the act of sleeping that I enjoy as much as the pleasure I take in being comfortable. I've always been one of those people who will lie in bed on the weekends, awake, just to take in the bliss of comfort between the sheets.

Mmm, but I digress.

Hard as it is to drag my booty out of bed and leave the comfort of my sheets on a weekday morning, I've found that certain activities really have a way of kick-starting the day.

Ha, look at that. It rhymed.

For instance, if I know I'm getting up to go to yoga, that means I've got two solid hours before I even have to think about work.

There are so many benefits to getting up early, I thought I'd share a little of that wisdom with y'all.

-Morning workouts and/or yoga. The earlier you plan this, the sooner it's out of the way. That is, if you're not one of those freaks who actually looks forward to working out.

-Brewing coffee at home. Okay, so I have one of those coffee machines that you can preset to brew at a certain time, but I have this thing about keeping unnecessary appliances plugged in when not in use. My mom taught me that...thanks, ma. So getting up early allows me to brew and start enjoying before ever leaving the house - which of course saves me money as I'm not going to Starbucks everyday.

-Blogging: reading, commenting and posting. I like to take this time to sip my home-brewed coffee and catch up on my sports, photography, and travel blogs, check up on what's happening on 20-something bloggers, and of course, read and comment on all y'alls blogs. And it can all be fit in before the work day begins.

-Getting to the office early. Not just for blogging, but to catch up on e-mails that may have come through the night before, get organized, review to-do lists, and get going on some uninterrupted work. It's pretty fabulous when there's not a phone call, e-mail or procrastinating co-worker stopping by every five minutes to disrupt your day.

-Sunrises. Okay, so I'm a sap and love to stop and watch the sunrise. It's honestly the most peaceful part of my day. And couldn't we all use a little more tranquility in our lives?

Of course, take this for what it's worth, because there are some downfalls:

-Lunch hunger pains come a little sooner. When my stomach starts audibly rumbling during the 10:30 staff meeting I only have the 5 a.m. start to blame.

-Early brain shut-down. Come 5 o'clock my work brain is mush and I'm ready for some mind-numbing relaxation....which brings me to my next point.

-Too much time in the evenings to sit in front of the TV and eat garbage. And for someone with very little will-power, finding nighttime motivation can be a bitch.

-Tiredness setting in at 9 p.m. Talk about feeling old!

Regardless, I still think the pros outweigh the cons. You can always down some more caffeine to keep your mind and body alert as needed. And that also helps the mindless munching situation. See, problems solved!

What do you like most about the morning?

Cheers!

-A

It's good stuff

2009-03-03T09:27:00.005-05:00

So I recently came across this blog - yes, I know, I'm way behind the times, given that it's already well into the 800s at this point - and in thinking about it, it's really a fabulous idea.

And of course, since I'm genuinely unoriginal, I'm going to write a little list of my own. Though since I'm so far behind, there may be repeats for the above list. My bad. I'm just too lazy to make sure there's no overlap.

And no, it won't be 1,000 things long because, let's be honest here, I just don't have the time to capture all that in one post. And I know y'all don't have the time to read that crap.

So, here's my rendition of 1,000 Awesome Things, that I like to call, The Good Stuff.

Finding a $20 bill in the pocket of last year's winter coat. You haven't worn it in a year, so that money was long gone in your mind. So really, it's like finding $20 bucks on the street and knowing you don't have to find it's rightful owner. Score!
Getting packages at the office. I always ship my online orders to the office, mainly because I'm never at the apartment when the leasing office is open to pick them up. Sometimes I forget that I'm expecting a package, so when it's delivered I get a nice little surprise - from myself - to brighten my day.
Out-of-the-blue @ replies on Twitter. An unexpected Tweet that links to your profile, or better yet, gives props on a blog post is most satisfying. Gotta love a little ego boost.
Random compliments. Speaking of ego boosts, isn't it great when you get compliments from strangers? I once had an older gentleman stop me in my building just to tell me that I looked beautiful in my outfit. Beautiful?! Compliments have a way of making the whole day a little brighter.
Waking up and remembering your SO slept over. This is one of my favorite things about midweek sleepovers. You roll over in the middle of the night and see the one person that makes everything better and it puts a smile on your face...even when you know you've gotta get up in two hours and start the day. But at least you get to share a cup of coffee with him on the way out the door!
When drunk texts fail to send. We've all had those nights. Things got a little crazier than expected and you remember thinking about that asshole that dumped you two weeks ago, so you texted him. Looking in your outbox you see that the network was on your side and the text never made it. Whew!
Seeing your reflection and actually looking thinner. You know when you're working out a lot, or eating better and the pounds are dropping but you still don't see a difference? Yeah, that seems to happen a lot. But on the day when you wake up and look in the mirror and you can see that you've made progress - good stuff! Especially when that motivates you to try on your skinny jeans and they FIT! W00T, success!
Receiving work-day text messages. This is something I'm notorious for. But you can't tell me that it's not nice to come back from a long meeting to find an awaiting text message from a good friend.
Running into an ex who is far worse off than you. Ah, the satisfaction. Maybe he's still living at home, or his girlfriend just dumped him, or he got fat or bald, or he's in debt up to his eyeballs with no job. Whatever the case may be, clearly you are way better off and much happier. Puts a little smile on your face just thinking about it, doesn't it?
Left over coffee from an office meeting. You know those days when clients or bigwigs visit the office and coffee is ordered by the gallon from Starbucks, there always seems to be some left over for everyone else. Who doesn't love free coffee?
Milestones. No matter how small, milestones give you a reason to celebrate. Ten days on a diet, alright! Completing your first 5K, way to go! Six months in a solid relationship, awesome! It's the little victories that count.
Meeting up with old friends and picking up right where you left off. Isn't it great when you finally get back together with the people who used to be your closest friends and it's as if you've never been apart? I love those friendships. It's like you didn't miss a beat.
When the forecast was wrong and you wake up to the sunshine. Anyone who lives in the North gets what I'm saying here. It was supposed to rain, snow, sleet, fog, whatever, and instead you wake up because the sun is peeking through your vertical blinds just so. The irritation factor quickly disappears as you realize it's beautiful out!
Learning that it did happen for a reason. Being a believer in the "everything happens for a reason" theory, it's highly rewarding when you get that 'aha' moment and realize that even the things that seemed terrible at the time, happened to make room for something better.
Having something special to look forward to. It's the dead of winter, you're in a rut, but in 25 days you'll be heading out for a tropic vacation, lounging poolside, drink in hand, not a care in the world. Ah, how lovely that will be, right? It's a good motivator to keep moving, and I'm definitely one for countdowns. Lucky for me, I'm a planner, so I've always got something good on the horizon.

