Breath of Fresh Air

Sometimes in life you just need to get out of the city and clear your mind, body and soul in the peaceful countryside.  This weekend I met up with my college roommates in northern New Jersey.  It was so nice to be with the girls who know me best.  After a LONG and exhausting bus ride to Philadelphia I was greeted with a delicious home cooked meal.  It was the first time in a long time that I had shared a  meal with one of my oldest friends. I need to tell her more how much I appreciated this small act of kindness.


Chicken, Rissoto, Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts! YUMMY! 


Although we talked for hours and wore each other out, we were so excited to wake up in the morning to head out on the road to Jersey.

After a fun drive through the countryside, jamming out to my dear friend's creative road trip playlist, we finally arrived in the dirty JERZ! Walking in the front door of that New Jersey apartment, immediately filled me with so much happiness.  After having a rough past year with some personal issues, its always good to meet up with these girls to relax and forget about life's problems.   It was so nice to laugh, and share a wonderful 24 hours with some of the most beautiful, loving, strong and intelligent women that I know.  I don't know where I would be without them. 

It was once said that:

"A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are." 


Its crazy to think that I have known these girls for 9 years, and even though we don't live down the hall from each other anymore, we are closer than ever. What these girls don't know is its the little things like sharing a homemade meal together and dancing around in the room to zumba is what keeps me smiling each day.  I love these girls and hope they know that I am positive God put them in my life 9 years ago to be my guardian angels for the next 70 years. 

Packing up the car Sunday morning I was immediately overcome with "sleepover feeling".  You know that feeling of sadness you experience after everyone has gone their separate way after a great sleepover.  I am already counting down the days until I see them again.  

Thank you, to the loves of my life for accepting me for who I am, laughing with me when I make a complete idiot out of myself, finishing my thoughts when I stumble over what to say, and picking me up when I am down. I love you all.   

And the winner is...

Most people think the holiday season ends after New years.  But for me there is still one major holiday during the winter months, The Academy Awards.  This year they are hosted by two of Hollywoods youngest, James Franco and Anne Hathaway.  I can't wait to see who wins the big awards.

Leaving on a jet plane, or a megabus

So excited to head out of town for a weekend of relaxation and girl time. Hope i dont get stuck next to a smelly person

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At War with the Vending Machine

It only seemed fitting that today I have a guest blogger.  This weekend I am heading out of town to visit my best friends in Philly/NJ.  My good friend was having a bad week and she sent me an email describing her no good, horrible, awful day.  I had to share it with you all..


Today was just one of those days. Everything that anyone said and did, every phone call, almost every moment of this day made me want to cry or punch something in a fit of rage. The mail machine didn't work (not that it ever does). The copier ate my paper. My boss was being extra grouchy and unapproachable. I ripped a brand new pair of stocking before noon. Flo arrived. Need I say more?

I could go on but the funniest of all my mishaps had to be my fight with the vending machine. After Flo showed her face, I convinced myself that I was a fat cow who didn't deserve to or need to eat lunch (I tend to get emotional and overly dramatic on days like this). That was short-lived. Not thirty minutes later I decided that I would punish myself and Flo by eating chocolate for lunch. I'm still not sure how I justified that as "punishment," but I had justification at the time. I scrounged up $1 in change which isn't an easy feat as I pay for almost everything with my debit card and NEVER have cash or change handy. I snuck downstairs, careful not to let anyone see me heading for the frowned-upon vending machine to select my poison. A Mounds bar, to be specific. It's one of my personal favorites but the name weirds me out a little bit - not sure why. Why can't it be called a Coconut Dream bar? Or Coconut Creme Bar? Anyway... I digress.

