Darling & Dad bought me some new running gear on Sunday, just because they can (and I suppose because they love me). Running gear, you say? How boring. WRONG.
As part of my 26 List, I’m running one 5k a month with the intent to work up towards longer distance runs like 10ks and half-marathons. I must have mentioned this to the best parents in the world because on Sunday night, during my favorite dinner ever (Beef en Croute, potatoes, broccoli and some amazing bread), they surprised me with these:
Nike Dri Fit socks with arch support. Seriously, I know, I’m blogging about socks but thanks to these socks I had one of the best runs of my life on Monday night. No foot pain. No joint soreness. I ran the whole way without stopping which is probably the first time in a week I’ve been able to do that (I recently added a series of hills to my runs). I also kind of love that they tell me on the sock which one is for my left foot and which one is for my right foot.
And if that wasn’t enough, they got me one of these, too:
A Dri Fit shirt, only mine is in white. It’s amazing what a difference the lightweight material makes and how I’m really not sweaty after running in it. I kind of want to wear it everywhere because it’s just so light weight and awesome.
So, I’m in love and going for runs any excuse I get. Of course, any suggestions for other running must-haves, let me know as I”ll be sure to add them to my Christmas list! If you’re not big into running, what’s one of the best presents your parents gave you for no reason at all?
(Disclaimer: Nike in no way approached me with these products nor did they approach me to write about these products. I’m writing about these products by my own free will and am in no way being compensated by Nike or any other sporting good store or company.)
Todays’ post is all about my mom, Darling. Why? Just because I feel like it and I know that I’m incredibly blessed to have a mom like her. So, here’s the list of why my mom is fabulous:
* She reads Vogue which makes her an excellent person to turn to for fashion advice.
* She introduced me to Sex & The City.
* If it’s your birthday, you get to request your favorite dinner and cake with homemade icing.
* She loves Jack as if he were her own dog.
* She’s the best cheerleader I know.
* We have our own rituals. Like shopping & IHOP the day after Thanksgiving. Hot fudge sundaes once a month, just because.
* She was the one who encouraged me to blog.
* She calls me on my bad moods and bullshit (rare that I’m that way, but it happens and she tells me so).
* We laugh so hard it hurts more often than not.
* She has a pink cell phone.
* She wrote me a children’s book, just because. I have it tucked away for if/when I have kids.
* Darling knows when to hold my hand through certain situations and when to let me fly (and maybe crash) on my own, but she’s always there to pick up the pieces.
* She’ll gladly get on stage to sing with my dad’s band. She’s also pretty darn good at it too.
* She’s given me a list of nicknames as long as my arm, including things like Beeps. Smoodgie-San. Laser. (And no, I don’t know what they mean specifically.)
* She has a kick-ass blog. No, really. You should read her especially if you like photos, book recommendations, poems and anything else literary.
* She still gets excited about Christmas and repeatedly tells me and my brother NOT to go in my parent’s closet because we’ll run our surprises.
* We share our movie collections with each other (and not surprisingly, love the same kinds of movies).
Who is the most influential woman in your life? Does she read Vogue?
Special thanks to Katie from Loves of Life for organizing the Scarf Swap this year. My Scarf Swap partner is the lovely Ashley from Breakfast at Ashley’s. Though I’m new to her blog, if you aren’t reading her you totally should be. Same goes for Katie.
Part of the rules of the Scarf Swap? Post a picture of yourself wearing the scarf. I had a bit too much fun with this so here are a few of my favorite photos of me in my scarf which I LOVE. (And if you want to see what other people received, check out Katie’s blog.)
Eek! I'm not great at self-portraits
Hair Crisis
Practicing my Zoolander Face
Bottom line: I’m thrilled with the new addition to my scarf collection and have already worn it three times since the weather has decided to go from Indian Summer to freakin’ cold.
You know the moments I’m talking about. They reaffirm that you are doing just what you should be doing with your life. Or remind you that yes, this person really loves you. Or that your family really is kick-ass, hands-down the best family out there. I’ve been noticing these moments more and more as I reflect on my last 25 years and prepare for the 26th one that’s right around the corner. Here are a few of *those* moments that have really stood out to me over the last few weeks…
* Small Mexican restaurant. Me. Irish. The couple that set us up. Beer, salsa, tortilla chips. Laughter. Looking over at Irish and he winks. And then he kisses me on the cheek and he held my hand under the table. It was one of those moments where everything just felt right. Sometimes the craziness of the world can really interrupt the flow of a relationship so these moments where it’s just natural, normal and great? Well, they are really special to me.
* It’s not often that I get a day out of the office to attend client meetings but when the client has just renewed three contracts with us, I get to go to the meetings. This particular meeting took us to a town only 30 minutes away from where my brother is attending school so my boss (my dad!) and I met up with him for a late lunch at a very local, very Greek, very awesome restaurant. We were sitting on the patio chatting about politics, healthcare, college girls, bumble bees and who knows what else (all the while sending picture texts to Darling so she could see photos of “her boys” together) and I had that ah-ha moment. I felt blessed. I felt loved. I felt honored that my 21 year-old brother thinks it is cool (or at least humors us) and wants to spend time with us. This is my family and the older I get, the cooler they get. Funny how that works.
