You don't want my shoes

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

Sucked in

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

It's already a quarter over!

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

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!

Feisty morning

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

Help keep a Mommy Blogger off the Street

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?

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.

Lovely mornings

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

Taking it into my own hands

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

Super Blog Monday

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

The 'L' Word

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

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

Big decisions

(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

The Lunch Date: revisited

Detroit was amazing!

Or rather, the time spent with one of my favorites, wandering the streets of Royal Oak and consuming red wine was amazing. And much needed.

(Us back in our college days - this was the only picture I could find at the moment.)

I love those friends where, no matter how long it's been since you have physically seen one another you pick up right where you left off. She is this girl for me. And, we're scary similar sometimes. We are both so graceful, after all.

Sarcasm - if you didn't notice.

When I got in on Friday we went out for a late sushi dinner where we ran into Suton, who I thought would be the most interesting sighting of the evening. But oh was I wrong.

Dinner discussions tended to be in depth and analytical - mostly about boys and our careers. But who are we kidding here, career talk went out the door after the second glass of wine...

So about, oh I dunno, 30 seconds after she had finished telling me about a recent lunch date gone wrong, a visitor slides into the booth next to me.

Given that I didn't see this coming, nor did I know who this stranger was, I let out an audible yelp.

His ears must have been ringing, because it was Mr. Lunch Date himself, drunk as a skunk.

As he proceeded to beg us to come join his group at a bar down the street, I took the opportunity to size him up. Aside from the fact that I think she is way too good for him - though let's be honest, I think that about most men she dates...she's just so special, she deserves someone great - he was rather awkward.

Knowing that he is an engineer I might blame it on that - but the BFF is in the same line of work and he's completely capable of holding conversations in groups.

During our attempted discussion, it came out that I graduated from college a couple years before him. This seemed to take him by surprise. Upon my response to the "so how old are you" question, he says, very matter of factly:

"You look good for your age."

Yes, I'd like another glass of Syrah, please.

C'mon now, really? It was then that I realized just how much better she can do...

This wasn't the only interesting encounter of the weekend, however it may be the most memorable. How was your weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Today is my Friday

That's right, as of noon today I'm walking out the office door and into a long weekend!

I'm heading out of town, only this time, not to Michigan. The SO (significant other, for those who haven't been paying attention) and I will be making a trip to Pittsburgh for a couple days away from normal life.

The first weekend away - big step I know - but I'm excited as I've never been to Pittsburgh.

I know, right. In my 20 some years I've spent weeks in New York City, traveled to Hawaii before graduating high school, and have gone to San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, DC, Chicago, and Minneapolis all in the last year - and yet, I've never made it to Pittsburgh.

As someone who's been spoiled by business travel, we booked a room at the Westin Convention Center - I've heard it's pretty new. I've also been given some great recommendations on where to eat and things to see while we're there.

Mostly, though, I'm excited to get away and take some pictures. It's been a while - since New York actually - where I really got some great shots. This weekend holds much potential.

So since it's my Friday, and I'll be missing Photography Friday, I'm going to post a picture that I took this past weekend during Winterfest. It was cold and crowded and the evening was centered around a parade - which, I didn't care so much about - so we only stayed long enough to get a couple decent shots.

This was one of them.

Ever since my trip to Brooklyn, I've been extremely interested in nighttime photography. The colors turn out so brilliant when you slow down the shutter speed to capture the shot.

The lack of wind worked in my favor that night - there's no way this would have turned out otherwise.

Once I'm back from the long weekend I'll have plenty more pics to share. Until then...

Cheers!

-A

Unthankful

(My apologies in advance, this post is not up to par. But I tried, and doesn't everyone deserve an A for effort? Okay, no, but it took me a long time to write and I'm not just going to let all that time go to waste, so this is what you get. I hope you keep reading anyway.)

That's typically what I am all year.

I'm a cynical 20-something with high expectations and an ability to attract uncomfortable situations.

Though people tell me I bring them good luck - at least I'm helping someone out in the end.

Regardless, normally I would focus on the fact that the upcoming holidays mean that winter is upon us and the bad weather has only just begun - which means driving in snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Not to mention enduring hours of forced family gatherings, spending my hard earned paycheck on gifts for my cousin's husband's sister who will be joining the family around the Christmas tree, and figuring out how to take off the 10 pounds I gained from eating only cookies and pie over the holidays - given that my carnivorous family neglects to accommodate the vegetarian.

But today, I'm not going to think about these things. Nope.

So to change it up a bit, I wanted to talk about all the things I have to be thankful for, given that this is the time of the year to give thanks (Thanks-giving...even I can figure that one out).


My job - in this economy, who wouldn't be happy to have a job, especially one they can say they enjoy getting up for in the morning.

The accidental hair color change - sure, I wanted to go a little darker, but now I'm officially not a blonde anymore. And you know what, I really like it!

