Personal growth

First off, can I just say how crazy it is that it's March already. Wow!

And I may very well be the most excited girl in the country

as March Madness is just around the corner. My Spartans have probably secured a 2 seed in the big dance and at least a share of the Big Ten title. Woot!

Okay, now that that's out of my system...

These last few weeks have definitely taken me through some personal growth changes that I never expected. Today I feel like things are finally slowing down, or at least I see a nice little flicker at the end of the change tunnel, and I feel pretty good about how I'm coming out.

Alive.

Okay, so it's not quite that bad. In fact, I feel pretty good.

There have been some big, tough decisions to make that I never anticipated. But, in doing so I've come to realize what's most important to me at this point in my life -- where my efforts need to be focused.

And I gotta say, it feels damn good to finally have figured that out. Unfortunate that it took some stress, anxiety, and even a few tears along the way but I managed. And now, I move forward in a direction that feels nothing less than positive.

On an even brighter note, I have today off. Yay for 3-day weekends. Oh, AND it's sunny today. Yes, in Cleveland. I know, right?

Sure, I've got lots of chores and catching up to do, but at least I'm not at the office like all you poor bastards right now. Oh, did I say that out loud? I mean, I can't wait till I get back to the office, too. But for today, I'm enjoying a little me time.

Cheers!

-A

Friendly rivalry gone bad

As most of my friends and loyal readers know, I'm a big sports fan. And I'm especially passionate about my MSU Spartans as that's my alma mater.

You also may be aware that one of my qualms with living in this state has been the obnoxious OSU fans who assume, because I'm from the state of Michigan, I'm the devil.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good sports rivalry - taking jabs at my friends when we win, the occasional bet now and again, but for the most part, I'll befriend anyone, regardless of where their allegiances lie.

Well tonight, I ran into two of the most ignorant college supporters I've ever met. 

That's a big statement. Huge - given the fact I've run into my fair share of obnoxious sports fans throughout my Big 10 history.

As I was wandering the halls of my building, still in my Michigan State jersey (confident, even after our loss at the Capital One bowl today - hey, I'm no fair weather fan!) I ran into a girl in my building. 

She was quite lovely, actually. Mentioned that she too is from Michigan and she even offered her assistance with moving. Her friends on the other hand, frightened me a little - since we're being honest here.

The girl from Michigan is a U of M fan, which she mentioned in passing. The two others asserted themselves quickly, letting me know, in a most aggressive manner, that one was an Ohio State fan while the other pointed to her hooded sweatshirt with an embroidered Notre Dame logo and proceeded to pound on her chest with a tight fist.

"Notre Dame, yeah that's right!"

"Ohio State, here. Yeah! Just so you know how we roll." - followed by a nice little stare down.

Um, wow. Okay.

I'm sure I looked appalled and rather horrified. I was, and I'm not so great at hiding that on my face. The aggressors noticed, as they chuckled on their way down the hall, "did you see her face, ha!"

Clearly, I was by far the least dominant female in this situation (by about 40 pounds, at least).

If this hadn't have been the case, or even if there wouldn't have been three of them, I would have pointed out that they are friends with a U of M fan and there doesn't seem to be much of a problem. So what gives?

Aside from the time I got threatened by a Cavs fan in a bar bathroom during the 2007 playoffs- "If the Pistons win tonight I'm gonna be the first one to find you and kick your ass" - this was the most aggressive attack by fans of an opposing team.

C'mon people, we're all adults, let's grow up and get along in our friendly rivalries, shall we?

-A

p.s. On the positive side, I may have made a new friend in the building - if I can manage to separate her from the scary friends.

Photography Friday: Autumn

It's about time Photography Friday lived up to its name...

This week, rather than critiquing one photograph, I've posted a number of pictures from recent shoots and y'all can judge for yourself.

A few weeks back, just as the colors were starting to turn, Jamie and I headed out to Cuyahoga Valley on a hike.


As you may recall, I headed home this past weekend for MSU homecoming and a fun morning at the cider mill.

(The morning sun really brought out the colors!)

(Apple orchard behind the mill)

And just for kicks, here are a few random pictures from tailgate and post-game action at Crunchy's.

(Most of the crew at Crunchy's - with the last of the second beer bucket)

(Her first beer bucket experience)

(Remember my crazy friend J?)

(At Jimmy's the night before the game)

This weekend I'm heading to Cedar Point for some Halloweekends action - and hope to have some great images to share next week. Anyone else have fun fall plans?

Cheers!

-A

Another Football Post?

Yeah, I know, there are a few of you - or at least one of you - who have probably already quit reading because so many of my thoughts lately have revolved around football. What can I say, this time of the year gets me all nostalgic over my college days and tailgating with the 40,000 other undergrads at my alma mater.

