Thursday, April 15, 2010

Guess who has an interview in New York City?

ME!

Thaaat's right- April 29th at 10 a.m. I'm planning to go enjoy myself Wednesday-Friday. I promised Harry I would run a race with him on Saturday so, I shall return for our 5k.

And by the way, I'm telling him tonight. It's been sort of the unspoken subject for the past several weeks. I sent him this huge email explaining all my reasoning for wanting to go on an adventure, live my life, advance my career, etc. He's not thrilled. He tried to be supportive, but he's not for it. Bottom line.

It's understandable- he wants the opposite. Us to be together, not thousands of miles apart. But me, being inside my body and not his, wants the support of my partner.

And I want a traveling buddy. I admit I have been coward-like and invited my sister and 3 other girlfriends to go with me (all unavailable). So, who knows if it would be a good idea for him to go, or if he could. But doing NYC alone is not as inviting as with a companion.

But, let me put a plug in for the mom. I need some medical history for this application process. So, that's one thing I need to make the mom call on. And I haven't mentioned any of this stuff to her- but I need to if I'm traveling to New York. I was in between the gym and dinner with like 20 minutes for a shower and clothing change and we talked about her Zumba class for like, 15 minutes before I had a chance to get to the topic so I just said, "Do you have my medical history?" She said, "I'll look. Want me to mail it?" And no further questions! Thank you God for my not nosy mom!!!

So, I'm about to pass out from sleeping 6 hours last night and doing Step and Sculpt today. Right now I think I love my life.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Focus: Things That are Awesome

My problem lately is that I have no idea what I want in my life. Let us take a look at what is cool, makes me happy and then see if I can refocus on those things and figure out my direction a little better.

  • Cake. The band and the food.
  • Pottery with a side of sunshine and good friends. Or interested strangers. It's a toss up really.
  • Eating out.
  • Music.
  • Outside, especially at my college. (Graduated 4 years ago...)
  • Reading.
  • Writing.
  • Helping people. Too broad of a concept though. How about, helping kids, helping my sisters or my parents.
  • Kitties and puppies. Why not like the mainstream joys?
  • Plants.
  • Travel.
  • DIY projects.
  • Feeling like I'm in the middle of it. Being out in the bustle. Doing stuff and seeing stuff.
  • Clowns. No, I hate these.
  • Friends. Nice ones. Not ones that say they have to do laundry instead of hangout with me. Ones that invite me to star parties.
  • I really like The Office. It was soooo good last night. That's what she said.
  • My savings account. I'm so proud that I've been able to make it into something when it was at zero last year this time when I started this blog. It's like my little account of possibility.
  • My new Bible Study I'm in; Beth Moore, Esther.
  • The new dress I got at Ross tonight. (Yes, lets end on a materialistic note.) Even though its an XL in juniors. My boobs needed some room- I'm no teeny bopper anymore. Ok, all of me needed the room. (I hid the size on the hanger from Cute Gay Mike that granted me dressing room access. So silly but I'm prideful.)
I need to try new things more. Putting myself in the middle of things and seeing new areas of this little town I start to get down about. There's two open houses this week of two businesses. I'm gonna go. I never do that stuff because I have to mingle and make small talk. Alas. I will suck it up and go.

Update 1: Read the London email wrong. I will know the week of April 12. Not April 12. So glad I checked my email about 20x before checking my facts.

Update 2: Liking Harry these days. Possibly leaning more towards the sensible life of dating nice men rather than the more exotic life of a year abroad. But who knows.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Schedule

April 12. The day I am supposed to hear from the London program I applied for as to if I have an interview or not.

I was thinking that was a long time away but its Monday. I haven't heard anything yet. If I do get an interview, I will fly to New York City for it.

So, upcoming April-May, my little sister will graduate May 8, all my family is coming to visit (even my sister and her hubby and baby from Europe!). May 23-25 I'm going to Kansas for my cousin's wedding. And somewhere in there, I might be taking a trip to NYC.

My sister and I also want to take a two-week trip to Costa Rica in June or July.

And then perhaps I will leave for London in August.

I'm really excited at the prospect of all this- I miss airports and planes. Even though my parents will be on the only flight I have confirmed thus far, I have high hopes for my summer travels.

Side note: Harry was invited to the wedding (by me) but he doesn't have enough money.

So, basically, I'm going to work, putting up with the insanity, trying to leave by five and ready for an invitation to take a leap from my current life to my next adventure.

