Here & Now

Monday Memories

Tonight, Atlanta has been blessed with perfect weather.  As of Sunday afternoon, all of the heavy humidity that normally hangs in the air is gone, as is all of the rain that we have been plagued with lately.  It is 70 crisp degrees outside.

As I walked out of the gym at 8.30pm, I noticed a small group of people grilling at the apartment complex's poolside grill.  I was immediately envious that they were out enjoying such a great evening.  It made me wonder, as I made my way back to my apartment, if John were here, would I be doing the same thing?  Unfortunately, I knew I would not.  While I would have been inclined, just the same as I was right now, I would have had the same long day at work and had to get laundry done and workout in when I got home.  I would have still be envious of this group's ability to get outside, put aside any other obligations and make the most of the moment.

Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to be back in college, living on Fairmount Avenue on any old Monday night.  It was rare even then that I would get get out on the first day of the week - however, there were a few occasions when my roommates and I jumped at getting out and making the most of an ordinary night.  There was always someone available to get on board and rally the group. On a Monday, we would have tried The Nook ($1 burgers and fries) or the Tap (where you could never go wrong).  I am a person who thrives with schedules and likes responsibility and yet, I love to shrug it all off at the perfect moment.  Tonight would have been one of those times to do just that, and there is no group of people more than my roommates that I would love to do it with.  So, while tonight I am not out with them and instead sitting on my couch glad that "Dancing with the Stars" is finally back on to watch while working away the rest of the night, I'm going to be thinking in the back of mind about the perfectly cool fall weather just outside my front door and past times when I've made the most of such a night.

Feeling Fall-ish

Today is the first day that I have sensed a hint of fall in Atlanta this year.  It is still pretty warm out - 75 degrees or so - but there is something cool in the air when you step outside. It makes me so anxious to wear a jacket, set out a pumpkin, eat chili and settle in.  I love this time of year and it is nice to finally have a glimpse of it here in the South.

Photo taken at the cabin, September 2008

Flooded Atlanta

Yesterday, I wrote about how happy I am to live in the Vinings neighborhood.  Now that the flood damage that has affected much of Atlanta and Georgia is surfacing, I would like to add that I am glad I live in Vinings on top of a mountain.

It is really unbelievable to see how high the water on the Chattahoochee River has risen with this rain over the last few days.  Even hours after the rain has stopped, schools are closed, houses are submerged and highways impassable.  I took a different way home today in order to see some of the water myself and snapped a few quick and dirty photographs from my car.  A nearby, much beloved restaurant was caught in the storm yesterday and flooded late yesterday, so there are news crews all around the area.  It was most shocking to get a brief glance at some of the homes that were hit.

Tonight, I feel lucky and grateful to live in the spot I do, where my apartment was little affected by these ferocious storms.  

10 Things Here & Now

1. I am glued to the television.  It's about the noise in the background, the relaxation, the entertainment.  I am so glad that new episodes are finally on.  I DVR nearly everything and watch it after 9pm or on weekends.  I'm taping Dancing with the Stars, The Office ,The Jay Leno Show, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah, Ace of Cakes and every single interesting History Channel special.  

2. I am focusing on healthy eating.  I bought raspberries for the first time ever on Saturday and, furthermore, filled my fridge with vegetables and fruits.  A drastic change for me, considering I typically buy no more than 2 types of fruits in a week or they don't get eaten.  Not anymore.  I'm turning a new healthy-eating leaf.

3. I have that "must get things checked off the list" feeling lately - the anxiety that tortures me.  The puzzling thing is I am not that busy right now, so the feeling that I cannot leave a dish on the counter because it causes more work for me is frustrating.  I need a chill pill.

4. I'm thinking about scrapbooking often, after not being in the mood for it over the summer months.  How to accomplish more of it.  How to get organized with it (mastering my massive photo library has been a work in progress since the beginning of the year).  How my favorite artist, Becky Higgins, has left "Creating Keepsakes" magazine (I've been inspired by her since I started scrapbooking 9 years ago).  How to optimize my creative time.

