fuzzy head
fingers dead
Waiting for the Hunger Games audiobook to burn onto one million blank cd’s so we can listen to it on our trip tomorrow. Excited to see my little brother graduate from high school. Cheers!
Here’s something fun to do in Roswell: go to Pasta Cafe on a weeknight. Sit at the bar and eat appetizers. Order a glass of wine or a beer. It’s a nice weeknight getaway from the norm. I had a nice date there tonight.
Another fun thing to do in Roswell is to challenge yourself to run around town on a bicycle for a day. Bring a lock and you can really get anywhere in this town. How lovely does it sound to ride your bike to Starbucks fora little latte action, roll down to the Anderson Museum for a a few hours, and then on your way back home, stop off at Apple Blossom to buy a single peony.
You will take that peony and cut off most of the stem and sset it in the handblown glass vase next to your computer. Where did you come from little flower? From where did you draw your light pink and deep pink? Who taught you to be so soft? Do you notice your own demise? Do you mourn it? Thanks for being here for me, little flower. Keeping watch over my fingers charging and backtracking writing Willa, Willa, Willa. Wish I could just get away to a cabin to write Willa, but a cabin doesn’t have a library of books and plentiful snacks and it really doesn’t have peonies.
This summer my goal is to establish a routine. I realized the other day in counseling that I don’t have any activities or habits that I do every day consistently, especially the tough ones that require discipline. I’ve always thought that lacking routine was just one of my quirks, but I want to give it a try this summer and see if making habits will benefit me.
For the last three days, Huxtable and I have jog/walked two laps around the outer track at Cielo Grande. He’s catching on really quickly. Hopefully we will start to expect this activity and maybe even keep me accountable.
I’d also like to add 500 words per day to my manuscript.
Those are the only two things I’m certain about right now. I’m also keeping better tabs on the number of drinks I consume.
Okay. Happy Summer.
My classes started on Wednesday. Myths/Folklore and Writing for Children.I’m excited about both of them.
I am usually too lazy of a writer to edit myself very thoroughly (this blog is no exception, really it is the height.) But today I made myself write for an hour without distraction and actually spent much of it revising a poem I jotted down yesterday. The result is so much better than the original draft. How right you were to snarl at us non-editors, Regina Spektor! This year I would like to become a better writer. And also every year after that.
Huxtable is dreaming right now, so loud! Amelie is sleeping on Mitch’s law fleece which in now covered with her hair. And she never offers to pick up the dry cleaning bill or do the laundry!
Hello New Year
A few things I’d like to talk about:
1) I’m going to continue blogging. There was a hiatus, I know, but I got very busy with school and work (tutoring). The next three semesters will be equally full so I am setting a word limit on posts. 350.
2) I’ve been a tad uncertain why I blog. Another reason SaraGoesWest came to a silent halt. You’re supposed to focus your blog if you want it to get popular. But… I like my unfocused blog. I’ve been blogging since… gosh, I’m not sure. Which came first LiveJournal or Xanga? Reagan will know. Let’s just round it to ten years. So I have a decade of spilling thoughts on the internet. It’s part of processing. And if you know me, you know my interests really are all over the place.
3) Mitch and I are on a cleanse and it is not that fun. (“Hey baby Jesus, you wanna do pilates?”) The only thing fun is that we’re doing it together. It’s just a two day cleanse but it is also helping us transition into a new diet we’re calling low-meat. I’ll write more about it if it survives more than a week. Day 2 and I’m just crazy light-headed.
4) There are no fries in the New Year. This is one of the many resolutions we’ve made for 2012. I mean, we have individual ones, too, but many of our new goals are shared. But there are fries in the New Year if I make them myself. And I intend to.
5) Christmas/New Year’s Texas travels were great. We saw many people. For New Year’s we got together with two other couples at Horseshoe Bay Resort (Hill Country) and everyone brought their dogs. Three miniature daschunds and our five-month-old Airedale who seemed like a complete giant. It was very we-don’t-have-kids-yet and wonderful.
Dating Tips for My Sister
My sister Rebekah is one of a kind. She’s fun, crazy, smart, a talented dancer and singer, and very loving. We’re pretty different but there are ways I wish I could be more like her. She’s certainly more outgoing than I ever was and is always herself. She’s got a fantastic future ahead of her.
Rebekah, these dating tips are for you. Each one of them has been learned through the experience of my close friends and I. Hopefully our experiences can help you out and save you some time, trouble and heartbreak. I love you!
Avoid musicians.
At least avoid terrible or badly trained or untrained-non-prodigy musicians. You will be forced to listen to them and their band and you will have to love it. You will find yourself wracking your brain for compliments that aren’t lies. Don’t do that to yourself.
Don’t date below your IQ.