* I’ve been living at home for almost three (!) months now. There have been a few adjustments here and there but surpsingly no rough patches. It’s amazing to me how quickly I’ve adjusted to living with my parents again. I don’t feel like a 25 (almost 26!) year-old loser. In fact, I feel more responsible because I’m saving money, paying off (and not using) my credit cards, contributing to some of the daily chores around the house, and feel stable. I loved living in apartments but it always seemed semi-permanent. I love staying with Irish but due to some reservations on his family’s side that can’t be permanent (at least not yet), for awhile. I was really quite nervous about the move but on Sunday night, I had one of *those* moments where I realized I had done the right thing. I spent most of the day with Irish wandering in and out of bookstores, enjoy lunch and just having fun and when I got home my parents and I had a pizza party complete with a girlie movie. (My dad consented to watching Sweet Home Alabama with us.) We were all feeling the Sunday Evening Blahs and so I offered to make us a pot of tea. Hanging with my parents, the dogs, getting play-by-play updates on the Cards game from Irish and sharing a pot of tea brought tears to my eyes.
*This here blog started out over four years ago as a place for me to sob via the internet. No, seriously. I went through a horrible break-up and I boohooed my feelings and thoughts all over my blog for a good six months. After that I started making “blog friends.” In the last year I’ve opened myself up to meeting ”blog friends,” calling them and sending them real mail. I remember when sharing your address or phone number with people you’ve met online was totally batshit crazy but now not so much. I went from calling people “blog friends,” to “my real life friends.” In the last few months several of those bonds have grown even stronger thanks to GChats, texts, phone calls, emails and girls’ nights for those that live close to me. Not to mention the just knowing that there is a huge support group of women (and men) out there if I ever need them. It doesn’t feel funny to me that some of my best friends are people I met on the internet. It actually feels pretty damn awesome.
So, tell me, what are some of *those* moments for you recently? What kind of things do you notice more as a birthday appears?
1. Nailing a work presentation on Friday night thus freeing me to ignore work all weekend.
2. A blessing in disguise when my Blackberry stopped receiving work emails meaning I could really ignore work all weekend.
3. Going to a bar to see my dad’s band play with my mom & Gram. Bonus: my mom got on stage and sang an Irish ballad with the band. Double Bonus: my dad introduced the “three generations of women,” that he’s proud to have support him & his music career.
4. Puppy shopping with Darling. She’s looking for a new dog to add to the family, preferably a Border Collie Mix. We didn’t find the right one this weekend, but we are on the right track. I may or may not have fallen head over heels in love with a Terrier Mix puppy but wound up not adopting him because he was spoken for come Sunday morning. (I really wanted him but trying to be a responsible adult wanted to discuss it over with Irish who was at an all-day bachelor party.)
5. Enjoying the huge Art Fair StL puts on each September. Four or five streets are filled with Art vendors, music (live & DJ), food and of course, amazing people watching. Best person watching: Adult male, mid 50s, long white curly hair, non-descript hat. Ladies short shorts and black high heels with a white tank top. The reason I noticed him? He has better legs than me and walks in heels better than most girls I know.
6. Finding a birthday present for Irish and a unique wedding present for our friends who are tying the k not in less than a month. Irish is nearly impossible to buy for so I always go out on a limb with some of the presents I get him; I think he’ll like this one.
7. Taking an afternoon nap with Jack while listening to Felicity (almost done with the show!) in the background followed by a brisk 2-mile walk.
8. An hour long chat with Kyla. Eye-opening, inspiring, heart-warming and lovely. (Those words describe both Kyla & our phone call.)
9. The quiet of my parents’ house which I find rejuvenating.
10. Seeing Irish after being apart for five days.
What’s your Grace in Small Thing from this past weekend?
August!? Already!? I have no idea where the summer time has gone.
Current Book(s): Finished in August- Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris; Lover Eternal, JR Ward; Chocolat, Joanne Harris; Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Started: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, Haruki Murakami; Girl with No Shadow, Joanne Harris
Current Music:
I’ve been listening to a lot of mixed CDs this month and each CD has a combo of hip-hop, alternative, relaxed music (Ben Harper/John Mayer) and a miscellaneous category that I don’t really know how to define but that rocks my socks off on my way to work each morning
Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure:
Pinwheel cookies. (Downside to living at home: my parents buy all the goodies I loved growing up and Pinwheels are one of those things.)
Current Colors:
A bright maroon and not-quite-teal-blue
Current Obsessions:
Reading anything I can get my hands on
Gilmore Girls (started it over from the beginning)
Buying books
Wandering through the Twilight section at Borders just to see what new things they have come up with to sell
Current Drink:
Water, water, more water. Haven’t had a caffeinated soda in over 10 days!
