Random Things, pt 11

There’s nothing easy or simple about reflecting on your past. It can be ugly back there.

new life in the neighborhood

I think back to my first marriage and how every sign pointed to a dead end street. But we blindly charged forward. We both had come from unhealthy upbringings surrounded by addiction and loss. Did I mention we were 18 & 19 yrs old? Hardly an age to be considered adults much less make such a profound choice. And we were wildly different. I was studious and practical whilst he was carefree and spontaneous. Prude meets bum. We were two kids with very opposite viewpoints on almost everything. A match made in heaven!

There’s comfort in this: “When fear knocks on the door of your life, let faith answer!”

Lately I’ve found myself connecting with much older and much younger people more than those my age. Could it be just a season of life? Maybe it’s always been this way and I didn’t notice.

Something made me think about how my addiction to coconut oil has become a habit to rub off on others. Get it, get it. Even before it was a “thing”, I was using coconut oil on my skin, face, hair, you name it. Personally I attribute my overuse of it to the reason I survived pregnancy sans stretch marks. Well, no more than I started with. Many years ago, my destroyer berthing mates knew if I had been in berthing by the smell of my lotion (pure coconut oil). I guess there could be worse smells. Now as I slather it on by the handful, even my mini gets in on the action. Like mother, like daughter. Some say it clogs your skin, etc but mine has never been healthier. Thousands of island-inhabited women can’t be wrong.

On a scale of 1 to You’re Fired, how well would it go over if every time I walked into the restroom at work, and noticed another person in the stall, I yelled “HOWDY, BATHROOM BUDDY!”? Can I tell you a secret? Anytime I go into the restroom in public and can sense (or smell) (or hear) other people being very quiet, I feel like they just want to poop in peace so I try to leave as quickly as possible. Kel, you’re so weird. Do men’s restrooms not behave this way? Why not?

my demise

Run streaking is going splendidly. The hottest run was nearly 87 degrees. My only saving grace was the incredibly strong, 20+mph winds. So instead of it feeling like a sauna, it was like a dryer! That’s always fun. I’ve managed to secure time during my lunch hour to go out to run so I consider myself very lucky. Until it gets above 88, then I’m out. Yay sunrise runs! “People make time for what’s important to them” – this is mine.

________________

I ask you –

How many times have you been married? Bonus points if you hit your state’s limit on marriages. Texas is 5, by the way.

Do you talk to others while in the restroom?

Tell me your go-to motto!

Where the Lost Things Are

How often is it you do a double take at something you see (or think you’ve seen)? Imagine my surprise then.

Returning to a low carb lifestyle was in my summer plans, but when I nixed the races at the end of May, I knew I didn’t have a whole lot of wiggle room for the donut-and-ice-cream plan I’d been following. Lucky for me, there are alternatives everywhere if you know where to look. Or can cook.

And don’t think for a minute I gave up cookies! No, no, no. I make a keto-fied chocolate chip cookie dough eaten straight from the container in the refrigerator. Have you tried the espresso chocolate chips yet?! Trust me!

Lastly, I stayed out until 9:42pm recently. The mom voice inside me was practically tangible when it said ‘Kel, you can not be out this late again.’ Surely I’ve mentioned my lifelong 8:30pm bedtime? I was absolutely sloth-like the next morning. Pitiful. Sad, too.

_________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever painted rocks?

What time do you typically go to bed?

Name the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen outside!

The ‘A’ Words

Credit: https://unsplash.com/@caleb_woods

Working with a youth group, it’s expected to encounter a gamut of topics. No limits. But when awkwardness came up, I stumbled a bit. Seems our next generations think life gets less awkward as one ages. Haha I wouldn’t know.

For example, twice in just one day, I encountered cringe-worthy situations. The first was about another person’s finances; the second pertaining to a divorced couple where I’m friends with each party and have known them since pre-wedding. It can get tricky. But the truth of the matter is this: it definitely doesn’t get easier. Perhaps the level of awkward is easier to manage (my sound advice is avoid, avoid, avoid!). Yet somehow it continues to happen. Oh lucky me.