I’ve never had my IQ tested and neither have you. What I mean is, only date people who are at least as smart as you. There are different kinds of intelligences. Don’t forget about that. But you want to be with someone you find engaging, someone you can talk to about anything. Because in between making out and doing life stuff, you want someone you can talk to. Otherwise, you’ll be slipping off to have your intellectual needs met by someone else. Not promising.
Take a break between guys.
You and I are different people. No one wanted to date me for… many years. But you have guys lining up for you. After a relationship/fling ends, take a break. It may be difficult but it can be incredibly rewarding. Take some time for you and for God. I have friends in their mid-twenties who are single for the first time since they got boobs. They regret not spacing their relationships out. Valuing singleness has turned into a huge struggle for them. Value yourself and your single times.
Date guys who love God.
Don’t kid yourself. You know if they are serious about their relationship with God or not. If your love for God is important to you, only date someone who finds him equally important. God shouldn’t be the only thing you have in common, but don’t kid yourself that you can leave this part out of your relationship. I have only ONE friend who converted her lost boyfriend. ONE. ONE. ONE. ONE.
Choose the good guy.
Your daddy issues are most likely going to be WAY different than mine. Dad is great and since you have a good relationship with him, you’re likely to approach guys a little differently than I did. But just in case you’re tempted, don’t waste your time with the bad guy. Please let me save you that trouble. They may change eventually but they will never change for you. That road is exhausting. One of my best guy friends once advised me to start choosing the good guy. And now we’re married.
Don’t be the only one who says no.
Society puts all the pressure on the girl to put limits on how far you go with your boyfriend. It doesn’t have to be that way. Even though it makes me cringe a little, I know your relationships will have a physical aspect to them. Please try to find a guy who will set and enforce boundaries with you. If you both get the fun of kissing and what not, then you both should get the responsibility of saying no. P.S. Please try to do as little as possible for as long as possible.
Date forward-thinkers.
Your boyfriend doesn’t have to know his ten-year plan (you are in junior high, after all) but he should think seriously about his future. Forward-thinkers are good leaders of themselves and the people around them.
Put your girls first.
When you’re with your girlfriends, really be with them. Don’t spend the whole time texting your guy. Love your girls and keep those friendships up. Pretty sure you’ve never watched the Hills, but stay away from guys who split you up from your best girl friends. You’re evil, Spencer!
Don’t play house.
It can be tempting to spend all your time with your guy. You coordinate your schedules, talk each other to sleep on the phone and eventually plan your life together. Please avoid! It’s tough but spend significant time apart. You aren’t married. If you don’t, your friendships with other people including your family will suffer. Use this time to figure out what you like in other people and what you do not like. Don’t just jump to forever.
“WHERE ARE THE MINTS?!”
Watch how he treats people who serve him at restaurants, fast food places, Starbucks and other stores. Look for a guy who is generally respectful of other people, no matter where they work.
For the love of God, please don’t sleep with him.
I cannot tell you how many of my girls have been crumpled up in a ball on the floor or in the shower because they lost their virginity to their jerk boyfriend.
There are more boundaries than just the physical.
Setting physical boundaries is important, but setting emotional and spiritual boundaries is equally critical. No guy deserves all your secrets, yet. One of the hardest parts about breaking up is the vulnerability you feel. If you give him all of your thoughts, secrets, hopes, fears, you cannot get those back. Those things tie you to him, making it crazy difficult to break up with him if things go sour.
A party is not a good time to start a relationship… or anything.
Figure out what “I love you,” means to you before you say it.
Confidence attracts. LOVE YOURSELF!
If all you do is fight, break up.
If all you do is make out, break up.
If all you do is fight and make out, run!
If he’s a really bad kisser… there may be no way to change that. Abort!
Date someone who empowers you, not someone who belittles you.
Call me. Anytime. About anything.
Some of my girlfriends just wanted me to tell you to not date and not kiss. I can’t say that’s a bad idea since that’s what I did until I was a senior in high school (at which point I completely lost my mind). But I think what we’re trying to communicate is that this stuff is REALLY IMPORTANT. Make good decisions because you only get one shot at life. The people you date can really change you and your experiences as a teenager stay with you. You can’t avoid all mistakes but at least try to avoid ours. Have fun and make me proud!
LOVE!
I tried to barter helping him dry the dishes for one of his signature strawberry mojitos. He wouldn’t have it. He insisted I keep reading blogs while he finished drying and putting away the dishes and dancing around the house to some crazy music like Vampire Weekend.
One reason I’m pretty freaking overjoyed I married him one year ago this weekend.
We’re having a great anniversary week over here. 
Photo by Andrew Ryan Shepherd.com
About
New Mexico. Wine. Politics. Education. Pop Culture. Food. Family Life.
Theme created by 
