"Mates"

I have started and not finished a total of three blogs tonight. Nothing seems to be "right" tonight. Under sharing. Over-sharing. Cliche. Too deep. I just can't get it right.

I've been flying solo this week. Someone  (not this girl) has been off in the state where Bigger is (supposedly) Better. I don't envy him. However, it has cause me to dig out those old photos, think back to the kids I nannied, the sticky summer heat, berries with whipped cream, my 12 day job,  the children's museum, and some really really good steaks. I've also had a lot of time to have an extended "me-date" or "mate". I just came up with that. (Catchy- I know. Brilliant- perhaps)

So "mates". What are they? Consultant girlfriends should have a special club and "mates" can be a topic of conversation. (oh you aren't a girlfriend of a consultant--well I am sure it is the same for SOs of doctors, lawyers, busy people, and SO's in general. I as a consultant girlfriend just have a SO that travels and works a lot.) Simply--it are the evenings that you invest some quality time in yourself. I have been trying to "mate", and not just vegetate on my couch (although tv watching can be a very needed mate ritual). So how have I been spending my time on these "mates" with myself?

1) At the gym.

Like a lot of time at the gym. I usually get home from work late and then just forgo the gym, but I have kept a very steady schedule this week due to bosses summer vacations and I have been in the gym before I even get home some nights. With nowhere to be and no one to see me after I have sweated glistened my heart out, I have been putting in an extra 30 minutes on top of my normal workout. This has resulted in long runs, time to really do some strength training and stretching.

I have been falling into bed exhausted and also really sore, but really proud too.

2) Making dinner

I don't cook. Like not even in a ImakesimplethingslikeburritosandIambeingmodestbysayingIdon'tcook. No. Really. I don't cook. Don't really know how. I have like 5 dishes up my sleeve. So without the SO around to play chef, I am usually resorting to cereal, chips and salsa, or something I can just put in my oven. Budget constraints have really forced me to not eat lunch out, so I've been trying to cook and to take left overs for lunch. It has been moderately successful.

3) Catching up on Breaking Bad

Here is where my TV watching got a tad bit out of control. I have been trying to get through all 4 seasons (and the part of the 5th that has aired) so I can watch in real time. I just finished season 4 tonight so I am almost there!

4) Crafting

This is my outlet. Creating something. Living in 415 sq. ft. doesn't afford me the luxury to spread out and have my craft stuff out all the time so I can just have ongoing projects. I did make some cards the other night and I could feel some of my stress just melting away. I have left some of my supplies out to hopefully entice me to do this more often.

5) Blogging

It is hard work to document. Blogging as a job would be hard and I admire all of those writers, artists, creative folk who take this on to provide income and to be more than just a running journal like myself. I need to make time for this. It is important to me. It makes me feel good. I LOVE (Yes, LOVE) readers comments, getting a new follower, finding a new blog that I want to read every entry of and just looking back at what I have documented so far. It is rewarding. I want to be more in this community. The people I have connect with through blogging are inspirational, uplifting, and I hope to build on those relationships. It is so much more than just slapping some words up and calling it good. Like I said. Sometimes it doesn't come easy. There is a line to evaluate. It takes time. You also have to connect if you want to be connected. So I have used some of these hours to try to make some meaningful comments and connections on others blogs that I read but sometimes don't pause to tell them how awesome I think they are.

So there it is, what I have been doing on my "mates".

While I do love a good week of "mates", I will be excited to get back to "dates"...since I kind of like that person I do those with too ;)

What do you do on "mates"?

DCversary-4 Years

August 4th came and went.

It look me awhile to realize that it was the passing of my 4 year DCversary. Wow.

That is really all I can get out of my head right now. Is wow. How did 4 years go by?

My reflection back at three years seems like yesterday! There is another year to add, full of new tales. So to continue on with a summary of my life in DC...

