ever have one of those days when you just wany to pull your hair out???
i'm having one of those days!!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!!
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Monday, September 05, 2011
so easy lelly could do it
nothing like a holiday to bring on another episode of: so easy lelly could do it. this episode brought to you by the DIY repurposed pallet project that peaked my interest earlier this summer. (click here for link to original project at Young & Crafty)
yup. i *loved* it. and, conveniently enough, i soon came across a furniture store giving away pallets. i sweet talked my assistant into throwing them into the back of his truck, and later that afternoon, i arrived home to a pile of the saddest looking shipping pallets you ever did see. not one to be discouraged, i immediately set my husband upon the task of breaking the pallets apart into salvageable pieces for my project. (don't fear, he is used to my shenanigans.)
well, i'm here to tell you that busting these things up was no easy task. by and by, we came to have a pile of shabby splinters of wood stacked in the garage. i eventually stopped asking about his progress. besides, the beach was calling! my project would wait.
until now, of course. because, now it is Fall. or almost. it's Fall-ish, and my crafting/nesting/decorating hormones are raging. this project needed to get DONE, people, because now i have fourteen other repurposed pallet projects junking up my Pinterest boards!!
sadly, this pallet project was not meant to be. it came right down to salvaging that wood or salvaging my husband's sanity, and i made the responsible choice. sigh.
but, don't worry! because it didn't take long for the pumpkin spice candle scents wafting through my living room to spark my creativity into high gear. and just in time for a holiday weekend!! i didn't need a pallet to make a repurposed pallet project! i just needed something to repurpose. fortunately, i have loads of that kinda stuff to spare.
below is a photo of my double size headboard from 1994. i had this vision of a picket fence headboard, and one afternoon, my father and Pop-Pop came around to my little 1994 apartment and built it for me! oh, it was resplendent in it's natural state, with fake sunflowers peeking through the pickets. 1994, i loved you so...
i used that headboard right up until my husband and i got a king size bed in 2005. we have, uh, fond memories of sleeping under that headboard.
looking at that headboard, leaning forlornly against the garage, i thought, maybe, it could be *like* a pallet... you know, since it's made out of wood and all. so husband was dispatched to take the sides off and give it a good whitewash. i couldn't decide on what word we would use, so i let him choose. (see? i don't just delegate the crappy jobs...) after staring at the blank canvas for about fifteen minutes, i free handed our word onto the pallet-like-piece-of-upside-down-picket-fence.
now, this next part gets tricky. i didn't have a paint brush. so, i did what any smart crafter would do and called up my sister with the Bachelor of Fine Arts and asked her if she had a brush i could borrow, which, of course, she did. that was the best three mile round trip i made all day!
so, what do you think? pretty cool, i say. and i genuinely love that i have been able to repurpose this wonderful gift from my dad and Pop-Pop. (i have a feeling Pop-Pop might be rolling his eyes at me from up there, but i think he approves anyway.)
i tried very hard to get my husband to hang it for me, but he kept shooing me away with complaints that he didn't have the right kind of hardware. what the hell?!? couldn't he rig something?? i mean, i would have. but, oh well...
the two side pieces can now be repurposed into something like this:
and, i'm pretty sure i won't even have to wait until the next holiday weekend.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
a test of wills
i knew the challenge was coming when, at 7 am, his bedroom door opened, and i heard the slow shuffle of bare feet towards the living room.
he's up to something, i thought. he doesn't want to go to church and he is scheming up an excuse.
a stomachache. not very original, but fairly well executed. a cuddle on the sofa, a pitiful look in those baby blue eyes. a whimper.
he is about to throw down the "i'm not going to church" gauntlet. it's coming. i'm just going to continue my morning routine. maybe if i don't bring it up, he won't.
breakfast? breakfast will be good. a bowl of cheerios. how about some bacon? yes! i love bacon. can you make it a little crispier, please?
surely he will forget about his upset tummy after eating. the food disappears in an instant. i disappear to my room to get ready. still, no one has dared to say the word, "church." i count down the minutes until it is time. "get dre-essed," i sing out. i am positive, upbeat as i dab on eyeliner.
but i don't FEEL good!! stomp, stomp, STOMP down the hallway, measured steps that end with a pathetic slump onto the master bed. i'm not GOING! i don't FEEL good!
i choose a necklace, measure my breaths in the mirror. "but you ate breakfast. i'm sure you're fine."
muffled grunts from the lump on the bed, a defiant head shake or two. "uh-huh. i'm. not. going."
i snuggle up to him, stroke his hair, will the warmth of my body to ease this rigid form that is planted on the bed.