I put my precious dollar in the machine, selected B6 and watched the spiral metal holder go ALMOST all the way around. Just shy of releasing the creamy, dreamy, chocolaty, coconut treat into the tray at the bottom. Yes, the machine ate my dollar and my Mounds bar refused to drop the 6 inches it needed to for me to retrieve it. I stood there staring at it thinking, "I can leave a note on the machine for the nice old man who fills it just like everyone else.... But NO! Then everyone will know I was going to eat JUNK FOOD! Me. Healthy, fit, always-pestering-people-to-be-active me. F*&%. Now what?" So instead, I decide to shamelessly shake the machine in an attempt to shake the mounds bar free. I suddenly hear the crinkle of plastic and a thud. A mini-bag of 94% fat free popcorn dropped into the tray. Fantastic. I want 300+ calories of nothing but sugar and it gives me fat free popcorn, which ended up being my lunch.

I suppose this was all a blessing in disguise as I I certainly don't need the extra calories, fat, sugar, carbs and all things bad for one who watches their weight. It would have tasted good, I'm sure, but ultimately would have left me feeling bloated and guilty.

Thankfully, by the (almost) end of the day I'm laughing about it all. And, let's face it, the fact that I have almost no obligations to fulfil this evening and that a martini (or two) is in sight doesn't hurt. ;)


--Wild Irish Rose

Return to Sender: With Love

Have you ever gotten a little to close to someone where side jokes and witty comments start turning into jabs and hurtful remarks? I realized that many of times I lose control of my words with friends and end up saying things that start out as funny but slowly turn into sarcastic comments that could be taken hurtful by my loved ones.


This weekend a friend, that I have gotten all too comfortable with in conversation, shed some light on my recent remarks.  As a way to stop talking to each other in semi-hurtful (but joking) ways, we decided with every rude remark we must follow up with three compliments to each other.  It really makes you realize how often you slip in sarcasm when you are immediately following up the conversation with the compliments.


Just something to make you think about what you say and how you say it.

Accidental 3-Way

Tonight I got some exciting news in the mail.  After waiting 6 weeks to find out the results of my recent certification exam, I finally got the letter in the mail.  I had been sick to my stomach since I left the exam room that fateful day in January and as I walked in the front door today there it sat on the foyer table.  After debating for 2 minutes on whether or not to open it, I ripped open the letter and slowly folded back at the crease.  


All I saw was one word: CONGRATULATIONS!


I was so ecstatic that I immediately tried calling my parents.  Bad news was neither were answering my text or phone calls.  What was going on? I wanted to share the good news with them, but I couldn't see them anywhere.  Since I was on such a high I decided to dial my grandparents instead. 


Let me prep the next part by saying I have had major difficulties with the calling feature on my smartphone. The sensitive touch screen and delayed dialing make it hard to place calls normally.  


After a few rings, my grandma, on my father's side, answered and we chatted for a bit about the weather and her health.  All of the sudden in the middle of the conversation my phone starts ringing.  


What was going on??? Had I lost my grandmother on the line??


Nope, my phone just decided to take matters into its own hand and start dialing in a second number.  My heart began to beat faster as my dark phone screen, that was now not responding to my touch, prevented me from seeing who was now being dialed into our conversation.  Enter Grandma Rose (my mother's mom). Talk about the most confusing three way conversation with two women over the age of 85.  I mean these women have no idea what cell phones are let alone three way calling.  To say the least it was the most amusing three minutes of my life. Between finding out I passed the test and having an accidental three way with my grandmothers it was turning out to be a very entertaining evening.


Side note, my parents were excited and my mom tried to celebrate with me over drinks via the phone.  Too cute!

Its good to be Italian

This weekend one of my former D.C. friends, who recently moved to Boston, came back for a weekend visit.  In between laying around and watching horror films, she and I had to make a quick trip to the The Italian Store.  For those who know the Northern Virginia area, they know The Italian Store is always packed with long lines and mouth watering sandwiches.  Not only are they famous for their subs and pizza, this delicatessen's "soup nazi" type atmosphere makes for a memorable ordering experience.  

