I'm just glad I wore that sweater

After two weeks of enjoying and then not enjoying my free time, I feel like life has picked up and started moving forward again.

Saturday was the first home game for the Crew and it was a nice start to what will hopefully be another good season. It felt so good to be in the seats, feel the energy, hear the cheers, and see some good soccer. I've never been a sports fan, but seeing the games live is a completely different experience. I can't wait for the summer games!

I woke up on Sunday feeling both sick and tired, despite having gone to bed early the night before. I came home from church and fell right back to sleep. I felt fine during yoga class (kicked my butt, and shoulders, and...)but was in bed and asleep by 10:30 last night. I think there is a small army of various viruses going around, so I will gladly give my body all the rest it needs. And I might double up on those vitamins...

Met up with a friend for a delicious breakfast this morning. Fate or coincidence (only time will tell) decided to amuse us. Shortly after having a conversation about a certain current crush, he unexpected walks in and sits down at the table next to us. I'm not good in situations like this. I enjoy the awkwardness too much and just laugh. Luckily, my friend is cool and calming and kept the situation somewhat in check. While my mom gets to hear all of the updates, the online community doesn't need to, so that's the last this will be mentioned on here. Just know: it was so, so weird.

In other fate related news, I got another possible design client today. This one came from a random conversation with someone I randomly talked to after going to church even though I didn't feel good. I didn't talk to anyone else yesterday, just this one girl, and then I got the email today. I'm always amazed when stuff works out like this.

I decided to bank on the good day and nice weather and finally spray painted some things I got the other day. Have to say, they look pretty good. I saw a very similar mirror at Anthropologie today - the difference is that mine was $5 at a thrift store. The paint went right through the paper and I ended up with glossy black hands. After some nail polish remover, things were close to normal. It reminded me of my art class days, waitressing and trying to hide the oil paint that wouldn't come off my hands. I also got some cork squares and will hopefully have a nice inspiration wall soon...

Time to end this rambling mess of an entry. Have a great day!

Hold it right there

A much needed series of enjoyable events have made up for the series of crappy days that started the week.

Last night I got to help out with a photo shoot. Let me re-phrase. I got to help out on a really awesome photo shoot with a great model and two extremely talented photographers, and it pretty much rocked my night. Old factory, cool lighting, great music (Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, to name a few) and everyone in the zone. This is the kind of thing that makes me love my job. I had a great time being a semi-stylist...is there a degree for that?

Rainy days kept me inside more than usual this week. I've officially watched all three seasons of Veronica Mars and am left wondering what to do with my life. To get out of the house/broaden my horizons I've been thrifting. Thrift stores are interesting at about 2:00. A few of the people in my latest stop were a little off. Not bad, but just to the point where I avoided eye contact. One woman was having conversations with herself, questions and answers and all. She liked the pans, but no, she didn't need another pan. Another woman was holding up the line because she had three things and only wanted one of them. They would say, "Do you want this?" and she would say no. Then she would say she did, so they'd ring it up and she would say she didn't want it. We went through about five rounds of this. I was afraid the woman in line in front of me was going to spontaneously combust if we made it to round six.

This weekend marks the first home Crew game of the season. It's supposed to rain, but still supposed to be somewhat warm. I've sat through some horrible weather, and will gladly do it again. The fans, the players, the noise...I am so, so excited!

Have a great weekend!

*UPDATE* Going to be teaching yoga to a group of 3 & 4 year-old kids next week. I want to laugh at the anticipated cuteness.

Keep that chin up

Feeling "blah". Feeling like I'm fighting some kind of seasonal allergy/bug. Ugh. About to meet up for some tea or ice cream, depending on which sounds better in about 30 minutes. For now, enjoy this video. It has definitely made my day:



*UPDATE* Tea + thrifting + good friend + ice cream + another good friend = much improved day. Good friends make all the difference, really. Now, I have a mirror to paint...

Ordinary Riches

Did I really go a week without a post? Apathy of this magnitude should be illegal.

It was a good week. I caught an awesome show by the one and only Rachel Yamagata. She put on a great concert and has an amazing voice. Her fans: not so awesome. One girl got so wasted that she was dancing up on people she didn't know (and the music wasn't really dancing music at the time). Last time she stumbled by me she was complaining that she couldn't see her face. The other group was up front and kept yelling stuff at Rachel (apparently they love her, everyone). Lastly, there was the drunk guy with the oxygen tank who was also muttering loudly. Can you drink while hooked up to oxygen? I figured out a few ways to off him if he didn't get quiet...

Yoga has been going well. I checked out a studio and liked it, so I'm filling out the paperwork to rent it once a week. The woman working with me is so nice and I think it's going to be a really good thing! I subbed my first class this weekend and it went really well. It's strange to teach someone else's students (especially when you are usually beside them), but everyone was great. I talked to quite a few people this weekend and they were all so nice, supportive, and encouraging. I'm a fan of the yoga folk.