"get OFF of me!" he turns away. "leave me ALONE!"
moving on, i get dressed in the closet, hear him pry himself off the bed and make haste back down the hallway. i slip on my shoes, and prepare for what's next. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell...
i'm staying HERE! i'm going to play video games. you can't make me go!
you need to be dressed and in the car in 5 minutes. i take the dog out for a quick trip around the backyard. i eye the back of the house, looking for movement, but feeling only defiant energy. back inside, and he has steeled himself for the fight. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going yell.
i don't see why i should have to go! i'm not! i don't FEEL WELL!!
i haven't yelled, and he doesn't know quite what to make of it. i apply lip gloss, methodically move my keys and wallet to my black purse, empty the remains of my coffee cup into the sink. i don't make eye contact with him as i walk by. "you need to be in the car in 5 minutes."
rage, rage, rage. no!!!!!
at the last moment, i grab up all of the remote controls, pull the door shut behind me, breathe deeply as i make my way to the car. it would be so easy to give in. i'm tired, too! we could skip this week. we don't have to do this.
nothing.
i call mat. this isn't the first time i've called mat from the car. ican'tdothisican'tdothisican'tdothis. i'm not going to yell. but he needs to get out here. he needs to know that he can't just wear me down with his yelling. he needs to know that one hour out of his day is not going to ruin the rest of it.
nothing.
i back the car up, positioning for the eventual trip down the driveway. i can't leave him here. i won't leave him here. i said be in the car in 5 minutes. he needs to learn that we can't shout ourselves out of things we don't want to do. we need to teach him that.
the back door slams. it is him. he is wearing yesterday's clothes. his hair is not brushed. but he is here.
we pull out of the driveway, turn towards town. there is a stony silence, every once in a while, a groan from the passenger seat. we are heading to church together.
and i did not yell.
he's up to something, i thought. he doesn't want to go to church and he is scheming up an excuse.
a stomachache. not very original, but fairly well executed. a cuddle on the sofa, a pitiful look in those baby blue eyes. a whimper.
he is about to throw down the "i'm not going to church" gauntlet. it's coming. i'm just going to continue my morning routine. maybe if i don't bring it up, he won't.
breakfast? breakfast will be good. a bowl of cheerios. how about some bacon? yes! i love bacon. can you make it a little crispier, please?
surely he will forget about his upset tummy after eating. the food disappears in an instant. i disappear to my room to get ready. still, no one has dared to say the word, "church." i count down the minutes until it is time. "get dre-essed," i sing out. i am positive, upbeat as i dab on eyeliner.
but i don't FEEL good!! stomp, stomp, STOMP down the hallway, measured steps that end with a pathetic slump onto the master bed. i'm not GOING! i don't FEEL good!
i choose a necklace, measure my breaths in the mirror. "but you ate breakfast. i'm sure you're fine."
muffled grunts from the lump on the bed, a defiant head shake or two. "uh-huh. i'm. not. going."
i snuggle up to him, stroke his hair, will the warmth of my body to ease this rigid form that is planted on the bed.
"get OFF of me!" he turns away. "leave me ALONE!"
moving on, i get dressed in the closet, hear him pry himself off the bed and make haste back down the hallway. i slip on my shoes, and prepare for what's next. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell...
i'm staying HERE! i'm going to play video games. you can't make me go!
you need to be dressed and in the car in 5 minutes. i take the dog out for a quick trip around the backyard. i eye the back of the house, looking for movement, but feeling only defiant energy. back inside, and he has steeled himself for the fight. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going to yell. i'm not going yell.
i don't see why i should have to go! i'm not! i don't FEEL WELL!!
