Making “New” Friends

While I’m writing this before my trip, by the time you read this, I will be in Other State and trying to find my way around one of the 5 largest metro areas. (Let’s see how many times I get lost or drive the wrong way on a one way street.)

Not only will I finally be seeing my husband after 3 and a half long weeks apart and getting to experience new restaurants and a new city and a new state and enjoy a little vacation away, but I will also be meeting some blog and twitter friends. 3 internet friends, to be precise.

EEEEEKKKK.

I am so very excited to meet these lovely ladies. I have been reading their blogs since I started this blog of my own. It feels like I have known them for a long time, but at the same time, I don’t know them.

Like me, they keep some things off the blogs and off of twitter. We all do. We all like to keep some things private. And even if I attempted to tell you all everything, it would be impossible.

So here I am, willingly going to meet 3 different women who I have never met before.

Sounds like the start of a horror film, doesn’t it?

Luckily, I have e-mailed and talked to them and I have decided that they are not serial killers or crazy people.

At least I don’t think so…

(Hi ladies. You know who you are. So excited!)

On Monday, I will be meeting up with one and her husband and some of their friends at a baseball game. Hubs and I both love baseball, so I figure it will be some common ground and will be fun. I think I’m less nervous than Mr. A. Poor guy is afraid he will embarrass me or something since these are people I have a connection to, and not him. He will be just fine. He’s good at talking to people. I’m not worried about him.

The other two ladies, we don’t have official plans, but one gets back from out of town on Monday and the other will be busy for the first few days, so once they get back and done with work stuff, we will figure it out.

I feel like I’m in grade school and trying to make new friends on the first day of class. What to wear. What to do. What to say. How to not look like an idiot. That might be the hard one.

Have any of you met up with internet friends? Any tips? Was it as awkward as I’m afraid it’s going to be?

(Girls, I swear I’m normal, I just get nervous meeting new people. Sorry!)

Flying Drama

When Mr. A went to Other State, he drove since he obviously would need his car and he had too much stuff to bring on a flight without baggage costing an arm and a leg.

But I have no desire to spend 11 hours in a car by myself. There’s no need to have two cars there, so obviously, I’m flying.

But here’s a secret:

I’m not a great flier.

I don’t like to fly. Not to the point where I won’t fly, but I don’t like it. I get incredibly antsy and nervous. I have an overactive imagination and it seems to kick into high gear as soon as I settle into my seat.

And takeoff is the worst part. I can’t listen to my ipod to zone out. I can’t read my Kindle. I just have to sit there. Add in the fact that I get headaches pretty easily and my ears pop like crazy, and it’s just not an enjoyable experience.

I usually have about 2 or 3 pieces of gum and I chew like a mad woman to keep the pressure from building up in my ears. I’ll take a couple Advil before the flight and hope that it keeps any potential headache away.

But even better, I usually have my husband with me. Or someone else to talk to. Last year, when we had to get on two different flights both ways to and from Mexico, Mr. A was great and would just hold my hand and make jokes.

But this time?

I’m alone.

No one to hold my hand. No one to tell me that it will all be okay. No one to make stupid jokes and point out the other goofy looking passengers.

I have flown alone before.

I was 10 and I flew back from Salt Lake City while my dad and his girlfriend went on to San Francisco. But this was pre 9/11 and my dad was actually allowed to walk on the plan with me and get me settled in my seat.

But I am a big girl now.

And I can do this.

It;s not like I’m having a panic attack or anything, just…anxious.

My plan is to get to the airport early, allowing me plenty of time to get through security and to find my terminal and gate and all that. I am then planning on going to one of the restaurants and having myself a drink in order to calm my nerves, maybe even take a short nap on the plane.

I’m planning on buying a magazine so I have something to occupy my mind. Luckily, I got into the first boarding group, so I get to pick my seat, which will be an aisle seat, hopefully in the exit row so I have a little more space.

This time tomorrow I will be sweating my butt off and exploring a new city. Now to not panic on the plane.

