Love is in the Air

Valentine's Day is on the way...and to be honest I really couldn't care less. Since I don't have a special man in my life right now I'm not necessarily looking forward to it, but by no means am I dreading it either.

Come on, lets be honest, Valentine's Day is not really all it's cracked up to be anyways. Even when I did have a boyfriend we usually spent the "special" day eating Domino's Pizza on my bedroom floor or laying around in sweats watching a basketball game together... And for me, I was perfectly okay with that. I'm much more low maintenance than I may appear, believe it or not ;)

I don't need someone telling me that I have to go out to dinner and be showered with gifts to prove that I'm loved. I would much rather be taken out or given a gift or find a hand written note somewhere out of the blue, because they actually wanted to, and they knew it would make me smile.

.....


Over the past couple years, Valentine's Day for me has become less about all the Hallmark hoopla and more about telling the important people in my life how much they matter. It isn't often that I truly express to my parents or my brother or sister or my best friends how much they really mean to me and what an impact they have had on my life.

So Valentine's Day is that one day each year when I can be as sentimental as I want and still get away with it.

I've gotten in the habit of sending each of them a little card...nothing special...99 cent sale rack will do just fine...just something that I can write to them and let them know they are loved and always will be.

Quote of the day: "A bell is no bell 'til you ring it. A song is no song 'til you sing it. And love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay - Love isn’t love 'til you give it away." ~ Sound of Music

Cumberland, Maryland (Where the Mountains Are)

Born and raised! And if you were too then this list is sure to make you smile, because you and I both know that:

• Maryland doesn't stop at Frederick, or even Hagerstown.
• You don't necessarily have an obsession with crabs.
• You know how to ski/snowboard and can go for the day, or even work at the Wisp, if you so choose
• You know what snow is.
• You've experienced a 40" snowfall.
• Nearly half of your friends support WVU rather than Maryland.
• You know more people that go to WVU than Maryland.
• You know what a REAL mountain is.
• Your legislators have no say in Annapolis.
• Your region has collectively won more state championships then any other area.
• Your school is an oven in the warm months and a freezer in the cold ones.
• You know the backroad way to get to everywhere.
• You get ticked off when some downstate driver flies by you on 68, but then you pass them going up a mountain, cause driving up here is completely different.
• You know where all the speed traps are.
• You don't know what the heck lacrosse is.
• The only time Annapolis pays attention to you is when they want to put a prison here or something else they don't want downstate.
• You can affiliate yourself more with Pittsburgh than DC.
• Your board of ed consolidates schools, they don't build them.
• You know or someone you know knows your local public officials.
• The biggest events in your town are football and basketball games.
• You know what Homecoming is. (THE Homecoming)
• You stick out very badly on the visitor's side at the said game.
• You've heard of towns such as Coney and Savage.
• You have friends that live in WV.
• It takes you at least 2 1/2 hours to get to DC.
• You've heard of or been to such places as the KKK church and/or the insane asylum.
• Events like Autumn Glory, Heritage Days, CanalFest, and the Oldtown Summerfest mean something to you.
• Your Wal*Mart is attached to the mall
• Although everyone makes fun of hanging out at Wal*Mart, everyone does it
• When you think of the beach, you think of Rocky Gap State Park
• The Beltway goes around the waist of your jeans
• You wear boots because they're boots, not because they're fashionable
• You can see a deer and not even get that excited about it (unless its in season)
• Half the adults you know work at a prison, and the other half are rocket scientists!
• You know someone who built their house with their bare hands
• You actually call Cumberland "The City" or "Downtown"
• You never go to the Bay but somehow it's your responsibility to keep it clean
• You consider Sheetz a restaurant
• Not even the "local" TV news applies to your town
  
  

Quote of the Day: “Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.” ~ Christian Morganstern

Remember When...

Remember when time used to move so slow? When the school year lasted forever. Christmas never could come fast enough. And in a short 2 hour car ride "are we there yet?" was asked at least a million times.

Well what the heck happened? How is life really moving this fast now? How did I get this old? It can't possibly almost be October already. I can't possibly be almost 26 years old already. >:O

As I'm sitting here at the kitchen table, eating a pumpkin muffin with my coffee (dunking of course, just like I used to watch my mom do every morning), checking up on my email and all the latest news online I can't help but chuckle out loud a little bit. I AM OLD. I'm a grown up. Worrying about whether Johnny has a crush on me or when the next big party is, has now been replaced by credit card payments and when my next meeting is.