i haven't yelled, and he doesn't know quite what to make of it. i apply lip gloss, methodically move my keys and wallet to my black purse, empty the remains of my coffee cup into the sink. i don't make eye contact with him as i walk by. "you need to be in the car in 5 minutes."
rage, rage, rage. no!!!!!
at the last moment, i grab up all of the remote controls, pull the door shut behind me, breathe deeply as i make my way to the car. it would be so easy to give in. i'm tired, too! we could skip this week. we don't have to do this.
nothing.
i call mat. this isn't the first time i've called mat from the car. ican'tdothisican'tdothisican'tdothis. i'm not going to yell. but he needs to get out here. he needs to know that he can't just wear me down with his yelling. he needs to know that one hour out of his day is not going to ruin the rest of it.
nothing.
i back the car up, positioning for the eventual trip down the driveway. i can't leave him here. i won't leave him here. i said be in the car in 5 minutes. he needs to learn that we can't shout ourselves out of things we don't want to do. we need to teach him that.
the back door slams. it is him. he is wearing yesterday's clothes. his hair is not brushed. but he is here.
we pull out of the driveway, turn towards town. there is a stony silence, every once in a while, a groan from the passenger seat. we are heading to church together.
and i did not yell.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Fifth Grade
"The choices we make are ultimately our responsibility..."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
and so, with a hurricane bearing down on us, we three gathered around the dinner table. we said good bye to summer, and discussed our expectations for the coming school year.
our theme for School Year 2011-2012 is:
responsibility
1. the state or position of being responsible;
2. a person or thing for which one is responsible;
3. the ability or authority to act or decide on one's own, without supervision
we feasted on some of jack's favorites, Chicken Corn Chowder, toasted baguette with butter and Key Lime Pie Cake.
We spent over an hour at the table, reading our quotes about responsibility, and discussing how we could each take responsibility in our lives (feeding the dog! doing our homework! staying physically fit!) we also found a collection of conversation starter popsicle sticks i made earlier this year, which added a wonderful additional layer to our time together.
"What do you think is beyond the stars?"
"On a scale of 1-10, how strict am I?"
"What is/was your favorite school subject?"
"What have you done that makes you proud?
after dinner was done, after dishes were put up, after one last check of The Weather Channel for updates on Hurricane Irene, our responsible boy put himself to bed before 9:30, willing 5th grade to start IMMEDIATLEY!
"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." - Abraham Lincoln
Friday, September 02, 2011
five minute friday
interestingly enough, the prompt for five minute friday at the gypsy mama is "rest." funny that i should be talking about "rest" in a week when the insomnia has been in full force.
i am not a person who needs a lot of sleep to thrive. truly, i think i'm good with about 6 1/2 hours a night. this is something that i have in common with my parents, and their parents. i don't sleep like the dead when i sleep, nor do i toss and turn. it's a good rest, though, and seems to be enough to get me through my days.
as i've become much more physically active this past year, i've been intrigued by the fact that my body hasn't required more rest. i truly am more energized and ready to greet the day, without having to get more sleep to compensate for the energy i'm burning. well, except for this transition back into the school year, but we can talk about that later... anyway, all this is to say that i take my 6 1/2 hours for granted, and i get frustrated when i don't get it.
this past week, my bedtime has been met with tossing and turning, pulling covers on and throwing them off, turning off my son's alarm clock at midnight (what the?!?), and generally not feeling like i can shoot out of bed when the alarm goes off at 5:45. this happens about twice a year, and i could probably look back through my journals to see if there are any correlations to be drawn when it happens. but, for now, it's enough to say that i'm frustrated that i'm not sleeping when my body says it should be sleeping.
i went for a run last night, and my gps wasn't working. i had no clue of my pace or, for that matter, how far i went (when i realized the gps wasn't working, i felt almost free to change up my route a little bit.) i had to let go of my OCD about time and distance, and how this run was going to show on my mileage keeper app. (you should really hear my inner dialogues sometimes...) i met some new people along the way, listened to the tree frogs, and spent some time remembering the fifth grade girl who couldn't even run one lap around the school track. and when it was all said and done, i felt good. i felt... rested.
a friend of mine called it a "soul run." i can't think of a better description. i slept better (could just be that i'm nearing the end of this period of insomnia...) (i HOPE!)
