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Currently...

Thursday, November 15, 2012

[This gal came over to say hi to me and Rob when we were on a run over the weekend. 
Nothing like a surprise horse cuddle to make your day.]

Reading The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. I had ordered it for myself on Amazon but was too impatient and ended up having my brother check it out for me from Longwood's library. Libraries! I need to visit mine soon. I'm four chapters in and it is gorgeous already. She pretty much had me at page two:
"I close my eyes and lean into Ernest, smelling bourbon and soap, tobacco and damp cotton--and everything about this moment is so sharp and lovely, I do something completely out of character and just let myself have it."

Drinking a billion glasses of water a day. Well, okay, not a billion, but a lot (especially considering I used to go all day without so much as one sip). I try to drink a big mug of hot water with lemon while I'm getting ready in the morning, and then after I finish my coffee, I get started on glasses of cold water. I drink all day now and I feel awesome! My secret is to use a straw--it's all about the straw!

Listening to Mumford & Sons' Babel (still). I took a break for a few weeks and now I'm back. I can't get over it.

Thinking about the future a lot. I don't know what it holds. Sometimes it's really hard to just let go and embrace each day--it's hard to be away from Rob, and it's hard to not really have a definite idea of where he's going to be after his training stint in Northern Virginia is done. But it helps to have such a strong foundation underneath us, and I feel blessed to have him in my life. I know things will eventually work themselves out. And we'll look back and find a way to be grateful for the time we spent apart.

Loving Body Pump at the Y in the morning. I haven't lifted any weight since I quit CrossFit and I've really been missing it. It's hard to drag myself out of bed at 5:00 AM when it's cold out and my bed is so cozy, but it's totally worth it to get so much done before 6:30! And I actually really hate getting ready in a gym locker room, but at least I have it as an option, and then I go take myself out for coffee before work. You can't have it all, right?

Looking forward to a few things. First, I'm working with a really beautiful online magazine on a couple of pieces, and I can't wait to share details with you! Second, my brother broke Longwood University's 10K record last week (he ran it in 33 minutes...no big deal, right?) and qualified for a race in New York this weekend. We planned to go, and then it got called off, and now it's on again, so we're going! I'm picking Rob up in Northern Virginia and then we're driving up the rest of the way on Friday night. This is Sean's last race and I pretty much can't put into words how proud I am of him without tearing up. He's pretty awesome. So I'll take pictures and cry about it on Saturday.

Making me happy that I have wonderful parents, a close relationship with my brother, a sweet and amazing boyfriend, the cutest dog, a great job, a roof over my head, more than enough food to eat, and good health. Sometimes I forget to really take in the everyday things that I should be so grateful for.

What are you up to currently? Thanks, Dani, for providing the inspiration for these posts!

23 comments:

  1. The Paris Wife is delicious isn't it. Word soup for the soul. I am nearly finished.

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  2. Great post! You've inspired me to write about my "current" shenanigans, LOL. I love how your blog isn't JUST about fashion, even though I love fashion, I like the variety of a creative lifestyle blog.

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  3. I know I said this last week, but the Paris Wife is just SO freaking good! You will love it more and more. I agree with you - there is so much to be grateful for yet we do forget all the little things day to day :).

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  4. Great post! I need to drink more water. I might try the whole straw idea!

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  5. I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a late lunch yesterday and bought a 2 liter bottle of water. when I got back to my desk, I asked my colleague to make sure I drank it all before I left at 6pm. Turns out it's IMPOSSIBLE to drink 2 liters of water in 2.5 hours - but I was a pee machine nonetheless! (TMI? sorry... haha!)

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  6. Thats right things will eventually work themselves out... just keep going strong :)

    That horse is beautiful, i remember taking horse riding lessons when i was younger, photo makes me wish i never stopped.

    Jelena
    xo

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  7. That horse, and most horses, are SO MAGICAL. I love this photo. Congrats to Sean and also, The Paris Wife is and always will be my favorite book. I recommend it to the world.

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  8. 33 minutes? holy shit. That is literally twice as fast as me haha. I need to drink more water too, it's easier in the summer when you're thirsty and hot all the time!

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  9. LOVED the Paris Wife! I've never been a big fan of Hemingway himself, so I also enjoyed gaining some insight into his life. If you're ever in Key West, you should check out the Hemingway House--it's a gorgeous house with lots of history.

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  10. I'm so especially glad I read your post today. I just pre-ordered "The Paris Wife" and look forward to reading it.

    I strive to drink at least 80 ounces of water every day. The easiest way for me to accomplish this task is to chug a 16 ounce bottle of room temperature Ozarka spring water four times a day. I stand over the sink just in case I spring a leak. I also drink 16 ounces of cold water with each meal. The rest of the day I sip black tea that I carefully brew from loose leaves each morning.

    What a well mannered horse to greet you during your run!

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    1. I hope you like the book!

      Hahah! I can imagine springing a leak would be a problem.

      And that horse was oh so polite!

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  11. I swear I could have written your drinking paragraph. I never drank enough in a day. I now combine 4 oz of juice with 16 oz of water and drink 2 of those at work - with a straw!

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  12. Oh, I loved The Paris Wife. I listened to it on audio and could hear the narrator speaking during the piece you quoted! It's one of those stories that really grew on me with time, and I appreciate it even more in hindsight.

    That horse is lovely -- and I can appreciate what you mean about stopping to soak up and appreciate the little things, the everyday moments. It's definitely hard sometimes.

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    1. It is hard sometimes! And then I just feel silly for forgetting.

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  13. I love Bodypump! It's been hard for me to fit drinking all the water I need in an a day, but getting a cute water bottle has helped. I really need to start with a lemon slice in the morning though, I've been reading all over that it's very beneficial.
    stephanie

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  14. i finished The Paris Wife this morning in bed with tears in my eyes

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  15. I just read The Paris Wife for book club and loved it. The end was amazing! I'm drinking heaps more water than I used to also. I never used to take a drink bottle any where and now I can live without one.

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  16. So many things here I am swooning over! Hot water with lemon...I think I should try this. I don't have many bathroom breaks as a teacher, so it's hard to get in all of my water everyday, but it's practically all I drink aside from coffee. I MUST get back to Mumford & Sons & Body Pump classes! Getting ready at the gym isn't my fav either (I ALWAYS forget something), but it saves me from piddling and being late from home.

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  17. Aside from AST at Longwood, I'm in another sisterhood called PEO. We have monthly meetings and a program at every one. Last year sometime, one of our members did a book review on The Paris Wife. I hav not found the time to read it, but I definitely plan to at some point :) I love your blog and you have inspired me to get back into blogging. Mine is through Wordpress at the moment: http://strickerlb.wordpress.com ... I need to come up with something more original than my own name! I may even email you or find you on Facebook for a few tips. Best of luck as you start this new transition in your life, and congrats on your engagement! I hope that I will be psoting about something similar in the next year or so ... Thanks for reading!

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