Wow, when did this happen and how can I make it stop? Or do I really want it to stop? Is growing up really that bad?


Quote of the day: "There comes a point in your life, when you’re officially an adult. Suddenly, you’re old enough to vote, drink and engage in other adult activities. Suddenly, people expect you to be responsible, serious, a grown-up. We get taller, we get older. But do we ever really grow up?" ~Grey's Anatomy

Just What The Doctor Ordered

My trip to Bermuda was AMAZING! I had such a great time, free from all the stress of the world. Exactly what I needed! Not really until the last day or so did I actually start to think and get anxious about the mess, also known as my life, that I was about to return to.

But now I'm back and just trying to get things in order one baby step at a time. Everyone that knows me knows I'm the type of person who likes to have every detail of my life planned out, and for everything to run smooth and consistently according to plan.

And well...let's just say, my whole plan has been completely thrown out the window and shattered into a million tiny pieces. So I'm just trying to rely completely on God and trust that he knows what he is doing and that he is working everything out for my good.

I have a couple interviews/meetings set up for next week and am praying for them to go well.





Quote of the day: "We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them." ~Charles C. West

Family Matters

I went home to Cumberland to give my momma some lovin' this past weekend and had an absolutely amazing time with the fam. Bike riding, bike riding and more bike riding pretty much sums it all up. And since pics are far more interesting than words will ever be, I'm just gonna let these speak for themselves....


Me and my sister

Beautiful city of Cumberland in the background

Me and my mom

You are Here! No wonder my thighs were burning...look at that incline!


We made it to Pennsylvania!

Helping the little turtle we almost ran over to safety


That is a true look of terror

30.835 Miles...Ouch!


Hope you all had a great Mothers Day weekend too!


Quote of the day: "When I go biking, I repeat a mantra of the day's sensations: bright sun, blue sky, warm breeze, blue jay's call, and so on. This helps me transcend the traffic, ignore the clamorings of work, leave all the mind theaters behind and focus on nature instead. I still must abide by the rules of the road, of biking, of gravity. But I am mentally far away from civilization. The world is breaking someone else's heart." ~Diane Ackerman

Jim Gaffigan Makes Me Smile :)

A couple years ago the ex and I were headed on a little road trip...don't remember now exactly where we were going, but I'm thinking maybe home to see my parents...irrelevant anyways. So in an attempt to help curb his A.D.D. during the "long" trip he decided to burn a CD of a comedian for us to listen to along the way.

Although his sense of humor and mine were pretty similar, at that time I never even heard the name of the dude he brought and so I was kinda extremely skeptical.

But after like 30 seconds of listening to Jim Gaffigan I was laughing so hard I was crying. That man is absolutely hilarious...by far one of my favorite comedians now. From that very second I jumped on the Jim Gaffigan bandwagon and have yet to get off.

So... while meandering around Barnes & Nobles the other day (always just meandering, never actually buying anything) I saw that Jim had come out with a new CD called "King Baby" that I never heard of. I scanned it under the little listener machine...you know, the thing with the headphones where you can listen to a snippet of each track...and I was laughing out loud in the store. People around must have definitely thought I was insane, but whatev, it was hilarious.

Tonight after work I'm driving home to my parents house for the weekend to give my momma some mothers day lovin' and I decided to download the CD so I would have something to listen to on my boring ride there.

I overheard a couple minutes of it while I was downloading it, but didn't want to completely ruin it for my trip. I can already tell it is going to be insanely funny. I can't wait.

If you've never heard of Jim Gaffigan seriously, go buy his CD or just YouTube him, you will love it. It is completely clean, no foul language, nothing obscene...just 100% funny. Just the way I like it!


Quote of the day: "You think when gym teachers were younger, they’re thinking, 'You know, I want to teach... but I don’t want to read. How about kickball for 40 years? ~ Jim Gaffigan

Without A Doubt, I'm My Fathers Daughter

Isn't it so funny that when we are young we look at some of the things our parents do and laugh at them hysterically and mock them relentlessly for it. Then when we grow up...yep, we find ourselves doing the exact same things.