Magic

Last night, I, along with some friends, lined up in front of the movie theater at 5pm to see the very last Harry Potter film.

We’ve had our tickets for weeks. We weren’t lining up to buy tickets. My mom did not understand the point in getting in line 7 hours early.

But everyone does it. Everyone wants the best seats. Everyone wants to be a part of the whole event. A movie like this isn’t just a 2 hour cinematic feature. It is an event.

This whole series has been unlike anything else for me.

I have read these books from the beginning. I waited in line at midnight for the release of the newest book. I would stay up until I finished the books because I couldn’t imagine going to bed without knowing what happened. I’ve reread them and found something new each time. I noticed mentions in the first book that become so important in the end. These books were written so well that I can’t believe she was able to weave such an intricate storyline that the first scene ties in with the end.

Call me a nerd. Fine. I’ll accept it. But I truly love this story.

And last night?

It was magical.

Anyone who has been to a midnight showing of a movie that they have been anxiously awaiting knows this feeling.

You can feel the excitement in the crowd. Every person there is just as excited as you are. There is a common thread running through all those hundred of people. People you wouldn’t normally talk to or interact with or think that you have anything in common with, these are the people you are bonding with.

You make so many friends while in line. You get to know those around you. People will share food and drinks and snacks. People will ask if you need anything when they run across the street to Wendy’s or the gas station for more snacks. People bring games and before you know it, 20 strangers are laughing and and joking while playing Taboo or Catch Phrase. One group even brought chalk and was decorating the sidewalk. They even played foursquare for a while. One group had a tent set up and grilled burgers for people who were towards the front of the line.

In this day when people are less willing to help strangers and you have to be more cautious, it’s events like this that show me there is still some good in people.

And then you finally get into the movie. Everyone is talking and antsy because we’ve been waiting hours for this to start. I normally get so nervous that the people around me are going to talk during the movie. It is my biggest pet peeve.

But as soon as the lights go down, everyone cheers and then a silence settles over the entire theater.

My favorite part of these midnight showings of movies that people know so much about is that when a bad guy dies, everyone cheers. When something happens to a favorite character, you can audibly hear everyone gasp. The entire audience laughs at jokes that maybe casual watchers wouldn’t catch or wouldn’t find it as funny.

And since this was a movie based off of a beloved book, we are all waiting for those scenes that are our favorites. We want to know how they put it together. Does it look like how we thought? Are the emotions portrayed how we expected? Are those lines that are so crucial kept in the script? (And let me say, King’s Cross, in my opinion, was spot on. I couldn’t have imagined it any better.)

It was so fun to clap and cheer with 300 other fans was amazing.

Yes, it was 2:30am before I got home, but there was so much adrenaline and excitement that it didn’t matter. Not once during the movie was I concerned with what time it was or felt tired. My eyes were glued to the screen. I watched through misty eyes during those scenes that just broke my heart. And for once, I was the only one crying in the movie. I could hear a girl behind me crying and I passed her some of my tissues.

I’m not doing justice to all of the emotions I had last night. I know that. I can’t seem to focus while writing this, but this has been such a big deal for me that I want to write this. No, I wasn’t one of the people that dressed up, but I definitely was just as excited on the inside as those people.

I’m a little sad that it’s all over. Actually, I’m really sad. Since I was 11, this has been a part of my life. For 13 years. That’s unreal.

So for now, I will relive last night. I will go see this movie a couple more times. I will reread the movies. And a part of me is very sad that I have no more Harry Potter to look forward to. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner. And look up how hard it is to take care of a snowy owl.

My Other Life

A few months ago, my migraines kicked into high gear. I had 9 in a month and a half, and for those of you who don’t have migraines, that is NOT normal. Or acceptable.

I found a doctor here and we adjusted my medicine. We lowered one medicine that I have been on for the last 4 years and we added another one. The doctor wants to wean me off the first medicine since it’s a beta blocker and if I can be off of that since I’m only 24, that would be best.

