In life we all have an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an
unreachable dream and an unforgettable love.

-Diego Marchi

Saturday, October 8, 2011

"I Came Here to Improve Myself"

That's what my brother said about his recent move down here to Northern Virginia. It's a great sentiment, and I think it's a good goal - for everyone, every day. I think he intends to watch and learn some things from Mark and me because he has seen how we live and some of the things we do and believe in (fitness, nutrition, and life-wise), but I don't think he knows that his being here will help me improve my life, as well (so I hope he reads this).


My brother has a great attitude about life and about people in general. I really value his input and his perspective on things and when he lives near me, I get to learn from that. I get to improve myself. My life is generally more fulfilling when he's around. Not just because he's someone to hang out with who I can have good conversations with (whether we agree or not :o), but because he teaches me things and shows me a new perspective and he's patient and listens to mine at the same time. It's a symbiotic relationship, if you will.


So, today I'm really grateful for my brother, Jordan (although many know him as Allen - we changed his name a few years back when he lived with me in Florida), and I'm really excited to see what he does with his new palette here in Northern VA/DC. I'm also grateful that he chose to come here and that he has a place for me in his life. I feel like having him near me has healing powers somehow. Love you, bro!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Days Are Long, The Years Are Short

This is so true...I have to work on remembering to connect with those who are important to me every day. Before I know it, there won't be any time left for that. That was Gretchen Rubin's inspiration for her Happiness Project. Watch her 30-second book promo video here.

Reflection and Gratitude in the rain

It's been rainy the past couple days. Really rainy. So rainy, there are cars submerged in Reston. So rainy our shuttle from work (my first time taking the shuttle to and from work) was 1.5 hours late (they're supposed to come every 20 minutes). Doesn't sound like much to be happy about or grateful for, right? Wrong.

I'm happy to have come home to a clean condo and grateful for the folks who clean it for me every two weeks. I'm grateful that I can afford to pay others to clean my house instead of taking my "free" time to do it.

I'm really happy that I have an option to NOT drive to work and I'm really really really grateful for the patient soul who drives our shuttle van! I'm 99% sure that the reason it took 1.5 hours to get to the office from the Metro to pick us all up was the ungodly amount of traffic leaving the metro. There may have even been traffic lights out, I dunno. But I ABHOR driving. I abhor it even more when traffic isn't moving. So I'm thankful that there are people in this world who deal with that better than I do and that they are patient and careful drivers to make it to and from the various shuttle stops. I'm even pleased and happy and grateful that my coworkers who were my fellow shuttle riders didn't attack the driver for being so late. Totally unavoidable and he did a damn good job in my book.
I'm grateful for my health and the health of those around me.

I'm glad that Mark and I see eye to eye on nutrition (attempting to eat as paleo as possible) because that means we'll be healthy for a long time.

I'm glad that we can sleep next to each other in the same bed instead of separate. I like falling asleep to the sound of Mark's heartbeat. I am reading a story about brain trauma and PTSD in The Washingtonian and one of the people featured has flashbacks and chokes/punches his wife in his sleep. They no longer sleep in the same bed. I'm sorry for that couple...but reading of their experience makes me have gratitude for mine.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Reflection and Gratitude

Some things that made the past few days awesome for me:
  • The little Girl Scout I bought pink lemonade Kool Aid from to benefit the Fisher House. This girl was so articulate - and her Kool Aid smile made me grin.
  • Going to dinner with Tyler, Mark, and Carter for Tyler's 18th birthday. I'm grateful that Tyler is such a good person and that he and Mark have a good relationship. Mark's a solid person - as a partner and a parent.
  • The underwear that showed up on my balcony. There has to be a good story there somehow. And if there isn't, I'll make one up for my own remembering.
  • Doing the 31 Heroes workout with Mark. We worked well together and endured the suckage together. It was awesome.

Ten Things I Can Do Every Day

I've been reading The Happiness Project (Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun) and will be starting a happiness project of my own (albeit probably on a smaller scale). One of the things in the author's (Gretchen Rubin) Happiness Project blog listed "Ten Things I Can Do Every Day." The idea is to have a list of things that you aim to accomplish and that you are pretty sure you can accomplish every day. That way, if you get home at the end of the day and don't feel like you've accomplished ANYTHING, you can feel secure that you've accomplished at least TEN things! Here are my ten:


  1. Kiss Mark good morning and good night.
  2. Floss.
  3. Communicate directly with at least one friend or relative.
  4. Drink at least two liters of water.
  5. Smile. Brighten someone's day.
  6. Learn one new thing.
  7. Go to bed with no dishes in the sink.
  8. Avoid gossip.
  9. Wake up at the first alarm.
  10. Keep myself comfortable (food, warmth, bathroom, water, etc.). No waiting a million years to go the bathroom "just to get...(insert task here)...done."