Well, today that realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and actually had me chuckling out loud a little bit about it.

It's official, you can just call me my dad.

For years I used make fun of him for ridiculously over-researching his purchases before he made them. A new car or a new pizza cutter, no matter what it was, my father could never fathom the thought of an impulse purchase. He would first look it up in Consumer Reports, compare it with other similarly classed products, ask the opinions of all his friends, scour the Internet for reviews, and then finally...months later (sometimes even years later), based on all of his findings, he would be tickled pink to have purchased what he knew was the very best of whatever it was.

A little ridiculous huh? Yeah I definitely thought so too. "Way to go dad, you got the Mercedes of pizza cutters. Brag on man!"

But I'll be damned if I didn't just do the exact same thing.

Ever since I met V, a professional photographer who goes to my church, I've been absolutely obsessed with photography. Being that I'm a graphic designer by day, I already naturally lean on the side of artsy so its really not too shocking that the art of photography intrigues me.

Anyways, from the very first moment I looked at his online portfolio I convinced myself "I NEED an SLR Camera" (those big, professional looking ones you manually adjust..for all you non geeks). So for the past few months, in dad-like fashion, I've been researching til I've been blue in the face (yeah, thats a lie...but I really did do a lot of research though, just not the blue face-turning kind).

Either way, the point is...I finally did it! I took the plunge and ordered one. In a few days, with my wallet a few pounds lighter, I will have my very own SLR Camera. The Canon XSi is the one I finally decided on. Yippeee! I can't wait. Now I just have to learn how to use the darn thing.

Quote of the day: "He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." ~Clarence Budington Kelland

Work It Out

I hope everyone had a great Resurrection Sunday!

Sorry I've been MIA for a little while, but I went home to visit the fam on Thursday and spent the whole holiday weekend there. Didn't really feel in the mood to write while I was at my parents...so I didn't. But now I'm back, and making my very best attempt to get back in the swing of things.

Soooo...

Anyone watch "The Biggest Loser"? Yeah well I don't either, but apparently there is a trainer on there named Jillian Michaels, and let me tell you, that lady is boss.

This weekend my sister brought over her workout DVD "3o Day Shred" and that joint is ridiculous. I work out at the gym hours a day, everyday and yet those 20 minutes with her somehow always have me begging for mercy. Literally, I'm pretty sure my sister can attest to the fact that I was trying to plead with TV Jillian to "please stop...enough already".

But anyways, there are three different workouts on the DVD...level 1, 2 and 3...each getting progressively harder. We made it to level 2 this weekend and that was seriously a heavy dose of self inflicted suicide, so I'm deathly scared to even think what level 3 would be like. If I survive it one day, I will definitely let you know.

I've also heard from a few people that P90X is another intense workout I should try. Opinions anyone? I've seen the infomercials a few times and was definitely intrigued. Then again, the ShamWow intrigues me, so I guess that really isn't saying too much.

Quote of the day: "I don't excercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor.” ~ Joan Rivers

Back to Business

My birthday week is officially over :( How depressing!

The anticipation and excitement, abundance of gifts and desserts, and special attention that came along with my birthday has now faded and all I'm left with (other than the ten extra pounds that probably went straight to my hips thanks to one too many pieces of birthday cake) is the simple fact that...I'm 25. And that, in and of itself, really isn't all its cracked up to be.

I made a pact on my 21st birthday that that one would be my last. No more aging...21 seemed to me to be a great age to stay at eternally. But I guess my birthday didn't get the memo because every year, despite my plea, it continues to come around again. Augh!

But in all seriousness, my birthday this year was pretty fabulous. I was a little worried that my first JJ-less birthday might be a real downer, but I already successfully made it through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years without him and my birthday turned out to be no different.

Just like I predicted, he didn't call, email, text, facebook me...nothing...and although I did a good job of not letting it get me down, inside I was really hoping he would, just so I could ignore it and feel the pleasure associated with having the upper hand. But oh well. Some day.

I spent my birthday with the people who really love me and always will, no matter what...my family...and that's what really matters.

We had a great time together.