Alright, its not that bad, but its a little stressful for first timers.  I caution all Italian Store virgins to go with a veteran for their first time to show you the ropes on ordering Italian Store style.

I was taught a long time ago by one of my roommates that the trick is to order a slice of pizza to eat in line before your number is called by the long line of Italian deli workers.  This weekend I chowed down on a slice of garlic white pizza before ordering the Napoli.  Although this may have ruined my diet for the weekend, it was well worth it.  I only get to go to the Italian Store on special occasions anyway.  Normally, I love doing my italian grocery shopping here before order.  The polenta, pasta, meats and wine are better than any other grocery around. However, on this occasion we were strictly there on a sandwich and pizza mission.

Fun Fact: For those who are huge Sandra Bullock fans, this is her favorite Virginia eatery.  

The Great Outdoors

The weather lately has been so beautiful.  Highs in the 60s and 70s during February is crazy talk, but there is nothing better than being outside with friends on those sunny, warm days.  
                                                      Capitol Bike Ride anyone? 
For those of you not familiar with the D.C. area.  D.C. recently started a Capitol Bike Share program which allows you to pick up bikes from a bike station and ride it around either for a few minutes or all day. The great part is the stations are all over the city and you can pick up and return at any location.  For only $5 a day, its a great way to tour the city or just go for a fun bike ride with friends when you are on a tight budget.  

My friends and I rode 7 miles, trying to weave in and out of all of the tourists.  We did unfortunately have to make a few pit stops for lunch and bathroom breaks, but all in all it was a great afternoon! 

Only downfall is, no one told me how sore my rear end would be after the 7 miles...ouch!

The Perfect Scent

Did you notice once you hit a certain age it seems like everyone you know is getting married or having babies? On top of that, everyone is always trying to have their wedding, showers, and parties slightly different from the rest.  Every day I try to find the latest and greatest ideas for the next party I am planning.  While browsing through various sites I stumbled upon Ka-mil-yin, which specializes in creating personalized fragrances, lotions and soaps.  What a cute idea for your next get together.  

Hosting a Perfume Bar can give your event that extra edge you are looking for. Your guests can choose from 20 different fragrances and a Ka-mil-yin mixologist will spend 1-2 hours customizing it to fit each of your guests.  So cute! Something I will keep in mind for all of these upcoming bridal showers I am helping to plan.  

Happy Planning!

Dinner with Friends

One of my recent new years resolution was to begin sharing a meal once a week with a friend.   This week I was lucky enough to share two different meals with some close friends.  On Tuesday I went to Carmines a NYC Italian restaurant that is all family style.  Trust me, when they say the portions are huge, they aren't kidding...Look at the size of these meatballs!

Tonight, I met up with two of my college friends for dinner at a local restaurant in Northern Virginia, Eventide.  Little did I know that there were two levels to this restaurant, the Lounge and the 2nd floor dining room.  To our surprise we had made the reservation for the 2nd floor dinning room by accident, a little fancier than expected.  However, this accidental reservation turned out to be one of the best meals I have had this winter. I had the rich and delicious Lobster and Winter Squash Gnocchi which was TO DIE for.  On a side note, its a perfect place for a date.  The large chandeliers that hang from the ceiling in between modern light fixtures create not only a romantic ambiance but also add a touch of class to the space. 

 I thought I was completely stuffed, but when Ann suggested walking to Crumbs for dessert we all agreed.  Wait to you see what we ordered...

 Ann ordered the Peanut butter and Chocolate cupcake and I opted for the Vanilla filled with Raspberries. Erica was the smart one who sampled a little of each.

 Had to show you the raspberry filling...I could only eat a few bites because it was so sweet, but it was the perfect ending to a fulfilling dinner. 

Now that I consumed approximately 8,000 calories in comfort food this week I need to squeeze in a longer workout over the weekend.

