#monthofmovement for January 2014~

Many, many moons ago some friends & I tried to make #changeyourlifechallenge happen. It was awesome and super fun, but it really ended up being just us. Whatever, we liked it and kept it up for a fair amount of time. And then no one joined us so it kind of fizzled away. C'est la vie!

But now my fab friend Jessie is back with the #monthofmovement and I am quite literally jumping on the bandwagon. I have a 1/2 marathon that needs to be trained for, tennis matches that need to be won, plus a bunch of Groupons and coupons burning holes in my pockets! I also found a Groupon for a CrossFit gym, and I'm hoping that one a little bit closer to my house will match the deal. I've been interested in trying CrossFit for a while so fingers crossed they will match the Groupon rate. If not, oh well, but you never know until you ask! Update: no dice. Your loss, CrossFit!

Not to mention I'm really kind of DYING to win my office's FitBit competition in the first month. That Amazon gift card has my name all over it (after the 3 people who are currently beating me.. but we're not even a week in so let's not get hasty)

So... who's with us?

 

PS - major props to my blog designer and good friend, Nicole, for the excellent logo!

23 Things To Do Whether or Not You Get Engaged Before You’re 23

A stranger posted a link to this blog post, which one of my friends commented on, and therefore it showed up in my newsfeed. The friend who commented is nearly 28, married (and has been for 5ish years) with no children. She has moved across the country, gone through her husband's multiple deployments, traveled extensively (although she works for an airline), and was fairly upset about the content of the blog post. What I have found most interesting is the outraged married ladies calling her bitter and the HELL YEAH single ladies feeling that she should preach on.

 

I re-posted it to my Facebook page and thought I'd share my thoughts here as a single lady who has been in my fair share of serious relationships, agrees with the sentiments of the blog posts but thinks the author went about it in the entirely wrong way. She's not bitter, she's immature, and probably a bit jealous of her married friends. Isn't that how life works? You want what you don't have? I love, love, love the life I live, and couldn't imagine it another way, but there is a little part of me that wishes I had married my high school sweetheart, popped out 2 babies before the ripe old age of 28 and was living the white picket fence life. Just like the friends I have that went down that path every so often wish that they were having shots bought for them at bars by gorgeous men pretending to be circus trainers and running off to wherever they feel like going that weekend because they can.

I'm pretty sure we're all just a smidge jealous of each other. So what?

 

Since when does the fun stop once you get married? Last time I checked, marriage was supposed to make my life infinitely better, not insanely more boring. Am I living in a fantasy world?
 

Generalizing marriage to be a cop-out or a "safety blanket" if you do it before a certain age is just plain wrong. I know several couples who have been together since high school and are still happily married. I know plenty of others who got married at the ripe old age of 25 and were divorced at 27.  It's not one size fits all. Yes, the odds of 50 years of marital bliss are statistically not great for those getting married young, but who am I to judge?

 

Beyond that, the rationale for not getting married at age 23 is "Because you owe it to yourself. You are a human being that deserves to thrive inside AND outside of a relationship." Well, last time I checked, I could thrive inside and outside of  relationship regardless of whether or not I am in one. I find it unfortunate that the author only condemns marriage, but not casual dating or monogomous, long-term relationships.

 

To follow my fellow bloggers advice, I would amend her call to action. There are so many things to do and see and experience in your 20's that are truly once in a lifetime opportunities. But you don't have to do them alone. You don't have to be single, married, in a relationship, white, yellow, black or orange. You just have to be you.

 

Please enjoy these 23 things whether or not you get engaged before you’re 23. (My personal thoughts, changes & updates to the original list are in italics.)

 

1. Get a passport. Everyone single 20-something should have a passport.

 

2. Have a hobby.

 

3. Make out with a stranger.  But probably do it less often as you get older.

 

4. Adopt a pet. Or sponsor one at your local animal shelther.

 

5. Start a band. Or sing karaoke, or watch your friends sing karaoke, or watch strangers sing karaoke and have a little chuckle about it.

 

6. Make a cake (this one). Make a second cake (this one). Have your cake and eat it too.

 

 

7. Get a tattoo. It’s more permanent than a marriage.

 

8. Explore a new religion or fall deeper into the faith you already have.

 

9. Start a small business. Or support the ones you love.

 

10. Cut your hair.

 

11. Date two people at once and see how long it takes to blow up in your face. I just can't with this one, at all. Been there, done that, and I was 16. Unnecessary now to intentionally hurt someone, especially yourself.

