we'll take a cup of kindness yet

I'm so so so so ready to end this year and begin 2011 with renewed perspective. I can honestly say this has been the most downright confusing, discouraging and overall frustrating year to date. I would like to leave these things buried in the past...

• negativity, cynicism, bitterness, anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, pessimism and worry 
• my guilt over marking All As Read on Google Reader/not finishing to-do lists
• passive-aggressiveness and not asserting myself
• rushing while driving
• death of The Conversation, due to texting, facebooking and twitter-ing.
• forgetting that exercise+endorphins=happy Melissa
  
• too much indoors. Also vitamin D=happy Melissa
• not making time to read, journal, slow down, I don't know, breathe?
• not cutting myself some slack. 
• overuse of the word "awkward"
• wearing my heart on my sleeve
• frustration over things/events/people/situations I can't control
• being late, which often sets the tone for the entire day.
• being bothered by little things that have no matter. Even though unnecessary abbreviations in texts and emails drive me UP THE WALL

I think that's all for now. Until then, I am surrounding myself with the blessings of  family and Christmas and the happiest time of the year!

Band Kid: reprise

To any UT alumni out there, this Saturday is Homecoming! It's my first as an actual alumna and I am excited to be spending the day in rather spectacular fashion.

Two things about Homecoming:
a) former members of UT's band are invited to come back and be in the VolWalk and halftime shows as the Alumni Band
b)both of my parents were in UT's band while students. My Dad played tenor saxophone (not the girly Kenny G one) and my Mom was in the color guard.

The Pride of the Southland's Homecoming 2010 theme is Generations of the Pride. And since it just so happens that my Bethany and I are a Band Kid's Kids...we are MARCHING in the VolWalk and halftime shows with Dad!

(We technically did this several times when we were kids, because Mom and Dad had nowhere else to put us while they marched to the stadium from the bandroom. Back then, we were both still pretty short and could hide behind the tall people holding sousaphones)

I'm planning pretending I'm in Drumline the entire time and creating a scene, so if you see me please wave. I'll be wearing orange overalls if it's not too cold. And if you see me fall, please don't laugh.

free hour!

In honor of having an extra hour yesterday, Mollie and I set out to hike the Catalooche Divide in Waynesville, NC. After some tricky directions and a turnaround (only to find out we had been about 50 feet from our destination) we tackled the SNOW covered trail. One thing I love SO MUCH is having a cold face and yesterday was perfect for that!  (Weird? NO. It makes me think or early morning running, skiing and camping!) There was probably 2-3 inches of snow covering the trees, fences and most of the trail. It was absolutely gorgeous and put me in the best mood! After about an hour and a half, we found a clearing with no snow where we sat and ate lunch and miiiiggght have taken a little nap. The sun was so warm on our faces it was impossible not to doze off! I had never hiked this trail before but I definitely recommend it! 

Here are some pictures of our day...

If Knoxville gets none, I have already seen my snow:)

Our lunch and nap spot!

Catalooche Valley

Silence

Mollie!

Thanks, self-timer!

 

 

If I had that extra hour every day I would...

*Sit down to have coffee, instead of trying to drink it while blow drying my hair

*Read a few chapters from one of the 6 books I have stacked next to my bed.

*Hang out with my little seester!

*Make a birthday card instead of buying one. 

*Watch some Mad Men!

*Go for a walk or run! I have no excuse since it's an extra hour! HA

*Go to Barnes and Noble and get lost in the Biography section

*Wander through the downtown library and find some good (free!) books

*Listen to the 98 podcasts I currently have in my Itunes. Yeesh

*Finally look back through the pages I have dogeared in my Real Simple and Martha Stewart magazines

*Make something sweet. Maybe this spiced applesauce cake?!

*Skype with Emma! My Canadian best friend!

*Upload and order prints of my Australia pictures...finally

 

Clearly the free hour deal comes but only once a year, soooo I guess this list will wait for the next free Saturday I have :)

trunk or treat

Last Friday I attended my very first Trunk or Treat! For those who don’t know (I didn’t) the concept, it’s to decorate the trunk/tailgate of your car in a parking lot somewhere and kids go from car to car Trick or Treating!

A former co-worker of my dad’s used to tell him he looked like Woody from Toy Story. He got Dad a Woody doll one year for Christmas and we kept the joke rolling by making Dad get his picture made with Woody when we went to Disney World in 2007 (which I would post but I have it on a different computer)

All that to say it only made sense that we were Toy Story at Trunk or Treat. Bethany made our Andy’s-bedroom backdrop and my sheep and it looked great! Trunk or Treat=success!

You’ve got a friend in me!