the day i couldn't concentrate

There are some days when concentration is simply impossible.

Today is one of those days, because...

We are on the verge of a four day weekend.

My new dryer will finally be installed on Friday {they are so kindly squeezing me in}.

I'm dreaming my dream where I move South and live in a little place where I can see the stars at night.

I am thinking about cowboy boots.

I am going to see this girl tonight with one of my besties.

I think I'm finally on the other side of the tough stuff for a bit.

I just checked out Gone With The Wind for my viewing pleasure this fine holiday weekend.

Did I mention that I was on the verge of a four day weekend?

So tell me, what's tickling your fancy this afternoon?

Revamp and Reinvent

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People found its way back into my life recently.

I believe that God puts things in our paths when He wants us to learn something.  So, um, about a month ago, while I was cleaning out the trunk of my car, there it was.  Staring at me.  I thought I gave it to Goodwill, but apparently God felt I needed it more.  So I read it.  Slowly.  And lowandbehold, it made sense this time!

I started this blog to record my semi-successful OCD thwarting efforts, remember how much fun my life is, and track the progress of operation-find-a-husband.  Oh, and because I like to write.  Once upon a time, I was actually quite good at it.  Sadly, as soon as school started and physical therapy continued and the new seasons of Teen Mom and Jersey Shore came on and the budget got tighter and my best friend go married and...  you get the point, my beloved writing project became a side note.   I never dreamed that my new best friend Steve (when you've spent this much time with one author and his book, it is acceptable to be on a first name basis) would support my rambling efforts in the blogosphere; but apparently, I'm sharpening the saw!

There is so much about this little blog that makes me happy!  I love writing creatively.  There is amazing gratification for writing to an audience in whose real lives I don't exist.  I love reading other people's musing about lives that I otherwise know nothing about.  I love looking at the statistics and see that someone actually (well, maybe) read MY writing!  Despite the overwhelming positives, blogging and all of the joy it brings, it turns out, has the surprisingly easy ability to get swallowed by helter-skelter urgency of life, but I've been reminded that it doesn't have to be this way.

And so The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People have found a way back into my life.  I have spent some time learning.  I am committed.  Now, I must do.  I will start with the end in mind (habit 2) and work first to sharpen the saw (habit 7), because its become quite clear that when life is allowed to take over one's life, it is one's self that suffers most.

Thank you for reading, you make me smile!

So, now my question.  What do you do to recharge your batteries, and no, I don't really think that Jersey Shore counts for you either!

Today was a good day!

This evening, while I was putting freshly washed (and dried with lavender scented dryer sheets) linens on my bed, I happened to notice my spectacularly awesome self in the mirror.  I was once challenged by some author of some book that I happened across some time ago to fall in love with myself.  Really, truly, madly and shamelessly fall.  in.  LOVE.  It probably sounds corny and maybe conceited; but sometimes, after I've put on my deliciously colorful make-up (oooh, especially the eyes) or in the mirror over a good brush/floss/rinse session, I gaze into my eyes and remind myself how beautiful I am (right now, I'm all I've got; and for real, if I can't do it, how's Prince Charming going to?).   I'm pretty sure I'm in love and I love how much more lovely life is for me now!  Its been a long road, folks, to get to this point, here are the things that I'm loving today:

• Mastered my interpretation of a description I found, I think, in this month's issue of Women'sHealth of a "west coast blow out".  Ok, I don't really know if its officially a blow out, but oooohhhhh, my hair just looked so effortless and shiny today that I altered my outfit so that I could bear wearing it down in all this heat and humidity!  And a side note: my love for driving with the windows down did not hinder my hair in the least, which totally makes me hotter (in my fantasy sequences, at least)!
• I way over spent on groceries today, like budget for 3 weeks overspent, but I shopped the perimeter of the store, only bought what was on my list, and bought as much on sale as possible.  I'm pretty pumped because I probably would have spent it under the golden arches if I wouldn't have spent it on eggplant!  
• I successfully made and enjoyed a fabulous meal of Eggplant Parmesean, a glass of Pino Grigio and peaches topped with home-made whipped cream and pecans.  Holy YUM!
• The above meal, sans the wine, cost me (based on what I had on hand and what I just bought) around $1 per serving!  Whoo Hooo!  It's a good thing I'm rocking the whole cook-on-the-cheap schtick because I've got two whole weeks until payday!

• Today was officially the last day of summer vacay for this chick and I've got my coffee pot set to brew at 5:15, my clothes all laid out, and my lunch (leftovers) neatly nestled into my elephant lunch box (really, we can't take ourselves too seriously now; its my conversation starter)!   
• Mary Beth was finally sent home on Food Network Star.  Ha.  Sorry, it had to be said.

There's so much more, but one of my sleepy man-eaters seems to be irritated that I am still awake and I suppose, since I just glanced at the time and realized that I'm gonna have to be up in around 5 hours, I should go to bed ... 

Sweet dreams, my lovelies :)

For lack of a cohesive whole

It's been exactly two weeks since my surgery, here are the things going on in my life and what I think about them, because, well, I just can't decide what to focus on for my fabulous come-back note:

• My surgery went better than originally expected, no bone shaving here... which means... daaaa da daa.... minimal worries about my distance running career :)  Yay!  Only about 6 more weeks of PT until I can start back again!
• I completely forgot about this first week in August and that means one full week of no obligations!
• I've started puppy rehab for my two man-eaters.  I suppose recovery on the couch in front of the television (mostly reruns of Miami Ink  and Dog Whisperer) have rubbed off on me.  Mostly, my German Shepherd Miss Nika Boo is a wee bit pushy and maybe needs some etiquette training.  So far, so good ... happy, chill puppies and a mommy who hasn't gotten knocked down in three whole days!



The cutest man-eater faces, Miss Nika Boo and Miss Sadie Lou.

• Now that I can stand and move freely about the kitchen, I made some killer pancakes with blueberry maple syrup for dinner!  Oh my!  Paired with a nice fruity glass of white wine and mwa ... breakfast dinner fit for a queen!

Ah!  I feel better now, back to my regular scheduled life :)  Have an amazing day, ya'll!