Unthankful

(My apologies in advance, this post is not up to par. But I tried, and doesn't everyone deserve an A for effort? Okay, no, but it took me a long time to write and I'm not just going to let all that time go to waste, so this is what you get. I hope you keep reading anyway.)

That's typically what I am all year.

I'm a cynical 20-something with high expectations and an ability to attract uncomfortable situations.

Though people tell me I bring them good luck - at least I'm helping someone out in the end.

Regardless, normally I would focus on the fact that the upcoming holidays mean that winter is upon us and the bad weather has only just begun - which means driving in snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Not to mention enduring hours of forced family gatherings, spending my hard earned paycheck on gifts for my cousin's husband's sister who will be joining the family around the Christmas tree, and figuring out how to take off the 10 pounds I gained from eating only cookies and pie over the holidays - given that my carnivorous family neglects to accommodate the vegetarian.

But today, I'm not going to think about these things. Nope.

So to change it up a bit, I wanted to talk about all the things I have to be thankful for, given that this is the time of the year to give thanks (Thanks-giving...even I can figure that one out).


My job - in this economy, who wouldn't be happy to have a job, especially one they can say they enjoy getting up for in the morning.

The accidental hair color change - sure, I wanted to go a little darker, but now I'm officially not a blonde anymore. And you know what, I really like it!

Discovering Americanos - yes, this is something that happened just this past year, apparently I'm behind the times. Regardless, without this lovely addiction I may not be able to make it through the day.

New routines - with the commitment to a marathon and my recent book obsession, I've taken my weekly routine to a new level. Unless of course I get a midweek invitation for dinner at Lola - I will be dining there tonight hoping, in the back of my mind, that Michael Symon makes an appearance.

Photography - without this hobby I wouldn't be who I am. It's the ultimate creative outlet for me. And, I've even started selling now. So, keep an eye out. If I post something here you like, I'm happy to get you a print!

Being the black sheep - over the years I have come to realize I'm the black sheep of my family. It's not all bad - I cherish this status, actually. And because it's widely understood, I have an excuse to bail out at times, or just not show up. But of course, I will be showing up in Michigan for Thanksgiving weekend (hence the early 'thankful' post, if you hadn't caught on before). Though I am thankful for my little family which will be getting bigger shortly when my brother and his new fiancee tie the knot.

Longstanding friendship - this is the time of year to cherish those nearest to you and I've really learned over the last year how valuable my friends in this city, back home, and around the country are to me. Thanks guys *tear*

My independence - as much as it may seem like I'm a little harsh on my family, I wouldn't trade them for the world because they taught me how to be strong and independent. That's something I hold onto tightly.

Social media- these tools really help me in all aspects of my life, especially those things above. Maybe that makes me a geek (okay, so I know it does, when your significant other is in finance and you casually mention 'tweeting' in conversation, you're bound to get the look of, 'holy crap, I had no idea you were such a nerd!')

So really, I'm thankful for being a nerd - and quite proud if I do say so myself.

What are all y'all thankful for?

Cheers?

-A

Reading and writing

This weekend brought me back to 90s style reading and writing. You know, the kind of reading where you have actual pages to turn and the kind of writing where a pen actually touches paper.

It was amazing.

Don't get me wrong, I love writing to y'all, but the feeling of picking up a pen and going to town, writing down all my thoughts without a filter, it was highly cathartic.

Yes, I know it's hard to believe, but there actually are things that I think and don't say. You can only imagine the types of things I keep to myself.

Anyhow, I also started reading a new book. It's been a while since I picked up a novel for pleasure - most of my reading has been industry related as of late.

What's even better is that I'm reading a trendy book...that's right, I jumped on the Twilight series bandwagon. It took me a while to see what all the fuss was about, but now that I've reached a certain point in the book I'm hooked. I even skipped one of my all time favorite shows last night in lieu of more tales of Edward Cullen.

Jenn's guide was right, this book has the potential to suck the life out of you. But I don't regret it. In fact, I can't wait to finish so I can see the movie on the big screen. At the rate I'm going, I'll be heading to the theatre later this week.

So what about y'all, read any good books lately?

Cheers!

-A

Fork in the Road

No, not this one. Though we do love CC. In fact, I owe her some love for awarding me yet again with this lovely award which states:



"This blog invests and believes in proximity" (meaning, that blogging makes us 'close'-being close through proxy). These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to 8 bloggers and include this text.



So I'm passing it along to the lovely Cleveland bloggers listed below as they are the greatest and I had the most fantastic time with them last week!