Until then, I will be excited about my flight to my family reunion!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Relationship SWOT Analysis

I had a great weekend. My sister and I went to Harry's for Easter weekend (yes, he is still around) and hung out with his family, watched basketball and relaxed. It was really great- so good to hang out in a family atmosphere, great to get Harry's hugs and affection, and to just have a quiet(ish) weekend based on all American family company and values.

Sometimes this is what I long for- hugs anytime I want, people to co-exist with and time to relax and not get caught-up in the weekend/evening rush of filling the time and loneliness with random entertainments and night scenes. Time to enjoy someone who knows me and I know them. Its a relaxed scene without masks, unknowns and wild cards. Gosh its nice to have that rest.

But then, I've never really been one to rest. One totally stagnant summer in my college days I definitively decided that I would choose to be overloaded than bored any day. So, when I get rested up, I'm thirsty for that sensory overload and have more energy for the work it takes to get out in the bustle and am even energized from it.

So that makes it really complicated when considering settling down, getting married, having kids, owning a home, folding clothes x2, having to cook from time to time, keeping pantries stocked and all those other things that the person you don't have to wear your mask around depends upon in a partnership.

Somewhere along the way I've picked up the advice that when "you know you know" or "when its right you'll know." But gosh, I like Harry and he likes me but marriage scares me to death! So based upon the above ideology, I would then be lead to believe, "when you don't know, the answer's no" or, "When it's wrong, you won't know." But I don't know if it's that simple. Gosh, I wish it was.

I tend to focus on everything that's wrong with us- all the things that bother me- because those are the areas of improvement, right? The other things are in the bag- up to par, so lets attack, analyze and obsess over those other top 10 items in the SWOT analysis under W and T.

Like, why the heck did he buy a freaking 4-bedroom house in no-mans land? He only uses the living room and bedroom (well, and both bathrooms) for goodness sake (oh man, come to thing of that, my stupid toilet is waiting for me to unclog it, UGH, come on, its TOILET PAPER! WHY are you clogging with mere PAPER. Love the 'efficient' water saving feature but when I have to flush 3 times to get the job done, it counter acts this selling point!! And I only have one bathroom by the way so it is mission essential). Anyway, It takes 20-30 minutes to get to any decent store, restaurant or venue and another 30 to get out of the suburbs into the city. And, I never thought of myself as a gold digger but his attitude towards money and finances is REALLY an issue. He can't go overseas with me this summer because of $$ and I'm pretty sure he is the higher earner- and has 5 years of working on me (which should equate to 5 years of savings, right? Especially living at home for the starting out years?). I have this ideal that a man should be able to take care of me. My mom stayed home, my sister stays home. I like working and having a life not centered on the home but I really like the idea that my man can take care of me 100%. Thats manly to me.

So that rant being said, what's under S & O? His strengths include loyalty, 100% dedication to me, communication and his ability to relate to me. He writes me emails everyday during the week still. Some are just day to day conversation but some are just sweet little things he wants to keep in the front of my mind. He tells me his intentions- to be with me. He wants me and all of me. He finds me attractive inside and out and I don't have to feel any doubt of not living up to his ideals. He wants to be my other, accompany me as I go about my life and me to be by his side as he goes about his. He is very particular- he wants the best and will work for it. He keeps his house impeccably clean, sends really pretty flowers and remembers details. Opportunities include a partnership, a lifetime of enriching one another. Being with someone that only wants one kid (maaaaaybe two if the first one goes reeeeeeaaaaaally well) and having those little major things in harmony with one another. Also, on the more surface level, having someone to follow you to the car place, keep you from being completely miserable during a stomach flu and share trash duty with (actually, I'm happy to give that one up 100% :).

So, all that poured out, is it my love for variety, unknowns and autonomy that are confusing me and keeping me from wanting to plan a June wedding or is it my 20/20 vision of all the threats and weaknesses? Sure, time reveals all but I'm tired of waiting. I waited 3 years with Mr. Nice Guy. Harry and I are coming up on a year and I'm ready for some answers.

So, here's to all the other impatient, confused and searching souls out there. May we enjoy a night on the town AND a night on the couch in the near future to appease our bipartisan needs.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Sleep Walking

I'm having a quarter-life crisis. And yes, I admit it, I'm a fair-weather blogger. I haven't needed this for the past few months but now I'm freaking out and my energy for optimism is fizzling. I've been feeling rather directionless the past few weeks. Each day is a bit mundane. I have no goal. No pressing project nor exciting prospects.

