The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: A Few Things I Learned In 2010

They are totally wrong when they say that nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. I can think of lots of foods that don't apply. However, this year I learned that being thinner feels really great.

Sometimes following your heart is harder than following your brain, but much more important.

Children can get sick and die.

I'm more resilient than I thought.

Sometimes having lunch with your father is more important than a party with friends.

True friends are there for you in both the good and bad times. In fact they are even more available in the bad times as a shoulder to cry on.

Watching the clock is no way to live.

Life is what happens when we are busy making plans.

A hug from a truly innocent two year old can put you in a good mood for hours.

Some of the most important people are the ones that society pretends not to see.

Taking chances is really important.

Having great blog readers fends off any potential loneliness, so thank you!

Saw This One Coming A Mile Away

We had a wonderful Christmas here at Adventures in Wonderland.  The day was really low key with just the family opening presents and staying in our jammies all day.  My father made a wonderful turkey and we lounged our way through the day and played with all our new toys.  

Arrow got a couple of new beds and a stuffed toy.  I got some wonderful stuff that came in some of my favorite boxes.  

I've got a whole other post coming about what is inside that Nikon box and how much I freaked out when I saw the black and gold Nikon signature colors when unwrapping. 

Until then, I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season and can't wait to start 2011 with you all.

Happy Holidays From Adventures In Wonderland

There's A Reason That "Rambling" Is In The Blog Title

I feel like I am doing a lot of catch up this time of year anyway and the blog is reflecting that.  More ramblings than completely formed ideas.  So here they are.  

I have completed my Christmas shopping and wrapping.  What a wonderful feeling. 

I ordered Holiday cards on December 7th and they were supposed to be here 7 days later.  After a mix up with the company, I only got them on the 19th and just in time to send them back out again.  I barely got to look at the design I spent so much time on.  I will post a picture of the card on Christmas for all of you who don't get one because 1. they are expensive, and 2. I don't have everyone's address.  I even tweeted about the cards, damn auto fill:

@Nutmeg1984

Meghan

Holiday caress complete! Out in mail tomorrow. Now I can die happy.

19 Dec via Twitter for iPad Favorite Reply Delete

@Nutmeg1984

Meghan

Dear god, not holiday caress, holiday CARDS. Won't live this down.

19 Dec via Twitter for iPad Favorite Reply Delete

I was super sick yesterday.  Had an awful headache and puked all day.  Nothing like some all day vomiting to break through that weight plateau.  

The other day I was watching a show on TV that featured sled dogs.  I looked down and Arrow was watching the TV with his head cocked to the side.  Every time the dogs barked he would lift his ears a little.  It was the most adorable thing ever.  I didn't get pictures or video of him because I was afraid to move.

I took the GRE on the 17th and am really pleased with my score.  I will probably take it again in January just to see if I can do better, but having that done is wonderful.  

I am apparently allergic to eggs except when they are baked into things like cookies and cakes. 

I am working on a 2011 Arrow Balance Calendar.  I am trying to gauge how many to order and if I should get a move on and try to have them done in early January.  If you would buy an Arrow calendar for about $15 would you please leave a comment on this post so I know?  Thanks!

It is raining so much out here I feel like I am in a Twilight movie.  So here are a few pictures from a walk a couple weeks ago between rainstorms.  Enjoy!

Everyone Calls It "The City"

Yep, everyone in this neck of the woods knows that when you say "the city", you mean San Francisco.  I actually feel a little weird saying San Francisco rather than "the city".  "The city" just rolls off the tongue. Sometimes I feel like I grew up here.  

Anyway I spent last weekend in the city going shopping with my mother and spending some down time at the fabulous apartment on the 47th floor of Millennium Tower.  It really was a wonderful weekend.  I won't bore you with every little detail but I can say the weekend was so full of shopping and being out and about that I only took a handful of pictures.  That is so unlike me, I know, but my hands were either full of shopping bags, or I just wasn't inspired.  The city is such a second home that sometimes it feels ridiculous taking pictures there.  