Narm @ White-Collar Redneck

Alexa @ Cleveland's a Plum

Ashley @ Our Little Apartment

Teets @ Yes, I'm Judging You

Always a Bridesmaid @ 27 Dresses in Cleveland

Allison @ Confessions of a Cohabitant

Suzanne @ Life on Mars

Mel @ Life, Liberty &Pursuit of Your Boyfriend



If you're not reading these blogs, you should. They're much better than mine.



But now, onto the actual crossroads - the one I'm facing at the moment...



As you may have gathered, I have a dilemma. One that will cause me to make a very big decision in the near-ish future.



What is it? Well my friends, we'll save that for outside of the blogosphere.



I know. I suck.



But the bigger problem here is that I'm unsure of how to approach this decision. It's one that has the potential to affect numerous individuals aside from myself.



This stresses me out - decisions only affecting me, positively or negatively, I can handle. Because if when I mess it all up I'm the only one who has to deal with those consequences. But the last thing I want to do is make a decision where others are left to pick up the pieces of a not so great situation.



Ack.



Needless to say, I'm struggling with where to begin on this one. Do I make a pros and cons list - is that even appropriate for making a real adult decision? Or, do I employ a 3rd party to hash out the details from an objective perspective?



Ultimately it's up to me, and I know this...I just need to figure out where to start. So tell me dear readers, what is your process for making big, life altering decisions? Guidance appreciated.



Cheers!



-A

Friends in your 20s?

Let's start with a story, shall we?



When I first moved to Cleveland I was a (newly) single 20-something, working hard and playing hard all the while trying to settle in and make new friends. I was blessed, as this was something I was able to accomplish fairly quickly. One of my best girlfriends decided, without letting on, that she was going to introduce me to a friend of hers from high school because she thought we'd be a good match.



Success...or so we thought.



After about 2 weeks and seeing each other, oh, maybe 4 times, we lost interest in one another. A couple weeks later, when I realized he had a CD of mine, I texted him to see if I could get that back. Thinking I was angry, he picked up the phone and called.



In discussion he gave some lame excuse for not calling, something about not wanting a girlfriend right now and blah blah blah. But he was surprised by my response, "I didn't call you, either."



::SILENCE::



He processed this...



It had been 2ish weeks and neither of us attempted to contact the other. If that doesn't scream mutual disinterest I don't know what does.



Further into the discussion we agreed that we're not right for each other on a romantic level, however, we both enjoy hanging out so why not continue on as friends?



Great idea! You can never have too many friends.



Regardless of the fact that we only get together once every other month (at the very most) we've remained friends - I've even tried to hook him up with friends of mine from time to time.



What's the point of this story, you ask? Well, I alluded to an uncomfortable situation in a previous post involving the man friend and an ex - well folks, this was him. We've been attempting to get together for a while now and this was the first weekend we were both free and in town.



So, being a genius complete moron, I think it's a great idea to invite him out with an already interesting group of 20-somethings - including two of the man friend's buddies that I was meeting for the first time, his roommate, and my soon-to-be-roommate and one of her friends. Got all that?



At the time, it didn't seem like a big deal - the man friend knows the whole story of me and this friend and he's been super understanding of my abundance of male friends (what can I say, I'm a lucky girl).



Of course, as all y'all out there can imagine, awkwardness ensued. Looking back, what a bad idea this was - not to mention a pretty shitty first impression involving some of the most important of friends.



Yikes.



This all ties back to the debate that I've been having with a few close friends these past couple months. Is it possible to be friends with someone of the opposite sex in your 20s?



Now, I'm not talking about those friends that go way back that you've been friends with since high school or even before - I'm not talking about the BFFs of the world - I'm referring to newly acquired opposite sex friendships in your 20s.



Can a man and a woman of the opposite sex meet in their 20s and have a strictly platonic relationship?



I think yes, but lately signs have pointed to no - given the recent influx of male friendship disappearance.



So what do you think - can us 20-somethings live peacefully with friends of the opposite sex, or is there a sexual tension there that just can't be ignored?



Do any of you have friends of the opposite sex that are just that - friends and nothing more - or are there twinges of hope that one drunken night something might happen to change all that?



Cheers!



-A

Finally - an update

So this weekend was a giant FAIL in the daily blogging promise.

I know. I suck.

What can I say, it was a busy few days.

Thursday I was blessed to be surrounded with lovely bloggers from around Cleveland at the Cleveland Blogger Meetup at Bar Cento. Hosted by Alexa, this event was a blast - I can't wait for the next one (hint hint, lady...).

