birthday fun...

As tradition would have it, I got to spend an evening after work last week getting spoiled with dinner, drinks and quality time with some favorite high school girlfriends. This will never get old.  It's amazing what calling our somewhat regular hangout time a "birthday celebration" can do to the fun we have.  Suddenly, we become these giddy girls, adorned in pink boas, gushing with our latest "top secrets", and engaged in hilarious, chaotic conversations where if you actually stop to take a breath, someone else may just start talking over you, so..you sacrifice breathing.

The hilarity of our chatter turned into a round of "You know you're 26 when..."'s.  I cannot recall all of the creativity but here are a few to wet your appetite and hopefully incite additional ideas:

*disclaimer, these will all be anonymous to protect the participants, but you know who you are..*

YOU KNOW YOU'RE 26 WHEN...

you're psyched to get gift cards to Whole Foods.

(because without them you are resigned to Market Basket and the like, unless you drop by the WF hot or cold bar once in a blue moon, which i HIGHLY recommend, dee-lish...) Moving on... 

instead of being satisfied that you are in a good relationship, the peanut gallery wants to know when you're "tying the knot" and may even go so far as to inquire to said good boyfriend.

(always uncomfortable, often unavoidable.) Next...

you have started using the tweezers for, uh, more than just the eyebrows on occasion.

a "night out on the town" just isn't what it used to be. because it's 11:30pm and you're already walking home from the bar while the college kids are heading out of their dorms around you.

you're no longer the "model age" for starting your retirement fund. in fact, you're late now, so start saving!

you have to count back how many years you've been out of college to figure out how many years you've been out of high school.

pregaming is out and looking up recipes for fun dinners to cook is in.

you actually hear yourself ask a friend, "Am I too old to wear this?" or "Does this look too young for me?" (What!?)

You get the idea...there were some good laughs and accidental disclosures which made it all the more fun...of course feel free to add some more!

Then, just before I was swept away by my little birthday romancer for a mini-trip to Maine to ring in my own new year, there was dinner with Mom and Pops to celebrate too...

25 was pretty great..
                      I'm looking forward to seeing what 26 has in store...
but for the present, i'm just thankful for my health, my work and my dear friends and family that make everything else worth it all.

more to come on the Maine get-a-way...

My Mother

...has truly become my inspiration.  Remember that time when you just thought parent figures were standing in your way and only shielding you from things you thought were rightfully yours? well, this time has passed, and i'm learning again (and again and again) how amazingly fabulous the mother i was blessed with has inspired me in, oh, so many ways.

tonight, i was reminded again.

on 9/17/10, she turned 60. to celebrate we went out to dinner. fond as i am of celebrating significant things, i suggested we play a birthday game. (memo: never invite me to your party if you're insecure in the spotlight).  As she, is where i must have learned to love this limelight, she shined.

In highlighting her highs of her 59th year, i think its fair to say, she, magnificently surprised us all when she revealed that before any of us could have possibly known, she made a little pact with herself to "say 'Yes' to whatever came her way so as to not 'grow old sitting at home in her jammies, as she would have preferred at times'.

and say "Yes" did she ever. This year, in traveling to Canada to preform, France to teach and learn, and Bulgaria to sing in a custom that was previously very foreign to her American trained ear, she entertained  us with stories that could only be marvelous and astounding. but what stuck out more was her commitment to "not just grow old" by staying comfortable. and i must say, that sitting across from such a beautiful lady, my very own mother, i hope to one day be as open and willful and loving of life as she has been in her 59th year, to meet 60 with such a positive, welcoming view.

however, seeing as how she was busy taking the globe by storm this past summer, i decided to take an afternoon to capture some of the beauty she's created at home by stealing away to her garden and home address to get a picture or two or three of the work she has put into her surroundings....and, drum roll, for your viewing pleasure....

It's not a wonder she finds God in her own backyard.

I hope someday, I grow to be as fabulous, life-giving and beautiful as my mother has surely proven to be... Happy Birthday Mama_Love, you are more wonderful than you know...

XOXO.

celebrating today.

I'm quite fond of celebrating things, even small things.  Because why not? So much of the good stuff slips by otherwise and it really doesn't take long or cost much to take a moment to write a card or buy an oversized cookie or just sit around a table and raise a glass. Afterall, I'm still the biggest proponent of celebrating 1/2 birthdays.  That' right. Not with presents or anything extravagant, but the fun that comes with noticing someone else is exactly 6 months into their present year and closer to their next with a cupcake is so much more fun than you'd think.  It's uncommon and it never fails to make them smile with the surprise that a normal day in the rat race just turned into a little bit more of their day. Try it.