Side note – there’s nothing I dislike more than observing other’s awkwardness situations. Except maybe a root canal. Seeing as how I haven’t had one of those, I’ll take my chances.

Edit: a previous Monday’s post detailing the face I make when told I should walk the stairs – a few days later, the same person began to laugh when they saw me walking my usual lunch time route and stated “You are amusing to me!” Insert sweet smile. Another “A” word.

I love the innocence of youth, the belief things won’t change so quickly, how honest and open our young people can be about topics considered taboo by older beings. We have two ears to hear and one mouth to listen. In boot camp, there was this one word that began as a call to action; however, it developed into a word of curse-like variety. The word was “ears”. Essentially it meant close your mouth and listen to this important message. But, in the hands of nearly every female in our unit vying for attention on whatever was life-threatening at the moment, it became loathed and dirty. My favorite memory was a young woman attempting to go to sleep one night who, after having had enough of hearing “Ears!” every 6 seconds, yelled out “No more ears! Just shut up!” Couldn’t agree more. I’ve never looked at, or heard rather, the word ears again without thinking back on that memory. I wonder what they use now? Masks?!

Assumptions is another “A” word with negative connotations. You don’t need me to mention the old adage regarding assuming one thing or the other. I believe perception and assumption fit unwell together…basically like perception is reality and seeing is believing…both phrases I firmly disagree with. A lot like “if it smells clean, it is clean” and we all know that isn’t true!

The title? Awkwardness and Avoidance. With a sprinkling of other words.

____________________

I ask you –

What’s your favorite “A” word? Only PG-rated in the comments, please.

Do you consider yourself awkward? I’m not awkward. I’m just plain weird!

Tell me your best cringe-worthy memory!

Slow Roll

Awhile back, my boss requested I add “Drive By Discussion” to the calendar with a list of people to meet with. So I did. But for the remainder of the day, I was met with “why would you write that?” or “did she really say that?” Yes, yes she did. Clearly I Amelia Bedelia’d it. Accidentally on purpose. It was just too funny not to take advantage of. No sense of humor, I tell ya’!

Anyway, as I took a weekend to complete my own drive by of others’ homes and yards and gardens, the gorgeous Texas photo opportunities were limitless. Hope you enjoy. And, if not, oh well.

the tiniest, sickly looking flower on the bottom right was in my yard, of course

For someone who can’t keep one plant alive, I sure enjoy looking at the fruit of other’s hard work. Too bad horticulture and the like aren’t inherited. Consolation prize. I got humor!

____________________

I ask you –

What’s your thoughts on drive by’s? Not funny?

Have you ever stolen plants from someone else’s yard? I thought about it!

Tell me your favorite local/native flower!

‘When the Going Gets Tough’

I’ve been studying a daily devotional called No More Unglued Mama Mornings. This 5-day plan may very well be one I go back to again and again. Thus far, my favorite line has been – “I can’t own this situation and let it throw me into frantic, fix-it mode. I let the consequences of their choices scream, so I don’t have to. I have what it takes to be the mom!” I am the mom! It references “immature leadership” many times and I feel so drawn to those words because if those words aren’t pointing directly at my mini, next to stubbornness, nothing else is.

Driving to the school to register my mini for kindergarten, I felt the familiar stirrings of anxiety unchecked. No need to ask why. It was quite apparent to even oblivious me. My sweet girl has been concerned about not being able to make friends, what to do if/when someone says something mean to her or her friends, and many other uncertainties concerning being social. May I remind you: she is a social butterfly and has never met a stranger so I feel this whole situation is mute. Nonetheless, I hear her fears loud and clear.