I had a surprise of my own at this event. I decided to contribute by raffling off a black and white of my Brooklyn Bridge photo to lucky winner Bill Teets from Yes, I'm Judging You. If you're not already a reader, you should be. He's good people.

The event was great, and it was fantastic to meet everyone face to face! And if you're ever in need of a private room for a fun event, I highly recommend Bar Cento. The food is great and the wait staff is fabulous.

The rest of the weekend paled in comparison. Though I did manage to get myself into quite the situation on Friday night while hanging out with the man friend and his friends (some of whom I was meeting for the first time). A guy I dated for a short time - that I am still friends with - decided to come out to our neck of the woods. Awkwardness ensued when he and his friends meandered into the bar where we resided. But this is another post in itself.

So tell me dear readers, what did you do this weekend?

Cheers!

-A

Cop out post #2

Okay, so I managed to get away with it (pretty) successfully yesterday by linking to cooler, more entertaining blogs for you to check out.

But today, I'm so busy and have so little to say that I'm not even going to do that.

Today, it's a big fat apology for the fact that you don't get to ready anything interesting.

I'M SORRY

Though I figure if you really wanted to read something interesting you'd read someone else's blog. Just kidding. Please don't abandon me. I promise, I'll be back with another post soon. One that actually says something.

Maybe I'll even talk about the shenanigans that take place at tonight's blogger meetup...

Cheers!

-A

Other encounters

Today is going to be one of those days.

Busy, mainly. Likely somewhat stressful as I have numerous tasks to accomplish both at the office and after work - no matter what time I manage to head out.

So, out of a) lack of time, 2) lack of ideas, and d) pure laziness, I am bringing you some of the recent encounters that my favorite bloggers have experienced - all of which are highly entertaining and much more witty than anything you'll find here.

On top of that, I haven't done much lately aside from work, run and spend time with the man friend, none of which you really want to hear all that much about I'm sure.

So on to the more interesting encounters of my fellow 20-something bloggers.

• My favorite dater, So@24, takes a trip to visit Amber...see what unfolds.
• Allison's BF creates a pseudo man-room for the winter...video gaming ensues.
• One of my bestests, Jennie, has a run in with the Cough...we all know this person.
• Narm had an encounter with himself...as a nutrition label. Hilarious!
• CC over at Fork in the Road had a run in with one of the grossest creatures alive. At least now it's dead.
  
• Alexa encountered a major guy friend FAIL.
  
• I had a lovely online encounter with Ben's dogs...see here. I heart them! And soon, I will be getting one of my own! More on this later.
  

And don't forget to check them out regularly as they are some awesomely talented writers.

Cheers!

-A

For us or for others?

Perfection.

It's something that we all strive for, and yet, being a 'perfectionist' is often talked about in a negative way. Why is that?

(ok, so it's not completely relevant, but about the only thing Google Images was giving me for perfect...)

Perfectionism is merely striving for an ideal that we have in mind.

And bettering ourselves is a life-long journey.

But in the end is it about overcoming obstacles and pleasing ourselves, or to become perfect in the eyes of others?

Sure, no one wants to disappoint those in their lives, but is this a viscous cycle of improving one day and feeling bad the next because the same progress was not made for us, or for everyone else?

Taking my life as an example, because that's the only one I'm certain about, I spend much of my time striving to make others happy, or at least make them content. And when this doesn't happen, my mood spirals downward.

But it's a catch-22 you see, because when your livelihood depends on how others view you, in turn making your mistakes the demise of your day/week/month, where's the internal incentive to continue making progress after these blunders?

As I see it, us perfectionists - yes, I'm owning up to this - need to take a step back and ensure that each day we are striving to become better, not just for those around us, but for ourselves too.

Because at the end of each day, everyone is thinking of himself and his loved ones foremost, and we deserve to do a little of that too.

So tell me fellow perfectionists, what keeps your motivation for perfection running high?

Cheers!

-A

Committed

No, I'm not being committed - though I probably should.

Rather, I've made a commitment, and a fairly large one at that.

Once again I'm committing myself to a marathon.


Yikes, I know.

This time around, I'm allowing sufficient time to plan for, ramp up on and conduct official training. Because as we've seen, procrastination before a big push doesn't lead to success - at least not in my world.

So I'm adapting the mentality of slow and steady wins the race, in hopes of success at the big race this spring.

Oh, and this time I have a training companion - a little healthy significant other competition never hurt anyone.... right?

I have to admit, I'm nervous - but definitely up to the challenge. All suggestions and tips are welcome and encouraged.

See you in Pittsburgh!

Cheers!

