My Blog. My Show.: July 2010

27 July, 2010

Slowing Down

I am the classic over-achiever. Or maybe I just can't stand still. I like to be doing, I am constantly in motion. Things move fast in my world which is why it's not surprising to anyone who knows me that I met and fell in the love with the man I married in less than a year. In any given season I can be involved in any number of activities. I love being busy, I am more organized when I am busy, I prioritize better when I am busy. I lived in a smallish town in California for over 20 years and I always had more than enough to do. I went to school, I worked at least one job if not two, I volunteered at my church... let's just say my hands could be as full as I wanted them to be.

In the months before I moved to North Carolina I was doing all of the above and co-directing a play and planning a wedding. It was crazy and I can't say that there weren't any meltdowns but I was in my zone. Dan and I had a fabulous time in Italy and it was a great transition time before moving my entire life to a foreign city, across the country, where people eat a dish called fried okra (no, I have not tried it yet). I knew before I came what was ahead of me. Dan is in the Marine Corps which is why we live in North Carolina but before we can really settle in we are heading up to Rhode Island where Dan will go through the JAG program. We'll be there for a little over 2 months. I am so excited to see Boston and New York and Providence. But, I am also feeling a little stir crazy. Because of this interesting schedule I am unable to do the things that I normally do: work, attend classes, volunteer...

This is the time where I get to take a much needed break. So, I am reading books, and writing thank you cards, framing pictures, and packing for the next part of this years adventure. It's a different feeling -- I can't say that I am used to it yet but I think it's good. This is the first time in my life where the new "phase" doesn't involve a new project. I am so grateful. I am blessed with time to focus on my newest adventure. I get to learn how to live with a male (coming from a house with 4 daughters, the only male I lived with besides my dad is our male house-cat, Houston). I get to start my life with Dan without too many distractions. And, for that, I am blessed.

P.S. If you are wondering what books I'm reading... I finished On the Road by Jack Kerouac (I was not too impressed) and When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (Hilarious!). I think I may dive into Crime and Punishment next -- If you have any suggestions I'd be happy to consider them ;)

22 July, 2010

Memories Made

Some of the best memories are made while traveling. During our time in

Florence we took out a day to see some of the surrounding area. We saw the leaning tower of Pisa and we went wine tasting in the Chianti region of Tuscany. The drive up to the winery was super long and curvy and for the first time since I was a little girl I was feeling carsick. We arrived and I was looking forward to sitting down and having some water. They gave us a tour of the facility and then took us to our wine tasting area. It was set up so we would have 5 wine tastes paired with cheeses, bruschetta, and pasta. But what I was most excited about at that point were the water bottles on the table.

So we sit down and enjoy the appetizers and pour ourselves some water. There are about 20 other people in the room participating in the tasting with us. We start the tasting with our first wine - super yummy. Dan finishes his wine and to my surprise and horror he picks up the water bottle and pours a little into his wine glass, swishes it around and, pours it into the bucket. He looks at my face and says, "I was cleaning it out for the next wine." I explained, "But, they usually order the wine in such a way that you don't need to wash your glass each time as long as you finish the previous wine or you pour it out. But now everyone has seen you and they'll..." I couldn't even finish my sentence when we noticed the two couples to our right pour water in their glasses and clean them for the next round.

I looked at Dan accusingly, watching my precious water wasted. "It's not my fault I look like I know what I'm doing," he shrugged. I just shook my head trying to hold in my laughter. I'm sure in a perfect wine tasting atmosphere one would have a clean glass for every wine tasted. But this wasn't a perfect wine tasting atmosphere, this was a functional wine tasting atmosphere. And that water was for drinking. Not for cleaning. Dan stopped cleaning his glass out but the damage had been done and our 4 new friends continued to make sure their glasses were spick and span for each new wine. I even helped them pour their dirty wine-water out into the bucket situated in front of me, mentally shaking my head each time another glass was "cleaned". We just wanted to make sure our fellow wine tasters knew the proper wine tasting etiquette.

P.S. I have now been to 2 of the 3 countries that Elizabeth Gilbert went to on her year long journey in Eat, Pray, Love. Anyone up for Indonesia?