What will be your Space Jam?
In other news, I think I have broken my foot. If I haven’t broken my foot, I’ve done something else awful to it. Or I’ve lost my mind. Life is full of possibilities.
It was super foggy this morning. The first two photos are from this morning, and the last one is what the harbor is suppose to look like, without the fog, and with the bridge. It is creepy to look out and have it look like the bridge was never there. Especially when it is sunny.
Posted in Charleston, quotes, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
Yesterday, I went to yoga for the first time since before Christmas. In the past year, I’ve been fairly dedicated to my yoga practice, mostly because if I only go once a week, it is difficult to walk and breathe the next day I’m so sore. I’ve also made some fantastic friends through yoga, and I hate missing them. When I’m consistent in my practice, I sleep better, I work better, I feel better, I eat better, and I am significantly more in control of my anxiety. Plus, I feel stronger and more aware of my body. There is very little excuse for me to not be dedicated, especially since there are no real negatives.
In the summer, I was running and doing yoga, but in the fall when my tennis season started back, running became more difficult. The high impact of running and the high impact of tennis do not live harmoniously in my joints. Too much working out causes me to have debilitating muscle cramps. I’ve tried everything, believe me, and the only sure fire way to stop the cramps is to not work out every day of the week and cut back on my high impact activities. I’m better off with one or the other. I’m sure I will start running again in February, if only so I can enjoy the bridge run. I’m happy to go out and run a 5k when I haven’t been running on a regular basis, but running a 10k without prior consideration sucks. I can do anything for an hour, and I’ve done it before when not prepared, but I was miserable the whole time. My masochistic qualities are spotty at times.
The yoga class I went to yesterday was at the studio in Mount Pleasant, which is the largest yoga studio I’ve ever practiced in, and there were more people there than I’ve ever seen. It was SLAMMED with people. This is what Saturday morning yoga looks like in January.
I went to the movies last night – Django – because, as you know, movies make me happy. We went to the local Carmike, because the movie was not playing at the smaller arts theater that is infinitely preferable (but also significantly more expensive). We got there about 15 minutes early, and the theater was already starting to fill up. By the time the movie started, it was 3/4 full, and after 20 minutes of previews, it was slammed. This is what the movie theater looks like on a Saturday night in January.
This morning, I went to church. I love my church, it is the greatest little Episcopal church. I can walk there, all of the preachers are great, and the congregation is a perfect mix of diversity. I should go more often. I love that my Episcopal church here retains so many qualities of the church where I went to school growing up, and the Episcopal church in Athens. I feel confident I could find an Episcopal church in most places in the world, and some aspect would remind me of home.
You know how if you’ve been traveling abroad for long enough, and you find yourself at the McDonald’s eating a McFlurry, simply because it feels like home. I never go to McDonald’s, and even when I do, I rarely get McFlurries. But every McFlurry I’ve ever eaten in a foreign country sticks out in my mind as the greatest McFlurry ever made. I don’t mean to imply that McDonald’s and the Episcopal church have a lot in common, I’m just saying there is comfort in familiarity. As a side note, the McDonald’s in Greece serves something called the McGreek – which is a hamburger patty in a pita with tzatsiki sauce on it. I have it on good authority that the McDonald’s in India serves something called a McVeggie. Way to assimilate Micky-D.
Apologies for that ridiculous tangent. Back to church this morning. It was Epiphany – which is one of the happiest services of the year beyond Easter and Christmas. I like using Epiphany as a noun. I felt lighter when I left. I like to sit in the balcony, and in the summertime, the balcony might have five people in it. This morning, the balcony was at capacity. This is what church looks like the first Sunday in January.
In other January news, I’ve been toying with the idea of Drynuary – I normally have little interest in absolutes, and believe that life should be lived in moderation – but the holidays left me feeling a little pickled, and I thought it couldn’t hurt to try out. I also made this decision on New Year’s day, at Home Team after the polar bear plunge. I don’t feel convicted enough to last the whole month, but my goal is 10 days, maybe two weeks, of no alcohol, and then a commitment to moderation. This seems reasonable, healthy, and doable. I’ve given up drinking for lent a couple of times, but that was at a time when I was much more interested in absolutes and convictions. And my masochistic tendencies were less spotty.
