10 Years and 9 Hours

I used to drive back to Maryland all the time coming to and from Clemson. It has been several years since I've made the trek. This past weekend I had the opportunity again. Wonderful.

It was well worth the drive, however, I'm not jumping at the chance to get back in the car. It was my 10 year high school reunion, and guess who was in charge?! Me. As Senior Class President I guess you get stuck in that roll. With help from my past prom date, we pulled off a great night.....from what I can remember. Red Eye's Dock Bar is notorious for a good time, cheap drinks, and a heavy pour. Well, that, and their bikini contests. Gosh, what a shame we missed out on that one.

With 9 hours ahead of me and a lack of activity on the blog over the past few month, me and my non-makeup, hungover self decided to try a video message...vlogging if you will.

perhaps the next video (will there be a next?) will have better preparation.... my homies:

Groundhog Day

Have you ever felt like your life was similar to the movie Groundhog Day? Maybe not as a whole, but at least a part? Recently I made that connection and came to the realization that a huge part of my life was on repeat. The '93 classic stars Bill Murray - or rather a character named Phil. He would go through the same thing again, and again, but each time tried to play his situation out differently. Their would be small differences to his repeating day, however, the same end result would occur. Phil finally realized that instead of going through the motions, he would take it with stride and improve upon himself and those around him. The changes were so positive that eventually, Phil broke the loop and moved on to the following day - never reliving the same Groundhog Day again.

I have found myself on repeat in multiple areas of my life. Sure we get up everyday, go to work, eat lunch, come home, have a routine, go to bed, and do it all over again, but that's not always what we need to change. Recently, my Groundhog Day was altered. The loop...broken. Just like the movie, Phil kissed Rita and everybody moved on. Though this time, I wasn't Rita. I was removed from the loop. Finding change difficult at first, I thought about it and well, maybe just like the movie, I'd take each day and try to fix something. I'd try to change it up for a different outcome. I'd get back in the swing of things. Literally. 

Always a hobby, just in the background, I've come back to golf, tennis, and found a new love like for running. I've been stuck going through the motions. I had a routine and I liked it. Though you can't figure out if there is a better way, or better plan, if you don't give up the old and go for the new. Phil broke the loop and what you are only led to believe at the end of the movie is that he goes back to visit that little town in Pennsylvania every year. If my memory serves me correctly, Phil ends up suggesting he will move there one day, but of course starting simply with a rental. We'll never know his choice, but there's a big difference between life's rentals and the ones you settle down in.

I've never been one for change. I get attached too easily and have a memory for everything. It actually blows my mind to think about the places I have lived and the friends I have made, because change is all over the place when I look at the big picture. I can remember, however, hating each transition, but moving on once the loop was broken. Never by me, sometimes simply by time, but always with a push. I've been thankful for each time (looking back of course) and from that, try to find the best in every situation. Even since February 2nd, I've reconnected with old friends and relationships, and have been reminded of the person I always try to be. 

Just remember tomorrow can be February 3rd, a new day. Get rid of something that's not at 100%, even if it hurts. Or try to be thankful it got rid of you. If you miss it, you can try to find it again. If you don't, you'll have your Rita... a new beginning and a new routine. And if nothing else, it's nice to know it's not 1993. There is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, the Cloud, etc. etc.... nothing really dies, it just stays behind.

Ready, Set, Wet

I really thought I was going to end up sitting this one out, but today my dear friend Kristen asked me to partake in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Never one to turn down a dare, a request, or a friend, I obliged. Once dressed in red, white, and blue, Kristen and I were the USA champs of beer Olympics held in the Outer Bank of NC. I thought it was only fitting to spread my American cheer yet again. I'm sure by now you've been "tagged" so to speak. And if not, when you do, have fun with it. Fun can be contagious, and I'd choose a good laugh over being "too cool" any day. Give back, donate, and support a good cause.

Ridiculous...but medal worthy. 

#ICEBUCKETCHALLENGE

Wrecking Ball

I came in like a wrecking ball - and I wasn't naked and swinging like Miley Cyrus, instead I was leaning down to pick up a garage door opener (that I never use) that slid off of my center console. Down into my pedals it went, where I knew it may cause an accident, while accelerating from a stop light. All part of the irony of slamming into the Subaru, who was stopping at the next stop light. The thought process of picking up the garage opener was to prevent an accident, when in fact I caused one. Luckily no one was hurt, except for my Jeep that is still yet to be named, and the rear of one navy Subaru. 

The folks I hit were extremely nice and caring - and I know it was genuine - but you may have to be when the girl who just hit you is having a panic attack grabbing her chest, knees, and neck, simultaneously and in hysterics. I probably looked like I was swatting a swarm of bees, because I didn't know what hurt more or what really happened. I leaned down, for what I thought was a brief second, then shot forward in my seat on impact. Literally, the seat shot forward as if I was trying to move it with the adjustment bar and the center console (or burger tray as it has been referred), slid completely off and flew into my CD player. 30 seconds later I calmed down and walked off the knee issue. Thank God my air bag didn't deploy, because it would have smacked me in the face/side of my neck and who knows what would have happened. What looks like a fender bender has turned into my vehicle being determined 50% totaled and needing 3 weeks of replacements and repairs. 

