General Highlights:
My June revolved around two events: taking a long-planned trip to San Francisco with my dad and sister, and getting PRK on June 23. Everything else was secondary. I’ve been fortunate to have enough time off work for both of these things, and I WILL post soon and more in-depth about each. Short version, I’m having a good, steady recovery with decent vision (reading and screen time are still a strain), and the trip was great.
Reading:
The only book I completed in June was the Hamiltome, cover to cover on my flights to San Francisco. Pretty sure my last one-book month was in the early aughts, but in my defense, I was physically unable to read for a third of the month. Still, my book totals are very low this year and it’s no good. For me, not reading enough is like not getting quite enough oxygen. I can function, but not at a normal level.
Watching:
I’ve been rewatching a lot of Friends during my surgery recovery (seasons 8 and 9), because I can still enjoy and follow it with my eyes closed. I’m also caught up on Mindy in time for the finale next week. I don’t know how I feel about this whole Jody thing.
Around Town:
The remodeled Levitt Shell is in full swing! I went to my first show of the season with Matt and some of his friends, one of whom was one of my good friends when we were all in middle school together. Life is funny.
Two weeks after my half-marathon, I did the Gibson Guitar 5K downtown. It was 94 degrees and humid at race time. I was dizzy by mile 1, gave up, and walked at least half the course, resulting in the worst 5K performance of my running career. But I’m trying to strike it from my mental record. It happens.
The Scruggs Club reconvened at the Redbirds to cheer on Wes’s favorite player, Xavier Scruggs, who now plays for a different minor league team. This time, our signs attracted the attention of his fiancee. Hilarious as usual.
Our friend Kim and her husband were in town from Finland for one night, which happened to be the day after my surgery. I was feeling okay at the time, so my parents kindly drove me downtown to have dinner with the gang. Kim was excited at the prospect of being in What I’m Into, so ta-da!!!! (PS: She has a travel blog chronicling her amazing global adventures!)
Cooking:
I was pleased with this root beer float cake that I made for a baby shower!
At Home:
I’m taking care of as many random home tasks as possible during my time off. My Comcast internet has been consistently terrible as long as I’ve lived here, but I thought my modem was bad or something. This month I saw a thread on Nextdoor to the effect that Comcast doesn’t have sufficient bandwidth for our neighborhood. So I had U-Verse installed this week and am THRILLED with the speed and consistency so far. Moral of the story, location really matters with internet service, so ask your neighbors.
Oh and on that note, I got new next-door neighbors in June! I used to have a rotating cast of med-student renters next door, but now a couple around my age has bought the place. I’m excited about it.
Random Happiness:
I was the honored witness to Matt’s ceremonial 200th beer at the Flying Saucer. He has now earned his second plate. Plate party in July!! He also surprised me one day with this Significant Otter shirt. I knew he’d ordered a shirt for me, but assumed it was for one of his sports teams, so I was very surprised by this and laughed so hard I almost cried. I love it.
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Your Monthly Rufus:
Posts I Loved:
♥ Abby Norman: On Finding Space for All of Me and We Are Hamiltons
♥ Cara Meredith addresses the inherent problems with the term “love on” (which has always made my skin crawl on a visceral level).
♥ Aziz Ansari in the New York Times: Why Trump Makes Me Scared for My Family
♥ Allison Fallon at Storyline: Doing the “Right Thing” May Be Keeping You Stuck
♥ Mandy Hale: Why We Cling to People Who Don’t Love Us
♥ I discovered Ask the Pilot this month via the Freakonomics podcast, and enjoyed his take on the current TSA crisis.
4 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
Completing my first half-marathon on May 28, 2016 was one of the proudest accomplishments of my adult life! As a runner, I’ve progressed at a ridiculously slow pace. I had zero running ability as a kid, and couldn’t even run laps in marching band without feeling suffocatey. When I was in my late 20s, I decided to attempt short sprints during my walks around the neighborhood and at the gym. That was all I did for years. It never felt good, and I decided the whole “runner’s high” thing was a myth. But for reasons I still don’t understand, I kept doing it… until, one day on the treadmill, I reached my usual stopping point and didn’t feel like I might die. So I kept going. And then I did it again and again. I was probably running a 20-minute mile, but I felt as gleeful as Dash running on water in The Incredibles. I’d put myself through seemingly pointless suffering, never expecting the situation to improve. But by persevering, I conditioned myself to do the very thing I thought I couldn’t do. I think about this lesson often.