It is raining today, and there is a woodpecker outside of my window – going to town on the carolina cherry. At first I thought it was a redheaded woodpecker, but further investigation reveals it to be a Red-bellied woodpecker. Apparently redheaded woodpeckers have red all over their head and their neck, and this dude most definitely only had red like a cap on his head, and a white stomach, with a speckled back. Learn something new every day.
Posted in Charleston, outside, Religion, yoga | Leave a Comment »
I literally cannot believe that is already 2013. Life moves shockingly fast these days. I feel like all I’ve done in the past few weeks is eat and drink. Let’s think about 2012 for a minute. I read a lot of books in 2012. Most recently, I read Liars and Saints, which I highly recommend. Rarely, I come across an author that has a syntax or voice that I can only describe as hitting the right cord, where I don’t actually care what they are writing about, because simply reading the words is enjoyable. I haven’t figured out exactly what I mean by that, but Maile Meloy writes in a way that I find immensely satisfying. For example, I don’t particularly like depressing stories, but I love Jack London because of his writing. There is something chewy and piercing about it. Obviously, the really great writers make people feel this way, but I think there is something very personal about who hits me like this. There are lots of fantastically talented writers who I can acknowledge that their work is quality, but who don’t resonate with me. Steinbeck and Faulkner don’t do it for me. Robert Louis Stevenson and F. Scott Fitzgerald do.
I read The Tiger’s Wife in early 2012, and that story really stuck with me. The structure of the book was different, and there was a detached and dry quality to it that made the fantastical side of the book seem more believable.
My favorite book of 2012 was The Night Circus. This book was highly fantastical, and maybe not for everyone. But I found the emotion conveyed through the story to be moving and enthralling.
I also read the Silver Lining Playbook (awesome! read it), The Forgotten Garden (didn’t love it), Ready Player One (a fun read for any child of the 80s), The House of Mirth (Edith, you are so beautiful, and your stories could not be more depressing), Wicked (so much love for this book), Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (you will cry laughing and feel more normal), The Mists of Avalon (enjoyable, if you are into long drawn out medival sagas, and really, who isn’t?), The Casual Vacancy (J.K. Rowling’s first adult novel. A good read, but certain things seemed forced for the purpose of proving it was NOT A CHILDREN’S BOOK), and I started Freedom, but then I got bored with it and never finished it.
I feel like I saw a lot of movies this year too. It’s amazing how hard it is to remember. Let’s see, maybe I can go backwards. Les Miserables (awesome, obviously), Life of Pi (heartbreaking and visually captivating), Anna Karinina (I read this book in high school, and I was impressed at how they were able to pack the whole story into an appropriate length movie, but it’s a depressing story), Skyfall (I love Bond movies, and Daniel Craig is fun), Beast of the Southern Wild (man, everyone should see this movie. Unbelievable. Hush Puppy is fantastic), Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson is a proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy), The Hunger Games (people who don’t like Jennifer Lawrence are just jealous), Magic Mike (people who don’t like Channing Tatum are just jealous), Being Flynn (everyone likes Robert De Nero), and finally, The Iron Lady (I felt more educated after this movie). I feel like I had to have seen more movies at the beginning of the year, but now I can’t remember. That’s a strong showing, but I still feel like I’ve missed some huge movies. Argo, The Hobbit, The Silver Lining Playbook, Django Unchained. I’ve also tried to catch up on some of last year’s movies in the comfort of my own home. Hugo, Trouble with the Curve, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, How to Train Your Dragon (my new favorite animated film), The Muppets, 21 Jump Street, and Coraline.
Basically, if you were curious about what I’ve been doing in the past year, I’ve been watching movies and reading books. Sometimes I go outside and interact with something called other people. It definitely explains why I haven’t been blogging, because I’ve been reading and watching. I am going to try to stop being such a consumer and start producing.
I did go to a few concerts – Blitzen Trapper, Patterson Hood, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Brandi Carlisle, Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, and Jerrod Niemann.
2012 was an excellent year. It was a year full of new friendships, important re-connections, thousands of downward dogs and chaturangas, a 10k, a 5k, one of the best tennis teams a girl could ask for, abundant sunshine, oysters, shrimps, boats, coffee, beaches, bowling, late night dancing, handstands, thunderstorms (I had a dream last night I was struck by lightening, but it didn’t hurt, it just left a weird scar on my leg), Vail, Steamboat Springs (TWICE!), Williamsburg, Sea Island, Valdosta, D.C., a job I love more than I ever thought possible, and some damn good football. And I cut all my hair off. Everyone should try it.