[[Side rant: New medicine is an anti-depressant that is also used for controlling migraines. I am on the lowest dose possible and it is working like a charm. Not one single migraine since I’ve started it. Also, remember when I blogged about how upset I was? Well this happy little pill has a very nice side effect. It has leveled me out. It has made me calmer. It has made me ME again. And I’m not a zombie. I do care about things. I do get mad or frustrated. I still get upset, but I’ve always been like that. I’ve always been really emotional, but I’ve also been a very friendly, outgoing, bubbly person. This little pill has brought me back to that. I am a full believer that people need to talk about their mental issues because it still seems to have a stigma. So yes. I am on medicine. Was it prescribed for this? Nope. But it’s helping and I couldn’t be happier. End rant]]

Now when I started the first medicine, they wanted me to take it at night since it lowers your blood pressure and often makes people sleepy. Me? I got the super rare side effect of insomnia and vivid, lucid dreams. So when I did sleep, I felt like I had just run a marathon. So we switched it to mornings and it’s been fine.

But now that we’ve added this second medicine, it’s gotten a little strange.

I have the most vivid dreams EVER. Strangely, I still feel rested, which is good because if not, then I would have to be switching medicine because I don’t do without sleep very well.

But these dreams…

I remember them too. I remember them for days. Weeks.

Some are very strange. Like, my friend A becoming the President, I got lost in the White House and then Obama found me crying in the basement and let me take his dog for a walk to cheer me up. WTF?!?

But the weird ones are those that are so incredibly realistic. The ones that I spend HOURS trying to figure out if they happened or not. The ones where I sometimes have to call the people in the dreams to see if they happened. The ones where I ask my husband, “Did I do such and such?” He usually laughs, tells me know, and says I’m crazy. (But the good kind of crazy…)

LIke the time I dreamt that I called my mom and said that we would be spending the night at her house when we came for the weekend. We stay there 99% of the time just because it seems to go better and my step mom drives both me and my husband insane. But she told me that we couldn’t stay there because she had a bunch of stuff on our bed and didn’t have the time to move it all before we got there. Since it is common for my mom to use my room as some extra space, I thought that we would just stay at my dads. I was a little bummed because my mom is usually so open and welcoming.

Now, we were REALLY going home that weekend. And I REALLY thought we were going to stay at my dad’s.

My mom called me a couple days after and we were talking and she mentioned washing the sheets for us. I asked her why she did that since she told me that we couldn’t stay there.

Turns out, that whole conversation NEVER happened. She asked if I had been mad at her for those few days and I told her that I was a little hurt, but just figured she was too busy.

She still teases me about this.

Also, these dreams last all night long. And sometimes, they will last nights in a row. And not just repeating the same dream. It picks up where it left off the night before. Again, incredibly vivid and life-like. Even the bizarre ones.

So I have this whole other life. I asked my MIL this morning about a dream I had last night because I didn’t know if we really had the conversation or not. Now the one about helping a girl from high school’s fiancé pick out things for a baby shower? I knew that didn’t happen since I haven’t talked to her in a long time and I’ve never met him, only seen pictures online.

So if I ask you about something that never happened? Just politely tell me that I’ve crazy and I should stop reading Harry Potter before bed because I am NOT going to Hogwarts and dating one of the twins. (But man that would be cool.) Damn.

A Million Things

I have about 20 different blog posts that I want to write, but things keep happening so quickly that I can’t keep up, so I’m doing a brain dump post in hopes to touch on all of it. I don’t have the time or patience to write full posts on each of them. (Also, if I have a million typos that I miss, my pointer finger on my right hand is all messed up since my fingernail separated from the skin. It hurts pretty bad, which makes typing hard, so forgive me. I’ll try to catch them.)