Because – big reveal – I’m having the same ones. As ridiculous as it may seem, I’m dreading having to interact with her classmate’s parents. My problem (well, a laundry list of them) is I am an observer, a flower on the wall, a sit in the back and wait for it type of girl. So my butterfly baby forces me to take center stage and jump right in. Why couldn’t I be blessed with RBF? You know, resting b**ch face. Then I could quietly blend in. Oh, and I’m a brunette which naturally makes me more approachable. Research it. Truth. I’m doomed.

the face that screams “come talk to me!”

In related news, I am already good friends with the mom of another young lady who will also be entering kindergarten at the same school and I do know the mother of a young boy in the same situation. With 3-4 kindergarten classes, I don’t know the chance they’ll all be in the same class but it did make me feel better knowing I know a few parents there.

In closing, I leave you with this: yesterday’s mess can become today’s message!

______________________

I ask you –

Are you approachable or considered standoffish?

How often do you feel unglued?

Care to share your favorite motivational statement?

Streaking. Again. No, not that kind.

Typical of 2020, and now 2021, to have me changing my plans every few weeks. I’m working on being flexible, spontaneous…all those things I’m really not.

Back up a little. Remember when I committed to a run streak in January? The only reason I’m not behooving you to remember when I completed the run streak in January is because the stomach bug from hell invaded my body and I have zero recollection of a few days. I ran 27 days. But who’s counting?

credit to polinakovaleva.com via pexels.com

Fast forward. May 1st began a new opportunity for a run streak. Since I nixed the Memorial Day runs in favor of survival (the heat could kill me), I wanted something to keep me running. Enter the run streak! 11 miles was my longest run in April so I feel confident a run streak can be progressive.

Surprisingly, not one time since January have I used a treadmill. I’m free! Yes, I’m lucky to have one but it’s such a fun sucker. Plugging away on a black belt of doom, going nowhere not even fast. Ugh. No thanks.

But if the weather becomes unmanageable, my trusty steed of running equipment will be there. Patiently waiting. Which reminds me I really gotta find that big fan. Because if anyone can have a heat stroke indoors, it would be me.

_______________________

I ask you –

May goals?

Do you have indoor sporting equipment? I can see how golf wouldn’t be ideal.

Tell me your Memorial Day plans!

Whose idea was this?

How do people have time to binge shows? Maybe I’m doing this all wrong. One of my favorite radio shows plays a game where the hosts have to guess what show it is based on clues, like theme song, date it aired, etc. I never get the show right presumably because I haven’t watched any of them. Hahha presumably.

Is this a time management issue? A priority issue? I do like television. There are shows I enjoy so what’s the deal?

Feels like I never have enough hours in my day for hobbies. For me, a schedule is like a chessboard where each piece has its place and I try to fit checkers into the empty spots. Plug and play! Sometimes it’s an ‘oh crap, I need to paint my toenails’. Then there’s the ‘did I send out thank you cards yet?” No, those are still sitting atop your laptop. Other times, and this is my favorite, ‘I have a blog idea!’ so I rush off to write it down before it ends up in a forgotten heap.

in case you thought running was glamorous

To hear others tell it, failure is a good thing. Check out this article about goals. The process of achieving a goal is perhaps more important to long term success than actually achieving the goal. So all the training, all the extra required sleep, all the fretting is worth more than crossing the finish line. This is why I’ve decided to nix the race at the end of the May. A different opportunity has presented itself and I know full well if it happens sooner rather than later I won’t be able to do both. Promise I’ll fill you all in when the time is right. For now, I’m still following the training plan for the most part; with the weather getting warm quickly, I’m doing the best I can to listen to my body and plan for the days ahead. By faith, I’ve been able to run faster than I’ve ever run before nearly this entire cycle. Amazing what you can do when you let go.

Well, geez, why didn’t I think of that myself?!

___________________________

I ask you –

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Are you good at trivia questions?

Give me your best piece of advice!

Small Town Living

Sometimes I discover I’ve let draft posts sit much longer than desired so I slink back to them, apologize profusely, and edit until I love them. It’s been at least a year since we traveled through Saint Jo, Texas, population 12. So the year is probably correct, but the population may be off by, like, 4.