On my birthday two years ago, I ran the Elvis 5K at Graceland. I’d walked many 5Ks previously, but I was determined to run this one without stopping. That 3.1 was a huge achievement for me at the time. I hung at that distance for about a year. When I ran the Cooper-Young 4-Miler last fall, something shifted. Suddenly I could run further and further with less effort. I decided I wanted to work up to 10K by the end of the year, and I did it on New Year’s Eve day. Then I ran the Hot Chocolate 15K in February. After that went well, I figured if I could run over nine miles in freezing conditions, I was legit! So I registered for the inaugural Memphis in May Great American River Run. I could think of no better first half-marathon than a brand-new race celebrating the city I love.
To add to the excitement, my SIPster and co-adventurer Bethany decided to fly up to Memphis and join me. She’s running a half every month in 2016 and needed a May race anyway. (I know.) Her flight in on Friday was delayed five hours, so we didn’t get a ton of sleep, but we still felt pretty good on Saturday morning!
The half-marathon route started downtown and passed most of the landmarks I wanted to show Bethany anyway. If they keep that route in the future, I recommend it as a quick and fun way to see the city! For the first few miles, the temperature was pleasant, and I was overflowing with thankfulness and goodwill. But miles 5-8ish were up the boring back side of Mud Island, with no shade or points of civic pride, and it started to get hot. Still, I never felt like I couldn’t continue. I’d memorized the list of things available at different mile markers, and I knew there would be cool towels at mile 9. I rounded the top of the Island, saw the river, felt the breeze, and claimed what turned out to be a Grizzlies growl towel. I think we were supposed to give them back, but I knew immediately that this GRIND towel was coming with me. I felt so re-invigorated, I sent Matt a selfie with the towel on my head. While running.
Bethany had passed me at around mile 5, but I caught back up to her around mile 12. Getting to cross the finish line together was great! Alanna was waiting for us there, and the official race photographer caught her excitedly jumping out from the sidelines and running with us for a minute before deciding she probably wasn’t supposed to do that. Hilarious. (For the record, we finished in 2:49. I wasn’t shooting for a specific time, but realized early on that I could finish under a 13-minute mile, so that became my spontaneous goal and I achieved it.)
I was extra happy that Debra, Lance, and my nieces came in from Nashville to meet me at the finish! Debra has done the Music City half twice, and gave me lots of good advice while I was training.
Overall, I’m very happy with my first half-marathon experience, and it won’t be my last. Only a few days later, Matt and I registered for the St. Jude half-marathon in December! It’ll be my first St. Jude (and his first half), and I’m excited. I also like that it’s far enough away that I can take a little break and mix things up. For a while, I had to run so much that it was the only exercise I had time or energy for (other than yoga here and there). I’m pretty sure that’s why I’ve gained about ten pounds in two months, most of it at the end, during my most intense training. I never ate very differently than my usual, or devoured entire pizzas or stacks of pancakes – I tried to make good decisions. It feels discouraging and unfair, but I’m forcing myself to stop obsessively Googling “half marathon weight gain” and give my body time and grace to balance itself out. I have a strong body that can do awesome things like run 13.1 miles. That’s worth celebrating!
If you’re a late-bloomer runner like me, I encourage you to stay true to yourself and your own progress. Over the years people have tried to convince me to take on distances and challenges I didn’t feel ready for, and sometimes it felt really lame and/or lazy to turn down potential glory. But I’ve listened to my body and done things on my own terms, and it’s made every milestone that much better. Trust and believe in yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!
8 Comments + Posted in: empowerment, fitness, memphis, milestone
General Highlights:
On Saturday I ran my first half-marathon, the inaugural Great American River Run! I won’t say too much right now because I’m going to post separately about it (really), but it was a good experience, I’m recovering well, and I’m willing to do it again. I never thought I could run a half, but once I decided I wanted to progress, I went from a 5K to a half in eight months. Feeling accomplished!
May’s unofficial theme was Baseball and Brewfests. I celebrated Cinco de Mayo with free tacos at the Redbirds, followed by a Jackson Generals game the next day. The following weekend, Kelsey, Clark, Wes, and I went to Huntsville for my first Rocket City Brewfest. I had a great time and discovered a few new favorites (UFO Big Squeeze Shandy, anyone?). The Saturday after that was Taste the Rarity at Wiseacre here in town. It’s been fun, but needless to say the diet has begun.
June is going to be a big month. I’m taking a family trip to California, getting vision surgery, and starting on some other endeavors. Stay tuned.
Reading:
I finally read Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach trilogy, which had been on my list for a while. If you enjoy character-driven, thought-provoking sci-fi that gives you a good ride but doesn’t necessarily answer every question, you will love this. I’ve been recommending it to a lot of people.
Watching:
Matt and I are almost finished with Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt! (My crappy modem keeps interfering. Thanks, Comcast.) I especially love the therapy (Tina Fey!) and gentrification storylines.
Music:
I’ve been to a lot of great shows at Minglewood Hall, but HAIM last week was one of the best! It made me want to start writing songs with my sister. They played some new stuff they’re currently working on – glad a new album is on the way.
I’m obsessed with Hamilton. I don’t care if that makes me basic. It’s amazing, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is truly one of the most brilliant creatives alive.
In other news, the release of a new Justin Timberlake track is always cause for rejoicing.
Around Town:
My mom and I were going to run a 5K together for Mother’s Day, but it was canceled. So instead, we took a bike tour of Midtown murals. I did something like this with Alanna a couple of years ago, but it was fun to hit up old and new murals with my mom!
Bethany was here last weekend for the half-marathon, and I really got to show her My Memphis. Alanna and I took her to Overton Square (where we had a Chad Michael Murray sighting!!), Jerry’s Sno Cones, the Memphis Made taproom, the Madison rooftop, Beale Street, and a few of our favorite restaurants. We also did the Sun Studios tour, which I had been saving for her visit. It was a great weekend.
A big red ball visited Memphis this month. I finally caught up with it at the Brooks Museum on its last day, and also wrote a Memphis Type History piece about the New Daisy Theatre in connection with its stop there.
At Home:
I’ve started working from home on Wednesdays, and it is glorious. Getting that peace and quiet in the middle of the week is great for my mental health. Rufus is happy about it, too.
My plants are all thriving beyond my hopes! I keep exclaiming about them every time I come home or go out. Perennials: they get the job done.
Beauty:
These Jordana eyeshadow palettes were irresistible, and of course I had to get a few more things to meet the free shipping threshold! I’m really pleased with all of these products, especially the blush stick (in Apple Cheeks) and the liquid lipstick (which is VERY long-lasting).
Random Happiness:
My older niece turned four this month. !!! GROWING UP TOO FAST. I saw her at her birthday party, then got to go to the zoo and hang out with her while she was here last weekend. She also came with my sister, BIL, and other niece to cheer me on at my race.
Matt and I are still dating and doing great. I’m very happy. :)
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Not actually from Pinterest, but from Alissa Wilkinson via Cara Strickland:
Your Monthly Rufus:
Posts I Loved:
♥ I’m glad I came across Perfect Number a few months ago. While I don’t necessarily agree with everything she says, I look forward to her posts and find them validating and thought-provoking. This month she tackled, among other topics, the Boundaries books and the “God has one perfect guy for you” myth.
♥ Matthew Fray: The Other Law of Attraction: Self-Worth and Gender Identity in a Mixed-Up World
♥ The Culture of Moore: Should We Stop Sharing That Newsroom Clip?
♥ Divergent author Veronica Roth on mental illness: Anxiety, Meds, and Words from the Horizon
♥ “I’ve spent most of the past seven years since I graduated from college feeling like a failure, because I can’t afford to be that carefree with my career and my finances and just quit everything… Coming to terms with that reality made me realize just how classist and elitist that whole concept of ‘quit everything & do what you love’ is, because very few people can afford to live like that. And I began to notice that all the people who were touting this as the One True Way to Creative Success were making a hell of a lot of money off of people’s insecurity.” Mic drop, Bethany Suckrow: Creatives: Can We Please Stop Shaming Ourselves for Working Traditional Jobs?
7 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
General Highlights:
I’ll blame the lateness of this post on how eventful April was. April through June is THE BEST time to be in Memphis, but it’s also the busiest. On top of that, I’ve been traveling. I attended the Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids, soaked up a lot of great wisdom and inspiration, and came home with a pile of books to add to the already hefty stacks around my room!
If you follow me elsewhere, you may have wondered who this guy is. His name is Matt, and we went to middle and high school together. We didn’t really hang out back then, but he randomly chatted me up on Facebook in early March, and we’ve talked every day since. He’s a good, kind, and fun person, we have a lot in common, and I’m just enjoying being in a happy, supportive relationship! I’m still a little stunned by the whole thing (in a good way). I’ll leave it at that right now. :)
Reading:
I devoured two books by FFW speakers on my flights to and from the Festival. (Both of their talks were wonderful!) Then I needed a break from deep thoughts and moved on to Heathers-meets-One Direction novel Kill the Boy Band. Despite the title, I was surprised by how dark it was.
Music:
I only attended one night of Music Fest this year, to see Weezer, who had been on my bucket list for years. Rivers Cuomo was not too high to perform and the show was great! I also saw Julien Baker, Young the Giant, and Panic at the Disco.
Around Town:
Even though the Grizzlies got swept by the Spurs, I was thrilled to go to both playoff home games! Alanna and I bought our Game 3 tickets as soon as they went on sale, but Kelsey surprised me with Game 4 tickets when I met her for brunch that day! It was a miracle that the Grizz made the playoffs at all due to endless injuries, and they fought hard to the end against a tough team. As one homemade growl towel said, “So proud of my team… all 28 of you.” Also, Grizz (the mascot) jumped off an extension ladder and pile-drove another mascot through a folding table, so that was awesome. MEMPHIS VS. ERRRBODY.
Wes, Kelsey, Clark, and I went to opening day at the Redbirds. The next day, we were Twitter famous.
April is crawfish month around here, and I enjoyed them at Rec Room one weekend and at Overton Square another. Matt took me to a great Founders beer dinner at Flying Saucer (the Mango Magnifico is amaaazing). Becky, Gwen, and I checked out and loved the latest hipster hangout, Loflin Yard. There’s a bar in an old locksmith shop and a big yard with abundant Adirondack chairs and fire pits. I’ll be spending a lot of time there this summer.
Alanna and I ran the inaugural Grizzlies 5K!
Food Truck Fridays have started at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens. I’m participating now before it’s too hot!
At Home:
I had a couple of run-ins with my HOA in April, first for some thin wire I’d put on my gate to keep Rufus inside, and then for the clear twinkle lights on my patio (what kind of Scrooge doesn’t like twinkle lights??). I decided I’d better upgrade the fold-out chairs on my balcony, or they’d send me a letter about that too. So I got these faux wicker armchairs and cushions at Garden Ridge and am very happy with them. Now I just need more time at home to enjoy them!
My perennials are all coming back full strength and look beautiful. I also planted my essential herbs in pots: basil, mint, and rosemary. The mint has already grown about a foot since I took this picture.
Cooking/Eating:
After I stayed with my friend Erin the pie queen in Grand Rapids, Matt requested a blackberry pie. This recipe was a win and will be made again (though I used Pillsbury pie crust due to time constraints).
Random Happiness:
My older niece just turned four (CRAZY), and I went to Nashville for her Shrek birthday party! My BIL Lance did a wonderful job planning the party and was Head Ogre for the festivities.
I’ve gotten serious about half-marathon training just in time – the race is only a few weeks away! After my 15K in February, I lost a lot of mojo, but I’m finally feeling strong and steady again and my mileage is good. My only complaints are #MidtownRunnerProblems – bad sidewalks, lots of obstacles, constantly trying not to get hit by a car or bus. But I usually plot my route through Overton Park for some relaxation. Anyway, I welcome tips for running a half in hot weather, because it’ll be hot by then!
Your monthly Rufus:
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
On The Blog:
My FFW recap was my only post here last month, but I also wrote a little piece about the New Daisy Theatre for Memphis Type History, in connection with the RedBall Project!
Posts I Loved:
♥ Angie at My So-Called Chaos: What Do I Even Do with A Boyfriend?
♥ Heather Caliri: Beliefs I Wish Weren’t True: Bitterness Is Poison
♥ Jayson D. Bradley: Coming to Grips with Christian Hypocrisy
♥ Kelle Hampton: A Lesson from My Eyebrows
♥ The writing life is so meta: Jody Casella: Day by Day, Good Day
♥ Not my usual scene, but I appreciated this installment of Living with Kids on Design Mom, from a recently divorced mom. Love her style, too!
