Riot and Frolic

It's not this…

It's not quite this…

This is a little better… maybe…

But really?  I think it's this…

I could LITERALLY sit in front of the computer all day long: checking Facebook, writing emails, looking at Pinterest, watching Netflix.  But what am I doing?  I'm escaping.  

And what do I need to escape?  The dirty dishes?  My kids?  My constantly under-construction house?  My husband?  My brain?  My life?  

Let's face it: I love all those things.  Yes, sometimes each one of those things gets on my nerves.  But does escaping really bring happiness?  Those annoying things are still there when you're done "escaping".  

You know what brings me happiness?

Doing.

YES.  Getting off my ass and going for a run.  Practicing all the difficult techniques in the Ballrooms.  Washing the dishes.  Painting with the ladies.  Going to a park.  Visiting the library.  Doing something tricky, new, scary, silly, stupid, boring, childish, ETC.

Need some movitation?  Here's something to DO: read this article.  It's so good I want to marry it.  "Coffee is for closers."  Shoooooot.  So great.  

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Read it!

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What are you doing if you're not doing something? 

 
One year ago: Lacking, in which I do not play by the schedule

Two years ago: LLLL, in which I buy things and try to sell things

I am blessed with the notorious "mommy brain" and a general distrust of hotel workers.  Which means, I am a total idiot sometimes and need to stop acting like an idiot.  And probably stop valuing my posessions so much.  But mostly the idiot stuff.  Here's why:

In the last year, I lost/misplaced/had stolen some of my favorite things [cue Julie Andrews]: robot sneaks, black and white enamel bracelet, stripe-y tank top that went with EVERYTHING, the real camera, the silver "brass knuckles" that keeps me from leaning to the left, my fav black practice skirt… I mean, there's more, but it's just embarrassing to list them out.  

The robot shoes (well, the one shoe that was stolen) reappeared, but the other items, not so much.  

Since I discovered ebay (Google helps out, too), I've been searching and searching for replacements.  Much to my delight, I've found some very similar goods to my lost loves.

But also to my horror, I've found some very similar goods to my lost loves.  It's like replacing your dead dog.  

I know they're only things, but I really enjoy anything I spend the time and effort to buy.  I research Amazon reviews and ask for recommendations via Facebook and compare prices and ponder the value before I decide to get something, so when I own it, I love it.  And since I lurve it so much, many of my things become sentimental.  

Good… and bad, if you have a nasty habit of losing things.  

Lesson learned?  Take care of my shiz.  I was leaving my jewelry and tech stuff out in the open in hotel rooms and in dressing rooms at competitions, but now I'm carefully stashing them in those weird dresser things that hotel rooms have and tucking my gadgetry in hidden pockets in my dance bag.  Namely, I'm very conscious of where I'm stashing my goods (because I'm not all sure that theiving hotel employees are to blame; I definitely have taken off earrings in the dark without my glasses on and "put them on the table").

What do you do with your Stuff when traveling?  How do you replace sentimental items?  Do you cry when you lose stuff?  I get angry, but to each his own.

One year ago: LLLL, in which Zoo learns to crawl.

– happy birthday, baby blog!  This weekend, R'N'F turned 2.  

Remember this?

Or how about this ?
Fun fact: Rob Pattinson was the first dude to grace the end of the blog.  

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REALLY?!  ROB PATTINSON!?  Not Christian Bale or … Christian Bale?

Another fun fact: I have a Pinterest board titled "End of the Blog" so I can curate a collection of hot dudes.  

You're welcome.

Two years ago: Return of the Yo-Yo

I am not a very successful marathoner.  Yes, I finished one…  "Finished" being the key word… Not "ran".

Nevertheless, after completing that marathon, I was pretty sure I wanted to do another one.

And now I'm sure.

Because finish lines should look like this:

Or this:

Not like… well, you know.

I want to run another marathon because there's so many good people in the world.

Because it's a marathon (if you've done one, you know).

Because it sucks to be scared (of failure or life in general).

Because I'm so angry.

Because of all the people who were supporting, finishing, and volunteering in Boston 9 days ago.  

Because I want to run across the finish line at 4:09:23 and shatter my first result and my fear.  

One year ago: 10 Kitchen Tips for the Cooking Impaired – Part One

HEY-O.  It's been a long time.  SORRY.  I had this thought that if I didn't blog I'd have more time to do… you know, stuff.  

And guess what?  

I got LAZIER.  

Granted, I was rehearsing for a little show, practicing the ballrooms, momming the ladies, while trying to keep the layer of construction dust to a minimum AND  avoiding folding laundry, but really, not blogging hasn't saved me any time.  

Experiment over, people.  

It's on.

– Upside Down Hour.  Doesn't everyone have this?

– Zoo's first photo.

– I wasn't impressed by the photo because that girl clicks around on my iPhone like I play Super Mario Bros. (ALLTHEBUTTONS, ALLTHETIME!).  But the screen shot?  I know capable adults who haven't mastered it.

– I made a thing and it was delicious.  

– I got a thing in the mail.  It's a sparkly thing.  It's a secret sparkly thing.  

– I stared at this cover for about 5 minutes at Target.  It gives me chills. The woman cop leading the way!  The old man finishing AND falling!  The debris!  The location of the photographer!  The action!  The circumstances!  

Let's not talk about last week right now because… HOW MANY REASONS DO YOU WANT?

But I will talk about it more on Wednesday because… THE FEELS!