Awesome Things

One of my favorite things to do first thing in the morning is check the blog: 1,000 Awesome Things! Its a great way to give yourself a reminder of all of the little things in life that make you happy! Kind of like caffeine for your soul! Today's awesome thing: Wearing PJs Outside of the House.  I definitely did this today when I bolted out of bed at 6:15 a.m. to take the trash out.  There were a few people out for their morning run/walking the dog, but I didn't care who saw me.  If you would have seen me 9 years ago at college you would have caught a loud, outgoing small-town girl who loved to wear her PJs everywhere (class, study rooms, even out to dinner).  Thankfully I keep those urges under control now, but those were days that I felt most comfortable in my own skin!

I have to add another awesome thing to their list: Blasting music in the office when your boss is out sick.  That's me today! My boss called in sick, and all morning I have been playing my grooveshark playlists on repeat!

Hopefully no one hears me singing or catches the random air guitar moves.

Laughing

Don't forget life is all about the little things that make us smile.  

If you haven't done so already today, smile at someone.  

You never know when a simple smile can turn a stranger's day around.

Short but Sweet

Yesterday at work my boss told me about a blog she loves, A Cup of Jo.  After reading just three posts I immediately added her to my blogroll.  But it wasn't the fabulous giveaways that made me fall in love.  It was her post about unexpected love....a true case of Serendipity that really stuck with me:


"Happy Valentine's Day, my sweets! What are you doing tonight? On this day four years ago, I was feeling sad and lonely....and had no idea that I was only two weeks from meeting Alex. It goes to show that you never know what's right around the corner!"


Her post really hit home to me.  So many times my girlfriends and I think that we will never find our match, however, we never know when we are days or moments away from running into our soul mates.  Who knows, I could  meet him on the way to work today, I could share a seat with him on a bus next week, or I could have had dinner with him within the past month.  Life really is full of serendipities, we just have to wait to see how they all play out.  Thanks Joanna for giving all of us hopeless romantics with no one to love, hope.  


Who will you meet this week?

WWBJD

I channeled my inner Bridget Jones today and I realized I need to step up my diet and fitness regime.  I have a lot of events coming up that should help serve as motivation for me to achieve my goals. I know, I have to be realistic when writing this, but I also want to try hard to put this goal into action.  I mean WWBJD. (What would Bridget Jones do).

The plan is as follows:

April 7 (51 days from now)-- My spring/summer hobby of kickball begins and I hate to rejoin the team with the addition of my dear friend hips and double chin.  -- Weight loss goal for this date 10-15 lbs

May 7 (81 days from now) -- Stopping by a rugby game where I will inevitably run into my college boyfriend and a recent hiccup in my life.  OBVIOUSLY I want to look my best when I just "happen" to run into them.  -- Weight loss goal for this date another 5-10 lbs

June 4 (109 days from now) -- My one and only 2011 wedding.  And since I am starting to become a pro at this whole bridesmaid thing, I might as well turn my focus onto losing some of my junk in the trunk.  -- Weight loss goal for this date is an additional 5-10 lbs

September 16 (213 days from now) -- My 5 year class reunion for college.  How am I having a reunion for college already? Didn't I just graduate? By this date I want to be at the weight I was when I graduated college. -- Weight loss goal for this date is 10-15 more pounds from the previous weigh in.  

Totaling 30-40 lbs between now and September. I feel like I can do this. I just need to put more pressure on myself to do so.  

Goodbye Valentines Day sweets and treats...hello zumba, pilates, and yoga.

Guess I better choose wisely at the Italian restaurant I am heading to this evening. 

Save the Last Dance

Yesterday was one of the most beautiful winter days I can remember in a long time.  68 degrees in the middle of February does seem a little odd, but I thoroughly enjoyed not wearing a jacket to work.  I have to admit, although it was beautiful outside, I was a little bitter about the whole Valentines Day nonsense by the end of the day.  

However, when I walked in my front door and saw the brown Amazon box with my name on it,  I bolted across the entry way immediately shredding open the box.  