There you have it. Good stuff, right?

Now you tell me, what's missing from this list? What's happened to you recently that's made you stop and say, damn, that was great!?

Cheers!

-A

Personal growth

2009-03-01T15:03:00.003-05:00

First off, can I just say how crazy it is that it's March already. Wow!

And I may very well be the most excited girl in the country

as March Madness is just around the corner. My Spartans have probably secured a 2 seed in the big dance and at least a share of the Big Ten title. Woot!

Okay, now that that's out of my system...

These last few weeks have definitely taken me through some personal growth changes that I never expected. Today I feel like things are finally slowing down, or at least I see a nice little flicker at the end of the change tunnel, and I feel pretty good about how I'm coming out.

Alive.

Okay, so it's not quite that bad. In fact, I feel pretty good.

There have been some big, tough decisions to make that I never anticipated. But, in doing so I've come to realize what's most important to me at this point in my life -- where my efforts need to be focused.

And I gotta say, it feels damn good to finally have figured that out. Unfortunate that it took some stress, anxiety, and even a few tears along the way but I managed. And now, I move forward in a direction that feels nothing less than positive.

On an even brighter note, I have today off. Yay for 3-day weekends. Oh, AND it's sunny today. Yes, in Cleveland. I know, right?

Sure, I've got lots of chores and catching up to do, but at least I'm not at the office like all you poor bastards right now. Oh, did I say that out loud? I mean, I can't wait till I get back to the office, too. But for today, I'm enjoying a little me time.

Cheers!

-A

Schedule FAIL

2009-02-26T09:54:00.006-05:00

Yeah...so I intended to get my ass in gear this week and start operating on some form of a schedule, and that definitely hasn't happened.

Gah! Somehow I always manage to get derailed in my plans.

Maybe little Otis will help me with this. After all, he's not going to stand for my sleeping in when he's awake, hungry and wants to go out.

Note to self: quit referring to my dog as "little Otis." He acts big, and certainly thinks he's big, I don't want him to end up with some kind of complex just because mom's trying to be cute.

Referring to myself as mom sounds weird. I officially succeeded in creeping myself out.

.....

Ugh, last weekend I downloaded that new All-American Rejects song Gives You Hell, honestly because the SO heard it on the radio and liked it, and then for some unknown reason I put it on my iPod, and it seems to come up an awful lot on shuffle mode. It's one of those GD songs that drills into your brain and gets stuck for days. It's playing right now.

.....

Okay, so I just did a quick Google search on sticking to a schedule and came up disappointingly empty handed. Was really hoping to share something of value with y'all.

Speaking of y'all - the word, not as in you people. Sorry that was rude, I didn't mean you people, I meant my lovely readers - damn, I can't get to my point. The other day my southern accent came back, just for a brief period, it sounded so beautiful. Try as I might, I can't seem to scrounge that up to save my life now...I'd like to spread the love a little.

Wait, that wasn't my point at all. Oh hell!

I can't even stick to a post topic - within one post mind you - how on Earth do I expect to stick to a schedule. Looks like I might be f-ed.

Kinda like this post. Ha!

But, on a bright note, I'm in a fantastic mood today. In less than one month I'll be on a cruise sailing around the Caribbean. Okay, yeah, so you don't technically 'sail' on a cruise ship. Shut up, you get the point.

And tomorrow, I bring home my puppy! Which of course, y'all are just as excited about as I am, right? Cuz then I won't be all "I'm bringing home Otis in 2 days." Well joke's on you - now all you'll get is vlogs and pictures incessantly. But given that he's the cutest puppy in the world I'm sure you won't mind, right? RIGHT?!