I have high hopes for 2013. I think it is going to be the best one yet.
Photo evidence of awesomeness.
Posted in Books, Briscoe, Charleston, Christmas, Colorado, Current Affairs, Favorite People, Film, Thoughts | Leave a Comment »
John 1 (The Message)
The Life-Light
The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing–not one thing!-
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.
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So, I’m a terrible friend, and I forgot Denise’s birthday. Then I apologized, and all she asked for in restitution was for me to write a blog entry for her. Have I done that? Obviously not. But that is to be remedied immediately. Per Denise’s request, I have four topics on which to touch upon during this blog post.
Tervis tumblers are not necessary, but they definitely can make life easier. For instance, James left a Burnett’s vodka tervis tumbler at my house a while back, and I had no idea how much better my homemade milkshakes would be in this particular tervis tumbler. I am also comforted by the thought that he probably received this particular tumbler as a free gift from the liquor distributor, and that I have not absorbed into my life permanently an object that cost him money. In case you were wondering, my milkshakes include trader joe’s ice cream – either the joe joes in cream or the mint chocolate chip. I mentioned to James recently that he might never get that tumbler back, and he seemed okay about it. It is the perfect size, and keeps my little hands from getting cold. In similar news, I have one of those oversized koozies that I got from the big oyster roast at Boone Hall a couple years ago – the ones that fit over the pints of ice cream. It is awesome and makes me happy. Not like I sit around eating pints of ice cream and drinking milkshakes. Most of the time I sit around eating cookies and brownies.
Emotionally abusive relationships are terrible. I think this term is probably thrown around a lot, but I also think a lot of people have been in some pretty horrible relationships. And they don’t just have to be romantic relationships. Some people have emotionally abusive relationships with a parent, or a boss. It can be really hard to realize what is going on until later. Then when you date someone who treats you right, or you get a job where you are treated like an adult and respected, it can sort of all crash over you and make you seriously worry about yourself that you would put up with such awfulness. It can make you doubt your own decision making skills, and self esteem. Don’t do that. It happens to the best of us.
Sweet potatoes are something that I rarely want to eat, but the one time I really do want to eat sweet potatoes is at thanksgiving, in the form of a casserole. So, my mom was sick this thanksgiving, and I was suppose to make the sweet potato casserole, but I waited til the last minute, and it was a total bust. Maybe the biggest failure of my cooking career. I was frazzled, there were a lot of things out of my control, but all I know is I did something WRONG. I threw the whole thing away right after dinner. Everything else turned out excellent, and my mom is doing better, so NBD. I am still perplexed about what I did wrong, because sweet potatoes + butter + sugar + eggs + pecans = what in the world could go wrong and how could that not taste good? Maybe the pecans were bad? Life mysteries.
And Finally – this last one is more like a public service announcement –
You know those people in your yoga class who don’t wear shirts? Guys, or girls in sports bras? I find this irrational and confusing. I went for a time where I liked to run in a sports bra, but that was short lived, because in general, if you are going to sweat, wearing a shirt is necessary. I enjoy mostly hot and high intensity yoga, so I can’t imagine not wearing a shirt in yoga. When you don’t wear a shirt, the sweat has no where to go, and you just end up dripping sweat all over your mat, or on the person next to you. Or a large puddle collects and the people in the next class have to deal with it. When it is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hot outside – like, July at 6 pm, and I run a few miles outside, when I finish – I might take my shirt off. Mostly to mop the sweat off my face or something. But not while I’m running. And you should wear a shirt during yoga for the same reason. To soak up the sweatiness and save us all from sweat puddles.
I have a lot of other thoughts about yoga etiquette – my dad likes yoga – and he and I discuss these rules on occasion. If you are male, in a yoga class, try to not talk until you get out of the yoga room. Honestly, these rules apply to males and females, and mostly involve common courtesy and boundaries with strangers. Once out of the yoga room, if you must talk to a stranger, try to refrain from ever mentioning any part of the body to a stranger. Examples – do not inquire as to how that hip opener made the stranger in your class feel, or make any comments about surrendering into the pose, or observations on the other person’s body. Awkwardness is not a competition.