 

* This past weekend I headed home and it was one of those rare weekends where everything went well and I got to spend some great time with some of my favorite people. My best guy friend A graduated from grad school this May and is at home before he leaves for California in a couple weeks. He was one of my bride’s men in our wedding and I was so excited to see him. I had dinner with him and his parents on Friday night at my favorite wine bar. And they have the best brick oven pizzas. His dad was the one that married Mr. A and I, and since A and I have been friends since 5th grade, we go way back and his family is just so wonderful.

Saturday morning I got to have breakfast with my very best girl friend R, and we got to catch up. She and I may not see each other for a couple months, but when we do, it’s like nothing ever changed and we just fill each other in on everything that has happened. She is dating an amazing guy and engagement and a wedding is in their very near future. I now have 3 weddings for next year and all are for very close friends. I might be more excited to get to be there on their special days than I was on mine. The pressure won’t be on me and I will get to relax and enjoy.

Saturday night, my mom got some free baseball tickets, so my brother, his girlfriend, A, and I all went and had a great time. My team came back and won in the 9th inning. Always makes for some excitement and fun. And, hello, NACHOS! heh

* I tweeted last week that my brother was being sneaky and was talking about some sort of surprise. The hints he gave immediately had me thinking that he and his long time girlfriend were going to get married. It would not be surprising if they just went to the courthouse and did something very small. However, this was not the case. His surprise was taking me to see The Little Mermaid being performed by the off Broadway touring company. This may seem goofy, but my brother always jokes that he knows all the words to it and The Lion King since I used to watch them over and over every weekend. He thought it would be fun for us to go now that we are older, friends, and could have a beer while watching. It was a sweet bonding night for us and I truly have THE most amazing big brother. He will get his own post one day soon. He deserves it and so much more.

* Speaking of weddings, my butt needs to get in gear because I will need some very cute dresses and these arms need some good workouts.

* Unpacking is taking its sweet sweet time. And torturing me along the way. Kitchen and bathroom are the only two rooms that are completely unpacked, organized, and free of clutter and crap that still needs to be gone through. Not sure what to do with stuff in the living room yet. The bedroom and office upstairs are going to be the biggest projects, so I think I am going to tackle those and plan on getting them done before I leave to visit Mr. A next week. Here’s hoping.

* And I’m waiting to post apartment pictures until I get things organized and put away so I can do before and after pictures at the same time. No point in posting pics of an empty apartment with no way to show all the work that’s been done to fix it up. It won’t be fully complete for a while because I need to stretch the buying of a few things over some time so that it doesn’t break our bank account. I know I will need some decorating help.

* I hate admitting this, but it looks like the husband and I are planning on staying in this apartment for the next two years. I love the apartment, but it doesn’t allow dogs, and I REALLY thought we would get one next year. Actually, i originally thought we would get one this year, but since we had to sign leases in January, and money and everything else was so up in the air, that we couldn’t fathom agreeing to pay more for an apartment when we weren’t even sure we would have the money to even get a dog. And after this moving nightmare, we really would like to stay in the same place for more than a year. I haven’t live in the same place for more than a year for the past 6 years. I moved every year or every semester at times. It will be nice to actually set up a little home and decorate and all that. And maybe we will be able to save money so when we graduate, we can move to a nice place in whatever city we decide on and then get a dog where we settle.

* The thought of not getting a dog for another two years truly breaks my heart. It’s something I’ve wanted so badly for so long that I actually ache inside thinking about it. Lame? Yes. But also very true. Our apartment does allow cats, but I am crazy allergic to them. I have considered just taking a Zyrtec everyday and going for it, but my cat allergy is pretty bad and I would hate to get one and then it still make me miserable. I don’t ever want to be one of those people who get a pet and then can’t take care of it.

* Still on the pet thing, very tempted to get a bunny. I JUST WANT SOMETHING FURRY THAT I CAN PLAY WITH AND SNUGGLE AND TAKE CARE OF!!! Gosh. Any of you ever had a bunny? Thoughts?

