I Scream

I don’t drink milk, but I want to assure you all that I am getting plenty of calcium. No, I don’t take vitamins, and I’m not looking for any lectures about supplements and nutrition. I have oodles of vitamins – gummies and horse pills – in my medicine cabinet. I just never got in a good routine of taking them. I digress; that’s not my point.

I am getting loads of calcium lately… by way of ice cream. For a long time, I thought I had a problem because ice cream continually left my stomach in pain. That is no longer the case. I am back in business with scoops of ice cream. Yippee!

Maybe it’s the smells of summer. It just makes us all want to grab a cone and sit poolside as we savor each lick of the cool goodness.

Not too long ago I was golfing with my brother and his friends. We kept hearing a weird jingle coming from one of the nearby neighborhoods. After a while, we couldn’t take it anymore. It was so distracting! “What was it?” you ask. A jolly ice cream truck making it’s way around all of the streets. How did that stupid truck know to start up the music right during my backswing?

I hate when people ask you to choose your favorite flavor. I love the classic vanilla, and of course, any food involving chocolate is my friend. I am in love with soft serve, but you won’t find me passing up a couple of dips from an old-fashioned ice cream scoop. Of course, I love all the toppings. I’m not opposed to throwing on some gummy bears or even a dollop of hot fudge. No, I pretty much like it all. If I had to choose my least favorite, it would be any flavor that stems from coffee or espresso. But, I’d probably still eat it. I have a problem.

I will definitely be spending a lot of time eating ice cream this summer… and even into the fall and winter. If this doesn’t happen, I will scream for ice cream. 

Adult Time

TGIF! Once the clock hits 5 o’clock, adults around the country will be running out of office buildings, loosening up their ties, making their way to happy hour. They will all promise not to talk about work; however, discussions will soon move into budget issues and the latest run-in with the wicked boss. Soon the cocktails will be flowing, and the phrase “I love you, man” will become way too common. Waitresses will love this. They will entertain the idea of white-collar men throwing around money to impress colleagues. It’s all a part of the game we call business.

I may not directly be a part of this world; however, I am all too familiar with the scene. I will admit that I love it – I even miss it from time to time. I may have only played the role of the waitress, but it was still fun to interact with these “big shots.” Men are such fools.

I am really learning the beauty of that Friday afternoon drive home. It’s hard not to be all smiles as you plan out the weekend ahead. What will I be looking forward to most this weekend? Adult time. Nannying as so many perks, but one thing I am lacking is the interaction with adults. Yes, I’m missing the occasional dirty joke and random swear words. My kids are great, and I am really learning to use my filter. I really couldn’t ask for a better set-up this summer. I am very grateful. And with that said, I wouldn’t mind some Bacardi in my belly. Bottoms up! 

FOMO

Do you suffer from FOMO? It's a know fact that we all do in one way or another. As humans, we all want to be loved and accepted. So don't fret if you have come down with symptoms common to other sufferers.

Just chill out. You don't need to be checking for reddish colored bumps on your arms. I'm not asking your to see a doctor. I'm talking about Fear Of Missing Out - otherwise known as FOMO.

We are so connected to one another. We are constantly checking phones, emails, and social networking accounts. There is a constant fear that we may miss a party invite or the birth of a high school friends second baby. Would it really be the end of the world if we didn't find out that our third cousin got a promotion for the seventh time this year? Why are we so obsessed with checking in? Do you really feel better finding out information before your colleague sitting in a nearby cubical?

The problem with FOMO syndrome is that it is unavoidable. We are never going to be able to know everything; we will always be missing out on something. So, how do we cope with FOMO? My best answer is to live for you. There is always going to be someone experiencing great things, and it's okay to have a little bit of envy. However, it is important to be proud of our accomplishments. We all should know that there isn't one great life. We cannot possibly have the best life. We are all capable of living our own best life.

You've Got a Friend

Have you ever realized that you know too much information? Just a short week ago, I found myself hearing something from one friend that mildly could effect another. I absolutely hate have too much information (TMI) floating around in my head. Seriously, why must y'all tell me secrets?!?

People love talking about themselves. And whether we like it or not, drama is at the center of our lives. People make mistakes; we are fragile. When drama stirs itself up, we cannot help but participate in the discussions.

Girls are masters at these discussions. We meet for coffee, grab a drink after work, chat on the phone until the battery dies. Face it ladies, we. love. drama. Of course no one likes to get hurt, but it is a part of life. Just as quickly as these events occur, they are soon forgotten when a better story comes along. We are constantly striving to find a more shocking story that will top the next. Our world is a crazy one.

The beginning stages of relationships are full of getting to know one another - trying to figure out if that person is someone to trust. It doesn't take long to realize which way the relationship will go. I was delighted to hear from someone recently, "You are definitely going to be someone I can talk to." I was honored to know that that person trusts me. I know that this person is merely looking for someone to talk to - someone to listen.

