Things I'm Loving Friday XLVI

Happy FRIDAY! We don't have summer school on Friday, and we had Monday off for the Fourth of July, so I'm sitting pretty at only three days of work this week. I was waking up at the crack of dawn so that I could walk Mack before leaving him alone in the apartment for almost eight hours, in the hopes that he would be worn out and just lounge on the couch with his favorite toys. He did great, despite my initial concerns, and he only chewed up a couple of paper towels and empty toilet paper rolls. Not bad for a puppy! Anyway, it was nice to wake up without an alarm this morning, though my internal body clock (and my energetic puppy) didn't let me sleep in much past 6:30am. Which is fine with me. I don't want to get into too much of a habit of sleeping in, and I've got lots to check off the to-do list. The earlier I start getting after it, the better!

Body Pump
I talked a lot about Body Pump when I was living in Austin because the gym closest to my house had an excellent Body Pump instructor. I fell in love with the class because I'm not often motivated to do any strength training on my own, but with this class, I work my entire body in one hour. I moved recently, thus, ending the long-standing Kelli-MAC relationship, and I now live minutes away from a gym that has multiple Body Pump classes a day, thus contributing to my recent decision to pick the Body Pump habit back up. Though I make the effort to go at least twice weekly, the squat and lunge tracks never stop being killers.

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My last day at the MAC - also known as my second home

Museum of Fine Arts
If you are a Houston resident, or if you happen to be visiting, you have to experience the Kusama Universe Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. I'll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest museum goer, nor am I the biggest art enthusiast. In fact, my favorite part of the annual elementary school MFAH field trip was rolling down the hill at Miller Outdoor Theater after eating lunch. But I had heard nothing but good things about this exhibit, so I had to check it out. It's colorful, it's ethereal, it's abstract, and just overall visually pleasing. It's a very peaceful, almost trippy experience, and I found it to be more than worth the wait. It's here until mid-September, so be sure and check it out! And an insider's tip for you guys: Reserve your tickets online prior to going. It's very possible that it will be sold out if you just show up hoping to catch a glimpse.

Love is Calling

Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity

7 Reasons You Should Travel Solo
I resonated with this article on such a deep level. As most of you know - and I really am going to do some kind of recap - I recently spent three weeks traveling solo through Argentina. And I was telling someone at school just the other day that I'm not sure I'll ever take a big trip like that with another person again. That might be taking it to extremes, as I love traveling with my family and friends, but as I am such a people-pleaser, it was so nice to be able to do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. I got to do everything that I wanted to do while I was in Argentina, and that was because I only had to answer to myself. I am also a very quick and timely person, and when I'm ready to go, I'm really ready to go. Give me a time, and I can 99% guarantee I won't be late. I didn't have to wait on anyone, I didn't have to worry about running late anywhere, which, if you know me, is a huge pet peeve of mine. I got to walk everywhere, I met so many new people along the way, and I got to spend time with my own thoughts, and learn how to handle situations on my own. I believe everyone should travel alone at some point in his or her life. And it doesn't have to be out of the country! A quick solo trip to a city down the road should do the trick.

The Olympic Trials
I am obsessed with the Olympics. Every four years, my life shuts down and everything I do revolves around what Olympic event is taking place that morning, afternoon, or evening. And while I love the actual Olympics because it brings a few weeks of unity to such a typically broken world, the trials are so much fun to watch because you get to watch these athletes' dreams come true. Most of them have been working for this moment from a very young age, and I know it was not without sacrifices along the way. And then you have athletes like Michael Phelps, who is just an absolute phenom.

Kassidy Cook and Abby Johnston - both from Texas! ( Source)

Simone Biles - guaranteed to stick! (Source)

Michael Phelps - the greatest Olympian of all time (Source)

Fruit
I love eating fruit year-round, but I absolutely devour it in the summer. It's juicy, it's refreshing, it's healthy, and it's delicious. I cannot get enough. Cuties, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, canteloupe, plumcots - you name it, I'll eat it. And while obtaining fruit is not quite as easy as it was in Argentina, where you could walk to the next corner and be faced with a beautiful display of all the fruit you could ever want, I find myself making multiple trips to the grocery store each week so that I can replenish my supply.