Okay, this seems like a good place to end. I know, thank GOD right? Whew, this exhausted me too.

Cheers!

-A

My Favorites 'Ms'

2009-02-23T13:59:00.019-05:00

Earlier this week Ang posted a "few of my favorite things" and it seemed like a great idea! So, in telling her I wanted to play along, she used a randomizer to assign me the letter M.

Whew! That could have turned out bad...I don't know anything that starts with the letter X. I would have had to make it a backwards game - your favorites that end in this letter. My list would have been one word long. Oh!

So here are my 10 favorite 'M' things, in no particular order. Most of which, I'm sure will not surprise you.

1. Microbreweries: Lucky for me, Cleveland has some of the best. Between Willoughby, Great Lakes, and the Rocky River Brewing Company I'm in heaven. Can't beat a fresh Dortmunder on tap.

2. Manhattan: No surprise there, eh?

(Yay for one of my favorite pics shot from Brooklyn!)

3. Morning: As much as it completely sucks sometimes, I love getting up early and taking advantage of the day. And nothing is better than a relaxing cup of morning coffee, brisk morning run, or watching the sun rise over the lake.

(Let's just pretend this is what Lake Erie looks like, okay? Thanks.)

4. M&Ms: Peanut are my favorite, and for some reason I prefer the green ones, but I'll take just about any candy coated chocolate. Yummy!

(I ate all the green ones already...)

5. Massages: In college I was religious about getting the monthly massage - I've been slacking lately. Though I do use my charm to get them from the SO from time to time! And honestly, I like giving them just as much as I like getting them.

6. Mini Dachshunds: Again, this should not come as a shock. And though I truly believe Otis is the cutest pup on the face of the planet, this one takes a close second. Her face is just so adorable!

7. Mary Janes: Who doesn't like a comfortable shoe, right? The heal still helps elongate and accentuate the legs, while the rounded toe gives your toes some extra breathing room. I'm wearing my favorite black pair right now.

8. Margaritas: On the rocks. With salt. Poolside, if you don't mind.

9. Michigan State University: I love everything about this place. The ever expanding campus, the sports teams, the school pride, everything.

(Good ole Beaumont Tower)

10. Michael Symon: Again, this goes back to my obsession with The Food Network. He's not only a phenomenal chef, but his restaurants here in town are very cool, and he's not all that bad on the eyes, either. Besides, who doesn't love a man who can cook?

So there you have it, my top 10 favorite 'Ms.' I'm sure there are more where that came from, but you get the idea.

If you're interested in playing along, let me know in the comments and I'll send you your own letter.

Cheers!

-A

Visit to Amish Country

2009-02-23T09:22:00.006-05:00

When I was a kid I remember driving through Amish Country on the way to Florida for a family vacation. This was back when gas was 75 cents a gallon and teal Astro vans were all the rage - or something like that.

Anyhow, we never stopped, it was more of a quick pass through, look at that horse & buggy rolling down the street on the way to the beach sorta thing. And this weekend I realized why...

Now don't get me wrong, I did grow up in the country - what I like to refer to as the middle-of-nowhere Michigan - but it's been a while since I've experienced this type of country setting. It was a little startling, to be honest.

But once we arrived at our destination and got to step foot inside the house it was all worth it. For the first time I got to meet my little Otis. Oh, he makes me melt.

(How precious is he?!)

Oh, and you can ignore the audio. There are lots of dogs that were roaming around and a canary on top of the fridge that loved to hear its own voice.

Honestly, I couldn't believe how small he was. I'd guess four or five pounds, max. And I guess I was expecting him to be a little more rambunctious, like this little dude named Copper. He's the bigger of the two that would not stop licking my hand. Even getting him to quit running for this video was quite the challenge.

(The little speckled dog is Steve...he's a sweetie too)

As a recommendation from the breeder, I'll be bringing him home sooner than expected. This Friday to be exact.

Oh. My. GOSH! am I nervous. Mainly, because I know he is, too. This really showed as he shook on my lap. Oh...makes me sad just thinking about it.

But, the breeder said it'd be good for him to come home now, get to know me, the SO, my friends. And then, sometime before the big vacation I can bring him back to the breeder and have the final pick up in April.

I know, I know. But at least I didn't take her other recommendation of adopting Copper as well. One I can handle, but two...yipe!

So there you have it. The first video of my mini dachshund. Many more to come I'm sure.

Cheers!

-A

Sleep, or lack there of

2009-02-19T12:24:00.005-05:00

A good night's sleep is something I've been missing out on for a while now.

Oh glorious zzzs, how I miss you!

It appears that there's some sort of mental issue going on here. Okay, so you already knew that, but let me explain anyway, like you give a damn.

When I lived in Dallas I had the perfect little weekday routine going for me. I got to work at the same time, worked out at the same time, went to bed at the same time and never had to snooze in the morning. Like clockwork. Get it, clockwork....okay bad joke.

When I moved back to the Midwest I got into a bad habit. I started working long hours, working out at random hours - if at all - and red wine became my best friend. He was only recently demoted to welcome my new BFF Ketel One into the mix.

But that's not the point...