Current Songs: Three More Days, Ray LaMontagne
Current Movie: Julie & Julia. Pretty awesome movie. Meryl Streep as Julia Child is perfection.
Current TV Show:
True Blood. Only one episodes left!
Current Wish-List:
Unrealistic: a trip to the beach; a new laptop for my birthday
Realistic: Massage! Facial!
Current Needs:
Unrealistic: more hours in the day; an office assistant
Realistic: Take better care of myself this month
Current Triumph(s):
I have my finances in order and it’s an awesome feeling. So blessed to be able to save money right now.
Current Bane(s) of my Existence:
45 minute commute, one way
26th birthday in 4 weeks and 1 day
Current Goal(s):
Continue to write more cards/notes for friends & family
Finish two or three books this month and stay on track for the Japanese Reading Challenge
Current Indulgence:
Mint chocolate chip ice cream (in moderation)
Current Blessing:
Irish. Family. Jack. Friends. A comfortable bed to lay my head on each night and unconditional love from many people in my life.
Current Slang or Saying:
I’ve been dropping the F-bomb a bit lately at work (to myself, of course) as it’s been a tad stressful
Current (Fav) Outfit:
I bought this awesome top from The Limited the other day; it’s probably my favorite even though I haven’t worn it out yet.
Current Excitement:
Irish & I are going to visit my brother next weekend to celebrate his 21st birthday (which is on Tuesday, 9/1!)
26th birthday in 4 weeks and 1 day
Entertaining a possible trip to Florida for Thanksgiving
1* I’m at my happiest when I have little or no obligations, plans or monotonous chores to get done. This also means I laugh a little louder, stay up a little later, and feel genuinely rested.
2* Getting up at 9am and taking an afternoon nap is preferred to sleeping the day away.
3* I thrive in 70-something degree weather.
4* It is possible to finish an entire book from start to finish in one weekend provided the first thing learned is present. What did I read? Dead Until Dark, by Charlaine Harris. I may or may not have purchased the second book on Sunday, though I haven’t started it…yet.
5* It’s also possible to start a new book in the same weekend and become so enthralled by the writing and imagery that you are 50% of the way through it by Sunday night. (The book in question: Chocolat, by Joanne Harris. Yes, I’ve seen the movie but I want to read this book before I move onto the Girl with No Shadow, the sequel to Chocolat by Joanne Harris.)
6* There is wine named after me! Nora wine! How cool is that?
7* Impromptu picnics complete with wine, cheese, crusty bread, blanket + pillows, as well as a few books and my fabulous man are my new favorite thing. Bonus for finding some amazing cheese at a local smokehouse.
8* Quentin Tarantino is seriously disturbed but has an amazing cinematic eye just the same. Go see Inglorious Basterds. It’s worth the 150 minutes of your time.
9* It’s okay to make a meal out of appetizers while watching True Blood with my boyfriend.
10* Jack is more of a cuddle whore than ever. He is now attempting to cuddle with me while holding his new toy (a stuffed goose) in his mouth.
11* Irish & I have a book buying problem. We’ve made a pact to not set foot into nor buy another book until my birthday which is in one month and five days.
12* Watching Six Feet Under before you go to bed is a bad, bad idea. Cue insane nightmares and waking up gasping for air.
13* Staying in on a Friday night is totally acceptable.
14* There are never enough hours in the weekend but a perfectly unscripted weekend is much needed at least once a month.
(Hanging out with my brother last week, bonding and enjoying every minute of it before he jets off to college.)
Me: It’s going to be really weird not having you around to hang out with when you leave.
Brother: Well, now you know how it feels. Don’t worry though, Mom & Dad will buy you anything you want.
Me: What? That’s how it works when a sibling goes away to college?
Brother: Yup, I got everything I wanted and then some after you left for undergrad.
Me: Hmmm… I wonder if I can play that card even though I have a full-time, well-paying job.
Brother: Oh. Yeah. Probably not. So I guess you’ll just have to miss me.
And that is when I hugged him and walked away so that he wouldn’t notice the tears welling up in my eyes. The next day he asked me to help him move into the apartment; I quickly secured a personal day. I guess I better have the tissues ready.
Nike Dri Fit socks with arch support. Seriously, I know, I’m blogging about socks but thanks to these socks I had one of the best runs of my life on Monday night. No foot pain. No joint soreness. I ran the whole way without stopping which is probably the first time in a week I’ve been able to do that (I recently added a series of hills to my runs). I also kind of love that they tell me on the sock which one is for my left foot and which one is for my right foot.
A Dri Fit shirt, only mine is in white. It’s amazing what a difference the lightweight material makes and how I’m really not sweaty after running in it. I kind of want to wear it everywhere because it’s just so light weight and awesome.
