Lost in Translation: Baseball

Lost in the clutter of my rough week is something wonderful: We purchased our tickets to Australia!

We are leaving in a little over a month and are gone for almost three weeks! I'm so excited!!

There is still a lot of planning to be done. We have not booked hotels or finalized any plans. It doesn't matter. Because by Christmas, Nick and I will be wondering around Sydney!

One of the big pieces of our trip is meeting up with friends. We will be seeing our LivingIf friends and will be meeting up with our favorite Australian, Jonno.

Jonno and I on one of his trips to the states.

Jonno and I have been sending emails back and forth to figure out when we will meet up. While he's on my mind, let me tell you a funny Jonno story:

In October of 2004, I was on a road trip with Jonno and Kris. If you remember anything about me, it may be that during this time I was in Australia or that I am from Boston. If you remember anything about baseball, it may be that this was the magic year for my team.

I had already watched the Red Sox win against the Yankees and had tried unsuccessfully to watch the World Series. I knew the result of each game but being on the other side of the world and so many hours ahead of America, in remote towns, driving for hours on end in Jonno's little yellow car, it was hard to keep track.

We were driving back from Byron Bay and had stopped for the night in the middle of nowhere at a motel that seemed to be straight out of a horror movie. It was late and we were exhausted from the long drive.

Kris had fallen asleep and Jonno and I were awake and watching a stupid movie on TV. I was dozing off when the television went to commercial. A female news anchor was on and talking about a weekly sports wrap up.

"This week in cricket.... The week in rugby.... And in an American side note, the Boston Red Sox have broken an 86 year curse to go on and win the World Series."

Before I knew what has happening, I was out of my covers, screaming, and leaping from bed to bed. After bouncing around the room, I tried to wake Kris to no avail. I screamed some more and finally settled back onto my bed, wired, and so happy.

It took me a few minutes to register the look on Jonno's face- total confusion. He was staring at me and I knew he wanted to celebrate but also maybe thought I had lost my mind.

So I tried to calm myself to a speaking voice, and in one long breath I tried to explain. I told him about the curse, Babe Ruth, Fenway Park, the Yankees, the almost victories, and what this means to me, my family, my city, and all the serious fans who had waited so long to have this moment.

When I finished talking, I paused and waited for his response. The look of confusion lingered on his face. He titled his head to the side and let out each word as though I had misspoken, "I thought Babe Ruth played for the Knicks?"

Always on Tuesday: Cuts

Despite my downer topic, I will only add pictures that bring hope or peace because with every darkness, there has to be light waiting to shine through.

There has been an interesting turn of events. I have tried to post on here a number of times in the last week but I keep getting pulled away.

I have so many things to share but I will start with the one that is most pressing, most obvious, and the most unavoidable.

Last February, our company went through layoffs for the very first time. They were painful and sad. The company is small enough and I have been here long enough that the relief of keeping my job is minimal. I will know who they let go, not just the names but some are friends with families.Sometimes I wish I could lay myself down- take me instead.

It is important for me to know "who" as soon as I can and to share the names. It is not their fault that they are being let go. It is a tough economy and difficult business decisions, and not about the person. Sharing the names, once confirmed, is acknowledging that they were here and that they are not anymore.

Today should hopefully be the last day of this.

Looking Forward: Are we there yet?

I'm starting to realize how often I believe that I'm on the edge of something new. Going back through my blog I remember feeling that way here and here. I am always looking forward to the next big thing. There are so many quotes out there about how that's not good thing to do- life's a journey, not a destination etc. But it's hard to stop myself. Those events, trips, experiences are getting closer and becoming more real and it pushes my thoughts out of my cubicle and to a place that is much brighter.

• We are going to see Aziz Ansari this weekend at a resort/casino and spending the night. My friend Jon turns 30 next week and he is going to the show with his wife and another couple. Little does he know that a group of us are surprising him and joining him for a night of slot machines, black jack, indoor pools, and stories about Kanye West. Right now the plan is to fill the bar area with balloons and start the night with a round of birthday drinks. I have been helping his wife plan and I cannot wait for the surprise and then to follow that up with chicky chicky parm parm!