Yes, I do have one. I'll get there. Keep reading, damn it. Uh, I mean, please. Please?

Long nights turned into late mornings, snoozing through my alarm - yes, through, as in I hit that little button so many times it quit going off. Even my alarm can't keep up with this lifestyle.

(This is what it looks like, every morning, for an hour!)

And even on days when I try to go to bed at a reasonable hour I'm not tired because I didn't drag myself out of bed when I should have in the morning. It's a vicious cycle I tell you.

Of course, this doesn't factor in those days where I can't sleep because there's too much on my mind, or because I'm working into the wee hours of the night.

Insomnia is not typical for me, if there's one talent I have it's sleeping. I'm usually the proud owner of a 7-8 hour sleep night, unless, of course, I'm stressed out.

Most often insomnia hits when I'm stressed about my personal life rather than work. Even when the shit hits the fan at work the zzzs manage to come easily. But if there's problems with my family, finances, the SO, I'll be up grinding the gears on resolutions all night.

No, it usually doesn't help, but c'mon, it's not as if I really have control over that. I got the stewing gene from my mom - thanks ma.

Needless to say, in this whole process I've managed to thoroughly throw my system off balance and thus, my precious sleep cycles that I once counted on like the tide.

And now more than ever I need to get this back. Sleep come back to me!

At the very least, I need to get my schedule back before I introduce the puppy into my world. He's not going to pick up these bad habits from me. Or maybe I'll just train him how to hit snooze for me. Hmm...

Any suggestions for getting back on track? How do you stick to a normal schedule?

Cheers!

-A

Taking it into my own hands

2009-02-17T10:00:00.012-05:00

My life that is.

I'm taking the proverbial bull by the horns and riding off into the sunset - and apparently mixing my metaphors.

Anyhow, things have really started to change for me these past few months. In a better way than I could have even imagined.

Honestly, I've gotten pretty lucky given my lackadaisical nature as of late - sitting by, letting my life go where it may. It's not as if there has been a lack of ambition, really, but more so that things have really been looking up on their own, so why mess with a good thing, right?

A don't-fix-it-if-it-ain't-broken situation. And certainly, things are not broken.

Editors note: hear that? The faint knocking sound. Yeah, that's my knuckles tapping my oak desktop. Though I haven't gotten this far because of superstition, I'm still not taking any chances by jinxing this one.

Recently though, I've become inspired to take matters, especially those that are flourishing on their own, into my own hands to improve upon them.

The one thing I'm not doing that I probably should, that all us young professionals should, is creating a plan. I'm talking more than just goals and objectives here, and really mapping out a path leading exactly where I want to go.

The problem...I'm not entirely sure where that is yet. Three years in the marketing industry and I have yet to decide if a) senior management is in my future, 2) I should continue office hopping until I find my niche or d) 5 years and out, baby! Can you say culinary school?

So, while I work on wrapping my brain and my hands around that task, my ambition is taking on a new form. I'm focusing on my personal life. *gasp* I know!

It's been a long time coming, but I'm doing everything in my power to cherish my personal time. In the past few months I've been able to visit with my college friends on numerous occasions and establish what I like to think is a solid relationship with the SO - two things that fell by the wayside in years past.

Between the upcoming Caribbean cruise and a trip to LA with the college crew this summer, I'm hoping these things only get better.

And with Otis coming home in the near future and my brothers upcoming wedding I've got a lot to focus on - and let me just tell you I'm beyond excited.

Who ever said you couldn't have it all is about to be proven wrong!

What are some areas of your life that you've really taken control of?

Cheers!

-A

Recent Regret

2009-02-16T08:30:00.004-05:00

Typically, I'm not one for dwelling on events of the past and how things could have been different. Life's too short for all that regret stuff.

But on occasion, I take a step back and look at my behavior and begin to regret my actions - and, believe it or not, my words.

This past week was extremely stressful at the office. I worked more 'overtime' hours than I have in a long time. Now, as y'all are probably acutely aware, I love my job. And I tend to praise myself for my career path even more when there's so much work to be done that I lose all track of time through my packed schedule.

However, this week, when my crazy schedule matched the SO's, I'd had enough. And as you probably guessed, I took it out on him in mega-bitch fashion.

Girlfriend FAIL.

Oh, but it gets better.

In my typical cynical fashion, I wrote this post, which, in turn, put the SO off to doing the things he had planned for this weekend.

NOT my intention. And I feel terrible about it.

The last thing I wanted was to inhibit him from doing anything he actually wanted to do.

But of course, once again, I acted without actually thinking about the implications. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

So although I've already apologized for these things profusely in person, it seems only right to dedicate a post to the words and actions from the past week I whole-heartedly regret. What can I say, I feel terrible about this inexcusable behavior.

And now, I'm sitting here thinking that I really should have taken the opportunity to observe this President's Day holiday with a little extra QT - and sleeping in, of course.

Oh well.

I suck!

-A

p.s. I don't want to forget about the positive side of the situation. This weekend was fabulous! Had a productive Saturday where I got caught up on my chores and attended two yoga classes, my parents came into town for a quick visit, and most importantly, I got to spend some much needed, uninterrupted time with the SO. I'm one f-ing lucky girl!