Guess what??.....IT  had arrived!! 

 No, it wasn't a red ryder BB gun...but I did feel like the kid from a Christmas Story as I tore out the contents from inside the package.  

 

Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life? 

As soon as it was released to stores on Feb 1 I had to get my hands on it.  I completely forgot that the package would be coming in the mail this week and after my debbie downer day I had this was the best way to cheer myself up.

(Yes, even I thought my attitude was getting annoying by the end of the day)

  Sadly, I had little time to enjoy my surprise gift, as I was already running late for my ballroom dance class. I was a little leary about dancing on Valentines Day with single 45 year olds, however as I walked in and took my position on the floor I noticed the room was full of new faces.  

After beginning with the Waltz lesson, we quickly advanced to learning the Foxtrot and Tango.   After a few partner changes I noticed my next move was to an 85 year old man in a grey and green argyle sweater.  

My heart melted.  

I was in love.  

He took my hand, winked at me and smile.  He lead me around the room, slightly slower than my other partners, but I didn't even notice.  The smile never left his face and he kept his eyes on me the whole time.  A part of me wondered what his story was.  

Did he live a long happy life with his wife who recently passed away?  

 Was dancing a passion of his for his entire life? 

Sadly, after a few moments of dancing our instructor asked us to switch again.  He gave me one last twirl and thanked me for the dance.  However, I was the one who was thankful. After complaining all day about Valentines Day reminders, my short dance with this gentleman reminded me that every day is filled with moments of happiness, but we have to be willing to notice them and take them in.  I shouldn't get upset about the lack of romance currently in my life, but rather be thankful for everything I get to do and experience.  I will always remember my dance with the little old man.  I just hope I get paired up with him again in the upcoming weeks. 

Sweet Escapes

Happy Valentines Day!! I know, I know...everywhere you look there are ads for Valentines Day.  I hate it just as much as every other single woman in the world, however, when I was younger my parents used to treat Valentines Day like every other major holiday.  I can remember special breakfasts and dinners followed by gifts before bedtime.  Although most women prefer to call this "Singles Awareness Day," even at 26 my family still goes out of their way to make us feel special on this holiday.  

This weekend my mother, sister, cousins, aunt and I traveled to Hershey, Pennsylvania, "The Sweetest Place on Earth", for our annual girls weekend. Upon arriving, my cousin knew exactly what would make my day after the long drive from DC, a pomegranate martini! 

YUMMY!!!

In the morning, we set out for a fun afternoon of shopping at the outlets and a quick lunch before heading to the Hotel Hershey for a sweet escape! 

If you haven't been there before, I highly recommend it.  Its a great place to relax, unwind and better yet...eat as much chocolate as you want! (really, what could be better)

Can you believe you can even get a chocolate massage or take a bath in chocolate! HEAVEN!!!

After spending a few hours at the spa, we showered, freshened up and head to dinner.  I love meeting up with the girls in my family.  We somehow know how to turn an ordinary dinner into hours of laughter. We ate at this little restaurant in downtown Hummelstown called the Warwick Hotel (the locals call it the "Wick"). I ordered the crabcake with this special sauce on the side and did it ever hit the spot!  


Post dinner (after sharing two pieces of pie between the 7 of us at the table), we drove back to my cousin's for pjs and CAKEPOPS! 

I figured we couldn't have a girls weekend without a few red velvet, dark chocolate bites of joy.  Thanks Bakerella for the amazing recipe. 

All in all it was another amazing girls weekend! Can't wait to try and top it next year.