* The cars in our family decided that they too hated Mondays and thought it best to screw with Mr. A and I. Mine started doing this thing that when I put it in reverse (I drive a manual), I lose my entire dashboard- no speedometer, no fuel gauge, no turn signal, and worst of all, no blowers or air conditioner. It wouldn’t even blow hot air just to have some circulation. So I would have to change the fuse after I reversed my car out of whatever parking spot I was in. And I would have to do this every time I had to back up. So today, I drove back home so that I could switch cars with my step-dad and the shop he works for can work on my car and try to get it fixed. Nearly 5 hours of driving roundtrip after making the drive home yesterday did not make me a happy camper.

And then Mr. A’s car got towed. He says the spot had lines like every other spot, but they claimed he was in the exit ramp of the parking garage. He texted me a picture of the spot where he had been parked and it looked legal to me, but since he had no bargaining power since he’s an out-of-towner with no other way of getting around, he had to pay the $200 fee to get his car back. After paying for a cab to take him to the tow place.  He was not happy at all. Especially after his car got locked in the parking garage on Friday when he left it there while going to the baseball game with people from work. It was not his weekend with cars.

* This upcoming weekend is going to be a great one. On Thursday, I head to Mville. Mr. A’s best friend G’s girlfriend, C and I will be getting in line around 5pm to see the midnight showing of the last Harry Potter movie. We already have our tickets, but people start getting in line to get good seats. Also, it’s just kind of fun to be with a bunch of people who are all as excited as you are about the same thing. We will get food and bring books and magazines and cards and entertain ourselves. My mother in law said she would bring us food if we wanted. Last time, people ordered pizza to their place in line. And then I will ball like a little baby when the movie is over. Not only because the ending is sad (no, I didn’t give a damn thing away, so chill out), but also because this is the end of an empire and a huge chunk of my child and young adulthood.

Then, I will sleep in on Friday since I probably won’t even get home until about 4am. That night, my MIL and I are going to see Bad Teacher. We both wanted to see it and since my step-FIL is not the type to go to the movies, we’re making a date night out of it. And then I will giggle at the people who will ultimately be in line for the HP movie on Friday. Maybe I should shout out the ending for those who didn’t read the books…  ;o)

Saturday my awesome Mville hair stylist has fit me in for a Brazilian Blowout. I know there was some controversy, but I did my own research and asked her a MILLION questions, and I’m going with it. I’m excited since my hair is truly unmanageable in this horrendous humidity. I can spend an hour straightening and smoothing and putting product in my hair, and 10 minutes outside and it looks like I just rolled out of bed. It’s infuriating since I do want to look like I care and try to look nice. And with heading to the very humid southern state next week, I  thought this would be a good time to do it. Also, I still have the rest of July, August, and September. All still hot months. I don’t plan on doing this constantly, mostly because it’s expensive, but if I like it, it might become a summer thing.

And after my fun hair appointment, my MIL and I are headed to the pool for the rest of the day to sun, drink margaritas, and have a girls’ day. Her friends are meeting us there and it should be a blast. Sunday will also be spent at the pool before I head home Sunday night. Hoping for a little sun on my pale skin and to just get to relax.

* If you have figured out or I’ve told you where Mr. A is, and where I will be visiting next week, PLEASE send me an e-mail with some restaurant suggestions, places to visit, etc. PLEASE. Mr. A hasn’t gotten out much, and I will have all day long while he’s at work to entertain myself, so I need help. HELP.

 

I think that’s it. A lot is going on, and before I know it, GA training will be starting and I’ll be in class once again. This summer is just flying by. And I’m pretty much loving it, but cannot wait for my husband to return. Sure do miss him.

Moving: The Aftermath

I really can’t believe my marriage has survived this.

Actually, I can. I’m being dramatic. But I’ve had moments that I wanted to pay for a second apartment so I could have one on my own.

I loathe, just like most people, moving. LOATHEEEEE.

There really aren’t words strong enough for how much I hate it.

Probably also comes from my moving back and forth between houses every week when I was younger.