The Love of My Life

2009-02-12T07:39:00.006-05:00

Okay, so I know what y'all are thinking - first Valentine's Day and now love...WTF? But it's not like that, I promise.

Sure, there'll be some sap involved, but on a whole different level. Keep reading, I promise you won't be disappointed.

.................................

So I've mentioned in the past that I'm not much of a cat person, and since that time I've managed to remove demon cat and her sister from my life completely.

No I didn't off them, my roommate just moved! C'mon people, what kind of person do you think I am?

And you've heard me say numerous times that I'm planning to get a puppy. Well my friends, that time has come. And I'd like to introduce you to my mini dachshund Otis.

(See, I told you it'd be worth your time to keep reading!)

He's an 8 week old smooth coat doxie with what I'm told is the sweetest temperament. And he's already the love of my life.

He'll get to be somewhere from 8-10 pounds, full grown. I don't get to bring him home officially until April, but you best believe I'll be visiting in the meantime.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was more excited about anything.

I'm destined to be one of those dog owners who puts her pup first. Hell, I've already decided that he'll be sleeping in my bed - now that's love.

And I'm certain you'll be hearing lots more about him on this blog, too!

Cheers!

-A

*Thanks to Maryann at Mom's Dachshunds for the picture and my wonderful little man.

Oh St. Valentine

2009-02-11T08:33:00.004-05:00

WARNING!! High cynicism levels to follow.

Valentine's Day is coming up - this Saturday to be exact.

Ack! What a stupid "holiday."

Sure, I'm all for celebrating our Saints, but according to Wikipedia: Of the Saint Valentine whose feast is on February 14, nothing is known except his name and that he was buried at the Via Flaminia north of Rome on February 14. It is even uncertain whether the feast of that day celebrates only one saint or more saints of the same name.

Ah, so it IS a Hallmark holiday?! They don't even know how many saints are involved or who this person really was! I think, instead, there should be more celebration of St. Anthony, the patron saint of all lost things, rather than this unknown dude, or dudes as it may be. That'd sure help me out a little more, anyhow, and I'm not even Catholic.

At least the commercials wouldn't be nearly as cheesy - I don't know about y'all but I'm pretty sick of all these jewelry commercials. I wake up singing "every kiss begins with Kay" and go to sleep hearing voices telling me that "he went to Jared."

VOMIT!

My problem, really, is that there shouldn't be a day set aside to tell the people you love that you care about them. Why do you have to be told to do this?

And honestly, I don't need jewelry or flowers from a man to feel good about myself, and neither do most of the women I know. Sure, these things are nice -- please don't get me wrong, I'm by no means saying gifts are unwelcome -- I just don't want them if you feel obligated to do so. Of course, if you want to buy me diamonds or whisk me away to Europe just to show me how much you love me, I'm not opposed in the slightest.

But that's off topic...

This year, Valentine's will definitely be an interesting event as it falls on the weekend. I'm hoping to avoid places with high PDAs like the plague. Of course, the SO has something up his sleeve for the day, but if that's ordering take out and renting a movie, I'm completely content with that. I'm just looking forward to some uninterrupted time together for a change.

And on that sappy note - sorry, out of character, I know - what are your Valentine's plans?

Do y'all despise this day as deeply as I?

Cheers!

-A

Celebrity Spouse

2009-02-09T11:18:00.007-05:00

While in NYC this past week, a few colleagues and I ventured out to the bar to celebrate our arrival to the city.

As drinks were flowing, conversation turned to a rather interesting topic: celebrities.

More specifically, the question of the evening was, if you could choose, who would be your celebrity spouse?

We heard everything from Eva Mendez to Common to Lucy Liu. None of which should be a total shock to any of you.

I felt put on the spot for this question - I guess there's never really been a celebrity that just makes me all warm and fuzzy.

So I said this guy:

For those who are not familiar, Derek Luke played Antwone in the movie Antwone Fisher. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it.

This also was the moment where I revealed, in my oh-so-tactful fashion, that I'm into black guys.

Yes, that's exactly how I said it too. "I'm into black guys." As if it was this fact that's as ordinary as my having green eyes. Yipe! Smooth, Ashley. Just what your co-workers wanted to know.

Oh well, cat's out of the bag now.

So I proceeded to mention that my favorite part of the Superbowl was the post-game interview with Santonio Holmes.

(Ugh, he makes me melt.)

And yes, I'm aware that he's a former Buckeye, but his smile totally makes up for that.

I was so engrossed that I completely missed the conversation that the SO was trying to have with me at the time. Zoning out during football - talk about role reversal.

Anyhow, after thinking more about this question, I'm pretty sure I'd change my answer. If I could hand-pick my celebrity spouse, it'd definitely have to be Rob Lowe.

YUMMMMMM.....

Absolutely beautiful.

So tell me dear readers, who is your celebrity spouse?

Cheers!

-A

Dog sitting

2009-02-08T08:36:00.003-05:00

I got up at 7 a.m. today. On a Sunday. And I was excited to do so.

Why on earth would that make me excited, you ask?

Well, it's all because of a little guy named Toby. He's a big, beautiful black lab mix.