So, today is the 9th and the 9th happens to be the day Tom and I chose to identify our anniversary of togetherness.  I say that we chose it because he is the sort of go-with-the-flow-type that was perfectly happy to just keep going with the goodness while I'm the neurotic-needs-a-date-type, just in case it lasts and there comes an opportunity to celebrate the relationship of course. I make no apologies for that because it has lasted and it has been fun marking off every 9th and making sure to recognize another fantastic month of togetherness.

Here we are today, this 9th marking our 22nd month and although its only 2 short months away from the 2 year milestone...I say why wait? Here's the to fun of anniversaries, even the random monthly ones!...

So whether you're moving to a new place, running a shorter mile, 6 months older, getting a minor promotion or loving your significant other for another month strong, I say take the time to make it special, in whatever small or large ways are meaningful to you.

Summer 2010

So many people seem to be grieving the close of summer this year. Like, really feeling a loss for whatever summer-ness that's beginning to feel out of reach as September moves in. Maybe these reactions are not occurring more than usual but I am certainly more aware of it than years past.  I attribute this to the giddy, school-girl ache I feel for fall.  I'm ready to wrap the beauty of summer nights, ice cream cones and flip flops up into a pretty little box and tuck it away so that I can open the fun that follows my absolute favorite time of year.  However, in my haste for school buses, colorful leaf piles and scarves I want to give summer a proper tribute in my farewell.  So here goes...some highlights that are brighter merely because the sun shines longer and hotter on these days....

                                         

 

It has been a summer full of fun, soaking up the sun, spending countless hours with fantastic friends, eating delicious food and enjoying romantic sunsets.  I feel so  grateful, my cup requires a bucket to catch all the blessings I've received from the memories made and love felt over the last few months. I'm sure there will be dark, blustery winter evenings that I will enjoy pulling out these goodies and remembering the smell of sunscreen and sweat and dream of next June, July and August....until then, so long Summer 2010!!

a beautiful first

A little while ago, a few months back or so, I had really gotten into quite a groove with my running hobby.  In fact, I'd surpassed mileage I ever thought I would.  This sort of low self-expectation is not widespread and remains highly focused I'd say around the area of physical challenges. Mostly due to a lack of natural motivation to push my body (i never bought the whole mind over matter stuff) combined with a sneaky suspicion those sorts of records were just "not my thing", I was practically giddy to discover that, in fact, I do have it in me.  And by golly, my mind was wayyy over my matter to get the job done. 

kidddinggg. although I did cross the finish line, I only jumped in around mile 23 or so to support Hals (champion!)

 But it wasn't just about hitting new goals and reaching new personal limits.  It was therapeutic to spend an hour or more just making my way down the Charles River or around Storrow Drive, across the Mass. Ave bridge, while the city moved quickly on around me and I watched God create stunning sunsets to close the day.

BUT. As it goes, I stopped running for a while as I explored various new exercise strategies.  And although I can turn out a series of badass pushups now, the therapy and the sunsets are not finding their way to me in the basement of the very public (and smelly) gym I've been attending.  Which brings me to yesterday.  I put on my sneakers and decided to make use of the summer afternoon by hitting the pavement old school style, no ID necessary. Just me and my playlist of choice.

It did NOT go as planned. In fact, I suffered through the entire thing.  Mind you, the "entire thing" would have been my warm up jaunt a few months back.  There was nothing therapeutic; it was like I was being punished.  And their was no beautifully designed sunset just for me, but immense amounts of humid air that felt like I was running into hot walls the whole time.  Feeling frustration flutter up quickly to my throat at the amount of work I could foresee ahead of me to "catch up with myself" as it were, I decided to just let it go.  Nothing I could do now, but I knew I'd need a plan for next time, which bring me to today...


My plan to "get through" today's run was to look for things, beautiful, funky, funny, weird things as I ran to distract me from the actual act which seems recently to be a task, infuriating to my body. So I did. And it really worked.  


It started with a spectacular first for me...the sunset.  Though I've photographed quite a few and simply enjoyed countless others, I have never seen the kind of rays reaching upward out of the setting sun that I saw tonight.  Seriously, it was like a sunset that little kids create with the orange rays drawn like sticks coming out of the half-set sun.  Tonight, I saw a Sesame St. sunset. And it was good.  I think I even smiled "outloud".

