Summer Update, wk 4

Hold on, I have to scroll through my photos to remember what the week looked like. Ok, here we go.

First, it was a long weekend in celebration of Juneteenth. Mini literally spent every day on an adventure and swimming in the pool.

SeaWorld!

I love this age for her because she has so many stories to tell and perspectives to add to where she goes. Her emotions are always clearly written across her face.

Me? I wrote over 35 pages in under 72 hours. It was a lot. I knew the weekend would bring an inability to write anything – hello, recital – so I made the most of my time. Also, we attended an outdoor concert, the final one of the season. At first, there was huge concern because the TX temperature is soaring past the 100° mark. As heat is a no go for me, I brought multiple cups of ice water – alas there was a shady spot and a breeze. Win win.

Hellen Bach!

We played some volleyball Wed/Thur! Kylee, that statement is just for you. Unfortunately, I’m old and tweaked my back resulting in horrendous back spasms. It will take a week to recover and then I can tempt fate with the upcoming mud volleyball tournament! Because I’m dumb and don’t learn lessons.

Mini returned with a wooden turtle we named Hammy and the best hugs and kisses! She even practiced volleyball before the Thur night event. As she fell asleep, she said “I love you, mama. Thank you for letting me practice with you.” One day she won’t call me mama anymore, she won’t snuggle as close to returning to the inside of my body as she can get – but my baby she will always be.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Is a daily adventure your kind of fun or do you prefer a slower life?

What have you been doing lately for exercise?

Tell me some alternative back spasm remedies!

Critical Thinking + Fun

In examining my relationship with food, leaders, bosses, other managers, etc., I started to wonder what my issues are with current leadership. Finally, I condensed it to this: expectation vs delivery. Basically, do I fight against what my supervisor’s expectation is of me and my team or is it the delivery of those expectations that forms my lack of connection? Entirely rhetorical. To be clear, I don’t think I struggle with delivering the information to others; I like to think I’m clear, direct, and instill a sense of purpose. Probably because I can overexplain the most basic of concepts. I’m a “why” person so ask me all the questions – I’ve already asked them, too.

Safe to say, it is 100% the delivery. I have no problem making good on the expectation – I can do that with my eyes closed. Mainly because my own expectations of myself and my team are much higher than anyone else’s. So it just leaves me with an internal problem: the delivery. I’m not sold on how best to alleviate this issue; indeed, it might just be my own issue and no one else’s. And that’s entirely ok.

To offset the seriousness, recently I had some really great zingers and one-liners!

There’s also this – typically, I’ve been able to find something in each of these (thus far, 8) classes that resonates with my work or family or some other part of life. Usually, it happens early on in the course. Imagine my surprise when I’m at week 6 – nearly finished – and just now something from the course struck me as particularly useful. Better late than never!

Lastly, sometimes I’m genuinely surprised to hear about those that have a vested interest in what I have to say. When I’m reminded “Yes, I read your blog.”, it makes me feel appreciated and seen for who I am. What I write here is very personal and deeply me; therefore, anyone who takes time out of their busy lives to peruse these hundreds of posts that I’ve poured my own time and soul into – please accept my gratitude. Your support cannot be put into words.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Which is more difficult for you: delivery or expectation?

How well do you communicate with others?

Thank you, again. Truly.

(The post Critical Thinking + Fun first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Summer Update, wk 3

By the time you’re reading this, mini will be but a few days from my arms. Missing her is hard. Technology helps.

She ate snowcones and messed around, in true summer fashion. As she should!

Me? Well, I spent some of the week busy, accomplishing lots of things I can’t remember now. The other half? I was grumpy and had to be talked off the ledge a few times.

I spent most of my days like this (and I let the four letter words fly) –

Sometimes we let the less-than-best sides of our emotions get in the way; other times, life runs smoothly. I did retrieve mini’s recital costumes and was able to play 1 volleyball game. Due to player illness, we didn’t make it to the second opportunity but it’s probably for the best since my knees still look and feel like I’ve spent too much time on them.

Alas, it also looks like the triple digit temperatures are here to stay so that means an end to running outside. Good thing I just completed the training plan. Ugh.

Cheers to a better week!

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Have you had a snow cone lately? What flavor is your favorite?

When was the last time you flew off the handle?

Tell me something amazing you have going on this weekend!

Phone Photos

Found a bunch of random photos in my phone so here we go:

This is how I know mini was left unsupervised in my office. Who was supposed to be watching her?

When you’re doing 2 workouts a day, your entire laundry basket is shorts and sports bras.

When I spent my niece’s graduation gazing longingly at their gymnasium bleachers and wanting to know the brand so I can beg the government to fund them.

My work bestie and I running everything, including our mouths, attitudes, and being generally obnoxious.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Have you ever had to delete photos to make room for others?