AND YOU GUYS. How in the world do two young people have so much crap?!?!

I mean, we’ve lived in college dorms and college apartments. We still live in a college town in apartments that aren’t that big, yet we probably have enough things to fill a small house.

Luckily, we weren’t moving very far, so it was a little easier on me since I had to do it on my own. Even better, my MIL lent me her SUV to use instead of my teeny tiny car, and that made a HUGE difference.

However, if I ever get to pick a move date in the future, it will be during the winter when it’s nice a cold. Moving in 94 degree temperatures with 100% humidity is pure hell. Add in steps to the front door and now having an apartment with a second floor, and it was NOT fun.

I started moving on Tuesday, and by Friday, I thought my lower back was going to explode. I still need to schedule my massage…

Mr. A came home Thursday night and we finished moving things. I had basically everything done except for furniture and some miscellaneous things. We moved the televisions and set up the air mattress and stayed in the new apartment.

Also, pretty sure we put the fewest miles EVER on a rented Uhaul. A grand total of SEVEN. Seven miles folks. We only had to put one gallon of gas back in it. It was more miles back and forth to the rental place than between our apartments. We were done with the truck in 3 hours. Too bad they don’t prorate when you don’t use it for a whole day.

We got things mostly functional, but I didn’t want to spend my last day with Mr. A unpacking, so I told him that I would deal with it after he left so we could enjoy some time doing fun things.

BIG MISTAKE.

Yes, I’m glad that I got to spend time with him, but holy crap. Unpacking might be worse than packing.

The kitchen is the only room that is completely unpacked. The rest of the apartment? Not so much.

This fun pile is definitely still in our living room. Do I know what’s in those boxes? Not really. The stuff in the background is blocking a closet door. Luckily, the closet doesn’t have hardly any space, so I’m not missing much. Someone want a rockband drum set? Because I’m ready to just get rid of it. We played it for a while, but now, not really. It’s in my way.

These are the stairs. Doesn’t look too bad. Those two boxes are things that I need to take to Goodwill and such. Mr. A will freak out if I turn the stairs into a catch-all, so I’m trying to not get into that habit.

But the first pile is immediately to the right of the stairs, and until it’s moved, I can’t put our entryway table there, so the stairs it is. And they are quite convenient for purses and things that eventually need to go upstairs. 🙂

And the upstairs.

Please don’t report me to Hoarders.

This is utterly embarrassing. But this is currently what a corner of our bedroom looks like.

It’s clothes and miscellaneous crap that I need to find a home for. We went from a two bedroom apartment where we basically used the second room as storage for things we never planned on unpacking. We now only have one bedroom, and while there’s more room, we no longer have a room to jam stuff.

And I’m just being lazy and enjoying my time off. I promise it will  get put away. Probably early next week, but only because I’m going home this weekend. I’m in no rush because I know what works for me and how I operate. The longer I stare at it, the more I will hate it and will ensure that I take care of it the right way, and not just half-ass it. It’s a process folks.

Also, I’m coming off of just PACKING AND MOVING all of this. I give myself a week to not have to touch it. Eventually I will need more clothes, so it will happen. (And by shaming myself here on the blog, it will have to get done so I can take real apartment pictures to post for you all!)

So, there’s been a lot of sitting on the couch this week. Yes, being lazy, but I’m allowing it for myself. Do I deserve it? Doubtful. But my husband doesn’t come home until August 17th. As long as it’s done before then so he doesn’t leave me for being a lazy bum, it’s all good. I just won’t show him living room images on Skype. No need to worry him.

For now, I will watch SATC, drink wine, order takeout, and schedule my massage. I sure am lucky.

About 10 Years Behind

There’s been a new character that has popped up on this here blog recently.

We’re in love. Well, really, I love it. It doesn’t know I exist. But I’m obsessed.

It’s Sex and the City.

Swoon.

And as the title says, I know I’m years behind on this, but remember, when this show was on, I wouldn’t have been old enough or allowed to watch it. Never mind that we didn’t have HBO.