Friday afternoon the weather was nice so my mom, sister and I decided to go for a bike ride on the Allegheny Highlands Trail. We rode 7 miles up and 7 miles back and, despite my deluxe bike seat, my inner thighs are still hurting. We saw a few wild turkeys, chatted it up with some guy carrying a gun to protect himself from the bears (yes, there really are turkeys and bears there...crazy), and of course stopped along the way to take a few pictures.

Here are a some of them. I hesitated sharing these because I really don't think I've ever looked stupider, but oh well, laugh all you want :)

And other than shopping, exercising, eating (a lot), and going to church, this is how we spent the rest of weekend......On the couch watching college basketball together! My kind of weekend!


Quote of the day: "Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter. " ~ Brad Henry

Home is Where The Heart Is

Last night after work I left the city and drove home to Cumberland to spend a long spoil-me-its-my-birthday weekend with my fam. On a good day the trip takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and luckily for me yesterday was indeed a good day! Thank you beltway/270 traffic...I really appreciate it ;)

I arrived home just in time to watch the Duke game, and although my mom was off at the hospital delivering babies (or more likely sitting around labor and delivery watching movies with her coworkers...which is what she usually does) my dad and I enjoyed watching the game together nonetheless.

When it comes to Duke basketball there aren't many people that I can stand being around while I'm watching a game (I kinda take it seriously if you couldn't already tell), but my dad is one of them. Although he won't outwardly admit it, he is just as big of a Duke fan as I am so I don't have to worry about any stupid Duke-hater comments coming out of his mouth.

Here's a couple pics of my room at home, just to give you a taste of how serious it really is...lol

Unfortunately my blue devils just didn't bring it last night and thus, in the round of 16, they went down for the count :( I always hate it when their season is over. Just the thought of 7 long Duke basketball-less months brings a tear to my eye.

But one thing that can wipe tears from my eyes and bring an immediate smile to my face...CHEESECAKE. Ahh! I'm sitting in my parents kitchen right now "working", while my mom is making me some cheesecake. I can already tell this is going to be a great weekend! Hope yours is just as scrumptious.

Quote of the day: “Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Real Love

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."
~ Captain Corelli's Mandolin

I ran across this quote on Emily's blog: The Adventure's of Little Miss Pissy (check her out, she is hilarious) and it struck such a cord with me. We often look around and see couples so infatuated with one another, so googly eyed in one anther's presence that we can't help but envy them and think, "Aw, they are so much in love". And yes, they probably are indeed "in love", but being "in love" and having real love are two totally different things.

For 25 years I've had the privilege of watching and learning from two people who I believe have found what everyone in this world is ultimately seeking ...real, unconditional, never ending love . Those two people are my parents. No they don't lose their breath when they see each other, no you won't see them making out in public or bragging about how incredible their relationships is... But at the end of the day they know without a shadow of a doubt that the other will be there for them. They've built a family together, they've built a life together, they respect each other, they are committed to each other, they are each other's best friend.

That's what real love is...and I can only hope and pray to find the same thing one day.



Quote of the day: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . ." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

You Know What Sucks?...Change

My mom and dad got married over 30 years ago and have been happily married ever since. My dad’s first real job after finishing up his PhD was at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory and he has worked there ever since. Likewise, my moms first real job was at the local hospital (delivering little babies. awww.) and she too has worked there ever since. They’ve lived in the same house, gone to the same church, vacationed at the same place, done the same things... year in and year out.

That's us. I'm the little tike fresh out of the womb.

So I guess what I’m trying to get at, in a roundabout sort of way, as always, is…I HATE CHANGE!

My parents provided me with the most stable of upbringings, which I will forever be grateful for (thanks mom and dad!), but because of it I have the darnedest time accepting when things in my life change. And by "things" I mean ANY little thing. For goodness sakes I've cried after getting my hair cut before...and not necessarily because I hated it, just because it wasn't "the same".

Yeah, I know...I'm nuts.

Just yesterday in fact I decided to relocate from my corner office at work to one closer to the printer (which I wore the heel off quite a few pair of my favorite pumps running back and forth to so much). And just from that tiny little move I could instantaneously feel the sadness knot forming in my stomach and the symptoms of separation anxiety beginning to kick in.

Separation anxiety from changing the location of my desk space in the office? Really, what is wrong me?

Big things or little things, actually important in the larger scheme of life or not, it seems that just when I get used to the way things are, life comes along and changes it all up. The worst part is that even when I know the change is better for me, I still just hate the newness of it all.