 

12. Build something with your hands. (any of these totally count)

 

13. Accomplish a Pinterest project.

 

14. Study abroad or take a trip to somewhere you've always dreamed about.

 

15. Make your parents proud.

 

16. Watch GIRLS, over and over again. Any TV show will do, my personal preference is Law & Order: SVU.

 

17. Eat a jar of Nutella 1 lb bag of Sour Patch Kids in one sitting.

 

18. Make yourself feel comfortable around strangers.

 

 

 

19. Sign up for CrossFit, or a marathon, or Zumba classes, or something to push yourself physically.
 

20. Hangout naked in front of a window. To each their own...
 

21. Write your feelings down in a blog, in a notebook, in a word document on your computer.
 

22. Be selfish. But only sometimes.
 

23. Take a chance on something (or someone), just once.

 

image image

Just like that...

It's nearly the end of the year! As always, I spend the end of the year reflecting on what I did over the last 12 months and what I want to do differently in the upcoming months.

2010 was GROWN UP. 2011 was CONSTANT. 2012 was FUN. 2013 was AMBITIOUS. I spent a lot of time reflecting about 2013. Were things around me changing, or was I changed? In Costa Rica I deemed 2013 the year of transformation, but in hindsight, that's not quite accurate. I think I am still figuring out who I am, and in doing so I took risks and created adventures for myself and challenged myself. I did things that I didn't think I'd ever do, and pushed myself to the limits, quite literally.

When I decided to apply to a top 25 part-time MBA program, everyone around me thought I was setting myself up to fail (although they didn't tell me at the time). Hell, I thought I was setting myself up to fail. And then I got in.

When I booked a trip to Costa Rica 8 days in advance, I thought I was absolutely mad. No one else knew how to deal with me and I was at my wit's end with a lot of things. I didn't know how to deal with everything happening around me. And then I spent 7 days with some of my now-favorite people in the world and it feels like it was the easiest thing I've ever done.

I pushed myself in (and out of) relationships, both personally and professionally. I forced myself out of my comfort zone. I worked harder this year than I ever have in my entire life both at work and at school and I am beyond proud of the things I have done, the people I have met, and the accomplishments under my belt. I was promoted to a new role, I was recognized at work with an award for excellence, I passed all my classes in my first semester of business school, I was elected social chair of my class...these are not easy things, and I certainly don't think I made them look easy (in fact I probably made all of them look infinitely harder), but it's just more examples of how I pushed, pushed, pushed without looking back. Or around, or forward, really.

Seems like 2014 has some big shoes to fill, but that's not the point. Believe it or not, pushing yourself to the limit is exhausting. It can be heartbreaking, disappointing, and plain old hard. It's also invigorating, inspiring, exciting. But it's time to slow down.

I would like 2014 to be INTENTIONAL. I'm not making resolutions, per se, but a few goals.

• Less time and effort into my love life: I will be spending zero time pursuing any dating opportunities between now and the end of March. I'm not going to say no if the opportunity arises, but I'm not going to seek it out.
• More time and effort into my physical well-being: I'm running a 1/2 marathon (!!) on March 23 and would like to finally do that triathlon I spoke of.
• Less time bebopping all over the world just because and more time with people that matter in places that matter: a long weekend in Atlanta with the Costa Rica girls, #kanda2014 in Croatia, debating between a shorter return trip to Iceland and a 2 week trip to China for school in August, at least 1 trip to San Fransisco, and a few stops in Dallas, Chicago, Boston and Miami to round out the year, and of course many a summer weekend at the lake.

It's never the new year without an actual resolution, though, so here it goes. My 2014 New Years Resolution is to make my bed daily. I have one other one, but I'm keeping it to myself for now :) 

That Time I Decided to go to Graduate School: The First Semester

It's unbelievable to me that 4 months have gone by. Four months of classes every Monday and Wednesday, of team meetings, homework, social events, new friends, new stress. I finished a take-home final exam for my other class on Sunday night.

 

I guess you are wondering how it went? I'll use one word to summarize: fine. I am still so excited about this opportunity and recognize how fortunate I am. I also owe myself some credit; I worked really, really hard to get here. I am proud of myself, and continue to be shocked and amazed at what I manage to accomplish in a day, a week, a few months. Sometimes it's hard to remember, and usually I doubt myself, but look at where I am now!

 

I thought the hardest part about starting school was going to be actually getting out of my office and going to class, and then staying awake for 2.5 hours while someone lectured. How wrong I was.... that's hands down the easiest part. The hardest part is preparing for class. Reading the materials in advance, studying the case, taking notes. I'm not talking about flipping through 30 pages of material 15 minutes before class starts. I'm talking the hours spent reading, analyzing, and figuring out what it all means. That is hard.