In other news, Denise and I made Christmas cookies on Friday night. Here are some pics. We made a mess, but it was worth it, and I’ve eaten enough to make anyone sick. 
Posted in Charleston, Favorite People, yoga | 1 Comment »
Charleston is the biggest city I’ve ever lived in, besides the summer I spent in Rome, Italy (I also spent a summer in Rome, Georgia, but that is entirely beside the point). When I go home to Augusta, I am impressed by the breadth of the sidewalks and the dampness of the dirt, and the abundance of organic material. It makes me realize that there are not a ton of trees in charleston, shade and yards are scarce, and the sidewalks are narrow. It makes me feel like Charleston is a city, a real city!
Right now, I’m drinking a glass of red wine, a Tempranillo, at the Sofitel in downtown DC, waiting for Bizzy to get off work. I’m reading a copy of High Fidelity that I swiped from Bizzy’s house (I accidentally left my nook at home, buried somewhere in my covers). I went to lunch with Cybil, and all in all, this visit has capped off a month of excellent friend contact and quality time.
My plan was to go to New York tomorrow via bus, and watch Libby run in the New York marathon. Hurricane Sandy (superstorm sandy? Dr. Sandy? Professor Sandy? Judge Sandy? Dean Sandy?) has interrupted these plans.
I called US airways to request a rebooking under the travel advisory on Wednesday, as Laguardia was indefinitely closed, and traveling to New York seemed ill advised. I wanted to fly home Sunday from DCA. They said they would be happy to change my return flight for $175. This seemed ridiculous to me.
On Heather’s advice, I took to twitter, and very nicely requested help from the US airlines twitter people. They were unable to rebook me completely, but my original Monday flight from LGA to CHS had a layover in DC, and they were able to delete the first leg of my return trip, preserving my DCA>CHS flight. So, yay twitter! And yay for an extra long weekend in DC.
DC is a stark reminder that Charleston is less of a real city, and move of the movie set of a city. Charleston downtown is so compact, and quiet, and quaint. As a side note, apparently only Europeans stay at the Sofitel. I’m picking up fashion trends from the European teenagers. Braids and big neck scarves, leather jackets and fur cuffs.
Last night, we went to the drag queen race in DuPont circle. It was amazing. This bar has the perfect pitched conversational murmur, in a dim lit red and stained wood setting. Outside, the overcast sky and the wind gusts down the streets shake the trees, and the huddled figures with scarfs and mittens, boots and long jackets, bring on an element of late fall, November, and the cusp of winter that is not yet available in my southern coastal movie set.
Libby will still be running on Sunday – I wish I could be there, and I’m so proud of her training and dedication and fundraising.
I hope you all have a spectacular weekend full of ethnic food, old friends, cozy dark bars, an international community, drag queens, roof tops, bodegas, craft beer, red blends, sweaters, leather jackets, deep conversations about life and love, tall boots, hot coffee, yoga, falling leaves, and good music (with soul! With feeling! With funk! Chasing that old time feeling). I think that is enough for one weekend.
XOXO
Posted in Charleston, Favorite People, Hurricanes, Travel, Weather | 1 Comment »
Before I moved to Charleston, I assumed the tourist season was the summertime. We all know what happens when you assume. Tourist season last all year, but the peak is in April and October. Hotels are booked six months in advance in blocks for weddings, and whereas in the summer time people are strewn about the various beaches, in April and October, everyone is on the peninsula. The peninsula is not a large place. Peninsula is a hard word to spell. apparently Conde Nast readers voted Charleston the #1 city in America, and the #1 city in the world for 2012. Y’all should come visit.
I had my first tennis match of the season thursday night. I got killed. But I played well, and my opponent was just much better than me. At least the sky was pretty.
In other news, Briscoe finds working from home to be extremely taxing, but she is really striving to be helpful. I think.
Posted in Charleston, dogs, Favorite People, outside, Television | 1 Comment »
I’m in Augusta tonight – I spent the weekend in Columbia for the Georgia game. Everyone showed up, tons of old friends. We had great food, great booze, great weather. The only thing that didn’t show up was the Georgia football coaching staff and players. It was the WORST football game I’ve ever been to, and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been to some bad games. This one was the WORST. There was not a single moment in the entire game where I felt anything but sickening dread. Christy said the word of the day was Demoralizing, and I agree.
