Two Questions

I love to talk to people.  Perhaps it's the television producer in me but when I meet someone new, I tend to want to find out as much about them as possible.  When I was younger I wanted to be like Barbara Walters - she had conversations for a living.  How cool!  (although, last night's list of most interesting people of the year stopped after Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.  The Khardashians?  Simon Cowell?  Barbara, you might be going soft.)

Two of my favorite questions to ask people are:
What is your motto?  and
What one person could come to your door and ask you to run away with them and you would?

I always say that my motto is "Life is too short to drink cheap booze".  Most people laugh when I say that.  And it is kind of silly.  But if you look beyond the silliness, what I am trying to say is that Life is too short to (and you can fill in the blank).  I believe every day is a gift and so many of us waste them in careers they hate, in marriages that are unhappy, in self loathing because they are (again fill in the blank), in giving away their power to someone else.  The older I get, and the more it is proved to me in my own life, the more I realize that if you step out in faith - whether it be in God, the Universe, Yourself - your path to change will reveal itself.  Stepping out in faith feels hard but life really is too short.  And as things in my world shift and change, stepping out in faith is staring at me very intently.  I sense a leap in my not-to-distant future. 

As to who you would run away with - people are often shocked when I ask them that question. 

"Run away?"
"Can I take my kids?" 
"Can I take my husband/wife/partner?" 

Ummm DUH - NO!  That is the whole purpose of running away.  The question is about stepping outside of your reality for a minute.  It's about fantasizing.  It's interesting to think about why you would choose that person.  It's about fun.  But a lot of people I talk to can't answer the question. 

"I could NEVER leave my kids!" 
"My life is perfect why would I want to run away?" 

I ADORE my husband and kids but if a certain someone knocked at my door and said -"Run away with me."  I would go. 

The fun part is that you know it will never happen.  Even more fun is to think about the reasons why you chose that person - are they deep and thoughtful?  Shallow?  Crazy?  Or a combination?

And so you ask, who is my "chuck it all" person?  I have always been able to answer the question without hesitation. If the doorbell rang and I opened the door and Bono was standing there - I would be gone. 

What is your motto?
Who is your "chuck it all" person?


Peace.
Tee

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I am just home from a weekend in the OBX with my girlfriends from high school. What can I say about the weekend.  Here's a good place to start:

This past weekend I reconnected with 11 women with whom I have many shared memories.  But these memories were old, dusty, and a little dim.  Gradually, over the days we spent together, we blew the dust off of those memories, shined them up and experienced them all over again. Some were sad but most were terribly funny and even a little mortifying.  These were the experiences of girls - relived by  women. 

Although visiting the 1980's again was fun, what was more important was what we shared as we reconnected.

Sitting in a circle on the beach, around the dinner table, draped over the sofas in the living room, we set about the business of learning about the women we had grown into from the girls we once were.  We learned about strong marriages, the pain of divorce, the joys and frustrations of motherhood (we had 26 kids between us - and two furry kids), the loss of parents, balancing career and family, sharing dreams and challenges, and on and on. 

We also did an amazing job of creating new memories - jello shooters (are you ever too old for jello shooters??), walks on the beach, cooking together, shopping trips, running together, swapping advice, dancing, playing games, and goofing off.  Looking at the pictures from the weekend, my face hurts again from laughing so much.  For a short few days, we shed the roles that define our everyday lives and slipped into a carefree, silly existence.  GD-SOB - We were girls again!

There really is nothing quite like a strong, supportive network of women whose roots run deep.  I count these amazing women among my life's greatest blessings. 

I love my Rocker Chix!

Love,
Tee

It's a Marathon - Not a Sprint

This past weekend, I completed the Outer Banks Flying Pirate Half Marathon.  I have not ran or trained with any real commitment for at least three months. My life has been busy and I have let my running fall to the bottom of the priority list.  I hate when that happens because running is so important to my physical and mental health. 

My friend Robin was already registered for the Half and I was more than happy to be her cheering section.  Robin said - "Do it with me."  I thought about it and a little voice inside told me to go for it.  So, I agreed to do the race with her.