Which is exactly what I got to do this weekend!

Party it up at the tennis courts, student style, with my girls from college and even some friends from high school.

(The crew, minus a few, at the tennis courts - a student tailgate hot spot)

Then I got to watch my Spartans kick some Fighting Irish booty in style, with one of the biggest MSU sports fans known to man, and one of my favorite people in the universe - my dad.

(Not bad seats, eh?)

Let me tell you, it was a fantastic weekend - as you can see.

And I get to do it all over again in two weeks when homecoming rolls around. I'll be home for four days to partake in more tailgating and joyous fall festivities including a trip to my home town cider mill and some much needed photography time - it's bound to be rather beautiful in Michigan that time of the year.

So tell me dear readers, what fall festivities have you enjoyed so far this year? What are you looking forward to most in the remaining months of 2008?

Personally, I'm getting excited for the holidays. But then again, not so excited for the snow and bitter winds. Again with the catch-22 - I'm full of them this week!

Cheers!

-A

Friday Frivolity

I stole the title of this post from the weekly Friday column of my good friend Luke Armour. I hope he doesn't mind - it just suited today so well. Thanks, buddy. If I ever manage to write anything good, you can borrow it too!

Yesterday sucked.

A big steaming pile of elephant dung.

Seriously. And this wasn't just the case for my little corner of the world. It was a trend. See here, here and here for proof. C'mon, you didn't think I'd expect you to take my word for it, did you?

But it's Friday now, and that's fantastic! That means tomorrow is the big day - MSU vs. Notre Dame.


It's a white out game - I love those! More than that, tailgating starts promptly at 10 a.m., at the tennis courts, with some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Turns out, this is an unplanned reunion for the girls I lived with freshman year. Guess that takes care of this problem. We're missing a few of the gang that became our Lou Ha's group every Thursday senior year, but plans are in the works for a later date.

But that's not the point.

The point is that I'm taking a long weekend to enjoy my time at home and soak up every ounce of Michigan State in the fall that I can. I'm counting on an Autumn-tastic weekend and getting to partake in all my favorite fall past times.

Therefore, I will not be posting for a few days. I know, you're heart broken, I'm sorry. And I'm not cool enough in the blogosphere (yet?) to have a guest blogger on the scene to fill your need of bad stories. But I promise, I'll be back with plenty of crazy encounters to share with y'all on Tuesday.

Until then, enjoy your weekend. It's supposed to be beautiful in the north!

Cheers!

-A

A blessing and a curse

As I've mentioned before, tailgating season is one of my favorites. There's nothing like going home, catching up with old roommates, friends from college and even high school. It seems that no matter how long it's been, we always pick up right where we left off, Miller Lite in hand.

Homecoming weekend never ceases to amaze me as I run into old friends along Grand River (Mike B. if you're reading this, I expect nothing less than to see you in EL again this year, bow tie and all), bounce from tailgate to tailgate, and attend kegs 'n eggs three days in a row to catch up with my dearest fellow alumni.

At the end of the weekend we all jump in our cars or head to the airport to make it back to our real world jobs, hangovers and all. This, my friends, is always a sad reality.


A strange phenomenon happened the year I graduated from undergrad - my friends and I all got big kid jobs. After going through four years of college, wondering what would be in store for us (given that our older siblings struggled mercilessly to find employment after the bubble burst), we all moved on to new places and new adventures - spread far and wide across the country.

(great times were had by all)

Within weeks of graduation I was off to Texas while my dearest friends were packing up and moving to LA, Denver, Chicago, Madison, Indianapolis, Florida, Detroit, North Carolina, Minneapolis...the list goes on. Most of us went on to explore our new worlds alone, sole Spartans on a mission. Others went in pairs, at most.

The situation seemed great - I can visit my friends all over the country, whenever I want. But as the years pass, and I continue to move around the country in search of the perfect city, I wonder if in fact this was a blessing, or a curse. And each year, as the number of friends that return for homecoming festivities dwindles, I continue to lean toward the latter.

The question becomes, then, how does one keep these vastly divided groups of friends as close as they once were while meeting, growing, and thriving in new social circles in this ever so hectic 'adult' life?

What has worked for you, in keeping those friends as close as ever?

For now, it's back to social networking in an attempt to plan the best homecoming tailgate ever.

Cheers!

-A

Autumn-tastic

Fall.

I love it.

I get all excited just thinking about it. Much thanks to Narm for his Autumnatic post providing the inspiration.

There are so many elements to the season that make me happy. The cooler weather - if I can wear jeans and a hoodie outside and be comfortable it's perfect - the smells, the colors, the spirit.