i think the soul run is just as important as the speed run, and the distance run. and i'm looking forward to more of them.
i am not a person who needs a lot of sleep to thrive. truly, i think i'm good with about 6 1/2 hours a night. this is something that i have in common with my parents, and their parents. i don't sleep like the dead when i sleep, nor do i toss and turn. it's a good rest, though, and seems to be enough to get me through my days.
as i've become much more physically active this past year, i've been intrigued by the fact that my body hasn't required more rest. i truly am more energized and ready to greet the day, without having to get more sleep to compensate for the energy i'm burning. well, except for this transition back into the school year, but we can talk about that later... anyway, all this is to say that i take my 6 1/2 hours for granted, and i get frustrated when i don't get it.
this past week, my bedtime has been met with tossing and turning, pulling covers on and throwing them off, turning off my son's alarm clock at midnight (what the?!?), and generally not feeling like i can shoot out of bed when the alarm goes off at 5:45. this happens about twice a year, and i could probably look back through my journals to see if there are any correlations to be drawn when it happens. but, for now, it's enough to say that i'm frustrated that i'm not sleeping when my body says it should be sleeping.
i went for a run last night, and my gps wasn't working. i had no clue of my pace or, for that matter, how far i went (when i realized the gps wasn't working, i felt almost free to change up my route a little bit.) i had to let go of my OCD about time and distance, and how this run was going to show on my mileage keeper app. (you should really hear my inner dialogues sometimes...) i met some new people along the way, listened to the tree frogs, and spent some time remembering the fifth grade girl who couldn't even run one lap around the school track. and when it was all said and done, i felt good. i felt... rested.
a friend of mine called it a "soul run." i can't think of a better description. i slept better (could just be that i'm nearing the end of this period of insomnia...) (i HOPE!)
i think the soul run is just as important as the speed run, and the distance run. and i'm looking forward to more of them.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
the summer that was...
i feel like this summer was random and cheerful and forever long. it was filled with family and friends and food and fun, and i have to reach waaaaay back and remember how it all started. this summer has been *that good.* (can't you tell by our faces?!?)
i have so many things that i want to remember, and truth be told, i've been working on this post for about a week now. (that's never a good sign, is it?) so, in an effort to "just blog something, dammit!" i give you a little list of things that i will (or won't) explain in further detail in the future:
1. this was the first summer we went to the beach ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS!! i dare say, we even LOOKED FORWARD TO IT!! there was more than one person who expressed shock and awe when they saw us camped out in the sand more than once.
2. my sister and her family (from Atlanta) were able to spend multiple weeks with us here this summer. we have lots of new memories stored away, but at the top of that list would have to be the afternoon that she and i snuck off for a 9 mile walk. oh, yes... you read that right.
3. jack and i traveled to Charlottesville for a wedding with my parents. it was a most excellent adventure (i live tweeted the entire weekend from the back seat of my parents car!)
4. i ran a lot of miles!! and it was HOT!!
5. i met a twitter/facebook friend and she helped remind me that sometimes it's important to sneak away from work and spend the afternoon drinking sangria on the beach.
6. mat's entire family visited for a week, and i acted like the mature young woman that i have been raised to be. i promise. (they did NOT stay in our house. that definitely helped.)
7. i promised to bring vegetables when a friend invited us over to dinner, and i showed up with mini cupcakes instead. because it was summer! and i am *that* kind of a friend!
8. i finished my year as president of the Rotary Club of Southport!
9. i said good-bye to one of my best girlfriends, as she moved to Rhode Island pursuing a great career move. i'm gonna miss my girls nights out...
10. we spent the night in a beach house, and ran through the dunes to dip our feet in the ocean at midnight, just because we could.
thank you, summer of 2011!!
i have so many things that i want to remember, and truth be told, i've been working on this post for about a week now. (that's never a good sign, is it?) so, in an effort to "just blog something, dammit!" i give you a little list of things that i will (or won't) explain in further detail in the future:
1. this was the first summer we went to the beach ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS!! i dare say, we even LOOKED FORWARD TO IT!! there was more than one person who expressed shock and awe when they saw us camped out in the sand more than once.