Does your laundry change with the seasons?

If one more person asks if that’s my daughter…

Summer Update, wk 2

Mini’s Californian vacation has closed out its second week with the following results:

She volunteered at the Rock n Roll San Diego Marathon and Half Marathon which required her to be happy at a very early hour and encourage all the participants to stay hydrated. Later she stated it was awesome!

Spare Parts had a fabulous idea to propagate roses using only a random TikTok video for reference. It included cutting rose stems, shoving them into a potato, and planting the whole mess. Her parting words were “…now we plant them and hope we don’t grow potatoes!” We both had a good laugh.

Parts bought me this nifty egg-boiling contraption called … Nifty Egg-Boiling Contraption. I made that up. It actually works!!!! It’s made of something smart that tells me when the eggs are adequately hard-boiled, or not. There’s no in between. Although it probably serves a better purpose for weirdos that want eggs basically raw (ahem, McK), I’m still using it because it’s fun.

Finally, Kelly Crocker was enticed to make cookies. I haven’t had raw sugar and flour in so long I didn’t even recognize the taste! Alas, one miniscule taste was all I had. Dare I say removing sugar, flour, and mostly all carb-y things from my diet has made a world of difference. Yes, it’s difficult to say no but I know myself well enough to know that if I indulge once then it’s a long fall to the ground and an even longer amount of time to get back up. I choose to live vicariously through others.

____________________

I ask you –

Have you ever volunteer at a large event?

When was the last time you baked?

On a scale of 1 to that’s-never-going-to-work, do you think the roses will actually grow?

(The post Summer Update, wk 2 first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

More Prison Stuff

Radio question: could you escape prison? First thought – absolutely no. Next thought – why yes, I think I could. Nevermind the escape part, I think I could even thrive in prison. I’m a likeable woman. I can make friends easily. I’m understanding and hilarious! Not only would I do well in prison but I’d also be able to escape using the skills I presently have.

I could play a lot of games, like spoons!

Case in point: I can break things. Now, you may be wondering how this would help me but I think this skill is underutilized. Perhaps breaking things would present an opportunity to escape. It would require people much more skilled in fixing things to correct what I broke so maybe I befriend them to help me escape.

Example #2: I’m a wildcard, a swing state, if you will. When I enlisted at age 27, my strategy for navigating the drama and noise of boot camp was to lay low, speak to no one, and wake up very early for time alone. Armed with my contraband – tweezers and nail clippers – I kept myself sane. Toward the end, when my fellow Sailors needed more people on their sides for shift switches and all that, I had bargaining power because I’d been able to watch and evaluate personalities for an extended period of time. I remain close with only one of those ladies. The rest…wow. Anyway, I’m industrious and no one would expect it from me, making escape entirely plausible.

Granted, I hope I never make a prison appearance but I won’t rule it out. It could be fun. Friends, food, and unlimited workouts. Maybe I’m on to something.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Could you escape from prison?

Have you ever escaped from prison?!

Tell me something funny!

Summer Update, wk 1

Wk 1 of mini’s Californian vacation –

I watched trashy albeit hilarious movies. Huge Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin fan. No, I don’t care about her past. I played on my phone for hours and got zero accomplished. Maybe I wrote a little. Maybe I didn’t. And I lost my voice, presumably attributed to the previous 2 week’s battle with allergies and a summer cold. Moms don’t have time to be sick. And we all know I need a voice when mini is around. Can you imagine? When I think about trying to parent her sans voice, I recognize the propensity for her to be leading a small country. Hmmmm. Maybe she’s the secret weapon to domination. I’ll tout this idea to leadership.

Additionally, I played nearly 2 hours of volleyball, got invited to play on a team for the remainder of the month, and ran. I ran a lot. Eventually my voice came back and people stopped avoiding me. Mini, on the other hand, is enjoying a semi-heated pool, new friends, and probably all the Youtube she could dream of. It makes me laugh when I think of how well-traveled and blessed she is; she really has no idea. While I sit here and go a little crazy with worry, she lives her very best life. Life is a little funny like that.

Miles are a cruel and unforgiving mistress that take nothing else into account but distance. So as I rack up the miles, in June no less, I try to fill my time with papers and plans. This week’s paper wasn’t so bad but next week’s has turned into a sweltering dumpster fire of garbage. Hot flipping garbage. But I’ll get an A. It’s what I do.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Do you prefer funny or serious movies?

When was the last time you lost your voice?

I wonder what semi-heated actually means. Slightly above freezing, I presume.

It Keeps Happening!

Can I just tell you I’ve never been more worried – and that’s saying a lot – than when I was researching leadership styles and an article I was considering using popped up in Russian. My brain: well, this is how it ends for you, Kel.