At the end of the day, I want to be the person that

Sweatshirt Circulation

One day you wake up and realize that you have started collections of random things unknowingly. What am I talking about? Well, I never set out to have a collection of nail polish that exceeds seventy different shades. It was not my intention to acquire stacks of books ranging from young adult to self-help to American classics. Yes, sometimes these things just happen.

The other day I recognized another collection – sweatshirts. The girl I nanny for asked me the other day, “Do you just really like UNI or do you just have a lot of Panther sweatshirts?” My answer of course was “yes” to both. I started thinking about how many sweatshirts I own… and just possess. Because let’s get real, not all of the sweatshirts in my closet were my purchases. Sweatshirts are one piece of clothing that just seems to circulate more than others.

When I was student teaching, it was important for me to know all of the names of my students. I knew I didn’t want to be that teacher that made kids wear name tags or put up those silly name cards; however, it got to be a little bit difficult in the beginning. As many of you know, teenagers get hooded sweatshirts and t-shirts for every sport or activity they participate in. It’s actually quite ridiculous. They also tend to put their names on the back – maybe this is to help all of the moms keep them separate J You may think this would be a good help for teachers like me that are trying to learn all of the names of students, but you’re wrong. I found that more often than not they were wearing their friends’ and boyfriends’ sweatshirts before their own. Apparently it’s cool to switch them up? Ugh, just one more thing to add to the confusion of teenagers.

I sit here wearing a sweatshirt that I grabbed from my sister. And come to think of it, it could be her ex-boyfriend’s? It’s all a part of the sweatshirt circulation.

Choices

I swear I am not a crazy person that overanalyzes every little detail of my life. Does my mind wander to places of worry and regret? Of course; however, I try to deter myself from these places before it becomes unproductive.

Isn’t it strange how we find ourselves having an epiphany in the most insignificant times and places? I was driving along the other day, deep thinking, when I realized that I need to make a change – I need to make a choice. No, I’m not talking about a life altering decision that will lead me to a foreign country with complete strangers. I’m talking about remembering who I am as a person. We are all guilty of losing sight of who we are – what is good for us. There are times when we get lost a new relationship, our to-do lists, and even the excitement of the ‘night life.’ Quite simply, we lose our balance in life.

I am revisiting a previous choice that I have made before. For some reason I have a sense of clarity as of late, and I love it. I am ready to recommit to taking each day as it comes. And each day I am going to make a choice – I will choose what makes me happy. Happiness is the one choice to pick.

Smiles Across the Finish

Well, I did it! Yesterday I completed my first 20K in style as I smiled my way across the finish line. It was such an awesome experience, that I’m so glad to have shared with 8,000 of my fellow runners.

The day started out very early - 4:15 in the morning to be exact. I had to meet some friends before getting on a bus that took us to the starting point. Katherine told me it was her favorite part – watching so many different people climb into buses to share this experience. In the darkness of the early morning, I was full of anticipation; however, I still was unable to process just what I was getting myself into.

We had to “hurry up to wait” before our 7:00 start time. It was a time to share running stories and bump into friends I haven’t seen in a while. Of course, everyone was sure to make a stop at the port-a-potties :-) My friends had ran Dam to Dam before, so they were filling me in on all of the details of the course. I asked for advice for during the race. This is what I got:

Take it mile by mile. It’s better to focus on each mile as they come. It can get quite overwhelming if you count down or think about how many miles are left. I just wanted to attack mile 1, mile 2, and so on.

Savor the experience. I am learning that more and more it is important to stop and look around in all aspects of life. There is so much happening to be thankful for, to be learning, to be soaking in. Watching all of the supporters on the side of the road, the bands pumping out music, the crazy costumes of people handing out water – it was all so amazing. I literally found myself smiling quite often. It was also cool to read the signs of family members along side the road. My favorite was just the simple “We’re proud of you!” People are incredible.

Run your own run. It's easy to get caught up in the speed of those around you. Runners will pass, and it's tempting to sprint forward. As the saying goes, "It's a (half) marathon, not a sprint." I just focused on my own pace, my own feet. 

Lastly, what I have learned from the experience: don’t be afraid to be proud of yourself. At the finish line, I was full of emotions. I had so much fun – smiling ear to ear as music and cheering from hundreds of people encouraged you to push yourself to the end. I signed up months ago, spent time working on my long runs, and I did it! I feel great about my accomplishment. I am so proud of each runner that participated yesterday. I am grateful to everyone that had a hand in the day – it was so cool.

Yesterday afternoon was spent celebrating on some outdoor patios downtown. While this was a lot of fun, I had a headache and my body was very sore, so I called it an early night. After ten hours of sleep, I am still feeling a little shaky. It is a good feeling; however, I am definitely going to be spending today recovering before another week.

All in all, I am one happy runner this morning! Off to church to give thanks!