I guess maybe that's one of the reasons why I'm having such a hard time with this breakup. Even though my head knows its better for me in the long run, the fact that my life is no longer the same as it has been for quite a few years is what is really throwing me for a loop. I'm used to my morning wake up call and my good night I love yous. I'm used to knowing (or thinking I know) what my future holds. I'm used to the whole routine of it. And then BAM...just like that I get hit with the your-life-has-changed-and-there-is-nothing-you-can-do-about-it stick!

Ughh! Anyone else despise change? Or is it just me?


Quote of the day: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Out of the Closet

I know many of you sports lovers might cringe when you hear this, but I am the world's biggest Duke Basketball fanatic...And have been actually since the early 90's when I developed my first crush on Grant Hill.

~Ahhh, just thinking about him now brings back that giddy feeling I used to get as an 8 year old seeing him sweat in those short shorts~

Well, anyways, last night Coach K and my boys made their annual trip to College Park for their game against UMD...and you know this superfan definitely had tickets.

Wearing all blue, my sister and I stuck out like a sore thumb in the massive sea of red...but we were okay with it. I nearly got in a fist fight with an obnoxious Terp fan sitting in front of me...but I was okay with that too :)

The truth is, although I've been to several Duke - Maryland games over the years this was actually the very first time that I could proudly sport my Duke attire.

Why you ask?..well...I must admit it, I'm a Maryland Alum. Yep, you read right. A Terrapin that loves her Blue Devil Basketball (Shhhh! Don't tell anyone.) At a school that hates Duke more than Kim Kardashian loves herself, openly admitting my affection for Duke Basketball by wearing my blue in the student section would have been a BIG no-no. And by big no-no, I mean they would have killed me...literally. Terp fans are nothing to mess with.

But now that I have graduated, this Duke fan can finally come out of the closet.

And come out of the closet I did...with a huge smile on my face.

Maryland 67
Duke 78

Quote of the day: "As part of what they called "Operation Scheyerface," the majority of the Maryland student section brandished a teasing picture of the Blue Devils guard...But it was Scheyer who got the last laugh." ~ The Diamondback

I Love Snail Mail

As I'm walking back from the gym, sweaty and exhausted from yet another workout that just totally kicked my butt, I decide to stop by the mail room and pick up our daily deliveries courtesy of Mr. Postman. Expecting the usual--- fun postcards and love notes for my roommate, and bills and bank statements for me, I am pleasantly surprised to see a handwritten card WITH MY NAME ON IT!

As a huge smile creeps across my face I can't help but think "Ha Ha, I got something fun in the mail this time and you didn't. Take that!" (Yeah... I know... you can just call me Ms. Maturity thankyouverymuch)

But upon farther inspection of the envelope I notice the return address is so sneakily missing. Who could it be from? I'm a huge fan of mysteries!

So, using my best agent Scully skills I then decide to take a look at the handwriting of my address and realize...this is no mystery. It's so from sister. I would know that handwriting anywhere.

Putting the card back on the pile with the rest of our mail, I decide I'll just wait until I get into my apartment and drop the others off before I open it. But who am I kidding? I have no patience and of course proceed to rip the darn thing open 10 seconds later while still on the elevator.

It was a card, that was indeed from my sister (yeah, my detective skills are just that good) and this is what it said:

"My Sister, My Friend

A sister is someone you love for all time-
She's your friend, your adviser, your "partner in crime"-
She laughs at your jokes, and she listens so well
To the wonderful story you just have to tell...
She'll cheer for your team, and she'll lead the applause
For your winning performance or favorite cause
With love in her heart and a smile on her face,
A sister is someone no one can replace.

I can't imagine what I'd do without a great sister and friend like you."

Awww...right then and there my heart just melted. I love cards, especially meaningful ones, and more than anything I love getting them in the mail.

There is just something about the fact that someone actually took the time to pick out a card especially for me, wrote a personal message in it, addressed it, put a stamp on it, and sent it that makes my heart smile :)

Good old fashioned snail mail... So great. Good old fashioned snail mail from my amazing sister...nothing better.



Quote of the day: " To write a good letter, you ought to begin without knowing what to say, and to finish without knowing what you have written." ~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau