New Beginnings

So far this new year has been full of new beginnings and changes. Last weekend I helped Aaron move into his old house that he is trying to sell. Anyone looking for a historic four-square in Chattanooga?? I had to ask. He's settled in here as much as possible but with hopes that it will be sold by summer's end.
My Christmas and new year was wonderful. My friends and family are so amazing and Ive never been so thankful. This past year would not have ended as it did without them. I really feel that I am moving forward and in the right direction. My heart no longer hurts as it did and Clay is not the first thing I think about when I wake up. Everyone told me that would take a while, nine months was plenty and I'm glad to be thinking of other things when I open my eyes each day. Divorce does incredible things to your body. Personally...I couldn't eat, seriously, I couldn't chew or swallow some days, I lost 30+ pounds, started smoking again, drank my weight in vodka, could sleep no more than a few hours at time and went from happy to crying in a split second. (Oh, and there was a ton of retail therapy happening as well) Each day I had no idea how I felt or even how I wanted to feel. I just got dressed and did what needed to be done. I think that is what saved me. I spent a few days here and there moping around but every day I got up, got dressed, and made myself leave the house and interact. Those interactions with friends and family are truly what helped me overcome the heartbreak. I was able to see just how many people loved me in the way I really wanted to be loved. Those of you who know me well know I am a TALKER ;-) and boy have we talked this divorce to death! but it helped. I loved getting everyone's input and advice.
I kept a video diary the first several months. It's really hard to watch but I know one day I'll look back at it and high five myself for prospering and overcoming such a traumatic blow to my heart.
So on to bigger and brighter. 2011 is my new start. This year is not tainted, nor will I allow it to be. I start spring semester in a few days and that will take up a great deal of my time. I've got some trips to plan, as I've always got to be going and doing ;-) This year I hope to travel with some friends that I've never gotten the opportunity to hit the road with. Heather and I are looking into driving to Montana this summer for our annual road trip. I'm sure Aaron and I will jaunt off a time or two before it's all said and done.
I guess I should share a little about Aaron. We met on eHarmony of all places. During the summer I decided that eHarmony might be a good distraction for me, never thinking I would actually meet someone. I just thought it would be fun to read profiles and email with the occasional match. Well, after only two weeks Aaron appeared. I was straight up from the get go letting him know what I had just been through. We've had some real ups and downs...as you can imagine. But we have a real genuine connection and share a great deal in common and I think 2011 will be the beginning of what I hope is a lastly relationship. He's good people!

My quick movie review: True Grit, great movie but crappy ending. After such an amazing story I just longed for a more impressive ending. I love you Phillip Morris, best movie I saw all of 2010. Hands down a great film in my book.

Currently I am reading Mystery and Manners by Flannery O'Conner, she's and acquired taste I know, but I am enjoying this book so far as she's never disappointed me.

2011 resolutions: eat less chocolate, continue to love as much as I can and show those around me how much they mean to me, walk Pete and Charlie more, buy fewer frivolous items, eat out less, smoke and drink only in social situations when it's most fun ;-)

Merry Merry

Well today is Christmas Eve and I am so excited!!! I think this is going to be a very special Christmas this year. Tonight I will be getting together with family over at my Mom's and stuffing my belly with yummy food. Tomorrow we will play Santa ;-) and then we plan to cook a nice brunch followed by a movie.
My trip to Boston was amazing. What an awesome time of year to visit there. We spent three days seeing the sights and dining on local cuisine. I had an amazing piece of sole(fish)...it was the first time I had that kind of fish and I loved it. Oh and I had a cannoli every night before bed. It was awesome. We took a tour of Boston Harbor, Harvard, and walked around Cambridge. We also stopped in to the corner store where Julia Child used to shop. That was pretty neat.
The family trip to Asheville was fun and eventful. Poor Kile had a bad reaction to some medications he was taking and I'm not sure he got to enjoy himself as much as he would have liked. The cabin we rented was really nice and had plenty of space for us all. The Biltmore was decorated beautifully, as always. We had a wonderful dinner the first night in downtown Asheville at a place called Mayfel's. I had no idea that Asheville was so vegetarian friendly and Mayfel's served the best black bean burger I have ever had. I have to go back and try out some of the other local places to eat. Oh...they are also really big on "farm to table" there which is very cool!
I have a few more weeks until spring semester starts and I hope to enjoy them to the fullest. I should be heading up to Chattanooga for the new year. At least that's the plan right now. Once school starts I'm not sure how much traveling I'll be able to do. Between work and these three classes I think I'll be fairly busy.
Well I'm off to pack the sleigh ;-) and head to Snellville. This is my first Christmas without Clay and while I'm a little sad about how different things are I am very excited to spend this time with my family and focus on them. I've never craved my family as I do right now and I just want to soak them up and enjoy every minuted of this holiday.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
P.S. Movies I've seen recently: Black Swan(C), The Fighter(B)

Whoops

So I missed blogging in November by one day...guess this one will count for two months ;-) Speaking of November, it was a pretty good month. Thanksgiving was amazing. We are still eating leftovers against our better judgement. Aaron came down from Chattanooga so he could make his formal introduction to the family and friends...it went very well, as you can imagine.
All my Christmas shopping is done and the tree is up. I should say most everything is wrapped and all ready under the tree too! I don't feel prepared but I must be. I have so much going on this month that I am hoping I can still embrace the season and enjoy it. I am heading to Boston next weekend and that is sure to get me in the christmas mood! Right before Christmas we have a family trip planned to Asheville. Visiting the Biltmore while it's all decorated is the best.
Movies to see...Harry Potter of course, Love and other drugs, All Good Thing, and 127 Hours.
School is over in a week and then I have a five week break. I'm looking forward to that. Oh the woes of taking one class ;-) Next semester is going to kick my butt.
I'm heading to Chattanooga this weekend for something called Main24. I don't quite have my head wrapped around what it is all about but I do know I am going to a party saturday night. That should be fun. You know I always come home from Chatt with fun stories ;-)
http://mainx24.com/

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is having a wonderful beginning to the holiday season.

From the Noog...again

Sorry it has been a month since I last blogged...guess I've been one busy bee. Over the past month I got a roommate, had a birthday, spent an amazing weekend in the mountains, attended the L5P Halloween parade, carved pumpkins, bought a car, went to Houston and did a ton of other remedial tasks.
Things are going great. I'm busy all the time, which is how I like it! Pete and I are in Chattanooga this weekend for Halloween. We have a big party to attend tomorrow night ;-) Charlie stayed behind to get some R&R at his Gammy's house. The weather is amazing and the leaves are at that perfect fall stage. I love this time of year. All of my favorite holidays and perfect weather!
School is going well, just registered for Spring classes yesterday. I am half way through this semester and not doing too bad. I should be doing better. Getting back in the swing of studying is a hard one for me. I was never that good at it to begin with.
We found out last week that my mom has a small brain tumor. At this point we are all very positive at it seems like the outcome will be in her favor. I take her to the specialist next week at Emory so hopefully we will know more soon.
On the movie front...It's Kind of a Funny Story, Hereafter, The Social Network and Howl are films I have seen recently. I recommend them all. Out of the four I suggest Hereafter and It's Kind of a Funny Story. I'm getting stoked about the two part Harry Potter film coming out in a few weeks. It's sad to know that the whole Harry Potter saga is coming to a end soon.

From the Noog

Well I am glad to report that physics is not longer a pain in my backside! I've dropped it and moved on. I have to tell you my stress level has decreased and I no longer bust through brick walls on Tuesday and Thursday nights. My major has been changed to Art Studio from Interior Design. I will still take interior design classes but I will also study photography, art history, and textiles. It's kind of a basic art degree if you will but I get to choose the areas of study.
I've seen a few movies as of late. Never let me go and The Town. I thought that The Town was great and a well rounded action packed movie with a light steak of romance running through it. Never let me go was a downer. You don't even need to know that this movie exists. I really want to see Wall Street and The Social Network. Hopefully I'll get those knocked out this week.
This week is my 29th birthday. I'm not so sure how to feel about turning 29. Before my divorce I don't think I would have thought anything about it but now 29 feels old and impending. I guess 29 is just as good as any other age to start your life over. I was talking to a friend last night about divorce and how long it takes to start feeling normal again. General consensus says two years. I'm a quarter of the way in so far! It truly is amazing how much a "break-up" can jar your life. It seeps into the least expected places and just keeps creeping up on you. It's one hell of a learning experience but it does leave you foggy...I guess the fog will lift in 18 months ;-)

Bloggy blog

Decided it was time to check in and update...my world is still spinning and physics still sucks. I'm not sure what the future holds for this physics class. I intend to meet with my adviser soon and see what can be done to maybe sidestep this BS or maybe I'll just suck it up. I am having fun just going to school though.
I've been in a funky mood this past week or so and I can only blame it on "The Process". I'm ready to be back to myself but the ride is not over yet. I'm really sorry to those around me who have suffered because I don't have my act together right now. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you...believe me.
I went to the Yellow Daisy Festival with Heather and Lauren this past weekend and boy did we get an eye full. The people watching was amazing. Our breakfast at IHOP had a good side of eye candy too. It was good to see them both. I don't feel like I seen either of them near enough. I'm heading to a cabin in the woods this coming weekend. I'll be taking the boys and my mom with me. I don't plan to do anything but read and reflect. Heck I don't even plan to shower if I can help it! There is a hot tub so maybe that can count as a bath ;-) I'm putting a lot of weight on this little jaunt and I hope it pays off. I just want to clear my head and come home feeling positive about the future. I've never been so out of sorts and restless. Wish me luck!
The weather is starting to cool just a little and it's so exciting because fall is right around the corner. This is my time of year and I am so looking forward to enjoying every minute of it. Thanksgiving is going to rock this year!! I want to explore some new dishes and try to make it more about fresh foods instead of casseroles made of canned stuff...although those are pretty good ;-)
Well I'm off to dive into a book. It's been months since I've read anything other than the paper or The Week so I am looking forward to getting back into a novel.

Study study study

All I can think about is reading for school and studying. It's taken over my world ;-) Constantly having something hanging over my head is not my favorite thing but it's definitely keeping me on my toes. It was cool to the read in the paper this morning about GSU's first football game coming up this week and their marching band. They have a color guard...ummm why am I not on it??? I wonder if there is an age limit ;-) Haha!

This past weekend was great. Friday night I went with family to see Shawn Mullins perform. It was really great to see all those guys but also a little strange. This was my first interaction with people in the "business" who know the truth about what has happened. All in all it was a good show and it was great to see Kip and the rest of the guys. Saturday started with a trip to the growers outlet for fall flowers. $28 got me a trunk full. Even if they don't last but two months I will have gotten my moneys worth. After a quick shower and a stab at my physics homework Heather picked me up and we went to see the Dali exhibit at the High Museum. If you have any appreciation for Dali this is a must see. Heather and I were both pleasantly surprised and I'll be going back next weekend to take another friend...it was that good! Saturday evening was dedicated to physics and then hanging out with my parents, dinner and a movie at home. Sunday I woke up not feeling so hot. After a lazy morning I headed home and spent the rest of the day with my nose in school books. Today I will do much of the same...nose in a book. I'm trying to get all my reading done for next week as well so I can enjoy the labor day weekend with a clear conscience.

Looks like Charlie is going to have to go to the vet this week. He's been looking really funny...he is all bloated and just looks huge. He's bloated all the time! He's also started doing this thing where he walks and pees. If you know Charlie, you know he is very particular, and behavior such as this would not be acceptable to him. I don't think he even knows he's doing it. Keep your fingers crossed that it's nothing but me overreacting.

MONEY!

Ummmm...let's see...between last night and today I'm out about $367.
Seems that my physics textbook came with a very important piece of paper with a very important code on it so that I could access the text website and do my homework. Guess who threw that very important piece of paper away and had to pay $50 to access the site???? That's right, ME!!! Then I had to order something extra for my art history class and I need it by Tuesday so I had to expedite the shipping and that was another $60 out the window. The $175 I paid for the GE guy to be here all of 15 minutes was worth it I hope. I at least get to do laundry now. Seems the dryer was full of guitar picks and shirt buttons. The repair guy wanted to know how the guitar playing was going for me ;-) You should of seen my face and how I explained the Clay Cook guitar picks falling all over the floor. After that fun conversation I headed to the grocery where I dropped $80 because I needed cleaning supplies for work as well as food. I cannot leave the house for the next week!

I was up until about 2am this morning thanks to that green tea I had. Who knew green tea would do that to me. I was able to get a good chunk of my physics reading done and half of the homework before I could take no more and had to watch TV. Holy shit!! I'm going to have to really catch on fast or this class is going to leave me in the dust. After I had my coffee and read the paper this morning I went to clean a client's house then I finished up the physics reading and did the prep work for my lab. That's when the repair guy showed, then I clean my house and then ran errands. My art history book was just delivered so this evening will be devoted to that required reading. All in all I've had a very busy day, which is just the way I like them.

OH and last night I caught the tail end of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings performing on a late night show. I've never heard of her but I knew instantly that I had to find her music. I've been listening to it all day and I just cannot get enough. The shit she is singing about is so relevant for me it's not even funny.

Getting back in the saddle

After walking the dogs last night and having a quick dinner I passed out and slept for ten hours. It was the best sleep ever. This morning I decided to head to a yoga class. It's been about a year, if not longer, since I've been to a class. It was well over due and did me a lot of good. Falling on my face in the middle of class was even great ;-) My body is beyond tired but it feels really good. I'm hoping to make yoga a part of my life again. It really does keep me grounded and it helps with the wobbly bits.

This afternoon I packed up my backpack ;-) and headed to class. Last time I was in a college class the iphone did not even exist! So holy shit I made it through and I feel awesome. I assumed I would be the oldest and dumbest in each class and I wasn't so that is something to celebrate!! Now I have to stop writing this blog and hit the books. I have a ton of reading and homework to do in the next 48 hours.

I have to admit I cried on the way home tonight. I was really scared about today for some reason. As you know, a lot has been going on with me these past five months and a lot of changes have happened. I felt a mixture of emotions today...well I've felt a mixture for the past few days and I've tried to hold it all in. I did not want to let myself cry or feeling anything about what has happened to me but tonight I just let it in and then I let it out. Sometimes you just need to embrace how your feeling.

Blah

Today is not going so well for me...I'm having a sad/fat day and having a pity party while I'm at it. The dryer is busted and will need to be fixed. The repair man is scheduled for Wednesday. Fingers crossed that it does not cost too much. Seems that every week I have something that eats up all my extra cash. Last week it was a hefty visit to the doctor. I've had some health issues as of late and they are still causing some discomfort and not just in my wallet. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll be back to 100%. The other awesome thing that happened today is I found out the brickwork on my home is no longer under warranty and the fact that the porch brick staircase is starting to separate might be all on me. I've contacted the other HOA members hoping that we can come up with some sort of solution that will not be too financially burdensome. That gets me to thinking about my wisdom teeth that need to come out and the fact that the house is going to have to be painted soon...oh the joys of being an adult.

School starts tomorrow. Fingers crossed that it's a better fit now then it was eight years ago.

I saw two movies over the weekend. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Get Low. Two totally different films but both enjoyable. I took a nap in both of them but this should not reflect upon the film ;-) They are both worth seeing but neither of them was absolutely fabulous. I kept waiting to see Jason Schwartzman in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and then I found out that was the part I slept through!!! Bummer!

Wow!

So a lot has been happening. I signed my divorce papers yesterday and popped them in the mail today. Had no idea it would feel the way it does. I assumed I'd be crying and all torn up over it. Funny how things change and how people show their true colors in situations as these. My marriage is now something in my past and something I will look back upon as a learning experience. I never thought I would get divorced, as it was something I strictly never wanted, but I do understand now that sometimes you just don't have any control in the matter. As far as divorces go I think this one went pretty well. There was not a lot of arguing which made it easier for both of us...and when I say "easier" I mean not excruciating ;-)
My life is going in a positive direction and boy am I thankful! I start school in just a few days and I'm nervous, excited, scared, and motivated. A lot of different emotions are flying around as far as returning to school is concerned. Another great thing going on right now is the company I am keeping. I have so many great people around me and there is never a dull moment ;-) My friends and family truly are awesome. I am in the midst of trying to quit the bad smoking habit I took up when the divorce started. I've tried to quit once already and only made it 24 hours. I am at the 24 hour mark again but luckily there is no one around tonight to enable me. I really do want to quit and start working on myself. It's the most obvious thing to start with.
Pete and Charlie are doing great and have been traveling with me some. Tonight is the first night in a week that we will all be sleeping in our own beds. They are warn out...which is a good thing in schnauzer world.
Oh on the movie front...I saw Eat, Pray, Love this week with my mom. I read the book some years ago but I was in a much different place. The movie was much more relevant to my current life and so it had a stronger effect on me this time around. All in all it was a pretty good movie and was right on track with the book. Sometime they change so much stuff up that you don't even recognize it as the story you read.
Well I'm off to catch up on some much needed chores and TV watching. Thank god for the DVR!!

Movies I've seen

I saw Dinner for Schmucks which was really funny. I highly recommend it if you are a Steve Carrel fan. I laughed a great deal. I also saw Inception recently. I think all the hype built it up for me and then I was not super impressed. It is a good movie, don't get me wrong, just did not blow my mind as much as I thought it was going to. The latest movie I saw was The Girl who Played With Fire. Excellent movie! I had very low expectations for this movie as the first one really sucked. The film maker focused on all the important parts of the book and did away with all the filler. Again, if your a fan of the books you must see the movie! I'm looking forward to the American versions of these films. Well...I'm look forward to seeing how Hollywood changes the story to benefit sales ;-)

Cheers

To a great weekend! Friday night was a blast with good friends. No Mas Cantina followed by some fun games over at Autumn and Travis's house. Saturday was spent mostly in the bed watching TV but I did rise up for a yummy bagel from Belly;-) Saturday evening was spent in Little 5 Points shopping and eating at the Vortex followed by a great show at the new Buckhead Theater. Slept in this morning and then hit the food bar at Whole Foods before taking in a movie at Atlantic Station. Oh...I almost forgot about the ice cream from Morelli's this afternoon ;-) Quite the gluttonous weekend! All and all we had a great weekend!
I've done some cleaning around the house this evening to get ready for the week. I am slowly winding down and may crawl in the bed soon with a good book. My arm is still really sore from the tetanus shot I got on Friday. Lets hear it for vaccinations!

Long time...no blog

Hello all two people who read this blog ;-) The last three weeks have been pretty intense. I'll try to work backwards and recap...just got home from a week at the beach with my parents and Autumn. We had a really awesome trip and Autumn was a great friend to bring on a family vaca. We all got a healthy does of sun and I think I am almost done peeling. I have not had a sunburn of this caliber since I was a child. I think I am regressing ;-)
I have registered for fall classes and got all of my financial aid organized. Once you get the ball rolling on this stuff it just kind of takes care of itself, which is nice! I am going to be taking intro to physics and an art history class. Got the physics book in the mail this week and it makes me want to sit down and cry. Looks like someone will be getting tutor! Again...regressing.
This month has been a busy one for me work wise as well. Lots of people traveling in July and leaving pets behind. I don't think I've gone more than one day without a dog or cat to check on. It feels good to be needed! I got two new pet clients this month and possibly will be adding a new cleaning client as well. On the advise of a friend I finally sat down and got some insurance for my business. Should have done that a long time ago.
Well all in all things are really good right now. I've been working on the house, making new friends, spending time with old ones, and just getting back on track. Life seems to be falling into place.

Where do we go from here...

The last few days have been nuts. Today I went to Georgia State and got my advisement on! It was stressful being on campus even with Heather guiding me around. I might need a few more tours before I get the hang of it. Looks like fall semester will be a little boring but hey I've got to start somewhere.
Our 4th of July celebration was really fun. It was a mash of friends and we had a nice spread. Don't you just love American holidays where you stuff yourself silly and watch stuff explode!
I'm headed to bed early tonight and looking forward to some intense hardcore sleep.

Slacker

So it's been a few days since I last blogged. I've just been having too much fun and have been busy. Last night Heather and I went to see Twilight: Eclipse. Throw your $10 out the window and watch it fly away because that will be a lot more entertaining than the movie. I promise. The girl at the Flying Biscuit was suppose to give me a decaffeinated latte and she messed that up...I almost went through the roof last night. It's been about a year since I've had a heavy dose of caffeine and that almost did me in. I woke up bright and early this morning and had the house cleaned by 9am. Around lunch time my parents came over and we went to lunch and then hit up Ikea. Kile has never been and Mom was dying to take him. Not the best choice in weekends...they are having a huge 4th of July sale and the place was packed. You get stuck with the same group of people as you make your way through and my the end you just want to punch them and run. I did get a chair for the basement. Last purchase for my new arrangement. I got it put together and then ran out to feed some cats, I call that work, and then I got the car washed. It was getting pretty gross. Several dogs have been in there as of late and it was starting to smell. That's never good. Now I am home and have no plans for the evening but I am hyped up and looking for some trouble to get in to ;-) Maybe I'll see who I can dig up...

Done and Done

Today was a day of appointments. It started off with taking Jojo to the vet. She's my very first dog sitting client and I have taken care of her for the past two and half years. We were going to the vet to get her a certificate of health so that she can fly to her new home in Los Angeles. After I got that squared away I went to my dentist appointment. These wisdom teeth HAVE to come out asap and unfortunately my health insurance will not cover it. I see dental insurance in my future. After eating a quick lunch and gathering supplies I packed Jojo up and headed out to find the Delta Cargo area at the airport. After getting lost and making several u-turns I arrived at what looked like a huge warehouse. Surprise surprise...it was a huge warehouse. Forklifts and all. I had to leave Jojo there and it was horrible. I got in the car and cried. She was not a happy camper and if you have ever met her you know good and well being in a travel crate in a noisy warehouse is her worst nightmare. She had a two hour wait until her five hour flight and i can only hope she exhausted herself and will sleep on the flight. Saying goodbye to her was hard...it's just one more thing changing in my life and one more thing that's left me. By fall I'll be a pro at change!

Yes!!!

Today was amazing. I had a great meeting with a new client today and we really hit it off. I helped Lauren Fox move to her new apartment, which is awesome. I cannot wait to see it all put together. We had lunch at my favorite spot...CHIPOTLE!! I introduced her to their $4.95 killer margarita. I found out this evening that I was accepted into the design program at Georgia State. I am so excited. It was great news to get before my evening of fun. I headed out and met all the ZBB girls at Ra for sushi and then we went bowling. It was a really fun evening. I'm exhausted and I cannot wait to hit the pillow.

Working for the weekend

Yesterday was intense. I woke up with purpose and did not stop until well into the night. Getting this house back to the way I want it is going to take time. I thought I could do it in a day...HA! I freaked out a little but Heather came to my rescue and we ran all over town doing a little retail therapy. I worn myself out completely and today I am trying to recoup and collect myself. I have a busy week ahead of me and I need to bring my A game.
Today feels good. I don't feel all panicky like I did yesterday and I'm not overwhelmed...currently ;-) I feel at peace with what has happened and I'm ready to move forward on my own. I'm still waiting to hear from Georgia State. Going back to school will be nice and give my life some structure. I have a lot going on right now but I do feel a sense that I'm floating through life. School will be good!
Today has been a great lazy day so far. I was ordered by my Mom to relax today and I think I'm doing a good job. I've done some reading and baked three loaves of yummy bread. Now I am about to watch a movie and hope that turns into a nap.

48 hours

I'm toast. I'm spent. I'm out. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. The past 48 hours was very busy and intense. I've got to go to bed. I'll be back to blogging after my brain firms up.