2. my sister and her family (from Atlanta) were able to spend multiple weeks with us here this summer. we have lots of new memories stored away, but at the top of that list would have to be the afternoon that she and i snuck off for a 9 mile walk. oh, yes... you read that right.
3. jack and i traveled to Charlottesville for a wedding with my parents. it was a most excellent adventure (i live tweeted the entire weekend from the back seat of my parents car!)
4. i ran a lot of miles!! and it was HOT!!
5. i met a twitter/facebook friend and she helped remind me that sometimes it's important to sneak away from work and spend the afternoon drinking sangria on the beach.
6. mat's entire family visited for a week, and i acted like the mature young woman that i have been raised to be. i promise. (they did NOT stay in our house. that definitely helped.)
7. i promised to bring vegetables when a friend invited us over to dinner, and i showed up with mini cupcakes instead. because it was summer! and i am *that* kind of a friend!
8. i finished my year as president of the Rotary Club of Southport!
9. i said good-bye to one of my best girlfriends, as she moved to Rhode Island pursuing a great career move. i'm gonna miss my girls nights out...
10. we spent the night in a beach house, and ran through the dunes to dip our feet in the ocean at midnight, just because we could.
thank you, summer of 2011!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
spt 08.30.2011
day three back to school (after a minor disruption by Hurricane Irene), and i just want you to be able to share in the hell that was my morning commute today. *somebody* did not do all of his homework last night, and *somebody* was grouchy about it. please note that *somebody* wasn't me...
so, it's the end of summer, and i have stories to tell! i've even started blog posts about my stories! i want to share with you all of the goodness that was summer 2011. i want to share with you our amazing "new school year" dinner. i want to share with you our theme for this school year. i want to update my blog banner. i want to reconnect with my friends!
in the meantime, i am slowly, but surely, adapting to our school year schedule - our elementary schools now start at 7:45 am. i don't know why that 15 minutes is creating such a hurdle for me (a self-proclaimed "morning person"!) but we will overcome!
how are you? will you do me a favor? will you take a self-portrait today? will you post on your blog? or tweet it? and then leave me a comment? pretty please?
so, it's the end of summer, and i have stories to tell! i've even started blog posts about my stories! i want to share with you all of the goodness that was summer 2011. i want to share with you our amazing "new school year" dinner. i want to share with you our theme for this school year. i want to update my blog banner. i want to reconnect with my friends!
in the meantime, i am slowly, but surely, adapting to our school year schedule - our elementary schools now start at 7:45 am. i don't know why that 15 minutes is creating such a hurdle for me (a self-proclaimed "morning person"!) but we will overcome!
how are you? will you do me a favor? will you take a self-portrait today? will you post on your blog? or tweet it? and then leave me a comment? pretty please?
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
spt 08.02.2011
just back from a wedding in Charlottesville, VA, with my favorite travel partner.
aside from "the usual" wedding weekend festivities, we found time to sneak away to Monticello. (if you were along for our trip to D.C. earlier this year, you'll be glad to know that jack "finally" got his quill pen!)
i can't believe i'd never been to Monticello or the Michie Tavern before, but so glad we found time for it this trip. and glad i survived the entire trip sitting in the back seat of my parents car...
i'd also like to publicly thank the little man for doing The Virginia Reel with me. (don't tell him I told you!)
will you take a self portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
aside from "the usual" wedding weekend festivities, we found time to sneak away to Monticello. (if you were along for our trip to D.C. earlier this year, you'll be glad to know that jack "finally" got his quill pen!)
i can't believe i'd never been to Monticello or the Michie Tavern before, but so glad we found time for it this trip. and glad i survived the entire trip sitting in the back seat of my parents car...
i'd also like to publicly thank the little man for doing The Virginia Reel with me. (don't tell him I told you!)
will you take a self portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
spt 07.26.2011
it's that time again... time when we are expecting a visit from our friendly Quality Assurance auditor. time when we try to make our shiniest just a tiny bit shinier.
part of the "fun" of these inspections is the fact that they are unannounced. a suprprise, if you will. we might not know exactly when he will show up, but we know it will be soon. (i know it will be in just a few days. ssshhhh...)
here i am practicing my "surprise!" face. think he'll buy it?