Discovering Americanos - yes, this is something that happened just this past year, apparently I'm behind the times. Regardless, without this lovely addiction I may not be able to make it through the day.

New routines - with the commitment to a marathon and my recent book obsession, I've taken my weekly routine to a new level. Unless of course I get a midweek invitation for dinner at Lola - I will be dining there tonight hoping, in the back of my mind, that Michael Symon makes an appearance.

Photography - without this hobby I wouldn't be who I am. It's the ultimate creative outlet for me. And, I've even started selling now. So, keep an eye out. If I post something here you like, I'm happy to get you a print!

Being the black sheep - over the years I have come to realize I'm the black sheep of my family. It's not all bad - I cherish this status, actually. And because it's widely understood, I have an excuse to bail out at times, or just not show up. But of course, I will be showing up in Michigan for Thanksgiving weekend (hence the early 'thankful' post, if you hadn't caught on before). Though I am thankful for my little family which will be getting bigger shortly when my brother and his new fiancee tie the knot.

Longstanding friendship - this is the time of year to cherish those nearest to you and I've really learned over the last year how valuable my friends in this city, back home, and around the country are to me. Thanks guys *tear*

My independence - as much as it may seem like I'm a little harsh on my family, I wouldn't trade them for the world because they taught me how to be strong and independent. That's something I hold onto tightly.

Social media- these tools really help me in all aspects of my life, especially those things above. Maybe that makes me a geek (okay, so I know it does, when your significant other is in finance and you casually mention 'tweeting' in conversation, you're bound to get the look of, 'holy crap, I had no idea you were such a nerd!')

So really, I'm thankful for being a nerd - and quite proud if I do say so myself.

What are all y'all thankful for?

Cheers?

-A

Fork in the Road

No, not this one. Though we do love CC. In fact, I owe her some love for awarding me yet again with this lovely award which states:

"This blog invests and believes in proximity" (meaning, that blogging makes us 'close'-being close through proxy). These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to 8 bloggers and include this text.

So I'm passing it along to the lovely Cleveland bloggers listed below as they are the greatest and I had the most fantastic time with them last week!

Narm @ White-Collar Redneck
Alexa @ Cleveland's a Plum
Ashley @ Our Little Apartment
Teets @ Yes, I'm Judging You
Always a Bridesmaid @ 27 Dresses in Cleveland
Allison @ Confessions of a Cohabitant
Suzanne @ Life on Mars
Mel @ Life, Liberty &Pursuit of Your Boyfriend

If you're not reading these blogs, you should. They're much better than mine.

But now, onto the actual crossroads - the one I'm facing at the moment...

As you may have gathered, I have a dilemma. One that will cause me to make a very big decision in the near-ish future.

What is it? Well my friends, we'll save that for outside of the blogosphere.

I know. I suck.

But the bigger problem here is that I'm unsure of how to approach this decision. It's one that has the potential to affect numerous individuals aside from myself.

This stresses me out - decisions only affecting me, positively or negatively, I can handle. Because if when I mess it all up I'm the only one who has to deal with those consequences. But the last thing I want to do is make a decision where others are left to pick up the pieces of a not so great situation.

Ack.

Needless to say, I'm struggling with where to begin on this one. Do I make a pros and cons list - is that even appropriate for making a real adult decision? Or, do I employ a 3rd party to hash out the details from an objective perspective?

Ultimately it's up to me, and I know this...I just need to figure out where to start. So tell me dear readers, what is your process for making big, life altering decisions? Guidance appreciated.

Cheers!

-A

Friends in your 20s?

Let's start with a story, shall we?

When I first moved to Cleveland I was a (newly) single 20-something, working hard and playing hard all the while trying to settle in and make new friends. I was blessed, as this was something I was able to accomplish fairly quickly. One of my best girlfriends decided, without letting on, that she was going to introduce me to a friend of hers from high school because she thought we'd be a good match.

Success...or so we thought.

After about 2 weeks and seeing each other, oh, maybe 4 times, we lost interest in one another. A couple weeks later, when I realized he had a CD of mine, I texted him to see if I could get that back. Thinking I was angry, he picked up the phone and called.

In discussion he gave some lame excuse for not calling, something about not wanting a girlfriend right now and blah blah blah. But he was surprised by my response, "I didn't call you, either."

::SILENCE::

He processed this...

It had been 2ish weeks and neither of us attempted to contact the other. If that doesn't scream mutual disinterest I don't know what does.

Further into the discussion we agreed that we're not right for each other on a romantic level, however, we both enjoy hanging out so why not continue on as friends?

Great idea! You can never have too many friends.

Regardless of the fact that we only get together once every other month (at the very most) we've remained friends - I've even tried to hook him up with friends of mine from time to time.

