Uncommitted

Despite being married for a year and a half, I fear that I may be a commit phobe. No, not in the traditional sense where I run scared from anything resembling a committed relationship, but in probably every other aspect of my life I shy away from getting tied down. Geez, I was happy to switch to a no contract cell phone plan a few months ago. This time last year I was leaving a career that I had invested almost 7 years in (teaching) and embarking on constructing a new career outside the classroom walls. Now that I have survived and thrived in a new job a part of me enjoys asking what else would fulfill me job wise. Should I continue in non-profit which is incredibly gratifying but pays little? Or go back to my English degree roots and try to find something that deals more with writing? It was scary to take a chance last year and start over in a new job, but I did it and it has given me the confidence to keep on trying. I really believe that humans are far too complex for the old model of "find a job and stay there 30 years". It worked for my parent's generation but I feel that I can see myself doing a variety of jobs before I'm their age. As hard as I try I just can't see working one job for more than a few years before I   get an itch to move on to something new. Is career ADD a real thing? Cause I might have it.

I'm the weirdo who is going from owning a home to realistically renting for the next few years while T goes to law school in a very expensive city. Oddly enough I'm coming around to the idea that renting has the advantage of being flexible to move if a great opportunity comes our way. So while everyone around me has settled down I'm here overwhelmed with all the choices. 

How Do You Do That?

So I thought that I would link up with the lovely Jade for her "How Do You Do That"link up. I know that things come up on a daily basis that have me scratching my head and asking how do they do that.

....People who are able to wear all white and not get a single stain on it. This also goes for people who are able to do this with all white furniture. Seriously, how is that possible? I need that secret.

.....Anyone is able to get their dog or dogs from the car to the dog park without their dog wigging out. Kavalier gets so excited that he becomes a pain to walk until we get inside the dog park. Hmm maybe it is just me.

......Ladies who always have good hair days.

.....People who consistently stick to a meal plan. I try and can have a successful week or two but then it goes to shit.

.....Ladies who mastered the perfect smoky eye. I try and it never looks as good as the tutorial.

...... Couples who claim to never fight with each other. Really? If that is possible and still maintain a healthy relationship, I'm going to need that secret please.

Lessons from loves past

I have to share what inspired this post was receiving a Facebook message from an ex-boyfriend asking for career advice. We were friends all through high school and dated for my last 3 years of college. Apparently he is contemplating going back to school to get an English degree and thought of me to ask if that was a smart choice. Random to say the least. This out of the blue message got me to thinking about the lessons I have learned through my dating history. I like to think I'm much wiser now as a married woman than my younger single self that was navigating through the dating world. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not.


Red flags are not meant to be ignored.

You see them coming towards you all shiny and bright, but those damn sparks just have you turn your head and continue on your way. I learned this lesson the hard way my first year of teaching when I met a cute fellow brand new teacher who seemed perfect for me. The great chemistry between us made it oh so easy to look past the big red flag, he had just gotten divorced at 25. That was a red flag the size of Montana that obviously should have made me think. 9 months later it was no surprise when he dumped me saying he needed time to be on his own.


Timing is everything.

Timing. Such a clique because it is true. A relationship will not work if both people are not on the same life page. Both people have to be wanting the same things out of their life. If a guy isn't ready to commit and you are looking at weddings on Pinterest, it might not work out.


Don't compromise so much that you end up resenting your significant other. 

I like to call this the "Lauren chooses Jason over Paris" syndrome. It happened to Lauren Conrad just like it happens to many young women in their 20's. I did something similar at 19 when transferring colleges in the name of love. It was fine for a little while until the resentment of giving up so much started to seep in and ultimately poisoned our relationship. This might be the biggest lesson learned out of all my previous relationships.

32 Things That Make Me Happy

 I know sometimes it is so much easier to focus on what sucks in our lives than to look at the good things we have going on, so when I saw Sarah's awesome 32 Things That Make You Happy link up I knew I wanted to jump in. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not too difficult to come up with my list of happy things.


1. My dog Kavalier

2. A bowl of good pasta
3. Spending time with my husband
4. A perfect 75 degree day
5. Thrift shopping
6. A good concert
7. Chocolate
8. Wine
9. Spending time in Key West

10. Colored pen sets
11. Sex and the City marathons
12. Eating outside on a nice day
13. Good hair days
14. My family
15. Chick-Fil-A
16. A good laugh
17. Singing in the shower or car
18. Traveling
19. Getting a manicure
20. Yoga
21. Florida State football season
22. Fantasy football when I win
23. Going to the beach
24. Reading a good book
25. Back rubs
26. Text conversations with my sister Lilli
27. 90's music
28. Nailing a new recipe
29. Spending time with my 2 nephews
30. Three day weekends
31. Sleeping in
32. Comments on my blog

Sorry not sorry

Things I'm sorry not sorry about

• My fast metabolism and the fact that I am able to eat a good amount without gaining too much weight. I'm over people trying to make me feel bad about it. It is just genetics.

• As much as I try to change my ways, I am a procrastinator. After 32 years old habits die hard.
• 

• Not blogging on a daily basis. I don't want this blog to ever feel like a chore. Sometimes life happens and that is more than ok.

• That I can't function at work without my daily to-do list, and that I get way too much enjoyment checking things off the list throughout the day.

                                           (One of my old to-do lists when I was teaching)

• Having zero desire to get a tattoo ever. In a weird way I like that I'm one of the few people my age I know that doesn't have one. I had a belly piercing in my 18-23 year old days but that's about it.