 

This semester we took 2 classes: Data & Decision Analysis and Marketing Management. We also have a 1-credit project based class that extends through each semester of our first year. Marketing was great, relevant, and relatable. DDA was miserable for me. I couldn't figure out what it meant, how it applied to me, or how I would ever use it in my job. The 1-credit class (Management Practice) was basically a consulting project and an insane amount of work.

 

So what's next? A couple of weeks off, and then we're back in action on January 7. It's really not enough time off if you ask me. Next semester is going to be even more challenging for me. Operations, Accounting, and Finance, plus Management Practice. I'm hoping that something speaks to me in at least one of those classes, because right now the only positive will be when the semester ends. Speaking of, we're done at the end of April, and then summer semester starts mid-May. We do have a spring break, but I'm sure it will be largely spent on that pesky 1-credit class. Or at least I hope it will, I don't want to put anything off. Playing catch up while working full-time is not easy, and I have a feeling my travel schedule next year is only going to increase, not decrease. Plus we're already planning #kanda2014, a return trip to Iceland, and possibly a long weekend in Italy. Lifestyles of the poor and infamous? :)

 

In general, I'm feeling good. I am still slowly making friends. It makes me smile when I see sub-groups of people doing fun things together, even if I'm not invited. I continue to receive accolades at work, I'm excited about what I'm doing at school, and somehow my personal life hasn't taken that big of a hit.

I'm looking forward to the next couple of semesters, continued friendships, maybe even some budding romances! Stay tuned.... going to graduate school is a decision I make every. single. day! :)

image 1 2 (source: don't know)

Today, she would have been 89

My dad called me on the morning of October 23 to tell me the news I have been hoping I wouldn't hear for a much longer time. My grandmother had passed away in the middle of the night. The next 24 hours were a blur of work, tears, travel, and family. I feel so fortunate that all 4 of us were able to jump on planes almost immediately. It really solidified how many wonderful people I have in my life that were willing to step up, take over, and let me completely disconnect for a few days to spend time with my sweet, sweet family.

We flew the next day, and that Thursday night, we tried to forget why we were all together. The 5 oldest grandchildren, her 2 daughters and their husbands had a smashing time together. Laughing, telling stories, and just enjoying each other's company. At one point I teared up, turned to my oldest cousin and said "she'd be so mad, but she's so happy." "Not until tomorrow Kathryn. Tonight is for celebrating. But you're right." And then we got rip-roaring drunk and neglected to eat dinner, but it was so, so, SO worth it. Family time is the best, even under the worst circumstances. 

 

The next few days were hard. I sat in a corner for the first 45 minutes of her wake. My stubborn cuss of a grandmother didn't give any of us the chance to say goodbye. But in that time, I realized maybe that's okay. I've realized that she's actually always there. She's laughing as I send ridiculous text messages to cute boys. She was watching and shaking her head while my cousins and I drank ourselves quite stupid. She's holding grandpa's hand and walking on the beach, picking up shells and having picnics. She's writing love letters and thank you cards and cooking in her kitchen high in the sky. I am sure she is passing along a disapproving stare, thinking about how proud she is of her 9 successful, driven, determined, dedicated grandchildren, and missing her pup.

 

I didn't realize I would miss her this much, miss her voice and the way she cut off all of our conversations and how she'd spend hours doing arts and crafts with her granddaughters and her lemon cookies and climbing the sand dunes and every other memory. But what makes me tear up the most, what has brought me to tears late at night under my covers is how happy I think she is. Her heart hurt so terribly before she died, and I just know that she's happy again. Her suffering ended, and I really and truly think that when she walked through the pearly gates of wherever she went, my grandpa and my uncle were there to greet her, and I can just imagine that instead of saying hello, she spit out some sassy comment and hasn't stopped.

I miss you, Gram. Keep watch over all of us, and let me know you're there every now and then. See you when I see you. 

I challenged my family to a Christmas Day 5k

The rules are there are no rules. Everybody has to participate, everybody has to finish, but there are no winners and no losers. Some will walk, some will run, some will train and some will not. I am going to have sweet prizes for everyone who finishes.

 

I needed a little oomph going into this holiday season, and a reason to get back on the wagon, if you will. I can eat and drink as much as I want when I'm doing cardio exercise regularly, which might explain the extra cushion I've inherited in the last 5 months, as I'm pretty sure the last time I found myself in a gym was about that long ago. #brokenfoot #notagoodexcuse

 

So, that's that. Our 5k is just for our little family, although if any of you find yourselves near Lake Hartwell on Christmas Day, you should by all means join us. We're a pretty fun bunch!