About ten minutes later, I stopped dead in my tracks for about 10 seconds to stare at the most awesome, rustic-y, vintage-y Vanity that sat perched in a store window.  Now, that may sound crazy to some, but I have always had an affinity for vanities, but I've never actually had one.  I think maybe there is just something about them that absolutely feeds my little girl self who imagines sitting at one with a string of pearls on and a bright red lipstick standing at attention, just begging to be worn.  Of course the style of my preferred vanity has changed several times over the years.  I'm sure it started at something pink and later transformed to an iron one, but tonight, for the little girl that lives in this version of me, the rustic-ly white painted wooden one with the little plush green chair (to accent of course) was perfection.

(couldn't find one to do justice to the beauty I saw tonight, but this should suffice my eight year old self)

I also enjoyed spying on couples who sat in dazes with each other on their date-night out.  I love observing people, but couples in particular.  There is something so fascinating to me about the way people  who are in love or hoping to find love interact with each other.  I think it down right warms my heart. 

 (And since I didn't take any pics on this run of mine, I think it's a perfectly good excuse to repost this shot.)

(hah, can't get enough of this one)

Three's not a crowd. It's a party.

You know those nights when, without any plan at all, everything just comes together perfectly?  Well, that was Friday. I had no idea when I took a stroll to meet up with Halle for a glass of sangria at one of our favorite outside spots in the square, that we wouldn't part until the wee hours of the morning and we'd be joined by such a handsome fellow who balanced our girltalk with sensible, honest man-thoughts on the matters discussed....

Leaving behind a pitcher full of ice cubes with squeezed fruit chunks stained deep purple...we headed for our next stop: sushi.

Then a lovely stroll through city nightlife...until our next stop, where the photo shoot continued...

Despite the photographed expressions, Tom was having a blizz-ast, especially when we began to discuss the traits of Halle's boyfriend (who we're pretty sure she'll be meeting within the next 3-6 months). Oh...and he'll stand about yay-tall:

He's cute too. (and sporty of course).

Oh and there were text messages sent out to friends who we felt should share in the "splendid times" we were having...I wouldn't be surprised if some of Tom's quotes could be found on lastnighttext.com.  

Here are some of the really memorable ones that were received by loved ones:

"people get ready, there's a train acomin'. so much love and splendid times."

"don't play da haters. word to ur motha."

"eat.pray.love."

and my personal favorite of the evening, after which beer may have slightly spilled out the corners of my mouth from trying so hard not to competely spit it out in a fit of hysterics....

"a wet moose walks backwards at midnight...and an old dog whistles in his sleep."

WHAT?! so funny.

and no, i know what you're thinking, although there were probably fresh new cold beverages dripping their condensation down our fingers, this phase of the evening was totally prompted by what can't be described as anything other than the magical fun of the night itself. 

Just enjoying each other and laughing at the same.

Love those nights when everything just jives. 

Especially when one very special friend will be leaving soon for new adventures.

(here: dancing in the street to the don henley street band we stopped to enjoy, because afterall, All She Wants To Do Is Dance.)

...of course a special thank you to T-love for hanging with the girls and indulging our chatter.


      (This picture makes me feel like we're in a cafe in Par-ie, but for now, Cambridge works too.)

 xoxo.

the observer

i have a tendency (for better or worse) to notice everything.  As I've told Tom about this trait of mine, he took it up as a personal challenge to test the extent of my observations.  So this has led to random "pop quizzes" about some particular aspect of a recent scene.

The other day, we walked through the check-out counter at Roche Brothers as he bought something delicious to cook up for dinner and I continued to talk his ear off about my day.  As soon as we walked out of the store...

"What was the name of our check-out lady?"

Without missing a beat...

"Maria."            

All this to say, I feel like this a good spot to document some of the random, interesting, beautiful, or often ridiculous observations, and occasionally the reflections that follow, that I make throughout the day.

Here's two for today:

1. At the gym, there was a woman actually wearing crocs on the treadmill.  CROCS. i mean, really? I feel like she should get a refund because she's definitely not getting a workout.  The gym should probably pay her for providing entertainment to everyone else who was actually exercising...

2. While stopped at a red light (which is often where much of my surrounding ongoings are observed) I saw an middle-aged gentlemen who had the sort of physique where he happened to be carrying quite a bit of extra weight around his upper body but also had more sculpted, defined calves than most.  I mean, he looked like he could blow past Lance in the Tour de France.  But this look is way more common than one would think and I find it peculiar and a little amusing.

(images from Google)

Keep your eyes out...when you see it, I bet you will smile.