Jaunt's in India

My buddy Jaunt, who has been a part of this blog since like 2008, is teaching in India this summer and, of course, writing/photographing her experiences along the way. Jaunt is one of the best writers I know, so I'm terribly excited that she's blogging again.

Also, I just finished reading a very early version of my friend Kat's book, "I Think I'll Make It." It's fantastic. She's fantastic. You should check her out.

In other news, Bookclubjess requested an email sign-up thingy so that my new posts will be sent directly to your inbox, and because I think she's amazing and I have more than a little secret girl crush on her, behold my side-bar where you can enter in your email address. YOU'RE WELCOME.

In other news, just for fun, here's a pic of me and The Kid eating crawfish at Bluegrass. I love this picture. Mostly because we're both about five bourbons in and just LOVING THESE CRAWFISH.

 

On a Happier Note....

 

On a (much better) note, my girl over at Charm(ing) City Style put together a sexy little blog post just for me! Since she is ridiculously fashionable and super smart, I demanded that she help me pack for the Middle East.

Thanks, CCS! You are the best (dressed).

My Friends Are Awesome

Legs is not the only one sprouting creative all over the web these days. It seems several of my friends are doing some pretty amazing things - from cooking to fashion to devotion to gratitude. I proud of all of them for taking these leaps, and highly recommend that you check them out:

Meet Kat, my former yoga/weight training instructor at my old gym, fellow bartender, and amazing writer friend. I find myself confessing lots of things to her and wanting to hug her all the time. She's my white Oprah. Right now, she's launched a 21-day Gratitude Project, which is pretty impressive. I always forget to be grateful for things. Unless it's yoga pants. I'm usually pretty grateful for those.

Meet Katie, a friend of mine from Girl Scouts/middle school/high school/college (we've known each other for a little while) that lives here in Baltimore and with whom I have recently reconnected. She is always awesomely dressed. She was sporting very fetching accessories during the St. Patrick's Day 5k last Sunday - the only runner in Kate Spade earrings, I'd wager. She's also hilarious. Her "I Love It, Now What?!" posts are excellent tips for wearing super fashionable items.

Meet Sweet Potato and Spice, another lass that I came up with in Annapolis and recently reconnected with here in Baltimore. She's really smart and does things that involve science for a living, but she's also apparently pretty wicked in the kitchen. Pumpkin black bean burgers sound good to me!

Great job, girls, way to keep blogging alive!

Weekly Goals

So I have another blog post almost ready to go that features disgusting bodily processes and also a toot of my own half-marathon horn (WHADDUP, TAKING SIX MINUTES OFF MY PREVIOUS TIME BRINGING MY PR TO UNDER TWO HOURS?!) but first, it seems that one of my brilliant ideas is about to go viral so I'd like to take some credit where credit is due.

A couple of years ago, a group of us (including Legs and Joel) started a weekly email circulating. It usually went out on Mondays, and contained our goal for that week. It started out because some of us (mainly me) had found ourselves (myself) in a bit of a funk and needed to find ways to make life just a little bit better. And sometimes, just doing one small thing, getting one tiny victory, can change your outlook on a whole lot of bigger things that you feel like you can't control.

The idea was simple: pick something, anything, that's totally do-able, and DO IT. You're telling everyone on the email list that you intend to do this thing in this given period of time. There are no consequences for failing to make your weekly goal, except the sheepishness of having to tell x number of people on the thread that you suck at life. Which is pretty good motivation right there.

The goals ranged from "make my bed every morning" to "eating vegetarian all week." They were intangible ("be optimistic") and tangible ("work out for 45 minutes per day"); simple ("tell one person each day that I love him/her") and complex ("clean out my closet: donate clothes I no longer wear, reorganize my shoes, put away winter clothes, etc.").

Lemme tell you, even an accomplishment as small as just making your bed everyday can feel like a victory when you get to report, a week later, that you did it.

Recently, a friend of mine has been in a bit of a funk and so we decided to resurrect this practice. We are back on the weekly goals email and it's actually kind of exciting. Even though most of us are in far better places in our lives, I've found there's always room to say, "What can I do this week that will make my life look/feel/act better?"