I've been applying to jobs all over the place and haven't heard back from a single one. Even rejection letters are better than nothing. So, for now, I guess I'll stay the course and stay in Columbus. I have a good thing while it lasts. I'll be going to my first Crew game of the season this weekend and I'm so excited! The nice weather definitely helps keep the spirits lifted. Speaking of which, I'm going to go out and enjoy the sunshine and all 50 degrees out there.

I've been enjoying this song/video and thought I'd share the joy:

A worthy break

My my, it's been a while.

I went on a short trip, did a lot of yoga, went rollerblading at 2:00 on a Monday, and watched an entire season of a TV show in one weekend. Yes, I am finally taking a break.

My trip "down south" was educational. Even after 24 years of visits, I think the place surprises me more now than it did before. The cultural contrast is almost shocking. Things that I wouldn't even think twice about are alarming and unusual (it was weird that I liked "those things", referring a latte), and it was interesting to listen to the perspectives of people who live, essentially, in such a different world. I got some good quality time with my family and had a nice long drive to transition.

As soon as I pulled up to my apartment, my "check engine" light came on. Talk about timing. Apparently, it isn't a vital problem and my car will be fine, but it was a bit of a wake-up call for me. If something would happen to my car, I'd be in a rough spot. So, I would love to "live the dream", and I will as long as I can, but things like insurance and the ability to provide for myself are important, too. The people who seem to get most excited about my "freedom" are mostly married and have a job, so I question their judgment when they tell me to sell everything and move to Paris. I knew I should have married rich at a young age...

In just two days at least four people have reminded me that life is short. I am trying to convince myself that this isn't some sort of sign of my impending doom, but rather a sign to take care of a few things. We get so lost in adulthood, in cultural norms, duties, and pride that we usually let closed doors stay closed or leave things as they were. Is there someone you need to get back in touch with? Do you need to put a person ahead of your pride? Do you need to take giant leap into the unknown? Or maybe, do you just need to get up out of that chair now and then and stop letting life pass you by? Seriously.

Today is sunny and warm, for a change. I need to make business cards, apply for a few jobs, and work on my website. I might just end up rollerblading on this Tuesday afternoon, too...

On the road again

Today was insanely busy but productive. I fit in two yoga classes and made my Wednesday coffee date (I think we're regulars now). I have a new hair color (black/red - love it!), new oil in my car (the light came on - yikes), and new music (Mirah's new album, after four years). Tomorrow, I am leaving town for a couple of days and quite frankly, I'm really looking forward to it. Everything has been so busy that I haven't taken a break since I was laid off, and that was almost two months ago.

I'm driving down to visit my Grandma tomorrow. She lives in a big house at the end of a short road in southern Ohio. I love visiting her. She always has great stories to tell, but we are fine just hanging out, too. That can be just as nice as talking sometimes. There is a simplicity to my visits, and a slower pace that I really appreciate. I think that there is something to be said for visits that are so familiar and comfortable that a production and parade are not needed, and a night simply spent in the same room is enough.

I will be driving all around the state during the next few weeks and I have decided to take pictures/videos as I go along, finding the best part of each trip. Picture posts are on the way! Oh, and an important part of every roadtrip: the soundtrack. Tomorrow, I will be accompanied by: Mirah, Beirut, Ingrid Michaelson, and TV on the Radio.

Have a great rest of the week!

Get away

I am feeling amazingly well rested on this sunny Monday morning. I actually slept for eight hours (right through my alarm, which never happens!) last night, even thought I took a nap yesterday. I think my body is telling me that it will get the sleep it needs, one way or another.

Yesterday was a really good day. It started out a little rough (20 minutes late for church. Oops), but got better. It was warm and cloudy, with storms threatening to roll in. My curtains were blowing, and the air smelled like rain. I think I only like spring because of all of the rainy days.

I've been looking into vacation spots. I never imagined it would be so hard to pick out a place to go! I'm looking at places both here in the U.S. and overseas, and the prices are really about the same. I would like to note that there is a surprising lack of travel packages for single people. There are tons of weekend romance deals (your champagne will be waiting), girlfriend getaways (you get a basket of chick flicks in the room), and go play golf outings (didn't even read this one), but none for the single person who just wants to get away. It's fairly easy to plan a decent vacation using package travel tips and just making your own combo. I have a feeling that the planning might actually be better than any excursion.

On a final note, I read something this weekend that made me really happy. I'm not really going to talk about politics on here, because there are plenty of people already doing that. I'm not also not going to praise or bash Obama, because that's not really my thing. All that said, I read this weekend that he bought his daughters a swing set for the yard and that the girls "squealed with delight upon seeing it." If you think about it, it's just a swing, a slide, maybe some monkey bars. These girls have a bowling alley and movie theater in their house, and this was still exciting to them. Having grown up with a tree house, rope swing, and pool, I'm happy to hear that kids can still be kids and can still pull themselves away from screens and music now and then. Too bad we often fail at this as adults.

Enjoy your Monday!