5. I am really satisfied with living in Vinings.  Although I am not in the heart of the city and this has a few downsides (my top three: I am never prompted to go into the city, I can't find artisan bread nearby, and there are less gym options), settling in this city-but-not neighborhood has worked well for me. It is central to most things I go to in Atlanta, and it has nice character while still having suburban conveniences.   

6. I am inspired by this blog entry.

7. I have a hard time responding to emails, typically those that I feel require a lot of attention and thought.  I have gotten into a bad habit of saving them and not responding for weeks - not because they aren't meaningful, but because I feel like I don't have time.  I realized a few weeks ago, though, that emails are once again a huge part of my communications -- they are replacing happy hours and dinners with friends with living so far away. And, moreover, they are time well spent.  Ever since this epiphany, I've tried to respond to emails in a more prompt and courteous fashion.  

8. I tried twittering briefly in May.  I only entered a few tweets, over a few days.  I have to admit, though, I still use my account every few days to check out the few people I'm following.

9. I love my iPhone.  

10. Today, I worked from home and discovered half way through the day that there was a significant weather event happening outside (rain for days causing flooding).  When the power went out at 3pm due to the storms, quieting the fan, the dehumidifier, the air conditioning and the air purifier, I realized it was the quietest my apartment has ever been.  Luckily, I wasn't left in the silent dark for too long into the evening and now, at 10.30, the rain has subsided for a brief time.

What Happens in Vegas...

I am in one of the cities I have least ever wanted to visit: Las Vegas.  As a result, I have been reminded during this trip of the important lesson that traveling is all about who you are with and not necessarily about where you are.  Every single trip is better because of who you enjoy it with.  It is people who share the unique experiences a city has to offer. 

That could not be more true here in Las Vegas.  I am with two great co-workers and, as an added bonus, Abby and her family are in town for a different conference.  We have met up multiple times - most notably on my first night here, when Abby invited us to join in on their tour of all of their favorite Vegas hot spots.  We had drinks at the Bellagio, mussels at Gallagher's, cider beer at the Irish pub inside New York New York and appetizers at Mon Ami Gabi within Paris.  They certainly showed me just how cool of a place Vegas can be and why it attracts so many people to the desert.  Nonetheless, it was being with Abby, Kevin, Carey, Nico, Janice and Jeri Lynn that made the night such a highlight. This is the stuff memorable trips are made of.

Flying High

I am currently 1665 miles into my trip to Las Vegas, flying just above the Grand Canyon (unfortunately, I do not have a window seat to actually see the Grand Canyon - the computer screen on the back of the seat in front of me is telling me where we currently are).  The really cool thing is that I'm on the internet.  This is my first time trying Go Go In Flight Internet - a four-hour flight seemed like the perfect opportunity.  I am loving it!  I have been ultra productive + trying new technology - what more could a girl ask for?!

Mid-September

I am between two weeks of travel - home from Minnesota on Monday and heading to Las Vegas on Sunday.  This means I am possessed with the need to accomplish as much as possible while at home for a few days, feeling anxious about how much I can get done in the timeframe.  On top of that, tomorrow marks my first trip to Vegas, a place I have not had much desire to see.  I'm a bit anxious about heading there for the Taleo World conference, I have to admit.

One of things that I marked off my to-do list this week was updating my 365 blog with photos from the very beginning of the project.  I started the blog in mid-January - when I already had a few weeks of photos recorded. I finally had a chance to figure out how to create posts that would align in date order and get the January photographs into the project's record.  This task felt good because I had wanted to do it for quite some time, but also because it gave me the opportunity to consider how different things are today, in September, than they were in January.  I am settled in Atlanta, moving is well behind me, and it is almost time for John to arrive. While I feel like I still have a pretty chaotic schedule at times and I still am fighting to have proper work-life balance, I have come a long way since early this year.  It was nice to see progress as I sorted through these photos.