BUT, besides the game, it was an overall fantastic weekend. Friday night we had a great dinner at The Oak Table, and then we abandoned classiness for the night and drank beer at a dive bar. We showed shockingly good restraint and enjoyed a good night of sleep before the big game day. Game day dawned sunny, and warm. I ran into Curt at Starbucks before 10 am, and it was awesome to have confirmation that Atlanta and Athens people were already here and ready to go.
It was so hot in Columbia. There is a new tailgating station/park(ing) thing, called The Farmer’s Market. Someone said that they cut down a bunch of trees to built this fancy parking lot area, but I wasn’t aware that trees grew in the city of Columbia. I’ve never been to a game in Columbia where it hasn’t been full sunshine, without a cloud in the sky. Shade is a myth in Columbia, SC. It makes me really appreciate Athens. That being said, I’m not going to bash the city – I’ve had many an enjoyable night and day in Columbia. I’m just pointing out the lack of shade. Charleston doesn’t have a ton of shade either. Palmetto trees do not provide much shelter.
Yesterday was a long day of quality time with old friends and catching up, and eating barbecue and brownies. Hard to complain.
Now I’m in Augusta, because tomorrow is Columbus day, and my birthday is Wednesday, and my mom made me a cake. The cold front is coming in tonight, apparently it is already 20 degrees colder in the ATL than in Augusta, and the low tomorrow is 52!
I hope your football dreams came true as mine did not, but I am thankful for my many friends, and the fact that I have someone to cook me a birthday cake from scratch. Hooray for October!
Posted in CKP | 1 Comment »
I know it has been a while, and I feel like I have some explaining to do. I can’t believe I haven’t written in this blog in almost an entire year, but I blinked my eyes, and a year had passed. There are a few reasons why I haven’t been blogging. For starters, I spend the majority of my work day writing. I honestly enjoy the writing that I do at work, but it tends to leave me mentally drained, and the last thing I want to do when I’m not at work is sit in front of a computer. Speaking of computers at home, my laptop died a while back, and I haven’t bothered to get a new one, because my iphone is sufficient for a certain degree of connection, and as stating, I have little desire to sit in front of a computer after work. Another reason – my work computer is rather ancient, and the wordpress website crashes the browser. The last, most glaring, underlying problem is that I love to read, and I would rather read than write as a general rule.
All of these factors crept up on me, and I got lazy, and I’ve neglected the blog. The blog does not deserve this neglect, and some things have changed, and I would also like to change. First, I have finally replaced my poor comatose laptop from law school with a laptop from this decade. Second, I have been at my job for two full years, and I now will be working from home two days a week. Having a laptop that works, and the time saved from working from home, and the ability to blog at lunch, should help me find more time to blog. Because I miss documenting my thoughts and having a creative outlet. I mean, I have a LOT to say.
So let’s get back to something interesting, I’m tired of my excuses, I’m sure y’all are too.
In the past year, I’ve developed affinity for a few things: yoga, the hairpin, trader joes, my iphone, and online shopping. Maybe that last one isn’t new.
Monday night, I was playing tennis with some friends in downtown Charleston, and there was an almost full moon rising over the skyline, behind the palmetto trees on the bank of colonial lakes. It was huge, a bright squash yellow, with a wisp of a cloud. In the distance, someone was practicing a brass instrument, maybe a bugle or a trumpet. Taps was barely discernible, followed by a few scales, and then jazz music for the rest of our match. It made me appreciate why people travel to Charleston in such droves, and if you’ve never been here, you should visit. Briscoe and I would love to see you.
Football has been highly stressful and immensely enjoyable so far this season. Saturday, my Dawgs are going to Columbia to play South Carolina. I’m nervous, and excited, and strung out.
I hope y’all haven’t all forgotten about me, I’m going to make it up to you. And if you haven’t tried the ice cream made out of coconut milk from trader joes, I encourage you to rush over to TJ as soon as it opens in the morning and try some. It is literally the greatest thing I’ve ever tasted, and it will greatly improve your quality of life.
Posted in CKP | 1 Comment »
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the thin line between optimism and delusion... 