(See, how adorable is he?)

While a good friend of mine is off looking for apartments in the new city she's about to move to, I stepped up to the plate to puppy sit. Though it's not as if she had to twist my arm.

So I got up and greeted Toby, made some coffee and popped in a movie (Must Love Dogs -- cheesy right?!), but what can I say, with a dog by my side it's the perfect Sunday.

The best part is, I'll be getting my dog in early April upon return from a much needed vacation in the Caribbean. Once my deposit has gone through I'll post some pictures of the little guy...he'll make you melt.

For now, it's back to a lazy Sunday with Toby.

Cheers!

-A

Manhattan is mine!

2009-02-05T09:37:00.004-05:00

Okay, so not really, but for the next couple days I'm going to pretend as such.

Today is being spent in the NYC office of my company - and it's exciting. With all the time I spent here last year, I didn't even step foot into the office.

It's quieter than I imagined.

Regardless, I'm excited to be here. It's a beautiful sunny day outside, cold, but still beautiful. The lack of sunshine back home makes me appreciate every bit of it.

Flying in, my side of the plane had the best view of the skyline and it made me melt. I never imagined myself much of a big city girl, but honestly, it just feels so right.

Though I have to say, if I ever had to drive anywhere here I'd be screwed. For someone who prides herself on being a good driver, I'm terrified of this place. What can I say, cab drivers scare the bajeezus out of me.

Long cab rides are another downfall of the city. Granted, natives most likely travel by foot or subway most days, but having to ride from LaGuardia into Midtown in rush our makes anyone with a weak stomach a little on edge. I want to vomit just thinking about it.

But enough with the negativity....

It's time to enjoy my stay here and get something accomplished. Let's just hope I can find time to make a quick stop at Chelsea Market for one of those amazing milk shakes.

Cheers!

-A

Learning about myself

2009-02-03T10:15:00.005-05:00

So far, 2009 has taught me a lot about myself. Between the ups and downs of stress, training, work, and attempting to keep resolutions this past month has really opened my eyes to some of my little quirks.

Here's what I've learned so far:

I'm a much more patient and understanding person than I give myself credit for. Though when it comes to laziness or incompetence, I'm still pretty intolerant.

I love cooking. If I could afford it, I'd move to New York City and go to culinary school.

Even the smallest compliment acts as a great ego boost for my day.

As I get older, my procrastination gets worse. Though, in my defense, it's not because I don't want to do these things - it's more about not having enough hours in the day and having to choose.

I need frequent change in life. If it's not something drastic like moving across the country (again), you'll probably find me at the salon changing my hair color (again), or traveling, or testing out a new workout class. I get bored easily.

Yoga keeps me sane.

Hard as I try, I don't drink enough water. With all the coffee and tea to fuel my workday it's no easy task to replenish. And I hate buying water at the store - I hate lugging them in and it's just so environmentally unfriendly it hurts.

I still have no idea how to balance my career with my personal life - and still attempt to do it all.

When I'm down, the best thing is a good quote from The Office:

"If it were an iPod, it would be a shuffle." ~Pam

"Oh well. If they're not together now, then they probably never will be. I thought they would be good together like PB & J. Pam Beasley and Jim. What a waste. What a waste." ~Kevin

"I'm not insightful enough to be a movie critic. Maybe I could be a food critic. These muffins taste bad. Or an art critic. That painting is bad." ~Andy

"Yeah. Right. I filled him full of butter and sugar for fifty years and forced him not to exercise. Now take a lesson from Stanley and jog on up here and sign this, okay?" ~Dwight

"Jim, you're six eleven and you weigh ninety pounds, Gumby has a better body than you. Boom roasted. Dwight, you're a kiss-ass. Boom roasted. Meredith, you've slept with so many guys you're starting to look like one. Boom roasted. Kevin, I can't decide between a fat joke or a dumb joke boom roasted. Stanley! You crush your wife during sex and your heart sucks. Boom roasted. Oscar, you're gay! Andy Cornell called, they think you suck! And you're gayer than Oscar. Boom roasted!" ~Michael

"Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh I donno, I sing in the shower? Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I'll hit somebody with my car. So sue me-- no, don't sue me. That is opposite the point I'm trying to make." ~Michael

"One day Michael came in, complaining about a speed bump, on the highway... I wonder who he ran over then." ~Jim

Yeah, I could do that all day.

What have you learned about your self so far this year?

Cheers!

-A

Super Blog Monday

2009-02-02T09:37:00.005-05:00

It's tired out today.

Given that it's the day after the Super Bowl and there was an hour long special of the The Office post game, I definitely missed out on all 7 hours that my body demands.

So I thought today I'd take a few moments to acknowledge some of the latest, greatest group blogs out there at the moment. Because, let's be honest here, they're way more entertaining anyhow.

Who's Your Dachshund - of course, I'm completely in love with this blog. With ten bloggers owning 15 mini dachshunds I've already learned so much about being a puppy owner. Oh, and I love that I get to look at cute pups with each new post!

Misty and Sydney over at Indecent Disclosure - not only are these girls salty and hilarious, we can all relate to what they've got to say. It's all the things us girls want to talk about but just don't have the cojones to say on the interwebs.