Every year I look forward to fall. The changing leaves, the crisp morning air, cider mills. The unending opportunities to capture the beauty of the changing landscape. And of course football season, which brings a host of other amazing autumn traditions like tailgating, cornhole (or Bags, as we Michiganders call it), spiced cider and hot chocolate to stay warm in the stadium, 'couch Sundays' to recover from tailgate Saturday.

Heading back up to East Lansing to tailgate with my dearest college friends each fall is one of my favorite past times. Though Michigan State's football team isn't the top of the Big 10, our fans are some of the best. We stand by our team (though we're not shy to fire our coaches), and every year Spartan Stadium is proven to be one of the loudest and most difficult stadiums to play on the road. Go Green!!

(Tailgaiting with one of my bestests, Josh!)

See, I'm already getting all fired up!

So tell me, dear readers, what are your favorite fall past times?

Cheers!

-A

Random Ramblings

After a long weekend spent back home in Michigan with the fam., I feel refreshed and ready to be back at the office. Either that says something about my job or my parents (just kidding mom and dad!).

Regardless, it was a very relaxing weekend. The weather was beautiful, though a little warm for my taste, especially this time of the year. But the cloudless sky provided the perfect backdrop for a couple photo shoots around small-town America.

(Editor's note: the picture above is from this weekend's shoot. I'm proud to say it's an -A original rather than a Google Image result from keynote "cornfield.")

Some great shots came out of the shoot around MSUs campus as well. Looks like I'll have plenty to share with y'all on this upcoming Photography Fridays. Or, if you just can't wait, go here.

In recent conversations with acquaintances it seems there's a trend of life listing going around. You know, like the Bucket List, only not quite so morbid or depressing. It's really got me thinking about the things I want to accomplish over the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Here's what I've got so far:

1. Go skydiving.
2. Learn the dance to "Time of my life" just like Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze do at the end of Dirty Dancing - and perform in public.


Is it sad that those are the only two items on my "must complete before I kick the bucket" list? What are some of your must dos - in the long or short term?

Some thank yous are in order:

Thanks to Alexa, at Cleveland's a Plum, for thinking of me on Blog Day. I love reading her blog every morning, hearing her tales from around the Cleve. - and I'm honored that she enjoys mine as well.

Thanks to my Dad for trying to teach me how to play golf on Monday. I'll get there some day, dad.

Thanks to Starbucks for providing me a much needed pick up this morning after spending half the night reading the latest paperback in my life.

And of course - thanks to my loyal readers!

Enough with the mushy stuff, it's time to get a move on with this short week. Here's to it being Tuesday when it only feels like Monday.

Cheers!

-A

Home for the holidays

Technically, I went home for the holiday, the 4th of July holiday that is.

Going home is always a treat. Growing up in small town America, I couldn't wait to leave for the big city. And now, having lived in and experienced some of the biggest cities this country has to offer, I can't wait to go back home for a weekend of peace and relaxation (yes, Michigan is still my home as I consider myself still in transition). After a weekend away I often leave feeling rejuvenated from the slow pace of the country but ready to jump right back into city life. However, watching this extended weekend at home come to a close has left me with feelings of home-sickness and longing, the effects of which have been contemplation and inward reflection.

There are so many things I miss about living in rural Michigan, but here's a few that I hope will provide a glimpse into the world where I grew up:

1. The amount of stars that you can see on a clear night. It's incredible.
2. A quick 15 minute trip takes you to the heart of East Lansing and Michigan State University.
3. Michigan State University's campus.
4. A hockey obsessed state - Hockeytown in the D
5. Farms. Everywhere.
6. Seasons at their finest - I've never experienced a true autumn anywhere else
7. My family, of course
8. The friendly faces, smiles and random conversations of Midwesterners
9. Outdoor activities - us country folk play lots of outdoor games like Bocce Ball
10. The lakes
11. Appreciation for cars, especially the American-made classics
12. Men who actually do things with their hands - yes, people actually know how to fix their own car, lawn mower, dish washer...
13. The community - people stick together and support one another when it really matters
14. Strawberry farms, yum!
15. Adam

[Okay, so that last one is specific to me, but every time I go home and spend time with my BFF I come back to the city missing him a little more than before.]

So there you have it, my top 15 reasons, in no particular order, why I love my home state. Of course there are reasons beyond these, as well as reasons to dislike 'home' such as the economy and gas prices, but the pros definitely out weight the cons. Maybe I'm a sap. Or maybe I haven't taken the time to truly appreciate and embrace all that NE Ohio has to offer. Regardless, I miss my home and I heart Michigan. So please, no need to apologize when I tell you where I'm from. I'm quite proud of my roots and fully enjoy my mini vacations in a most tranquil of places.

What are some of the reasons that you miss home?

Cheers!