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
part of the "fun" of these inspections is the fact that they are unannounced. a suprprise, if you will. we might not know exactly when he will show up, but we know it will be soon. (i know it will be in just a few days. ssshhhh...)
here i am practicing my "surprise!" face. think he'll buy it?
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
spt 07.19.2011
cinder block - 1, me - 0
(don't worry. nothing seems broken.) i have been instructed to "elevate and ice." the worst part of this is
a)all the sitting still, and
b)none of the working out.
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
spt 07.12.2011
i'm at work today, in body if not in mind. i had to break down and start taking Benadryl for the unbearable itching of the mosquito bites!! hands down, these are the WORST part of Summer!!
i am sleepy and loopy and all i want to do is rest my head against my desk. i imagine today would be a good day to ask me just about anything. i'm sure i'll agree to it!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a message and let me know!
i am sleepy and loopy and all i want to do is rest my head against my desk. i imagine today would be a good day to ask me just about anything. i'm sure i'll agree to it!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a message and let me know!
Monday, July 11, 2011
in the summertime
i'm going to let you in on a little secret: i'm not a summer girl.
whew!! got that off my chest. again. now, if you've been hanging around this corner of the blogosphere for any amount of time, you undoubtedly know this. and if you're a new(er) reader? well, it won't take you long to figure out that my life at the beach isn't always... beachy. (sweet hell, two paragraphs in, and i've already dispensed with the ubiquitous "life's a beach" pun. moving on...)
ah, but this year? this year i am really trying to love this summer life. i have filled this summer, so far, with:
grilling,
swimming,
sitting on the beach,
sitting on the beach - in the middle of a work day!,
running,
swimming in the lake,
biking,
watching parades,
gazing at fireworks,
drinking peach mojitos,
eating popsicles,
dining with sisters,
dining with old friends,
dining with new friends,
babysitting nieces and nephews,
painting my toenails,
swapping recipes,
following the Tour de France,
daydreaming.
what haven't i been doing, you might ask?
i haven't been blogging.
or drinking enough water.
i haven't cut or colored my hair.
i haven't gone to bed before midnight in weeks,
and i haven't slept in on a Sunday since April.
i haven't worn anything other than flip flops or sandals.
i haven't used the oven,
and i haven't had to buy fresh produce in weeks.
(i also haven't updated my blog header. i know, D., i know...)
now, if you'll excuse me, there's watermelon and blueberries to be eaten! don't you want to come spend the summer with me?
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
spt 07.06.2011
just digging out from the natural chaos that is the NC 4th of July Festival... when tens of thousands of people descend upon Southport for flag waving, fireworks and funnel cake! this year, among the tens of thousands, was my college roommate!
i always love Festival time, because it reminds me of a pre-marriage vacation to the area during the Festival that guided our decision to move here. i also love Festival time because funnel cake.
and the Festival also segues nicely into the oft-overlooked holiday, "July 5th," this year known as my ELEVENTH anniversary of working at the Hampton Inn.
now, if you'll excuse me, i'm off to continue wading through the piles of paperwork that somehow ended up on my desk while i took Sunday and Monday off. you would think that after eleven years, i would have figured out a way for that stuff to take care of itself!!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
i always love Festival time, because it reminds me of a pre-marriage vacation to the area during the Festival that guided our decision to move here. i also love Festival time because funnel cake.
and the Festival also segues nicely into the oft-overlooked holiday, "July 5th," this year known as my ELEVENTH anniversary of working at the Hampton Inn.
now, if you'll excuse me, i'm off to continue wading through the piles of paperwork that somehow ended up on my desk while i took Sunday and Monday off. you would think that after eleven years, i would have figured out a way for that stuff to take care of itself!!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
spt 06.28.2011
i am not a numbers person. i don't get excited by mathematical things: formulas, equations, mean/medians/and modes...
i had to take one math course in college. it was a Statistics course. i forced myself to sit in the front row and become one with the numbers. it sucked. but i passed! and now, in my grownup life, i have to look at a lot of numbers: forecasts, budgets, occupancies... in the scope of things that fall under the title of "General Manager," it is the numbers things that that challenge me the most.