-A

Big steps

Over the course of the last couple months, some rather big changes have taken place in my life. 

I'm by no means complaining - in fact, completely the opposite. I've come to realize that I'm really lucky for these new adventures.

What I also realized is that somehow I've managed to get to this point while speaking my mind at all times. I have no filter.

None.

What. So. Ever.

After another big step this weekend, in what I like to think is a great direction, it hit me that I'm incredibly lucky to even have these opportunities given my complete lack of tact at times. 

And trust me, when I notice this, it must be bad.

But I suppose, at least I'm honest...right?

So I've realized this flaw, and I may or may not do something to improve it. Admitting is the first step.

How many of you out there have gotten yourselves into messes due to lack of brain to mouth filter?

Cheers!

-A

This is new

Saturday blog posting...this is new and unusual for me. But I'm procrastinating.

Yes, I'm using you to procrastinate. Sorry. The truth hurts.

I really need to finish a presentation that will be given on Monday - and sadly that's how I'm spending my Saturday evening - but I need break for a moment.

And what a better way to spend my downtime than to write to y'all.

I can't believe where this weekend has gone already. Friday was a total blur, but I did have a lovely little date night that included sushi and a comedy club. We saw Tom Papa who was pretty excellent if I do say so myself.



Shortly after being seated I saw one of my close friends sit at the table in front of us. Small world. A little too small. This is about the time I start packing my belongings and moving along to a new adventure. I'm not supposed to know people, am I?

But what can I say, somehow I'm a sucker for this city and it keeps me coming back for more.

Let's see, what else can I ramble on about....

Oh, another big Michigan State football win today. We almost shut out Purdue, but they did get one touchdown in before the end. Hard to believe my Spartans have won 9 games this season...I'm not sure I know what to do. Fingers crossed for a big win against Penn State and say some prayers for a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Aside from that, it's been a pretty tame weekend, which is actually something that's been a long time coming. Between traveling and football season it's been a busy fall, and I'm (almost) looking forward to relaxing a little more this winter.

Okay, I'm done.

Cheers!

-A

The positive side

Well it's Friday, which means you should be looking at some beautiful pictures that I took or found, however given that I inundated you with imagery from NYC last week, I've decided to switch it up a little today.

Mainly because I'm lazy and don't have the energy to find and analyze photos today. It all comes down to my lack of motivation.

So I'm expecting this post to be pretty random - though I'd like to focus on the good things that are going on right now. Having come back from my recent travels, I'm finding myself in a little slump without a big, exciting trip to look forward to, so this is the perfect time to remind myself of all the great things life has to offer.

For instance, my job. Not only do I have one, but I love the work that I do and the people that I'm surrounded with everyday. A girl couldn't ask for much more than that. Needless to say I completely agree with this post from one of my favorite 20-somethings. Thanks, Playful, for the inspiration.

Here are some other things I'm happy about:
-Amazing friends, those scattered across the country and my girls right here in town
-My health, which I recently found out is improving!
-Red Wine Thursdays
-Free speech
-The warm weather we've been experiencing in the Midwest lately
-Traveling
-Progress toward getting my puppy
-Discovery of some new Italian recipes that I love
-Yoga, running, and spinning
-Lazy weekends on the couch watching football with the man friend
-Taking on new accounts and new challenges at the office
-Preparing my photography for a show in December

So tell me dear readers, what are some of the things that are making you happy right now?

Cheers!

-A

Lexington hotel experience

Okay, so we're only in the first week of November and I've already broken my promise to take advantage of NaBloPoMo and write everyday.

Post FAIL!

Sorry y'all, but I'm going to pass off the blame on this one to Lexington.

Yesterday was spent in Lexington, Kentucky for a client meeting. And let me tell you what, that little trip made me realize just how much I miss the South. The hospitality, the pace, and apparently, the hotels!

We arrived in town fairly late on Tuesday night - more accurately, Wednesday morning - so I didn't have much of a chance to take advantage of all this hotel had to offer, but it was amazing.

The DoubleTree in Lexington is absolutely incredible! You walk in to an open atmosphere with a quaint, French feel. Upon arrival you are treated with warm chocolate chip cookies - which you better believe I managed to devour before my shoes were even off.

The three room suite that greeted me was phenomenal! With two flat panel TVs, a king size bed, and a Jacuzzi bathtub I was in heaven. Express checkout - which is always a plus for busy business travelers - and a USA Today awaiting me outside my door made for a pleasant morning.

I'm considering a trip down to Lexington again in the near future just to take advantage of these amenities.

My only complaint is that the pillows were not up to par on the comfort scale, but I managed to sleep like a rock regardless.