A true and proper town square cannot be beaten. It’s one thing to point someone to the downtown area, but to say you have a town square is reminiscent of Civil War-era canons and ball gowns covered in tulle. Only the itchiest of fabrics were acceptable.

Though I wasn’t able to go inside to evaluate the vintageness myself, when I peeked through the windows, it looked to be a small shop meets flea market. I’m not one to wax poetic, but I do love a good market! Especially if it’s been upgraded with a coffee shop!

Decorating the town square should be a citizen-led event; a right of passage, if you will. When I was a young girl, our tiny 1A school would have a Christmas parade through the center of town near the tomato shed. Don’t laugh. The tomato shed was iconic. It was where a platform stood that had long ago been used by people to rest on while waiting for the next train. Nothing beats driving through a small town to see how decorated and festive it is at holidays.

Can’t say I’ve ever met Howard, but he must be royalty to have his name on the theater’s marquee.

Located right outside of the “Vintage Market”, a place where folks can meet, talk, and decide on what movie to see next. Remember how in the movie Titanic, they continue to flash back and forth between what it looked like at the bottom of the ocean and how it might have looked while setting sail? My mind envisions a lovely couple sitting here, coffee between them. Or perhaps strangers passing between towns. Or even me.

_____________________

I ask you –

Do you ever think about what small towns might have looked like eons ago?

Were you raised in a small town? Tell me about it!

Just like any good slogan, I think town squares are for memories.

Library List

Check out Embrace the Chaos’ post. Any one of her suggestions familiar?

Some ship’s XO whose name I can’t recall (the ship or the XO) has a reading list so when one of the Sailors mentioned this book I knew I had to get it.

Then, whilst perusing books at the local big box store of rambunctious children and other questionable characters, I stumbled upon the below gem of pulverized tree material. This series is so much fun! My best friend got me hooked when she offered me the first book to read only a month before I left for boot camp.

I’m also a huge fan of anything in JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but they’re a bit smutty so maybe skip it if you have reservations. Smut is such a funny word. McKenna something-or-other is also really good, but those are the smuttiest of smutty. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series can’t be beat. Unless you don’t like laughing until you cry. Which I do. After I finish what I have on hand, it’s time to head to the library because I heard Michael Connelly has more Bosch novels out. I’m so excited I could scream!

Now here I am surrounded by books. And not a bookmark in site. I’ll search for it later.

_____________

I ask you –

What’s on your summer reading list? I need more ideas.

Do you typically order books online or find them in store?

Choose one and tell me why: books or movies? Books! Because the imagery comes alive in only my mind.

Round and Round and Round

Typical of me to change plans halfway through a very labor intensive project. You know, like running. Something told me to build a 13 week training plan just in case of unexpected events. You know, like mind changing. So here we are. I’m officially beginning week 8 now. One small exception: due to aforementioned events, my long run was yesterday vice Saturday so today’s 4 miles have been cancelled. Unless I’m feeling motivated. Standby.

The relief is palpable. Don’t get me wrong; I love running. Really. But even marathoners don’t run long distances 3 days in a row. Not the ones I keep up with anyway. My shins were starting to feel like the muscle was pulling away from the bone. If that isn’t a pretty picture.

Also, many are familiar with the Hotter’n’Hell Hundred. That huge bicycling event in the throes of a Texas summer. I continue to ward off invitations to join this year, but my willpower is waning. Insanity. I mean I do own a bike. And I can train for it. The shortest distance is 25 miles. Doable. Ehhhh. We’ll see.

this is the face I make when someone from work tells me I should try walking the stairs during my lunch hour

Being kind can be difficult especially if your face speaks for itself. Like mine.

___________________

I ask you –

Should I enter the hottest bike ride in the universe?

Do you find yourself constantly changing plans?

Tell me your thoughts on riding a bicycle.