For example: this week it was going to the post office. I frigging hate the post office. Joel has a joke, his "one Libertarian joke," as he refers to it:
Guy goes to the store the week before Christmas to buy his mother a gift. The store is mobbed, the lines are long. He finds a gift, waits in line, finally gets to the register, and says to the sales associate, "Wow, you guys are busy!" The sales associate says, "I know, it's been our best week ever!" Guy then goes to the post office to mail the gift.The post office is mobbed, the lines are long. He waits in line, finally gets to the front, and says to the postal worker, "Wow, you guys are busy!" The postal worker grumbles, "I know, worst week ever."

Ha.Thanks, Joel.

So I went to the post office to mail off some stuff that had been sitting around my room, just waiting to be mailed, and let me tell you what a relief it was. Just this one act - this one chore crossed off my list made me feel like I could take on the world. Vacuum my room? DONE! Dust my shoe rack? FINITO. The completion of one annoying, nagging chore can open gateways to cleaning up other areas of your life.

Or it can be a goal like: drink more water. Don't even get me started on health benefits of being well-hydrated, whether you're a runner or not.

I know, aren't I just a bastion of fun these days, all well-hydrated and going to the post office. Fear not, Glitteratis; April and May are already booked to the hilt with batshit crazy fun, including a baby shower, a Broadway play, two weddings, some family events, and (LET US NOT FORGET) my impending #dirtythirty birthday.

But anyway, I just wanted to take full credit for my awesome Weekly Email Update idea before Kid and Lee went off running and making money off of my brilliance.

Next post will be about how I puked again after last weekend's (otherwise totally awesome) half marathon. I know you're excited.

Kid is Back!

My good friend Kid is back on the writing scene. You can find him here.

You're welcome.

This Is Why I Will Never Be An Adult

Clean ALL the things?

Hyperbole and a Half. Current Obsession.

My Friends Are Awesomer Than Your Friends

Ladies and gentlemen....this is what my friends do in their spare time.

If you really want to giggle...read the "About WJWT" link.

Meh.

CATALANO: Um...so....your new blog format?

GLITTERATI: Yessum?

CATALANO: Well, it's great.....

GLITTERATI: But?

CATALANO: Well...it's just....kind of....a little bit......

GLITTERATI: Cluttered? Hard to read?

CATALANO: Um, well, kind of. Yeah.

GLITTERATI: Lee said the same thing. Dammit.

Site With Which I Am Currently Obsessed

Mainly it's for Baltimore Bros, but this this peanut gallery finds it hilarious.

Changes In the New Year

(picture- July, 2000)

"The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches." - Anonymous.

Dear Readers, Friends, Characters, and Glitteratis,

As the New Year approaches, it brings with it some big changes, some metamorphoses, some new choices and decisions, and the cap on a period of growing, learning, spreading of wings, and sharing of these experiences. It's only been in the past two years that I've been sharing these things publicly in this blog, and the experience has been nothing less than rewarding. Your kind emails, comments, well-wishes, opportunities and encouragement have continued to support me in my journey as a twentysomething. I know, in my heart, that I am not alone in my struggles and triumphs, and I hope that, if anything, you have found a mirrored voice here.

At the same time, my life is moving in some new directions and, as such, the shape and content of this blog must naturally evolve. I appreciate your patience with this work-in-progress as Ye Olde Blog and I decide how we are going to peacefully co-exist. It's my wish to keep things alive and well, but also a realistic vision that it's time to put my energies into other areas of my life.

For the time being, my goal will be to rely on a new format while I make some necessary changes. I hope that you continue to visit me here, and promise to update you on my new adventures in return.

Thank you, endlessly, for checking in on me. For reading, for caring, for laughing, for sharing your own ups and downs, and to my dear, dear friends and family for so kindly allowing me to borrow their intelligence, wisdom, and hilarity to season my stories which would otherwise be bland without their presence. I promise not to desert you, Glitteratis, just to say that it's time for necessary change and to hope that you'll stick by me.

Cheers,
The New Glitterati