What's the point of this story, you ask? Well, I alluded to an uncomfortable situation in a previous post involving the man friend and an ex - well folks, this was him. We've been attempting to get together for a while now and this was the first weekend we were both free and in town.

So, being a genius complete moron, I think it's a great idea to invite him out with an already interesting group of 20-somethings - including two of the man friend's buddies that I was meeting for the first time, his roommate, and my soon-to-be-roommate and one of her friends. Got all that?

At the time, it didn't seem like a big deal - the man friend knows the whole story of me and this friend and he's been super understanding of my abundance of male friends (what can I say, I'm a lucky girl).

Of course, as all y'all out there can imagine, awkwardness ensued. Looking back, what a bad idea this was - not to mention a pretty shitty first impression involving some of the most important of friends.

Yikes.

This all ties back to the debate that I've been having with a few close friends these past couple months. Is it possible to be friends with someone of the opposite sex in your 20s?

Now, I'm not talking about those friends that go way back that you've been friends with since high school or even before - I'm not talking about the BFFs of the world - I'm referring to newly acquired opposite sex friendships in your 20s.

Can a man and a woman of the opposite sex meet in their 20s and have a strictly platonic relationship?

I think yes, but lately signs have pointed to no - given the recent influx of male friendship disappearance.

So what do you think - can us 20-somethings live peacefully with friends of the opposite sex, or is there a sexual tension there that just can't be ignored?

Do any of you have friends of the opposite sex that are just that - friends and nothing more - or are there twinges of hope that one drunken night something might happen to change all that?

Cheers!

-A

The positive side

Well it's Friday, which means you should be looking at some beautiful pictures that I took or found, however given that I inundated you with imagery from NYC last week, I've decided to switch it up a little today.

Mainly because I'm lazy and don't have the energy to find and analyze photos today. It all comes down to my lack of motivation.

So I'm expecting this post to be pretty random - though I'd like to focus on the good things that are going on right now. Having come back from my recent travels, I'm finding myself in a little slump without a big, exciting trip to look forward to, so this is the perfect time to remind myself of all the great things life has to offer.

For instance, my job. Not only do I have one, but I love the work that I do and the people that I'm surrounded with everyday. A girl couldn't ask for much more than that. Needless to say I completely agree with this post from one of my favorite 20-somethings. Thanks, Playful, for the inspiration.

Here are some other things I'm happy about:
-Amazing friends, those scattered across the country and my girls right here in town
-My health, which I recently found out is improving!
-Red Wine Thursdays
-Free speech
-The warm weather we've been experiencing in the Midwest lately
-Traveling
-Progress toward getting my puppy
-Discovery of some new Italian recipes that I love
-Yoga, running, and spinning
-Lazy weekends on the couch watching football with the man friend
-Taking on new accounts and new challenges at the office
-Preparing my photography for a show in December

So tell me dear readers, what are some of the things that are making you happy right now?

Cheers!

-A

A freedom we take for granted

Given that it's Election Day, I thought it appropriate to discuss an American freedom that's near and dear to my heart. It's called the right to free speech.

Shocker, right? I'm pretty sure I'd die without the ability to talk just for the sake of hearing my own voice.

But it's also something that I and a lot of other people take for granted. We get online each day with the ability to log in to Blogger and publish our opinions on the interwebs for all to see, judge and comment on.

What would we do without this luxury, without the ability to converse freely with one another, share our thoughts, ideas and experiences as 20-somethings - we would be lost, that's what.

It's a fantastic thing, this freedom of speech. And that's why it irritates me to no end that someone is trying to take this away from me.

*GASP*

It has recently come to my attention that there are some un-fans following me and reading posts regularly. At first I was flattered to see these IP addresses coming back continuously - that is, until the face emerged to let me know of his/her disapproval. Not so much of my opinions, but rather, of me!

*DOUBLE GASP*


I know, right? Who couldn't like me?!

Lots of people I'm sure.

But I grew up being taught by my wonderful family that not everyone is going to like you - and I'm okay with that!

What I'm not okay with, is being told what to write and what not to write. Sorry folks, but last I checked this was my blog, full of my opinions (stupid as they may be at times) and my experiences. No one is strapping you to a chair, taping your eyelids open and forcing you to read - or maybe they are, but that's not my problem - so feel free to spend your time reading other blogs that are more tailored to your style. I promise, I won't be offended.

And because it's election day and I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy about the U.S. of A, I'm going to hold on tight to my freedom of speech and continue to write for the readers who love me most! And I'll continue to show them the love they deserve, with links and shout outs like this. And this. Oh yeah, and this.

I heart you guys! *tear*

Oh, and if you haven't already - get to the polls today. I'm not much for talking politics, but this is an important election and we all have a voice.

kthanksbye

Cheers!

-A

And we can't forget to wish the wonderful Maxie a happy birthday. Don't work too hard today, lady!