Courtney and Christina over at Sex and the Traveling Satchel - more on love, sex and the life of two 20-something BFFs. A must read.

So if you have a chance, stop by and show some of these bloggers the love.

Cheers!

-A

Speaking my mind

2009-01-30T10:37:00.003-05:00

This is something I really need to improve upon, speaking my mind.

I know what y’all are thinking, that seems pretty inaccurate given how I typically spout off at the mouth everyday. But that’s not really what I mean.

The one thing I’ve never really been good at is confronting a conflict.

Sure, I can do this when it comes to client work, but not so much in my personal life.

Between toxic friends, an abusive roommate, bad relationships, and the occasional office spat, I’ve taken a lot of abuse these past couple years. And honestly, I let it happen.

I’m plenty prepared to bitch and moan about these issues but I’m no good at actually standing up for myself.

What gives?

Why can’t I just sit down and have an adult conversation with someone when I feel I’ve been treated unfairly? Why do I continue to let myself get walked on?

I sorta feel like part of it is that when I’ve told friends how I felt before (sure, maybe not in the most tactful way at times) it’s blown up in my face causing huge fights and even ending friendships.

Seriously, I lost a friend of 20 years because I told her she was being selfish – when she legitimately was I might add.

And whenever I told a certain ex-boyfriend about concerns I had he always made me feel guilty – as if all our problems were my fault.

I need to realize that not everyone is like that, but I guess these bad experiences have really made me think twice about voicing my concerns. Or, at least, that’s what I tell myself.

Any advice for being less of a doormat?

Cheers!

-A

The 'L' Word

2009-01-28T19:01:00.004-05:00

Today I want to talk about what not to say on a first date.

No, I didn't tell some poor soul that I loved him on the first date, what kind of girl do you think I am?

A couple nights ago I found myself telling the story of a date I went on very shortly after moving to the Cleve.

While out with a friend in the basement of Blind Pig (mistake #1), a friend of a friend grabbed me and flung me in front of one of his friends on the dance floor - meet my friend Collin.*

*His name may or may not have been Collin.

So we danced. All night. He was pretty impressive, actually, so when he asked for my number at the end of the night I gave it to him (mistake #2).

Friend of a friend. Safe.

And so the dating game begins...kinda. He called a few days later and the next weekend we went on a date.

He picked me up, took me to Little Italy, it was awkward.

And of course, in my oh-so-standard word vomit fashion I proceeded to dispel way too much information.

Apparently somewhere along the way I thought that filling the silence, no matter what came out of my mouth, would turn around any awkward situation. Typically, especially in my life, it makes things more awkward and I end up embarrassing myself. Though it's still a strategy I live by.

In my ramblings I mentioned just how drunk I was when I met him.

Lush.

Oh and if you didn't catch it, that was mistake #3.

The point I was attempting to make was that I was only out on the dance floor because of the vodka Red Bulls I had downed previously in the night. So in reality, I was trying to prove that I wasn't a typical club-attending 20-something.

When he mentioned to me that he was completely sober the entire night I almost flagged down the waiter to order another glass of wine.

LUSH.

I'm pretty positive that's what was going though his mind, anyhow.

Wow - nothing like a typical TMI situation gone wrong to spoil the evening, eh?

Needless to say, that was the first and last date with Mr. Sober dancer.

Impression FAIL.

So if you learn one thing from my diarrhea of the mouth it's this: if you were drunk the first time you met someone, I'd wait until after the first date to tell them.

Cheers!

-A

The dreaded budget

2009-01-27T09:26:00.003-05:00

Budgeting is something that, for me, is a constant struggle. Even as a single 20-something who's climbing the corporate ladder, saving is still nearly impossible. What can I say, I'm an impulsive spender.

Last year one of my friends went on an all cash diet, spending little and paying off his debts in lump sums with every pay check that rolled around. It seemed to be working for him, but I just don't think I have the will power to do that.

Let's be honest here, I'm a girl who loves to travel, experience good food, and spend a night on the town with friends from time to time - none of which are inexpensive.

There are a couple lengthy trips coming up that I desperately need to save for, so I've been doing my best to cook at home and be as frugal as possible. This weekend I even managed to go to the mall and not buy a thing! I know, right?

So tell me dear readers, what are your saving strategies? Do you develop a full out budget or just hope that you have enough will power not to spend?

Cheers!

-A

A pathetic, sniffly sight

2009-01-25T23:27:00.007-05:00

I am not a crier. Anyone who knows me well, knows this. In fact, in a recent conversation, I couldn't recall the last time I had a good cry.

Well, that time was tonight when I finished this book. I broke down in huge, heaving sobs (trust me, it's as attractive as it sounds) when Randy started talking about his family - more specifically, his daughter. And let me tell you, I'm still feeling the effects of this chapter and fighting back the tears.

He noted that when his daughter was born he immediately became an official member of the "Wrapped Around My Daughter's Finger Club."

I've always liked to think that my dad was a member of the club, too. That there was just something special about being his daughter. Let me tell you from 24 years of experience, there is.