• I officially paid off my car yesterday! In addition to that, I am so so close to being 100% debt free. It is something that I have been working on for quite awhile and cannot wait for that feeling of accomplishment

• We decided to take our big honeymoon (A trip back to Australia where it all began) in December. When we decided this, winter felt a million years away and it was nearly impossible for me to grasp that we are actually going back to Australia. Even now, typing it makes it a little more real, WE ARE GOING TO AUSTRALIA!

• Finally the hardest to say and the most important - I am starting to make some real plans to make a huge career change. I want to write. I no longer want to pursue anything that doesn't get me closer to my goal of being a writer. Putting this out there in blog world, regardless of who reads it, is a contract to myself. I have been telling friends in hopes of making connections and Nick and I have had numerous conversations about the logistics. In addition to being handsome, smart, and funny- Nick is also incredibly supportive of this dream and has been encouraging me for quite some time.  

So there you go. These are the reasons that work cannot keep my attention. These are the reasons that I have so much focus on tomorrow, next week, and next year. Wish me luck and I will do my best to be as open on here as I can.

PS: In another move to push myself outside of my comfort zone and to share my writing with a larger group, I have shared my blog with my Mom and Dad. I know it seems silly but sometimes it's easier to write to strangers than to your own parents. Sooo Hi Kim and Bill!!

And because it is Friday, here are some things that are getting me through the day:  

Lambs are not good with direction. This makes me laugh so much!

A really good cover of one of my all time favorite songs.

Weekend Away: Play Time

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For the third year in a row, I spent a fall weekend in North Dakota. My friend Sam is from Finley, North Dakota- a town of 500 people. To get there you drive four hours west and then another hour and a half on smaller country roads. It is like nothing I have ever known. The landscape is flat with fields stretching as far as you can see, interrupted sporadically by grain elevators, hay bales, and the occasional house or tree.

On this trip we also got to hang out with Sam's friend Ariel. Sam and Ariel are friends from high school. Ariel lives in Oregon and had not been home to Finley in a long time. Sam and I picked Ariel up outside of town where she had been camping at her Mom's house.



 Ariel is very unique, a free spirit. She is very kind and has a childlike spirit. She regularly meditates and travels with a ukulele in a mandolin case. She offers compliments and may be the only person I've encountered who remembers to find pleasure in the little things. I can't recall all of the times she told Sam and I how beautiful we are, or how many moments she acknowledged a simple happiness- the sky, an apple, a bed, friendship. You have the feeling when you are around her that nothing passes by without recognition.

That kind of personality is contagious. Sam, Ariel, and I went around town like little kids. We played. We climbed, we ran, we made up games. I got over feeling ridiculous and let myself laugh and had so much fun.

Fall Friday: Short Day

If these walls came crumbling down

Fell so hard, to make us lose our faith

From what's left you'd figure it out

Still make lemonade taste like a sunny day

                       

  -Dave Matthews. American Baby

Listening to Grooveshark on a Friday afternoon. I can't get enough of this song right now. I keep pulling the arrow back to the start just to hear the opening lyrics again. I think Dave Matthews is an absolute poet in addition to being an incredible musician. My friend Julie introduced me to DMB in 9th grade and they are one of the few bands that I have always been proud to share as a favorite. The music is as relatable to me now as it was when I was fifteen and that's saying something.

I was just wondering if you'd come along

Hold up my head when my head won't hold on

I'll do the same if the same's what you want

-Dave matthews The Stone

I am leaving work a few hours early today and driving to North Dakota for the weekend. I am really excited for a roadtrip and to get out of the city for a few days.

Also, I have finally caved in and allowed myself to become addicted to pinterest. For awhile I did not see the point but now I am having so much fun with it as seen above and below.

Enjoy your weekend!!



Treat Yo Self: What will you remember?

I did not want to come in today. Not at all. Now that I'm here, I realize I'm not the only one that felt that way. Most of my team is MIA. This weekend went by way too fast.

Sometimes I can't help but want to shake out my life. I play with the idea of throwing away everything that I'm "supposed to do" and figure out what I really want.

What would that even look like?? I actually have no idea.

1. I love to travel
2. I need to write
3. I am newly married and plan to keep that guy around
4. I have friends and family that I wish I saw more.