One of my favorite experiences happened at Macy's in Union Square.  Every year the store gives over several corner shop windows, decorated spectacularly, to the ASPCA.  The windows are filled with, wait for it, puppies and kittens that are up for adoption!  Little pupkins and kittenpies!  The animals are adopted and switched out daily.  There is also someone on hand to play with them in their posh surroundings.  I couldn't get a good picture of the animals...  

But I did capture one of my favorite pictures that I have taken in a very long time. 

This little girl, hands pressed against the window, peering in at the puppies.  I imagine her dreaming her own Christmas dreams.  Her little nails dirty with the play that comes with childhood.  Beautiful and solemn. 

Maybe it's just me though.

I did capture some of the decorations at Nordstrom.

And a photo outside the restaurant where I had lunch with a former, and much loved, co-worker.

But this is what really stuck with me.  This little person, with her life ahead of her, giving us a reason to believe.

A Balancing Act

Whenever we go on a walk, Arrow enjoys finding a curb or wall to walk on.  For some reason he likes the balance beam feel.  I don't blame him.  Balance beam was one of my favorite events during my many childhood years of gymnastics.  

My life feels like a balancing act right now.  I am working on getting into Grad School, trying to bring some money in, and basically trying to figure out who I am.  I am balancing free time with study time, rest time with work time.  Basically I am trying to plan my life.  I know that sounds strange, but when you apply to a 4 year graduate program, you are applying to a big part of your future.  I am applying to an unknown city where I will be living, an unknown group of people, unknown hurdles, unknown joys, unknown everything.  And it is hard.  Being 26 is hard.  I don't mean to say that other times in life aren't equally difficult, but I am kind of done with my twenties.  So over them.  I think older people forget what their twenties were like.  What it was like to be moving from one family to your own life.  What it is like to plan your career and figure out the details.  What it is like to have only a pocket full of experience in the cargo pants of life. I'm trying not to wish my life away, because that is not at all what I want.  I just want to know that it is all possible.  That I can do what I see other people doing.  That I am not alone.  

Sorry if this post was kind of a downer.  I just needed to get it out there to you, The Internet, my support.

I am working on a short post about my weekend in San Francisco, and will have it up soon.  In the meantime, enjoy the pictures of Arrow, climbing a very steep and curvy hill, with me following right behind him.

Yippie Skippie

I'm heading out this afternoon for my long weekend at Millennium Tower in San Francisco.  I am uber excited.  I know there will be many photos and stories to come.

Ramblings (Stream Of Consciousness)

Last week I discovered that I am allergic to eggs. I had omelets twice that week and both nights were awful. I couldn't sleep due to excruciating and debilitating intestinal pain. I realized that I had not eaten eggs in six months, since I started Jenny Craig. Clearly an allergy. Then I cut up a hard boiled egg on Thanksgiving and broke out in a rash. So now I can't eat or touch eggs.

My mom and I put up the Christmas tree last weekend. The tradition is to talk about the origins of each ornament as we place it on the tree. We also put National Lampoons Christmas Vacation on the TV. The day isn't complete without the Griswolds.

I'm really getting back into painting, and it is wonderful to have the time to be creative.

I'm still doing a bunch of walking with Arrow. It's really cute to see how excited he gets when I put on my running shoes and get out his necklace (collar). He bounces with joy the whole time. We do a three mile loop with tons of hills. I think that three miles in my neighborhood should count as six miles because of altitude and sheer steepness.

My mom is currently campaigning for Mother Of The Year. She came to me one day and said, "how would you feel about spending a few nights at Millennium Tower around Christmas?" Is there any other answer to this question than YES!? So next weekend we are going down to San Francisco for some mother daughter shopping and taking in the holiday festivities. I'm sure I will come back with tons of pictures.

I am scheduled to take the GRE on December 17th. I am crazy stressed about this. I plan on taking it again in January to see if I can get a higher score. I am not looking forward to the math section at all. I am also freaked that I will study a bunch of vocabulary and then I wont know the ones on the test.

I got my hair cut and highlighted, and it is now about three inches shorter and I have side swept bangs. Here's a picture of the crazy Lady GaGa-esque foil creation that my stylist inflicted on me. All I could think was, GaGa ooh la la.