Race day in the OBX was gorgeous.  60 degrees with a light breeze.  It was a perfect day for a run.  We started the run and I felt good for the first five miles - and then I began to feel the effects of not training.  But I was enjoying the scenery and catching up with Robin so I pressed on.  Soon we were at mile 9 and the "bridge".  It seems that a lot of races look for the bridge that has a long, low, ass-whooping climb and sell that as the tough spot.  This bridge lived up to the tough spot designation.

We made it to the top of the bridge and then I started feeling the effects of runner's tummy.  I won't go into any descriptions of runner's tummy since most of you can imagine what a case of runner's tummy might look like.  I was convinced that if I took another step, things would not be pretty.  Robin is a personal trainer.  And she is good at her job.  She was trying to support me and help me move past the way I was feeling.  Then I turned into a crazy person and told her to get me some help.  And because she is a good friend and she loves me - off she ran.

I sank to my knees and then sat down on the bridge, ate a gel supplement and tried to settle my tummy.  So many other runners stopped to help me - Runners are the BEST community of people.  I am grateful to them.

 
While I was waiting for Robin, I started talking to myself - which I do a lot.  I told myself - "Get off your ass and finish this race.  Get out of your head.  This is about finishing what you start.  You are not a quitter."  After about five or so minutes, I stood up and started walking off the bridge.  I ran into Robin who was coming back for me and told her that my quitting was not an option.  So off we went.  Once we made it off of the bridge, there was only 2.1 miles to go.  I could not give up.  Robin ran ahead to finish faster.  And I pressed on.


This has been the year of reminding myself of all that is possible; of all that can be accomplished with the right attitude. It started in January with the Penguin Plunge and has manifested in ways both big and small throughout the year.

Step by step - running and walking the last two miles - I finished the Outer Banks Flying Pirate Half Marathon. 

Life and everything about it, really is a marathon and not a sprint - and it's worth every single step.  

Robin and Me celebrating our OBX Flying Pirate Half Marathon Finish

They'll Take You There

I recently posted a link on FB for the video of "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and New Bohemians.  I posted about how when I heard the song on the radio, it was like time travel and I was transported back to my days at University of Maryland and to nights spent drinking pitchers at the Vous.  Come to think of it, the Vous has it's own soundtrack, which is a playlist worth putting together. 

I love music - I have been singing since I can remember.  I don't always sing well, but I always sing.  Songs are such incredible markers for high and low lights on life path. 

The first song I knew all of the words to was "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul, and Mary.  I remember standing in the back seat of my grandparent's car (remember when you could stand and straddle the hump while holding on to the headrests???) and belting out the lyrics - as much as a 4-year old could manage to belt.

I sang in chorus and in Acapella Choir from the third grade throughout high school.  My high school choral teacher was one of kind and fostered a love of music and of singing and an understanding of the emotional and transformative power of music for a generation of kids.  RIP - JBK.

My mother could sing and she had an amazing collection of Motown and R&B vinyl and she would put stacks of records on the record player and we'd listen to the Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops.  Motown makes me think of elementary school.

"There's No One Like You" by the Scorpions is the first song a guy ever bought for me.  I still have the album.  When I hear it, I am young, awkward and completely clueless about this whole love thing.

When I hear "Like a Virgin", I am transported back to my living room where we were watching Madonna writhe around on the stage during her performance - and the audience wasn't quite sure how to respond.  The definition of live performance was re-written in that moment.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood transports me back to 1985.  I'm leaving for college.  I'm excited.  But Frankie keeps reminding me to "Relax."

Echo and the Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" and any Led Zeppelin song makes me think of hanging out at #5 in Danny G.'s room and drinking Bartles and James.  Still love Led Zep and Danny G. but the thought of a B&J makes me wanna throw up. 

Lisa Stansfield's "Been Around the World" reminds me of a love lost and "Unchained Melody" of a love found. 

And Adele's album 21 - Sheesh.  If that album had come out 25 years ago, I would have never left my apartment.   

When it comes to music, I am happy to travel to wherever it wants to take me.

And, please.  Make it go to 11.