Buzzwords are the bane of my existence. Using key words to research and filter through the amassed collection of literally thousands of journal articles, I’ve discovered it’s easier to find articles relating to resilience (current buzzword) than self-confidence (no longer a buzzword, I guess). Although I deeply love anything related to resilience – I instruct resiliency methods nearly weekly to military and civilians – the art of the buzzword is not lost on me. Indeed, it makes perusing journal articles either very productive or very frustrating.

“One of the most precious gifts you can give your family is being emotionally secure and healthy.” I received quite a few responses and some incredible feedback regarding last week’s post about family drama. Nearly every time I’ve encountered others with conflict in their personal lives or in the process of healing relationships with loved ones my question has been…Do you have a therapist, a counselor, a mental health person you can confide in? Trust me – the work they do can be life changing and, sometimes, life saving.

On the note of personal lives, the baby niece I slept on a couch for over 12 hrs waiting to be born – she graduated. I am unwell. She looked gorgeous and relieved. Her mom cried a lot. And the ceremony was short . Alas, time is a thief.

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Have you looked up anything crazy lately?

What are your current buzzwords?

Tell me if you know anyone graduating soon!

Dollars & Sense

I’ve determined unless you’re an absolutely complete moron, then money can literally buy anything you want, including a doctoral degree. Maybe not a doctoral degree for an actual medical doctor but definitely one like I’m getting. Really. Because if the way some of my classmates write is any indication of their ability to form coherent sentences and be decent human beings, then money must be the reason they’ve made it this far. Sorry not sorry. Here I am stressing a dissertation I don’t even have to begin for another year and they’re writing like a sixth grader. Spoiler: we’ll probably all walk the stage at the same time which proves my suspicion that money can buy a degree.

You know what else money can buy? Pizza! And it makes me happy, too.

Money can also buy replacement body parts, especially when Spare Parts still hasn’t come through on the slightly used knees. Mine are starting to look and feel like I either make a living in the red light district or this volleyball hobby is getting the best of me. They’re so bruised I’ve been afraid to wear shorts to work lest someone question my evening habits or tell me I’m too old to play sports. Cue the daughter jokes again.

our most recent photo together

Lastly, speaking of jokes, it’s impolite to stare at someone in a public setting, then loudly proclaim, “Oh good, I found the other one!” as if twins are an unheard of phenomenon. We are not a scavenger hunt. I really don’t understand the fascination. Parts and I don’t even look that much alike! And, I know of at least one other set of twins (identical) who also work on the installation. Maybe they have better luck than Parts and I.

And by luck I mean people don’t stare like they’re a circus act. Or at least say hello first!

__________________________

I ask you –

Have you ever had a taste of humble pie?

Do you like fried green tomatoes?

Rumor has it there will be a photo shoot with mini and cows!

Do you think money can buy anything?

On a scale of 1 to you’re insane if you don’t love it, how much do you like pizza?

Please share your advice or comeback phrases for the shock & awe twin encounters!

Never Seen Before

It’s fascinating to me how often I hear the words, or some variation of, “We’ve never seen this before.” As it’s almost always said with shock, eliciting fear and a call to action, I’ve realized we don’t often say the complete opposite, “Oh I’ve seen this before.” Guaranteed many, many, many situations, events, or challenges have been seen before. Maybe it’s the generalization that bothers me most. I’m opposed to words like always or never because it’s rarely true. No one always does something, there will be times when they don’t. No one never says the right thing, surely this is a lie. The human behavior side of me rests on believing people do the right things. A cynic I am not.

As a generational statement, the phrase is incredibly subjective. Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean someone else hasn’t. The start of WWI was thousands of people going “We’ve never seen this before”. Do you think by WWII people were suddenly saying “Oh, it’s fine, we’ve seen this before “. Eye roll.

On a slightly different note, family drama – at least in mine – is the result of unsupported mental health, trauma, and lack of adequate coping/communication skills. Basically everything. To protect the innocent and guilty, I won’t be slandering anyone on here – even if the truth does need to be told. Perhaps it’s not my story to tell, yet I will say one thing: when someone speaks up for themselves and emphatically stands behind their decision, I believe that’s the epitome of strength and healing. And it’s something we don’t often see or congratulate in the way it deserves. So despite the snarky last word and the passive aggressiveness of future interactions, I’m here for it. And I’ve seen all that before.

I know I’m super geeky about human behavior stuff, but this is interesting to me! The innate versus learned, nature vs. nature – whatever you want to call it. We’re all products of multiple pieces of our lives we have zero control over. It’s what we do with the pieces defined as choices that make us human.

_______________

I ask you –

How often do you state “I’ve never seen this before!”?

Do you have family drama, too?

Tell me about a time when a choice impacted your life in an unexpected way!

(The post Never Seen Before first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)