While it is still reaching the mid-80s here in Atlanta everyday, now that Labor Day has come and gone, I am feeling the urge for fall.  I love when summer gives way to fall - it is my favorite transition of season.  I cannot wear my sweaters yet in the South, but I have organized them - they are ready to be worn at a moment's notice of fall-like weather.  I also pulled out my fall pillows today, and I have an item on John's "honey do list" for him to help me with during his next visit: getting my fall decorations (apples! pumpkins!) out of the storage unit (they are too tall for me to reach, thanks to a spring organization effort spearheaded by John).  I am going to scope out an Atlanta pumpkin patch soon - even though things won't start to cool down to the nice fall temperatures for awhile doesn't mean I have to pass on my favorite fall activities.

One last summer photo to part with tonight, from a trip we took last week to the great Minnesota get together. The TV stations at the Minnesota State Fair are some of the best booths to visit.

Happy to be Home

I am in Minnesota for the week and it feels really good to be home.  Last night, as John and I drove from Stillwater to Minneapolis after a great weekend with my family, we saw a fireworks display above St. Paul, courtesy of the Minnesota State Fair.  It was a shining reminder of all things special about Minnesota.  I am glad to be feeling so grateful -- it makes coming home all the more of a blessing and helps me appreciate both Atlanta and Minnesota.  Here is just a few things that have caused an "ah - I miss this" moment so far:

Broder's Pasta Bar / Minneapolis chain of lakes / The cabin / Friends and family nearby / Fall-like temperatures / School not yet in session - savoring the last few days of summe / Dakota / State Fair festivities / Bikes to borrow / Driving in familiar areas 

Feeling this appreciation when I return is definitely one of the upsides of moving.

Jenna's List

At the beginning of this summer, Jenna and a few of her friends created a summer to-do list.  Rather than the list being one of mundane, Mom-requested things, the girls created a list of experiences to have throughout June, July and August.  They wrote them all down and shared a few:

• Throw a lawn party
• Eat at sonic
• Try a cigar

I am so inspired by this idea.  I am also so proud of Jenna for executing this idea and adding to her life experiences. I've been turning Jen's list around in my mind since I learned about it in early July.  It prompts thoughts of a life list - but that is too much of a commitment for me (because if I write it down, I've got to check it off!).  And, I just really don't want to run a marathon (which I think is the #1 most popular thing to put on a list of things to accomplish in a lifetime list).  So instead, I'm thinking of creating an Atlanta list.  It would be a list of experiences to have while being a southerner.  My plan is to draft it throughout the remainder of the year, creating a list that has little and big things (from finding a farmer's market to visiting Charleston).  Then, when John arrives (just 146 days to go!), we will be armed with the motivation to explore the city we now call home. 

Based on the success of an Atlanta list and seeing more of Jenna's experiences materalize, maybe I will be motivated enough to put together a life list ... 

4-Year Blog Anniversary

Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art. 

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

I meant to post my 4-year blog anniversary post on the actual 4 year anniversary of "Here & Now."  I remember starting it mid-month during August 2005; in looking back tonight, though, I realized it was August 4, 2005, that I began writing on the web.

Regardless of what exact date I started this blog, I am glad I have it here 4 years later.  There have been a few times this year when I have wondered if I should still keep it up and running, giving my lack of writing mojo, my inability to make time to write and the fun I am having with 365.  However, whenever I look back into this online journal, even if I wrote just one post in a month, I am really happy for this record of my life; "Here & Now" has a unique spot in my memory-keeping portfolio.  Among multiple physical journals, scrapbooks of all sizes, hundreds of photographs, and an inbox of saved emails, it best captures the fleeting things in my life -- from 3 seasons of fantasy football to a single day's thoughts to the anticipation of the "Sex and the City" movie. And it captures them forever.

There are also quite a few memories wrapped up in this online world.  There is the first time I decided to mention John...starting a blog before most knew what a blog was...when Mom started reading my blog (after not thinking blogs were much of anything for awhile)...Dad reading it from the beginning...Jenna not reading it at all...A few comments left...John telling Mom that I pay a small amount for this blog...All of this from http://kelliwalsh.typepad.com.

Anniversaries make me sentimental.  Before I gush too much about my spot in the blogosphere, let me stop here and post it simply: Happy 4 years, "Here & Now."