Growing up, I was always the girl with the cool dad. He was an athlete, a comedian, a motivator, a friend, a supporter, and he seemed to know everything about everything. Even now, he's still very much all of those things.

He's the reason I spend so much time single - no guys can even come close.

(It's just screaming daddy's girl, isn't it?)

For all these reasons, there's this soft spot for my father that I just can't explain. Reading Randy's description of the short relationship he's had with his daughter that's coming to an end, I can't help but get all weepy. Honestly, I don't know what I'd ever do without my dad.

It makes me hate living even this far from him - and makes me think that I should really visit home more often. Gets me to thinking about being a better daughter...I know I was a pain in the ass growing up, and I probably still am now.

Thanks, dad, for putting up with my crap! It means more than you'll ever know.

How's that for a mushy start to your Monday?

Highly recommend The Last Lecture, if you haven't read it already.

Cheers!

-A

Big decisions

2009-01-23T11:40:00.006-05:00

(This is how it feels, like being in the middle of a giant question mark.)

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best when it comes to making decisions. I'm often impulsive and have a tendency to be blind to anything other than the potential positive outcomes. getting all starry eyed about how this decision will improve everything in the future.

What can I say, I'm drawn to the new and shiny.

The real problems begin, however, once I start wrapping my head around the implications of the decision.

Given my nature as a planner, my instincts throw me into a constant need to research every option from all angles to make sure I get the most out of the decision. And of course, the benefits of choosing to stick with the status quo.

More times than not I believe that I'll be more disappointed by choosing not to take a new opportunity. Life's all about experiences, and looking back, I've always been happy I took opportunities as they came my way - impulsive or not - because of the experiences I gained and the people I met along the way.

Plus, it keeps things interesting...right?

I have to admit, I enjoy the stories that I'm able to tell about the places I've been and the experiences I've had already had in these short 24 years of my life, because I never say no.

Still, that doesn't make these decisions any easier, nor does it take away this feeling as if I might vomit. In the end, it'll work itself out somehow. It's got to, right? Right???

What's your strategy for making big decisions?

Cheers!

-A

Brick walls

2009-01-20T11:01:00.004-05:00

The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're here to stop the other people.
...
Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.

Right now I'm in the middle of a rather inspiring book. The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch. For those who haven't heard in it's rising popularity, it chronicles the life of a college professor who is asked to speak about his life as if he were dying - as if it was his last lecture.

Reality of the situation, is that it was, as Randy was dying of cancer at the time. How about that for some real-life inspiration?

As any inspirational book will, I found a concept that was instantly applied to my life. And I've gotta say, it's been kicking me in the ass ever since.

In one of his chapters, he discusses the challenges he faced when courting his wife. These challenges were his brick walls - and he worked hard to show those walls who was stronger. And succeeded. Proof is in his marriage and three children.

So I've been reflecting on the brick walls in my life, the challenges I've been working hard to overcome to prove just how much I desire the life I aspire to live.

Impulsiveness - since I've been a working girl, I've been of the mindset that if I want something I purchase it. Be it a trip to visit friends or a new camera lens. Debt has not overcome me yet - and I'm working now to make sure this doesn't happen.

Cynicism - sure, we all get bitchy from time to time, but, I'll admit, I've been known to bond with others over the negative rather than the positive. This is definitely a work in progress.

Impatience - I've said time and time again that I could never be a teacher because of this. But fact is, everyone is a teacher of some form in this life. And patience is one of the most important attributes of a successful teacher, mentor or supervisor.

Distractions - my 'ADD' leads to procrastination, which often leads to less-than-my-best work. As much as I say it, I don't actually work best under the pressure of a deadline, I just enjoy the adrenaline rush.

So tell me dear readers, what are your brick walls?

Cheers!

-A

Sound track of...right now

2009-01-20T00:09:00.005-05:00

So you may remember a while back when, thanks to Playful Professional, I was inspired to create a soundtrack of my life.

And for the most part, this list still very much holds true.

Lately, however, there have been a number of events in my life that have added an interesting flare, to say the least.

And, given my recent bout with insomnia - hence the mid-night post - I've had plenty of time to listen to a number of my iTunes playlists. In this process, a few songs have stood out to me. Some because of the lyrical meaning, some for the harmonies, but all for the fact that I just really like them.

So, there's going to be a temporary addendum to my original list of eight - as a sort of soundtrack of now. No judging.

Oh, what the hell, judge all you want. What do I care?

Promise (Eve 6) - old school Eve 6. Not only do the harmonies in the song mesmerize me, but the lyrics are perfectly appropriate for my life as of right now. Planning big is a huge gamble, and yep, I've already rolled those dice.

Streetlight (Derby) - you're standing a little foolish, in the late night...

I Can't Hold Back (Survivor) - this song came on in Mitchell's the other day and I remembered that I loved how it sounds. So 80s. As Jennie says, it's one of those songs they'd make fun of on Saturday Night Live....regardless, I love it. And it's pretty accurate, assuming you're not thinking in sexual terms. C'mon now, remove head from gutter.

One Step at a Time (Jordin Sparks) - for oh so many reasons. This song about sums up my life at the moment.

What are some of the songs that represent your life at the moment...or, even the ones you like just because?

Cheers!

-A