TGIF y'all!

Happy Friday, kiddos! It's been a good week and I thought I'd express some thanks on this beautiful, sunny Friday.

Today I'm thankful for:

• sunshine
• lunch with mom and the rooms
• thursday funday
• my 5k tomorrow
• heartfelt e-mails from new friends
• my car
• surprising good news
• panera's breakfast sandwiches (whoa! had my first one today and it was absolutely amazing!)
• the windows in my office
• green tea
• my new shoes that were 40 percent off (aren't they both presh?)

10 Questions

1. What is your favorite word? Love. There is nothing better than the moment when someone says that word to you and truly means it with every ounce of his being.

2. What is your least favorite word? Divorce.

3. What turns you on? Perfect moments. I guess that's obvious, but I love those moments where you say, "Wow. This is my life. I am so incredibly blessed. Let's take it in for a minute." Mine usually involve my best friends, wine and music; Cute boys who play sports.


4. What turns you off? Meanness. Jealousy. Judgement (I need to work on this!)

5. What sound do you love? The ocean; the sound a basketball makes when it echoes in a gym

6. What sound do you hate? Yelling. Too much talking (Again, guilty! Something to work on)

7. What is your favorite curse word? D-it.

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? I wish I was artistic.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything involving math.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? "You've been a good person, Lindsay. Your heart is in the right place. I wish you hadn't worried so much. I am especially fond of you." :) 

One Month Challenge: Be Present

In reading another blog, I came across the idea to challenge myself to live in the present, all the time, at every moment, for one month.

This will be hard for me. This will be hard for me not because I do a terrible job of living in the present, in fact, I'm pretty good at it. This will be hard for me because I am pretty good at living in the past, present and future. Let me clarify.

I think I have moments where I am awesome at living in the present. Seriously. I can't count the number of times I have told everyone around me to be quiet because this is the kind of moment that I love. I'm pretty good at that. Those moments often include wine and music, sometimes include basketball and sleep, but always include good people.

I also am awesome at living in the past and the future. I constantly dwell on the past, how much I miss college, how much I miss my relationship, etc. I also am always planning for the future imagining how I'll have a big house  with columns and hydrangeas and worrying that I'll have no one to share it with.

During this month I want to take the emphasis from the past and future and place them on the present. Help keep me accountable, readers?

Monday Morning Review: ECSTATIC Style

He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccckkkkkk.

Harrison announced today that he will return to UNC for his sophomore season, joining Tyler Zeller and John Henson in their earlier decisions.

I loved his statement.

"As an 18-year old, I'm in the early stages of my life journey," Barnes says. "I'm honored and blessed for the chance to play in the NBA. And because of my family, teachers, passion, and work, I have the ultimate dream of one day playing and experiencing a fulfilling career in the NBA.

"Opportunities, both beneficial and life changing, can seem to make the next phase of my journey an easy decision. But I am a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina. I'm here to experience college life, grow as a person, receive a quality education, and be part of the greatest basketball family in college sports.

"The experiences I've enjoyed on and off the court will be invaluable. These experiences will help fuel my journey in the NBA and beyond.

"I look forward to meeting the challenging journey in the NBA, but my decision on November 13, 2009, still holds true. I'm focused on being a student-athlete. And my decision is to continue this part of my journey at the University of North Carolina.

"As a team, we're preparing for a special season. My off-season plans are to diligently work on honing my basketball skills in all areas with one team-goal in mind -- to bring the 2012 national championship home to UNC."

The great thing is, as much talent as next year's team will have, I think they have equally, if not more, heart. Those are some loveable boys and I cannot wait to watch them play. Let's go Heels!

Fashion Fix: New Football Dress

Eeeeek, y'all! Most of you know that not only do I love a good football dress, but that I also think a good football dress plays a crucial role in what kind of season your football team will have. Last year, I had the perfect football dress. It got us to a bowl game, which we won, despite losing 13 players. I'll take it. 

In all honesty, I was perfectly content to keep the same football dress this year. It did well last season, it's the perfect shade of Carolina blue and it fits like a glove. Yes, I was perfectly content until I was pajama shopping at Needham Lane and found this little baby.

Are you in love? The picture does not do it justice. I quickly ordered one (thanks Mom, for the Easter present!) and it arrived yesterday. It is fabulous. I tried it on and danced around the house pretending I was sipping champy at a tailgate and listening to "Carolina Girls" before walking into Kenan and watching TJ throw for a touchdown. Only four months to wait...

Big Z and Sweet Baby Henson...

...announced yesterday they are returning for next season. We have yet to hear from Harrison. Here's hoping...

New Perspective

I woke up this morning grateful and renewed.

My favorite days are when I wake up and read my devotional and it speaks to what I am feeling. It could be that I'm feeling sad and need comfort or it could be that I'm feeling great and the devotion just reinforces that. Today was a case of the latter.

Today's devotion spoke of not worring so much about the things that are wrong or the things that need to be "fixed," because when we focus on those, we take away our ability to enjoy everything around us. We need to focus on the good things and all the beauty in this world. Once we do that and enjoy every minute, the things that we thought needed to be "fixed" will fall into place.

Perfect.

Love letters

Below is a letter from Zelda Fitzgerald to her husband, the famous F. Scott. Now most of y'all know I have a huge literary crush on F. Scott. I'm madly in love with his writing and the picture he is able to paint with words. And, I'm equally in love with this love letter. I adore this letter, in fact. I adore this letter because it is so imperfect. It shows that there can be some madness in love and that things aren't always fairy tale. (Let's ignore the fact that Zelda spent many years suffering from mental illness). This.is.real.love. Gatsby and Daisy love. Here's to real love, however mad it may be. :)

Spring 1919

Sweetheart,

Please, please don't be so depressed -- We'll be married soon, and then these lonesome nights will be over forever -- and until we are, I am loving, loving every tiny minute of the day and night -- Maybe you won't understand this, but sometimes when I miss you most, it's hardest to write -- and you always know when I make myself -- Just the ache of it all -- and I can't tell you. If we were together, you'd feel how strong it is -- you're so sweet when you're melancholy. I love your sad tenderness -- when I've hurt you -- That's one of the reasons I could never be sorry for our quarrels -- and they bothered you so -- Those dear, dear little fusses, when I always tried so hard to make you kiss and forget --

Scott -- there's nothing in all the world I want but you -- and your precious love -- All the material things are nothing. I'd just hate to live a sordid, colorless existence -- because you'd soon love me less -- and less -- and I'd do anything -- anything -- to keep your heart for my own -- I don't want to live -- I want to love first, and live incidentally -- Why don't you feel that I'm waiting -- I'll come to you, Lover, when you're ready -- Don't don't ever think of the things you can't give me -- You've trusted me with the dearest heart of all -- and it's so damn much more than anybody else in all the world has ever had --

How can you think deliberately of life without me -- If you should die -- O Darling -- darling Scott -- It'd be like going blind. I know I would, too, -- I'd have no purpose in life -- just a pretty -- decoration. Don't you think I was made for you? I feel like you had me ordered -- and I was delivered to you -- to be worn -- I want you to wear me, like a watch -- charm or a button hole boquet -- to the world. And then, when we're alone, I want to help -- to know that you can't do anything without me.

I'm glad you wrote Mamma. It was such a nice sincere letter -- and mine to St. Paul was very evasive and rambling. I've never, in all my life, been able to say anything to people older than me -- Somehow I just instinctively avoid personal things with them -- even my family. Kids are so much nicer.

J'Adore