Peace.
Tee

Cheating on My First Love

Reading and books were my first love.  I can remember my Grandmother Woodward and my Grandma Margaret bragging to anyone who would listen, that I could read the newspaper before I started kindergarten.  Some of my earliest memories are of using my MomMom Eyet's manual typewriter to peck out "stories" for my family to read.  I would spend every summer under the lilac tree in our back yard reading stack after stack of books - escaping from my world into theirs. 

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. ~W. Somerset Maugham



Books have a soul.  They become alive in your hands as you fall into the wonderful stories woven into the pages.  There have been many, many times where I have cried because a book ended (Time Traveler's Wife).  When books are stacked five or six high on your nightstand, they are friends, waiting patiently for you to steal a few minutes from your life and spend it with them.  I unabashedly love them.

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own. ~William Hazlitt



But I am cheating on them - with a Kindle.

Several years ago when Kindle first came out, I thought - how can you read that way?  It was really foreign to me.  And then last year, I thought, maybe a Kindle might make sense.  I travel a fair amount and even on short trips I have multiple books in my bag so I thought a Kindle would help lighten the load and there would be more room in my suitcase for shoes (my other love).  But, I didn't buy one.  I just couldn't do it to the stack of lovelies beside my bed.

And then, this past July, at our office summer outing - I won a Kindle during our prize raffle. 

I took the Kindle home and took it out of the box.  It was very light and fit into my purse (!).  But, there was no way this slim piece of plastic had a soul. I downloaded my first book - The Help - and began to read.  I was aware of the lack of pages- a subtle push with my thumb and the page turned.  I could highlight passages without wandering around looking for a highlighter. When I was done reading The Help, I wanted to read One Day.  I downloaded the book in less than two minutes.  No trip to the bookstore.  And I downloaded Scrabble (to which I am addicted) and Blackjack and a Hangman game for the kids. 

So many people said to me "You are going to LOVE your Kindle."  I like my Kindle.  I appreciate the fact that when I travel I have multiple books and games all in my purse.  But I can't honestly say that I love it.  I love books.  I always have and I always will.  But, after more than 40 years, I may need to move on from this first love and into a marriage of convenience. 

A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend. ~Author Unknown



Peace.
Tee

An Anniversary Post for My B

August 17 marks our 18th wedding anniversary.  We have been together though, for 20 years.  I realize that it is cliche to wax on about how time flies when it comes to the length of your marriage or the growing up of your children - but it is hard not to.  I feel like someone hit the fast forward button on my life and the days are just flying by.

We met in a bar in College Park (Santa Fe -  for all you Terps out there) and didn't really pay much attention to each other because we were on dates with other people.  Although, I swear that in the fleeting moment of meeting him that first time  I remember a flash and my brain saying "You're going to marry that guy."  But then again, I could just be looking to make the memory more romantic and swoony.

We were friends for two years before we began dating.  And then one night after seeing our friend Glenn's band play at Max's on Broadway in Fells Point - the B decided to go in for the kiss.  That moved our relationship status forward and we've been together ever since.  So, I owe a debt to Glenn and the guys from Sorry About Your Daughter for setting the mood that night.

Homecoming, 1992 was when he asked me to marry him on Fraternity Row at the University of Maryland.  Then he told me not to tell anyone ( I was like - WTF???).  He didn't have a ring yet and he thought it was weird to tell people we were engaged and there was no ring.  Eighteen years later I think back on that moment and WTF??? still sums it up.

We were married in a very small ceremony on a Tuesday night (the anniversary of our first date) at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michael's, MD.  Which - by the way - is where they filmed the reception scene from Wedding Crashers.  Although when we got married there it was a small, gorgeous inn run by Laura Ashley's family.

We spent our honeymoon in Ocean City, MD.  And we had a friend crash in our room one night after going out drinking.  Awesome.  

Since tying the knot on August 17, 1993, we have done what most married couples do - figure it out on the fly.  Somehow we have managed to move across country and then move back, get and lose jobs, buy a house, have two kids, fight with each other, love each other, compromise, act like stubborn asses, assemble an amazing group of friends, and keep up with our families.  It is exhausting just thinking about it.