Thanks, Hilton Hotels for making my stay so fabulous. And if you're ever in Lexington, consider the DoubleTree for your stay. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

-A

A freedom we take for granted

Given that it's Election Day, I thought it appropriate to discuss an American freedom that's near and dear to my heart. It's called the right to free speech.

Shocker, right? I'm pretty sure I'd die without the ability to talk just for the sake of hearing my own voice.

But it's also something that I and a lot of other people take for granted. We get online each day with the ability to log in to Blogger and publish our opinions on the interwebs for all to see, judge and comment on.

What would we do without this luxury, without the ability to converse freely with one another, share our thoughts, ideas and experiences as 20-somethings - we would be lost, that's what.

It's a fantastic thing, this freedom of speech. And that's why it irritates me to no end that someone is trying to take this away from me.

*GASP*

It has recently come to my attention that there are some un-fans following me and reading posts regularly. At first I was flattered to see these IP addresses coming back continuously - that is, until the face emerged to let me know of his/her disapproval. Not so much of my opinions, but rather, of me!

*DOUBLE GASP*


I know, right? Who couldn't like me?!

Lots of people I'm sure.

But I grew up being taught by my wonderful family that not everyone is going to like you - and I'm okay with that!

What I'm not okay with, is being told what to write and what not to write. Sorry folks, but last I checked this was my blog, full of my opinions (stupid as they may be at times) and my experiences. No one is strapping you to a chair, taping your eyelids open and forcing you to read - or maybe they are, but that's not my problem - so feel free to spend your time reading other blogs that are more tailored to your style. I promise, I won't be offended.

And because it's election day and I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy about the U.S. of A, I'm going to hold on tight to my freedom of speech and continue to write for the readers who love me most! And I'll continue to show them the love they deserve, with links and shout outs like this. And this. Oh yeah, and this.

I heart you guys! *tear*

Oh, and if you haven't already - get to the polls today. I'm not much for talking politics, but this is an important election and we all have a voice.

kthanksbye

Cheers!

-A

And we can't forget to wish the wonderful Maxie a happy birthday. Don't work too hard today, lady!

Up to the challenge

Okay, so apparently it's NaBloPoMo and I completely didn't realize its existence until my Google Reader exploded on Monday morning with all the smart bloggers who are taking advantage of this opportunity to post everyday.

So, even though I'm behind a couple days, I am up to the challenge.

Sure, it's not going to be easy - but since when is easy fun? Okay, I can think of a couple times, but let's gloss over those, shall we?

And don't be shocked when I meander off topic. I certainly don't meet 30 people a month that are worth talking about here, but we all know I can come up with some crap to talk about everyday. What can I say, I'll talk to whoever will listen.

So, if there's anything you want to hear about from me, comment away. I'm not opposed to discussing any topic - because odds are, I have an opinion about it.

Cheers!

-A

The infamous meeting

Of all the people I met during my two weeks in New York, one meeting stands out above the rest.

Why? Because I finally got to meet a long-time friend and colleague face to face.

And I was not the only one looking forward to this encounter - I had co-workers who were rather excited to witness the infamous meeting.

Meetings like this are strange. You feel like you know the person so well from countless phone conversations and e-mail chains, but when you're looking the person in the eye while speaking to them for the first time, it's almost surreal.

Let's go back to that night, shall we?

Tuesday of the event week was the longest day in history. My day started at 4 a.m. with filming for a media tour and ended with a dinner for 40 that we arranged that ended at 10:30 p.m. Don't get me wrong, much fun was had, but I looked at my superiors at the end of the dinner and said, "if there's not liquor in my hand in 10 minutes I'm not going to be a pleasant person."

Luckily, there was!

We walked across the street to a rooftop bar where we met up with our friends who had flown into town that day.

And then we met.

It wasn't what people expected, I'm sure. A hello and a hug and the drinking began. Grey Goose and Red Bulls were consumed by the gallon - I was a very happy girl!

The party continued well into the night, getting me to bed about 24 hours after I had woken up the previous day. Needless to say, that made for quite the long Wednesday.

Drinking continued on Thursday night and goodbyes were said on Friday. And now, we're back to phone conversations and e-mail chains.

The connectivity of this society is great for instances like this - but it also makes you realize what you're missing out on when you finally meet your virtual friends face to face.

Sometimes reality can be a bitch, but I have no doubt that we'll get to do it again, sooner rather than later.

Has anyone else had the chance to meet long-time friends/co-workers/bloggers in person? What was your experience like?

Cheers!

-A