My love affair at Barnes and Noble

Tonight I had a love affair in a Barnes and Noble.  I walked in with the intention to pick up our next book club book (Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami) , but what I walked out with was about five books from the discount pile.  Just my luck all of the books were under $5.  I would say thats an amazing deal... but the $15 left in my weekly allowance said "you're a shopaholic".  I admit it probably wasn't the best way to finish out my weekly cash, but it wasn't the worse either.    I got some amazing books tonight and will now force myself to carry one with me on the metro daily.  The line-up includes:

1.  Norwegian Wood

2. Little Lady, Big Apple

3. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club

4. The Wedding Machine

5. Finishing Touches

6. The Inner Circle (previously purchased)

The books are towering so high on my nightstand I can't even see my alarm clock.  Does that mean I get to skip work tomorrow? Gosh I hope :)  

Made of Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

This weekend I spent some time at my cousin's house in Pennsylvania.  I love spending time with her not only because she is one of the most beautiful people I know, but it also means  I get to see her beautiful baby boys.   Although playtimes begin at 7:00 a.m. and you run around more in ten minutes than you would at a session of zumba, its hard not to love these little munchkins.  

Doesn't this photo just make you want to hold and squeeze him.  I love the glasses!

After their youngest ran into my room at 7:00 a.m. asking for his toy train we shared a delicious breakfast together.  He ate 3 cups of blueberries and two pancakes.  His cheeks and baby blue eyes are to die for!

My cousin was showing her nephews a video of trains on her iphone and they were quiet for a whole 10 minutes straight.  I couldn't believe how entertained they were by the small screen.  

Although I am far from being ready to be a mother, I love the moments I can spend around these boys.  They bring such joy to my life.  I can't wait until our annual beach trip this summer!

a recent breakup

Today me and a longtime friend, boyfriend and lover ended our relationship.

For many years I gave 100% and he refused to even give 50% from his end.

His one annual gift to me was worth keeping him around, but i always wanted so much more.

Yesterday I realized all he wanted out of our relationship was money.

I am heartbroken and confused but after filing with turbo tax I realized my longtime relationship with uncle sam is over.

He only wants me for my money.

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99 problems...all solved with 1 pill

If you know me well, you know I hate to take medication and pills.  Its kind of ironic since I great up in a family of pharmacists, however, the daily task of having to take medication is not something I prefer to do.  A few times a year my father still hounds me asking if I take any sort of multi-vitamin.  He is a big supporter of natural pathetic (althought it is pathetic, I really meant..) Naturopathic medicine and is quite the genius on what is good and bad for your body.  He has always encouraged me to live a healthy lifestyle from not drinking soda to making sure I am putting probiotics back into my body, but even with his paternal guidance, I still hate putting medication in my body.

There must have been a guardian angel sitting on my shoulder at the grocery store the other day because as I zipped down the health and beauty aisle filling my cart with Q-tips and nail polish remover, I noticed the section of multi-vitamins.  I contemplated on purchasing them and asked myself if I would be dedicated enough to take them.  As I read over the benefits on the back and the good stuff I would be putting into my body, I finally decided upon the Women's One-A-Day multi-vitamin.  Another added benefit is that a part of the proceeds are donated to breast cancer research.  I love a giving back!  Naturally, I added the bottle to my cart and upon returning home placed the bottle by my sink as a daily reminder.

If you don't know...I am a compulsive buyer and a minor shopaholic, also inherited that from my dear old father!

Hopefully my compulsive purchase proves to be beneficial.  I am pulling for stronger nails, more energy, and improved memory; but if all I get is more Vitamin C & D in my body, I can't really complain.

Here's to healthy living...

FFH Countdown

When I was in college, my girlfriends and I decided we needed a name for the days where we were lazy, pigged out on junk food, and only left the house to go to the tanning salon.  My longtime roommate and friend came up with FFH meaning Fat F*cking Hogs.  We used to joke around and call ourselves that on our worst days when we needed to laugh.  The code name sort of stuck and anytime we wanted to use the phrase it made us all laugh and remember the good times of college. The problem was, I lived with 5 beautiful skinny, healthy, in shape girls. To this day, I still wouldn’t consider any of them FFHs, but sadly in my life that name is something I am saying to myself as I continue to bake up deliciously fattening treats for me and my current roommates.