And then today I was sitting at lunch bragging about my upcoming summa cum laude graduating little sister and said, "Graduation is only two month away," with a bit of sadness. Then I realized today is April 1st. Graduation is a mere month and some little days away. My sister is leaving me. As she should- but I have no reason to stay here without her.

So, I've got to find something to do with my life but in this downward slope of mine I have no positive outlook or drive to run after new lives. Its just all so exhausting and I'm already sleeping through my alarm in the mornings for a solid hour.

And I wasn't joking about London by the way. I applied for a program over there (some days I have a little spark inside myself). But I don't find out about that for a while so I'm just waiting. waiting. always waiting.

I need some encouragement. I need a change of scenes. I need a housemate so I don't have to seek company by setting up for the evening to read at Barnes and Noble and then having a Westside Story style (never seen it) fight literally play out 6 feet in front of me. The live unedited version complete with f-bombs, the loudest 20 year old woman you have ever experienced and the police.

I mostly need a nap I guess so thanks for coming back and reading. I can't believe you all still wanted to check in with me. That does make me smile. For real.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

4 Years and Counting

I was getting ready to embark on my big running debut in the college gym last night when one of my little sister's friends, and upcoming graduate, came up to my treadmill.

"You've been here for four years, are you tired of this place?"

"Yes."

"What are you going to do next?"

What am I going to do next? That is the biggest question that has been facing me since I graduated almost four years ago. How do you answer that question? How do you DECIDE what the answer to that question is when it could, would, even maybe should include moving, quitting my job, and completely turning everything upside down for a while. I've remained still since my graduation. I've stayed in the same town I graduated in, worked the same job since I graduated, and remained myself.

So, I looked at her and said, "Either get married or move to London."

The leaning today is towards the latter. However, this changes by the hour.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

What is your language?

Languages are something that have intrigued me since I won first place in a spanish competition in 10th grade. I enjoy playing with words within the English language as well as the handful of other languages I have brushed across in my lifetime.

For example, OoloreyLA (and thats the phonetic spelling, not anything actually accurate), in my Nigerian friend's native tribe's tounge is one of the most fun words I've come across. I asked her to teach me one word and OoloreyLA was it. I finally got the meaning out of her after I practiced it multiple times.

"Well," she says incredulously, "It means Big Head."

The first time I ran into a Nigerian other than my friend was paying for parking at the airport. Upon learning of her origin I got so excited and started screaming OoloreyLA at her, waving my hands and widening my eyes looking for her excitement to recognize her native language. She merely looked slightly taken aback and laughed at the silly white girl across from her and handed me my change. My friend never told me that was not a good idea to scream Big Head at her fellow Nigerians. Who knew?

Another family of languages intrigues me outside of those just spoken. Love languages. Gary Chapman wrote a book about these called The Five Love Languages, first introducing it to the world. Its basically about the way we show and receive love.

The five love languages according to Chapman are:
  • Personal Touch
  • Acts of Services
  • Giving of Gifts
  • Quality Time
  • Words of Encouragement
You can research the gist of the book on the internet if the face value of these aren't enough to quench your thirst but they are self explanatory enough on a surface level to get my drift. Or you can be an over achiever and take the love language test here.

So anyway, in college, I decided my love language was physical touch. Any touch was just an opening for the warm fuzzies and fair game to bring home and analyze for hours with my roommate. Later, when I was dating someone less talkative and more touchy feely, I decided my love language was words of encouragement. I would ask each time before we got off the phone, "Tell me something nice, please."

Now, I'm dating another personal touch person and have decided Acts of Service is more my game. I mean, I melt when he takes out the trash and weed eats my yard. Or, when he is scurrying around my feet picking up all I dropped on the floor in the kitchen. But, I also really dug him bringing me flowers. And I really long for our time together...

So, with all that changing of my mind, I finally decided which one I actually am. All 5. That's right, I said it. I am penta-lingual. Perhaps thats why men rarely appeal to me because rather than having one overarching need for feeling love, I instead have five enormous, love needs that pose incredible hurtles when it comes to dating me.

But, rather than look at the downside, I'm actually feeling pretty good about this, actually I'm rather elated. How cool is it that I am penta-lingual? I mean, think about how many people you know that speak 5 languages. Um, like, .02? And if you did know someone, I bet they would just be the coolest chick/kid ever! So, not only do I receive love in 5 ways, I also can give it in 5 ways.

So, my task now is to purposefully show my love to Harry in the 5 specific ways this weekend and see what his reaction is. And, gauge mine. Then, we can see if I really am what I have just claimed to be. I will report back later...

Kisses!