 

 

The City of LOVE

For the second year in a row, I spent the last weekend in October in Philadelphia. One of my best friends from work is in his 2nd year at Penn, and another one just started, so I was able to see 2 of my favorite people in 1 weekend. We celebrated Halloween dressed as a cookie (with a mouse counter-part a la if you give a mouse a cookie), a Wal-Mart employee, and a minion (with many other minion counterparts). We started the night catching up and reminiscing while getting ready, went to another friends apartment for a little pre-party, and then scurried off to the big party. 1,000+ MBA students in a large club... crazy things can happen. We found ourselves in the middle of the dance floor yelling and screaming and jumping and dancing and singing along. I had yellow smiley face stickers with me due to my costume, and successfully "stuck" everyone around me. In fact, people were coming up to me and ASKING for stickers. My costume was a complete and total success, and I'd highly recommend. Vest purchased here, stickers purchased here. I wore a sparkly white Old Navy t-shirt and a pair of shorts, plus my favorite boots. Comfortable, a little revealing but nothing skanky, and creative. Checks all 3 of the boxes for a Happy Halloween!

I woke up on Friday and knew my friends had schoolwork and other commitments, so planned to spend the day with my girlfriend who flew in from London. We met up for lunch and paraded around Philadelphia. We took each other's pictures in front of the LOVE landmark, had way too much fun viewing the Liberty Bell, poked around on the country's oldest street, and then deemed ourselves tourist-ed out and plopped down at Khyber Pass Pub on 2nd Street for a couple afternoon cocktails. I had taken the day off work, and usually taking 1 day off means not really taking a day off at all. This time, though, I didn't check or respond to emails, I didn't take phone calls, I enjoyed a true vacation day. Let's be clear, I certainly paid for it later, but at the time it was worth it to be completely present with a delightful friend. At the end of our afternoon, another friend picked us up on her way home and we headed over to their absolutely gorgeous loft in Fishtown. I gotta tell you, the more I hear and see of Philadelphia, the more I love it. In part because it's completely different from Atlanta and the south, and in part because so many people that I love live there.

 

Friday night I found myself back with my work friends for a family dinner and the most entertaining game of Cards Against Humanity. We stayed up far later than we should have laughing until we were crying, rolling on the floor because our stomachs hurt from the belly laughs the game brought on. It was the best medicine I could have imagined, being completely uninhibited with friends who take me for what I am, love me no matter what, and push me to be the best person I can be.

 

Saturday morning we woke up late and lazed around. Anna had to go in to work, Andrew had a paper to write, David & Ali had beer games to attend, and I had a brunch to be gettin' to! The girls all met at Honey's where we gabbed, ate, spilled coffee... all the things you'd expect. After brunch we meandered over to Whole Foods to pick up the necessitites for a homecooked dinner, grabbed a fresh juice to make us feel like we were eating healthy, and decided to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We spent a solid 2 hours in the museum looking at the art, nearly getting kicked out twice, laughing until our sides hurt, and just genuinely enjoying a Saturday afternoon with no plans, no places to be, no agenda... just being. It was glorious. We literally got kicked out of the museum at closing time, and of course no trip to Philadelphia is complete without a detour to the Rocky steps and statue. Somehow it didn't surprise me that there was a huge line waiting to get a picture in front of the statue, so we killed some time taking group pictures in front of the museum. It was the perfect time of night to capture our silly friendship.

 

It still blows my mind that I met these women on a soul-searching trip to Costa Rica, and they have somehow etched their ways into my life, into my every day. Sometimes you meet people and have a connection, but as soon as that event is over the connection fades. Not this time, and for that I am so thankful.

 

The trip continued on from there - another night in cooking dinner and spending time together. Another brunch with friends and old coworkers. Mani/pedis and shenanigans. Fried pickles on a plate. Moving my flight back 4 hours just to grab the last remains of the weekend. And a businss class upgrade on the trip home, on top of a weekend that already had more cherries-on-top than I could have imagined. It's weekends like this, both home and away, that remind me of all the goodness in my life.

 

This fall has been tremendously challenging. Going back to school, traveling way too much, losing my grandma, weddings, birthdays, work overload, and so many other things. Sometimes, all it takes is a word, or a picture, or a memory, to remember that every single minute is worth it because I love what I am doing, I love the life I am so privileged to live, and I chose it. I chose where I am, who I am, and who I'm doing life with and I have pretty darn good taste. <3 p="">