Although the term is still a joke between us all, I decided to use it as a way to motivate myself for getting thin.  Yes, I would be considered the “fat friend” of the group.  You know the one girl everyone has in their circle that is larger than the rest.  Her personality is great and she is beautiful on the inside but let’s face it she has some junk in the trunk and her use of the word “curves” is kind of a subtle way of saying she has packed on a few pounds over the years.  Now that I am slowly approaching 30 years old (ok, I have a few years left but it feels like it is approaching sooner than later), I want to rid myself of those FFH moments and get fit and fabulous this year.  I have joined my local gym, trust me this was a HUGE step for me because I loath working out, I signed up for Weight Watchers, and most recently set a weight loss countdown on my phone.  It’s kind of hilarious to see the countdown.  When you pop open my phone the first thing you notice is a huge pink block in the center of the screen that reads: FFH Countdown, proceeded by the number of days left.   

Today’s countdown number? 114.  I have 114 days until the next wedding I am in and need to lose at least 30-40 lbs before then.  That makes I need to kick my butt into shape now.  Let the shedding of my FFH days begin....

maybe there are cute trainers at the gym???

A series of small serendipities

Some of you may have noticed that although my blog address is Tall Cup of Love, the blog title is Serendipity.  And yes, like most women, the first thing they think about is the movie with John Cusack or the deliciously sweet restaurant in NYC (soon coming to D.C. ).  Of course, I am a fan, and I am embarrassed to say that I have watched the movie approximately 10 times over the years, however, I choose this blog title because of the meaning of the word Serendipity.  If you search it online you will find it is one of the hardest words to define.  Although it may be hard to settle on one exact way to define it, the overall meaning is: making fortunate discoveries by chance in a happy or beneficial way.  


We can certainly choose to live our lives to the fullest and hold onto every opportunity that passes our way, however, some of the best things in life are the discoveries, chance encounters, and series of events that happen to us without having them planned.  Most of the time these occurrences can be good things and those are the moments in life that we live for.  The overall theme of my blog is Serendipity.  Life is about chance encounters and random events.  Between the moments we plan for and the moments that come our way by chance, I will be blogging along the way.  

Fresh Starts

Greetings readers! (Or possibly at this moment lack there of)...however, by rolling out this new blog I hope to possibly generate some new readers who will turn into friends and followers.  I had tried blogging in the past but decided to start fresh. 

As I clenched my teeth on my blue pen today anxiously deciding my new blog address I stumbled upon this quote from the television show, The Wonder Years:

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love,

the things you are, 

the things you never want to lose.  

The quote reminded me that in the end your life is just a book of memories.  However, we all have the chance to write our life story and the memories, characters, and happily ever after are determined by how we live our life each day.  

I mean truthfully, on a normal day would you walk into your local coffeeshop and ask the the barista "Just give me a cup of anything".  Hopefully not.  Like most people we make decisions based on the emotions and feelings we want to get out of it.  You add a shot of espresso to help you get through the day, a generous helping of caramel to satisfy your sweet tooth, a dash of cinnamon to bring out the flavors of the beverage, all topped off with a dollop of whip cream to add a fun element to the top.  Tall Cup of Love, came from the theory that what I order for my life should be like ordering your morning coffee, filling it with all of the extra additions that make it more than just a cup of the same old boring cup of Joe.

We have all heard the expression, don't let life pass you by, and I couldn't agree with it more. Within the past 2 months I have done a lot of soul searching and "growing up".  I have realized I only get one shot at this life and I don't want to screw it up.  From now on, instead of just settling for what life throws at me, I am going to challenge myself to start ordering everything Tall Cup of Love style.  Filling up my cup with people, memories and experiences that I love.  

And sure, life is not perfect, I get that.  I am sure along the next 70 or 80 years I am bound to hit a few bumps in the road, but those curve balls give us a few funny stories to pass along to our kids right?