So maybe I would travel around with Nick and write. Yup, that's it.

Except I also have two dogs that I adore and I don't want to leave them behind. Shoot. And Nick has this crazy idea that we shouldn't spend all of our wedding money on travel as we also someday want to have a family and we will need a place to live and babies are expensive.

We are going to Australia in December but selfishly, it's not enough. Yes, Australia is a total dream for us. We long to be back down under, living a life that is slow and beautiful and easy. But I think it's wrong that in order to go, we have to spend every last hour of vacation time and come back with the feeling that we've had our fun, time to work. I don't want that.

Not to say I'm not willing to work for what I have, but if Oprah is right, and of course she is, the work that I'm meant to do won't feel like work, and shouldn't leave me feeling like I'm here because I have to be. The supposed to be that pushes me out of bed every day should be the soul stirring supposed to and not the nagging bills are due supposed to. Sometimes, I forget all of this.

Often I get caught up in schedules, responsiblities, fears of what other will think and I fall in line - I drag myself out of bed, get dressed, walk to the lightrail, and squish onto the train with a bunch of other people that look from their exhausted faces that they also would rather be someplace else.

Why do we do that?? We know life is short. I was told that when I grew up that I could be whatever I wanted. I was also told to always make sure I have insurance. I have found those two statements conflicting. I have to work a 9-5 because I have to make money to pay bills. It doesn't seem like that good of a reason. Can't I make money doing something else? Can't I not have so many bills? But when do I have time to figure out my life plan? When can I sit down and firmly declare- I'm going to drive a bus and write haikus.

Last week Sam was over my place for pizza and wine. We started watching episodes of Arrested Development and then started talking about boys. She missed the last bus back to her place so the decision was made that she would stay over and I would lend her clothes. As it got later, one of us suggested playing hooky from work. "In a year what will you remember more?" Sam asked.

"In a week what will you remember more?" I half joked. That was that.

We stayed up until almost 3:00am watching good tv, drinking cheap wine, and talking about relationships. It was like high school (minus the wine). (Krystal, had you not snuck away when you did- this could have been you!)

On Thursday- we slept in, made pancakes, went grocery shopping, made chili, watched more Arrested Development, and napped. It was so simple and fun. By the time I drove Sam home that evening, I was relaxed and ready for a one day work week.

Wedding Photos: They are here!!

Our photos have finally been posted on our photographer's blog and they are outstanding! I absolutely adore each one and I cannot stop looking them over. She is mailing a proof book to our house but until then, I have her beautiful blog to look at.

Nick let me have my way with choosing photographers. He was too busy with work and school to invest time in looking for photographers. He wanted to be involved, but I was captain of this project. We both believe that the photographer is one of the most important pieces of the day and so I spent a lot of time looking at blogs, scrolling through photos, and emailing photographers.

From the moment I came across Tyra, nobody else even came close. These photos and these photos told me I just had to have her. In addition to having the most gorgeous photos I have ever seen, she responded to my emails quickly, she has an easy-going personality, and most importantly- she really loves what she does.



Nick: "She is REALLY good. She made it look like I can dance!!"


Her name is Tyra Bleek, she is from Washington state but lives in Boston. She is petite, kind, fun to work with, and incredibly talented. I found her through this blog and we began emailing. It took Nick and I awhile to make our final decision but once we did, we made plans to meet up next time we were in town. We met Tyra, in person, only once before the wedding.We had a beer at her favorite restaurant in Boston and we liked her right away. I read her blog regularly so between her photo posts and her wedding tips, I felt like I knew what to expect.

I have looked at her photos a million times but until you see your own photos, you still carry worry. Not about the photographer but about yourself. I am overly critical of myself, especially in photos. My family gets irritated with me regarding this and although they wouldn't dare say anything, I am sure they were nervous about whether I would be content with the outcome.

The photographs are amazing to me! Not only are they lovely but the memories that they conjure up, the moments that were caught with a lens are priceless.



A moment I would never have seen otherwise. Two great-uncles from opposite sides of the family. I treasure this photo.



Wish I knew what they are laughing about but I love!



My friend Sam stepped outside and thought she was alone. Upon seeing this picture Sam: "She really was everywhere!"





I love this man with my whole heart.