For Richer.  For Poorer.  In Sickness.  In Health.  To Love and Honor (I don't obey anyone).  I can't think of anyone else I'd rather share this crazy, wonderful, seat-of-our-pants life.  I hope we keep "figuring it out on the fly" till death us do part.

Happy Anniversary and love to my B.

Peace,
Tee

The Things You "Dew" for Love

I spent part of my vacation at the Dew Tour Skate Vert final.  I can honestly say it is the last place I would have thought I would be.  But, when I heard that the tour was going to be in Ocean City during our vacation, I knew I had to get tickets for Connor.

I learned about skating because of Connor's interest in the sport.  And I wasn't sure what to expect during the event.  But I have to say that I loved every minute of it.  We saw all of the big names in skating including - Bucky Lasek, Pierre-Luc Gagnon aka PRG, a 14-year old phenom called Mitchie Brusco, and Shaun White.

Shaun White and Bucky Lasek

We were treated to the best Heelflip Frontside Twists and Switch Frontside 540s and Heelflip Frontside Inverts, and MacKenzies (also know as a forward-to-fakie Indy 720).

Okay - I totally had to look up all of the trick names.  Whatever. By the end of the night I was recognizing a few of the tricks while they were being executed. Although don't ask me to tell you what Shaun White is doing in this photo...

Shaun White in mid-trick

The best part of the event was bonding with Connor over something he loves.  It was fun to have him explain the tricks and tell me about the skaters and which companies they are sponsored by.  He told me about who had the best Vans shoe line.  I learned a lot about something he loves.

And to top off the evening - Bucky Lasek - a native Maryland boy - won the Skate Vert Final on home turf. 

Bucky before he drops in for a run

I would totally 'dew' this event again.  (last pun, I promise)

Peace.
Tee

I "heart" the Beach

"Got my toes in the water, ass in the sand." - Zac Brown

I love the beach. Maybe it is because I am a water sign - Pisces - that I love everything about it - the sand, the surf, ocean breezes, the smells,

and riding the waves.

When I am at the beach, I feel my body letting go of the tension of the city.  I can sit and stare at the waves and listen to the crash of the surf for hours. My soul is replenished and I am re-energized. 

I know that one day, my life will be beach-based.  And when it is, I will walk on the sand every single day and listen to the stories and the songs of the ocean waves.

“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.”

-- T. S. Eliot

An American Girl

 Every generation of girls has their dolls.  For me it was Crissy and Velvet.




Twenty-five years ago a woman called Pleasant Rowland started a company called American Girl.  According to the company website - American Girl’s mission is to celebrate girls. We embrace who they are today and look forward to who they will become tomorrow.

Until three years ago, the only thing I knew about American Girl dolls was that they were expensive.  And then, one Christmas, Cate received Felicity from her grandparents.  Now I know that each doll is a 10-year-old girl from a period in US history.  Each doll has a back story which is told in a series of books.  Felicity is a 10-year-old girl growing up in colonial Williamsburg.  Felicity is also a horse-lover which is why my parents bought her for Cate - since Cate is nuts about horses.  Since Felicity came into our lives we have also welcomed Elizabeth, Felicity's best friend, and Rebecca, a Russian Jewish immigrant growing up in the early 20th century.

Cate and Felicity

When Cate found out that the American Girl Doll Store was opening in Tyson's this summer, she made it clear that she wanted to make the trek into the Commonwealth to check it out.  We did that today.  Cate, her best friend, her Nana, two dolls, and me all went to the store to celebrate Cate's 10th birthday (all of the dolls are 10).  We did the Birthday Bistro package.  Lunch with celebratory pink lemonade, goodie bags, and a birthday cake and ice cream.  The dolls participated in the festivities.

Felicity at lunch

A toast to turning 10

After lunch, we spent birthday money sent by the grandparents and took the dolls to the salon to get their "hair did".

It was a fun day and I was completely caught up in the excitement of the girls as they shopped for cute outfits and accessories for their dolls.  I was also listening to their chatter about finally becoming "tweens" and I thought to myself - "Keep playing with dolls.  The tween will become teen before you blink.  Stay little for awhile longer my sweet American Girl."