Besides the minor soreness, State Farm has made this process relatively painless. And talk about a small world. When I took my car to 1 of the 19 preferred collision repair centers, I met a gentleman who would oversee my service. He then said, "My estimator will be out in a moment". He walks out, sticks out his hand and introduces himself. At the same time we both say, "I know you, Pat!". It was a friend-of-a-friend who happened to stay at my apartment one weekend back in college during a Clemson home game. We quickly caught up and had some laughs. Then, to make the world even smaller, I ran into the guy (don't worry not literally) that I hit at lunch the next day. Greenville can seem so small. He was still one of the nicest people I have ever met. 

My car and I were reunited after 3+ weeks and it truly felt so good. That was a Tuesday. This past Sunday as I'm laying in bed, hungover from an exciting night at the local dueling piano bar, some friends came in to say goodbye as they were about to make their journey back to Charleston. We hug, tell each other how much fun we had, etc, when 5 minutes later they walk back in. We live on a hill and their car, with the removal of the emergency parking break and some slight confusion, rolled right back into my freshly rewired, revamped and repaired vehicle. I literally thought they were kidding, but with every "I'm so sorry", I rolled further out of bed to survey the damage. Again, it didn't look "too bad", but one visit to my friend Pat back at Image Collision Repair and numbers started to climb. With the hit, the entire inside made a shift to the right, cracking a few of my "important areas", as he dumbed it down for me. With a good sense of humor and nice friends all around, a stinky situation will soon be fixed in no time, but man, what a few weeks its been. I think I might start wearing a helmet. What do you think?

Round 2 Photos:

Apparently this bar is supposed to be a perfect "L" shape to my car. They had just painted it, so the black area shouldn't be showing. The crack on the right hand side is like that in a few spots - thank goodness for a guys, I would have had no idea what I was looking at. And overall aesthetically everything came out a "little tight" one side. Hopefully she'll be fixed in no time. Until then....stand clear.

Cash Only

Will and I took a trip down to Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend. The main reason for the trip was to see Dave Matthews Band on Saturday night, but we managed to hit up a few other spots during our brief stay. We drove down Saturday morning and grabbed lunch at Henri's {So we are clear, it is not "Henry's", as I made the mistake several times, it is pronounced "ahn-hrees"}. Located in Buckhead, Henri's turns out delicious sandwiches and has a bakery that will make you want to come back for seconds. The almond macaroon I ate was like a piece of angel food-cake with every bite. I followed that with a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie....and another few bites of an oatmeal cookie, then off to the mall we went. A pair of shoes for me and a shirt for him later, we headed to the hotel. In true Buckhead fashion, we passed several Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, and few other "rides" parked out front possibly for show. Our stay was very nice. With the amphitheater being a drive away, in a "bad part of town", and Will owning a brand new car, we decided to take a cab. Drinking a few tallboys at the concert wasn't going to help the equation either. The gentleman at valet whistled for a cab and in came Tony. A delightful, opinionated, southern man, set in his ways and very verbose about the way of the cab world and the streets of Atlanta. "Cash only", he would say. After brief discussion we put our faith in Tony that he was going to drive us to the concert (DMB was amazing BTW), we'd pay him up front for our return, and then hope he actually showed up to get us. And he did. Will and Tony quickly became BFF's. We were in good hands. I wouldn't repeat half the conversations we had with him - like I said, very set in his ways and passionate about his community - but here's a little taste:

The next morning we got up and went to the World of Coke. We saw a 4-D show (Disney you're calling my name, I can hear you), sat on the original American Idol couch, tried the taste of products from around the world (Taiwan Sprite being my leading favorite), and saw some pretty neat stuff. I had never been to the Olympic Park before either, so being so close, we walked over to that, too. Will's family has bricks with their names on them located in the park purchased during the ATL Olympics in 96', so went to find those. Pretty cool, and located just feet away from one of the statues where you can still see a nail mark from the bombing. Crazy stuff. I still will never get over the Olympics being so close and never going. Had I been a smarter middle schooler to realize the distance between Atlanta and my hometown of Centreville, MD, I assure  you I would have been there. Looking back at how "American" and obsessed with the flag her kids are, I am sure my mother wishes we went. I am determined to make it to one set of games.

Hungry, per usual for me, we went to The Varsity. I had passed it a million times going to see my sister, but never stopped in to hear "What'll ya have!?". So. Freakin. Good. A competitive rival to my favorites, Cheeseburger House (located in Greenville) and the always there-for-you Fuddruckers.  With full belly's and a great weekend behind us we headed North back to Greenville.