-A

Group of Spartans

For the past year I have lived in a state where not only is it a sin to have grown up in Michigan - regardless of the fact that I dispise the Wolverines just as much as everyone else this side of Toledo - but finding like-minded Spartans is a needle-in-a-haystack venture. What's most surprising (to me at least) is that in my time in Dallas I met 2-3 times more MSU alumni than I have here in this neighboring state. It hasn't taken me long to realize why Michiganders tend to steer away from Ohio: "We don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan..." Yeah, it's a real song, and Ohioans love to sing it. But that's a topic for another day "Why Ohio hates Michigan..." though I'm not sure I even know why.

One of the things I tend to find most annoying about graduates of other universities, specific to the Midwest, is the mentality of Ohio University graduates. Let me be cynical for a moment, then I'll get back on track. Promise. Ohio University alumni take great pride in having attended this school in small-town Ohio, as any dedicated alumni should. Where does it become annoying you ask? When that's all they talk about, all they think about, and when they get together in groups, all they reminisce about. For those of us who have to witness this, often daily, YUCK! It's right up there with the couples who decide to grope each other in public - only it's "Bobcats forever" with this crowd. On occasion, I've actually thrown up in my mouth a little when I've had to sit through Bobcat reunions, it's just gross.

Anyhow, to my surprise on Friday, the tables turned and I got to be one of these annoying alumni for the night (just ask my friends who had to witness it). After a lovely sushi dinner with a close friend, we went to a bar downtown to hear one of our favorite cover bands. When we walked in we were greeted by a group of guys who were there for a bachelor party. Free drinks were offered so we decided to chat them up for a while before the band started. They seemed nice enough and within a few minutes of typical get-to-know-you conversation, it came out that I was an MSU grad. Maddness ensued.

Everyone in the bachelor party was a Spartan. Most had graduated in early to mid 2000s, one was still a student. To my surprise, he was the one who intrigued me the most. Though only 21 and a finance senior in the business college, he was articulate and interesting to talk to (or maybe he was just more sober than the others).

Throughout the night this group of fellow Spartans got pretty rowdy - at one point they even started a "Go Green, Go White" chant; and yes, I joined in. Now, had this happened back in Michigan, or even in Texas, I would have refrained from joining this ridiculousness. But given the sheer annoyance of Ohio State and Ohio University alumni throughout the city, I decided it would be a good idea to get a little obnoxious myself - sort of a taste-of-your-own medicine effort I suppose. I'm not so sure that it worked, but regardless, I had a lot of fun with these visiting Spartans.

Thanks, guys, for brining a little MSU spirit to Ohio, and for reminding me how green my blood really is. Until next time...

Go Green!

-A

Encountering Friendship

In the short 20+ years since my entrance into this world, I have been blessed with the ability to travel. During my travels, I have taken up residence in a number of big cities around the United States. These stints in often intriguing places have provided experiences that I would not give up for anything. Granted, moving is challenging, and getting acquainted with new colleagues and meeting new friends is often the most difficult aspect of the venture, but upon my move to Dallas in years past, I was blessed with an amazing experience that leads me to believe that the people that are meant to be in your life are often found in the most unexpected of places; you just have to be prepared to welcome them.

Upon arrival into Dallas proper, exhaustion quickly sank in. Between the constant lifting, carrying, and arranging, my muscles insisted on a break for lunch and a little shopping trip to purchase those last minute items (oh yeah, a shower curtain would be helpful, huh?). With a meal in my belly the effects of a the prior sleepless night and long drive across the state of Texas had begun to congeal, and fast. Little did I know that a quick trip to the nearest Starbucks would introduce one of the most genuine people into my life.

At 2 p.m. on this random weekday (I think it was a Thursday, though that’s not really relevant), the store was slow and the barista chatty. He asked me how my day was going, formality of course, but when the topic arose that my weary look was due to the immediate move, he was intrigued. Conversation led to my alma mater, Michigan State University. He was quick to point out that, he too, was a Spartan. At the time, this was an outstanding notion; the first person I’ve spoken to in town (outside of the woman who handed me my keys at the apartment complex) was a fellow MSU alum. As time went on, however, I came to learn that Dallas was filled with those of us who bleed green – it was quite wonderful, actually. We exchanged e-mail addresses and he informed me of the alumni association chapter that gets together to watch the games at a local bar (though if you’ve never been to Dallas, local doesn’t necessarily mean close; it just means within the city limits, which seem to go on forever). I left with my coffee feeling proud to have made my first new friend; one that has stuck by my side since that first meeting at Starbucks, and one I forsee being in my life for a long time. He continues to teach me how to be a better person, to think objectively, and most of all, to believe in myself. This is a person I trust and highly respect. You can’t ask for much more than that in a true friend.

Cheers!
-A