The first I’d ever truly seen of it was the first movie. I knew that I had to learn more about these girls and their stories. I loved the movie. That wedding gown. Those friendships. Mr. Big.

But show series are expensive and blah blah blah.

However, one day while perusing Amazon, I found the ENTIRE series for really cheap. Brand new. Even had a pretty pink case.

I also knew that i would be moving and Mr. A would be gone, so this would be the perfect time to get caught up.

Well, a week and a half later, I have finished the entire series. And even more in love than before.

How can you not fall in love with those girls?

They are so honest. I can see how any single girl would relate to them. Especially since they aren’t 26 and just prancing around. They are older and have more experiences, but they aren’t giving up on what they want from life.

Yes, they have more money than most of us. They can afford shoes that cost more than 2 months rent. Their purses and worth more than my car and the total of the items in their closet are worth more than some people would make in a year.

But they aren’t afraid to talk honestly and bluntly about men and relationships and the other action that I won’t spell on here because I don’t want THOSE kinds of search terms. I may be much younger than them and never spent years sleeping with half of a city, but I can still relate to them and learn from them.

But oh those clothes…

However, what the heck were they dressing Miranda in during the first couple seasons?! She looked like a frumpy boy half the time.

But Charlotte’s dresses and some of Carrie’s outfits, especially as the years go on. I so wish I could just have one of them.

Mostly, I cheered so wholeheartedly for their relationships. I can’t decide if I love Charlotte and Harry or Samantha and Smith more. Both stepped beyond what they would normally do and found love.

Miranda and Steve are adorable. I even like that he is shorter than her.

I’m torn on Big and Carrie. Especially when he leaves her on their wedding day. And when he leaves her for Paris. And when he won’t commit to her.

Yet, there is something that brings me back to them and makes me tear up when they get married in the courthouse in her very simple yet beautiful white suit. Maybe they just need a little drama to make it all work.

So there it is. My husband will now have to compete for my affections with a tv show. Or at least step his romance up a step or two. He should chase me across the world and bring me back. (I’m kidding. But a limo with balloons on my birthday would be nice…)

Who is your favorite girl? Who do you most relate to? Am I the only one planning on watching this series over and over?

Love Affair

Nothing long or poignant.

And while my last post makes this seem hypocritical, I fell back in love with Twitter tonight.

It has led to some great friendships, amazing conversations, and thoughtful debates.

And to those who can disagree respectfully, thank you forever and ever from the bottom of my heart.

The funny comments. The witty remarks. The snark. The sarcasm. Love.

I still stand behind my previous post, but I am willing to forgive and move on.

Now, can we go back to discussing things like awards shows and Teen Mom and baseball and the best beauty products again?

But keep the snark and sarcasm. They make this fun.

Only comment.

I have not whispered a peep about this trial. Not one. My husband and i discussed it, but beyond him, I have not expressed one single opinion.

And I still won’t. Only one social media friend knows how I felt/feel and that was through private messages.

I knew that no matter which side I was on, someone would disagree with me, and it was not that important to me for me to get involved.

Even more?

I have no legal background. None.

Even more reason for me to keep my English degree mouth shut.

Yes, I do know what beyond a reasonable doubt it. Yes, I do know about circumstantial evidence and things have to be proven.

But I remained silent.

Except that I’m friends with A LOT of lawyers/law school people in social media. I actually got into this whole world through Law School Wife, so naturally, that’s who I have originally made friends with and connections with. And I’ve loved it. Law has always interested me so it’s fun for me to talk to people on the other side and hear their opinions and just how it all works.

But today.

Today a rift has formed.

Between lawyers and non lawyers.

And it’s probably not even a big deal. And the things being said are probably just over generalizations. But for some reason, they have deeply bothered me and hurt me some.