but i've had a lot of numbers on my mind recently, and so i thought, in an effort to embrace my inner statistician, it might be fun to give you a post filled with numbers. ready?
tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of Hampton Inn Southport;
as of the 5th of July, i will have worked here for 11 years;
there are 80 rooms in the hotel;
we buy an average of 65 lbs of bananas every week;
matty will be 40 on the 30th;
i have run over 204 miles since January;
i eat, on average, 1250 calories a day;
i have lost 44 lbs;
i recently ran my 3rd 5K race of 2011;
it was my 4th race of the year;
it's almost time for the annual 4th of July Festival!;
this morning when i woke up, the humidity was 84%;
i have only completed 45 blog posts this year;
i am about to add 1 more to the list!!
i had to take one math course in college. it was a Statistics course. i forced myself to sit in the front row and become one with the numbers. it sucked. but i passed! and now, in my grownup life, i have to look at a lot of numbers: forecasts, budgets, occupancies... in the scope of things that fall under the title of "General Manager," it is the numbers things that that challenge me the most.
but i've had a lot of numbers on my mind recently, and so i thought, in an effort to embrace my inner statistician, it might be fun to give you a post filled with numbers. ready?
tomorrow is the 11th anniversary of Hampton Inn Southport;
as of the 5th of July, i will have worked here for 11 years;
there are 80 rooms in the hotel;
we buy an average of 65 lbs of bananas every week;
matty will be 40 on the 30th;
i have run over 204 miles since January;
i eat, on average, 1250 calories a day;
i have lost 44 lbs;
i recently ran my 3rd 5K race of 2011;
it was my 4th race of the year;
it's almost time for the annual 4th of July Festival!;
this morning when i woke up, the humidity was 84%;
i have only completed 45 blog posts this year;
i am about to add 1 more to the list!!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
spt 06.21.2011
thank goodness for my "commitment" to spt, otherwise i might never blog a thing! i don't know why the thought of sitting down and composing a post that is longer than 140 characters feels so daunting to me (i'm looking at you, Twitter!) so today, i give you a bonus photo! and maybe i'll use 140 characters to describe each one.
summer is here, in full force! here's the thing: i'm loving it!! i'm loving summer!! the beach, the sand, the humidity, the lack of structure, the drive to camp every morning. if you know me - at all - you are shaking your head in disbelief. i know! but there you have it. hope you are enjoying yours, as well.
summer always brings my sister, patricia, and her family to the beach from Atlanta for a week or two. in the past, i've done a really craptastic job of spending time with them during their vacation. it is really hard to be the one "at work" when "everyone else" is playing. well, guess what? not THIS year! this year we are beaching it together, and enjoying meals together, having our pictures taken together, and babysitting each others' children!
in fact, one night, i found myself with four children in my care. f-o-u-r. that is four times as many as i usually have to worry about. and? two of them are still in diapers! I KNOW!!! we had a blast, and it turns out that jack is a much more patient babysitter than i am ;)
i continue to convince my body that we are much happier when we are exercising, and to that end, i bought my first big girl pair of running shoes. it's kind of an intimidating process, what with the having to run-on-the-treadmill-in-the-store in front of the-really-cute-and-fit-salesman. an hour later, and with a *much* lighter wallet, i was the proud owner of a pair of Sauconys.
i began breaking them in with a 9 mile walk with my sister (who is training for the Three Day Walk for the Cure this fall). this weekend, i'll run my fourth race of 2011, and i have another 10K in my sights for July.
i'd write some more, but i have to clean off my desk, because this evening? after work? i'm going to the beach!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
summer is here, in full force! here's the thing: i'm loving it!! i'm loving summer!! the beach, the sand, the humidity, the lack of structure, the drive to camp every morning. if you know me - at all - you are shaking your head in disbelief. i know! but there you have it. hope you are enjoying yours, as well.
summer always brings my sister, patricia, and her family to the beach from Atlanta for a week or two. in the past, i've done a really craptastic job of spending time with them during their vacation. it is really hard to be the one "at work" when "everyone else" is playing. well, guess what? not THIS year! this year we are beaching it together, and enjoying meals together, having our pictures taken together, and babysitting each others' children!