♥ A local Prince remembrance from Chris Davis in the Memphis Flyer.
14 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
I’ve wanted to attend the Festival of Faith & Writing since I first heard about it a decade or more ago. In 2014, I was dying to go sit at the feet of Anne Lamott and Susan E. Isaacs, but a flight from Memphis to Grand Rapids, Michigan cost almost as much as a flight to Hawaii. Thankfully, a lot can change in two years. With an improved airline situation, and Christmas money from my parents and grandfather, I registered for FFW 2016.
However, I have never felt less qualified to attend a writing conference. After about a year of upheaval and intensity at work, my brain is fried, and even reflective writing just for close friends has ground to a halt. Though I can easily see the internal and external consequences of not writing, I can’t generate the focus or energy to get back to my old self – let alone progress as a writer. Thinking about my approach to FFW, I didn’t see the point of trying to hide or overcome my “writing depression.” I decided I would go quietly, with open hands and heart, not hustling or trying to prove myself. I was only seeking a little inspiration and mojo (and a faith boost too). By that definition, this Festival was a win. I loved every session I went to, and felt buoyed just being around so many people who love talking about books.
Going to FFW at all was a bucket list item, but I knocked off another one: meeting one of my inspirations, Shauna Niequist (“the sensei,” as Hillary commented). I thought all morning about something meaningful to say to Shauna, but all my ideas made me tear up, and I didn’t want to be the crying weirdo at the book signing. So I stuck to my usual silent fangirling while she signed my old copy of Bittersweet. She did a Q&A earlier that afternoon, and I was encouraged by how similar our writing processes are.
Even though networking wasn’t a priority for me, I met several of my favorite bloggers and had sightings of many more. After picking up my packet first thing Thursday morning, I was wandering aimlessly through the lounge when I was seized by Tammy Perlmutter, founder of my favorite collaborative blog, The Mudroom. She recognized me from Twitter and immediately introduced me to Mudroomers whose posts I’ve been reading and linking to for years. Then she took me under her wing for the rest of the morning. She convinced me to apply to the Redbud Writers Guild and made me promise I would pitch to her by July. Tammy, you’re a wonderful human being. Thank you for seeing me!
I ran into Cara Strickland (one of the people I most hoped to see), and met Sarah from All Manner of Inspiration, who recognized me at a panel for beginning writers. We both participate in What I’m Into every month. She’s great and we ended up sitting together at Shauna Niequist’s talk.
After the first day of the Festival, I decided I didn’t want to spend my entire visit to Grand Rapids on the Calvin College campus. Happily, I had Erin! Erin and I met on LiveJournal* maybe eight years ago and have been friends ever since. She attends seminary at Calvin and invited me to stay with her and her husband while I was in town. Erin was a fantastic and generous hostess, and having her and her place as a home base made my Festival experience even better. Since we’re all into craft beer, we hit up two breweries, Founders and Vivant. Memphis’s craft beer scene is great but still young, and it was cool for me to see what we’re working toward. I knew ahead of time that Grand Rapids is one of the hipster capitals of America, so I also knew I’d feel at home there!
On the last day, I went to hear Sarah Bessey. At the beginning of her talk, she shared about her experience at her first Festival. Her husband had researched Christian writing conferences and sent her as an act of support and love. Sarah knew no one, heard over and over that she needed a “platform” and a “voice” to succeed, and decided by the end of the conference that she was done writing. She knew she would never be the right type of writer or person to fit into that world. As she prayed in her hotel room on the last night, she clearly sensed God saying to her, “You may never be published or known. But I called you to write, and if you write, I will meet you there.” She went home revitalized and started writing just for God and herself. Eight years later, she’s the author of two books and a polarizing and respected figure in North American Christendom. I don’t want a high-profile role like that, but I do need affirmation that God called me to write, and He will meet me there, even if no one else cares. I didn’t come home from FFW ready to take on the world, but I do have a little more spring in my step. And that’s all I wanted.
In summary: 5/5, would go again.
*= I’ve met many of my best and most lasting friends on LiveJournal. We don’t care that the rest of the internet has moved on. We like it that way. ;)
4 Comments + Posted in: the writing life, travel