I understand many people who don’t understand how the law works and who had their own verdicts made years ago are ranting about everything. I get that. it’s annoying. Especially for the lawyers who truly understand how this works. even those who thought she was guilty knew that they did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt, so they were glad that the justice system worked how it should. We don’t want to lock people up just on mass opinion.

But the comments that ALL non lawyers are ranting and that NONE of them understand how this works bothers me. Yes it’s dumb. Yes, I’m taking something personal that has nothing to do with me.

But I have been quiet and I may be a “non lawyer”, but doesn’t mean that I’m dumb or ignorant of the justice system and the process that is involved.

No, this isn’t earth shattering. And should I care? Probably not. But if people are going to get all riled up, so can I.

So this non-lawyer is still keeping her opinions to herself. But the next time a non-educator talks about our education system, I won’t be biting my tongue.

Hypocrite

I have an admission folks.

I, NewTeacherWife, am a hypocrite.

Why you ask? Well, really, you wouldn’t know.

You see, about 4 days ago I was typing a post about how much I was enjoying my alone time. I was going on and on about how even though I missed him, I was enjoying spending time by myself. I went and got a manicure. I could watch endless hours of Sex and the City. I could eat a late dinner, even if it was just cereal. I slept in the middle of the bed and hogged all the blankets and the pillows. I even went to a movie alone. A movie!! Alone!!

The post was all about spending the time, very clichely, finding myself and learning more about me and what I like.

And this this crazy year and all that I had gone through emotionally and mentally, the alone time was nice.

It wasn’t like I didn’t see him for 6 weeks. He came up on the weekends or I went down to Mville during the week when I didn’t work. So it was a nice balance of alone time and spending time with my husband.

I wrote out this whole, wonderful post and just hadn’t finished it, so it didn’t get posted. I was planning on writing the ending and letting all you blog readers read it.

But then today happened.

And what is so special about July 3rd?

No, I didn’t spend the day on the lake or at a BBQ with friends and family. I was not sunbathing by the pool.

No.

My husband left for Other State, (the REALLLLY big state 🙂 ) at 5am this morning. We woke up at 4:30, I talked to him while he showered. I made sure he hadn’t left anything crucial behind. We loaded the car with the snacks and drinks we bought the day before.

And we said our goodbyes.

I guess not goodbyes, but “see you soon”s and “call me if you’re bored”s and “let me know when you get there”s.

I didn’t cry, but I got a little choked up as he drove away. But it was also 5am, I was exhausted, and I headed back to bed. I said my prayers that he would have a safe trip, set my alarm for 9am and drifted back to sleep.

9am rolled around and I called him to check on his progress. More so I knew he hadn’t run into any problems and see if he had hit any traffic. He was chipper and in Arkansas. It was flying by and he was doing great.

And then it hit me. He was in Arkansas. And on his way to be even farther from me.

This is truly such an amazing and wonderful thing for him. I’ve said it a million times, but this is such a fabulous opportunity for him that there was never even a second where I didn’t want him to go.

Even today. I want him to be there. I want him to get these experiences and opportunities and make these connections.

But today, I’ve been a little mopey.

I’m not crying or balled up on the couch. I ordered some Chinese food and I’ve been watching SATC all afternoon. (Except when I went to Target and then got rained in for 30 minutes since I couldn’t see 4 feet past the door.)

I’m fine. I really am.

It’s just that even though he was in Mville, he was only an hour and 40 minutes away. I saw him on the weekends and he was still very accessible. I think that’s why it was easier to have all that alone time- I wasn’t truly alone.

But now? He’s, at minimum, a 12 hour car ride, away. 5 states separate us.

Other than Skype, I will not get to see him for 3 weeks.

And yes, I’m totally coming off as the whiny girl who apparently can’t be without her husband. And that kind of bothers me because that’s not who I am.

Marriage has just been so wonderful. I do love having him around and having someone to joke with and grocery shop with and go out to dinner with.

I guess these next 3 months will truly show what I’ve got and how much of an “independent woman” I really am.

For now, pass the chocolate ice cream and wine and turn up SATC.