in fact, one night, i found myself with four children in my care. f-o-u-r. that is four times as many as i usually have to worry about. and? two of them are still in diapers! I KNOW!!! we had a blast, and it turns out that jack is a much more patient babysitter than i am ;)
i continue to convince my body that we are much happier when we are exercising, and to that end, i bought my first big girl pair of running shoes. it's kind of an intimidating process, what with the having to run-on-the-treadmill-in-the-store in front of the-really-cute-and-fit-salesman. an hour later, and with a *much* lighter wallet, i was the proud owner of a pair of Sauconys.
i began breaking them in with a 9 mile walk with my sister (who is training for the Three Day Walk for the Cure this fall). this weekend, i'll run my fourth race of 2011, and i have another 10K in my sights for July.
i'd write some more, but i have to clean off my desk, because this evening? after work? i'm going to the beach!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
spt 06.14.2011
we had our annual team party to celebrate the anniversary of the hotel, and this year we headed out for a three hour cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway.
as i am currently "between wardrobes," and refusing to buy anything new, i shopped in my closet and threw together a look that i like to call "deck hand chic."
gotta love navy stripes!
as i am currently "between wardrobes," and refusing to buy anything new, i shopped in my closet and threw together a look that i like to call "deck hand chic."
gotta love navy stripes!
Friday, June 03, 2011
winding down
i feel like i never just sit on the porch and drink coffee anymore. i've always enjoyed my mornings, my ME time, those precious hours (minutes, more likely) when i am free to sit still and... well, sitting still was pretty much it. for the past few months, my mornings have been all about the workouts. i still get my ME time. but it involves less coffee and more sweat. (i really am okay with this!)
remember my son, jack? well, this is about all i see of him these days! he finally was bit by the HP bug, and is cruising through the books. after a challenging academic semester - we've been tweaking our approach to ADHD - he has fallen into the habit of reading whenever he gets a chance. NOTHING pleases me more than the fact that this child has found a way to find his own moments of still.
i've been to the beach twice this year! that is huge for this girl. as a family, we don't take advantage of the beach as much as we should. it's very easy for me to get agitated by the heat, the sand, the feeling of salt water drying on my skin... but we are learning to enjoy our Sunday afternoon sojourns, sand and all.
soccer ended yesterday, and we are heading into the last week of school. we have no big plans for the summer months. we'll just be here, happily perfecting our still.
remember my son, jack? well, this is about all i see of him these days! he finally was bit by the HP bug, and is cruising through the books. after a challenging academic semester - we've been tweaking our approach to ADHD - he has fallen into the habit of reading whenever he gets a chance. NOTHING pleases me more than the fact that this child has found a way to find his own moments of still.
i've been to the beach twice this year! that is huge for this girl. as a family, we don't take advantage of the beach as much as we should. it's very easy for me to get agitated by the heat, the sand, the feeling of salt water drying on my skin... but we are learning to enjoy our Sunday afternoon sojourns, sand and all.
soccer ended yesterday, and we are heading into the last week of school. we have no big plans for the summer months. we'll just be here, happily perfecting our still.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
spt 05.31.2011
this is how i am...
and this is how i got there...
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a message and let me know!
and this is how i got there...
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a message and let me know!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
spt 05.10.2011
GAH!! MAY!! where did you come from?!?
i still have things to share about April. about a trip to DC with the best traveling companion ever. about beer in The Sculpture Garden with a dear friend from high school. about sitting on The Mall with a dear blogging friend while the tornados bloomed around us (not too close!) about meeting another dear blogger over a pile of human remains.
see?? you want to hear about my April things, too!
but not today. today is Self-Portrait Tuesday, and so here i am!!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
i still have things to share about April. about a trip to DC with the best traveling companion ever. about beer in The Sculpture Garden with a dear friend from high school. about sitting on The Mall with a dear blogging friend while the tornados bloomed around us (not too close!) about meeting another dear blogger over a pile of human remains.
see?? you want to hear about my April things, too!
but not today. today is Self-Portrait Tuesday, and so here i am!!
will you take a self-portrait today? leave me a comment and let me know!
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