I learned; and am learning what trust means, and also how your heart and head can be in two completely different places. I had emotionally trying year. I traveled to the other side of the world. Skied in Colorado, and was reminded of what makes me truly happy. I went to New York. The newest addition of my family arrived, and I yet again learned how big your heart can be stretched with love. My worlds finally collided when I went to Brooke's wedding and the boyfriend got to see me in my city. Friends are moving away from DC and I am scared for how I will fare with some of my closest friends on the other side of the country yet again. 

No one knows where they will end up. Where they will meet the person they are supposed to spend the rest of their life with. Who their friends will be that will see them through thick and thin. You just kind of have to do this. See where it takes you, and make changes when you don't like what you see anymore.

I'll Always Be Thinkin' of You

Let's finish up New York shall we? In that final home stretch of documenting this trip and I should just get er done.

On our last day we slept in once we woke up and heard the light drizzle of rain. We also had some recovering to do after the amazing meal the night before. We packed up and got out of hotel room before we ventured out to find this shop I had read about in our travel book. With umbrella's in hand, we headed back to the area near Eataly. Fish's Eddy sounded like an awesome place to find some vintage and unique finds for the kitchen. Not only did they have some unique finds-- the also had a plethora of dish sets and kitchen items that I would love to buy.

I did limit myself and only purchased two items for myself. The first was this mug. I loved the design and since I love my eclectic set of mugs I have started to collect, I knew this had to come home with me.

The other piece that had to become part of my kitchen was this teeny, tiny plate that has the floor plan for a studio apartment printed on it. Since Ashley and I have the running joke about our "hotel living", I knew this would be a perfect memento for my time in my 415sq. ft.

After our little shopping adventure we stumbled upon the Beecher's Cheese shop in New York. When Nick told me he had never been to Beecher's we knew we had to try it out! It is one of my favorite things about Seattle, and a fixture of the Pike Place Market area in Seattle. We both ordered some Mac N' Cheese, salads and some fancy drinks. We even lucked out, and from our seats that looked into the cheese making area, we got to watch some cheese making for awhile!

Braving the rain, we knew we should get on the road and get back to DC. We headed back to the hotel, picked up our bags and grabbed the car. So I could say I had gone over the Brooklyn bridge, we headed out of NY that way and found ourselves right by the Brooklyn Museum. On a whim we decided to check it out. We completely lucked out and were able to catch a Keith Herring exhibit AND see some mummies. (Side note: I have a crazy interest in ancient Egypt, thanks to a class I took called "Digital Egypt" (there was nothing digital about it)). It was a perfect ending to our trip!

Unfortunately, the weather only got worse and we had a very long, stressful, and quiet car ride back to DC.

But my first taste of New York could not have been more fun and awesome. I am still dreaming about when I can go back and starting to plan some of the things we missed that I would love to see!



For all you New York people...did we miss anything I should add to my list for next time?? (I am hoping for Christmas time and the Nutcracker!)

Like a Fine Red

Today is my mom's birthday! Another year older, another year better! My mom raised two amazing girls ( if I do say so myself!) and now she has two wonderful grand babies that love her too!

Happy Birthday Mom! Love you so SO so much!

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HR Learnings

I took an into to psych course in college ( one of those classes that 700 people took each quarter) and I remembered really enjoying it.

Well, while studying for my PHR I found this section on principles of human behavior. It went a little something like this:

All behavior is caused. People have a reason for doing what they do.
All behavior is directed toward achieving a goal. People do things to accomplish something. Behavior is not just random.

 

It was a very stark reminder that people do things and with thinking about them. They make decisions. It may be decisions I don't like, or it may be a decision that hurts me. I have zero control over the decisions people make. What I do have control over is:

• My own decision about how to react.
  
• Based on other people's decisions, do I want them to remain a part of my life.
• And while judgement is not something I should do, I can decide to not agree and I'm allowed to be hurt.

It can be jarring to realize that all those behaviors that people have exhibited did have an intention. It can open a world of wounds and a long list of questions that force you to make some tough decisions. The beauty of it all?

You are making your own decisions.

Which means you can do that whatever you like.

No rules. Just the awareness that your behavior is never random. So be nice.

 

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