And I can't end this post without mentioning my heavy heart for the events that have taken place in this country this past week. It seems as though every morning we wake up and there's a new #hashtag taking over the social media world, and I'm just so sick of it. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around such senseless violence, and my heart breaks for those whose family members were taken from them too soon. And I've read so many beautiful words regarding these acts, but I want to end with some great words shared by Houston author Brené Brown:

I woke up this morning looking for someone to blame. Someone to hate. Someone who I could make the single target of my fear about the officers killed in Dallas and what happened to Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It was such a desperate feeling to want to discharge the uncertainty and scarcity. Then it dawned on me that this is the exact drive that fueled what's happening right now.

Instead of feeling hurt we act out our hurt. Rather than acknowledging our pain, we inflict it on others. Neither hate nor blame will lead to the justice and peace that we all want - it will only move us further apart. But we can't forget that hate and blame are seductive. Anger is easier than grief. Blame is easier than real accountability. When we choose instant relief in the form of rage, we're in many ways choosing permanent grief for the world.

Things I'm Loving Friday XXXVIII

Here we are again - another Friday! As much as I love earning a little bit of extra cash working volleyball camps, I am also thankful for the downtime I'm being afforded right now - some time to clean and organize, to catch up with friends, to try new recipes, and time to just be still. It's something I'm not very good at, but something that is so necessary. Because once July hits, it's go-go-go until Christmas break. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's focus on some things I'm loving this week!

Lindsey Redifer Art Work
When you're an "adult," you find yourself wanting to own adult things. But sometimes you don't always appreciate the adult prices. Because it doesn't take long to realize that being an adult is expensive. But then you're introduced to beautiful and unique art that both fits the adult mold and is very affordable. Much of Lindsey's art is inspired by the outdoors and the colors she uses are what immediately stood out to me about her oil paintings. Based in Austin, many of her paintings feature some of my very favorite spots. Which is why I couldn't resist purchasing this painting of this Mt. Bonnell tree.

Cyclone Anaya's
One of my Houston favorites. Sam and I enjoyed lunch here on Tuesday, as one of his last meals in Texas before heading off to Asia for ten weeks, and I was reminded of just how much I love this restaurant. I wish I had taken a picture of my food - the Grilled Salmon Salad - because not only did it taste good, but it was pretty, too. Known for its homemade Mexican recipes and real family hospitality, Cyclone Anaya's is one to visit if you ever find yourself in the Houston area. And fun fact: Cyclone Anaya's (not the City Centre location, obviously) was the very first restaurant my dad visited upon moving to Texas.

I didn't take a picture of my food, so here's a picture of Sam and me in all our freshman year glory

Keds
Because I've stopped buying new clothes, I've been on a serious shoe kick. Okay, it's not too serious, but I have found myself gravitating toward the shoe department lately. I am traveling to New York City in about a month, and it's no secret that it is a major walking city. And while I have my trusty Chacos, I also wanted something a bit more ... cute ... to wear around this fashionable city. Cheyney suggested white Keds, and that was all I needed to hear before finding myself at DSW trying on a pair of Keds for size. I missed out on wearing Keds as a kid - opting for tennis shoes, always - but it's never too late to treat yourself to a classic. I even ordered a pair in red, because these will be perfect to wear while walking through the halls of BHS. And though I'm not a huge fan of the liner socks, I decided I'll just suck it up for the sake of these cute and practical shoes.

It's Kind of a Funny Story
Alex lent this book to me before I left for Mexico, and I sure am glad he did. It had actually been on my to-read list for quite a while, but it sort of fell by the wayside during the school year, and by the time I found some time to read, other books had stolen my attention. It's Kind of a Funny Story is, in the simplest terms, a book about depression. But it's not a depressing book. It's funny, it's raw, and it handles the complexities and pressures of what being a teenager looks like. Craig came from what many would call a "good" family, he is smart, and his future looks bright. But then the expectations come crashing down, and he finds himself contemplating suicide. I absolutely devoured this book, finishing it in about two days, and it's another one that I gave five stars to on GoodReads. You truly never know what someone is dealing with, and I try and remind myself of that everyday when I walk through those classroom doors. He labels things 'Tentacles' and 'Anchors,' which I think is something everyone can relate to. It creates what I think is a very realistic picture of depression, and I really loved that the reader is left with some hope upon finishing the book.

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The Brain on 23
On my 23rd birthday, Amira sent this article my way. And I told her it was going to make the blog. And then I never posted about it, but I did save it on my phone. And now is as good a time as ever to post it, right? Before all of my friends start turning 24 on me. I am sure you have gathered by now that 23 is a hard age. We're fresh out of college and starting this new phase of life. And half the time we're not even near where or what we want to be. We long to travel back in time, even just a few months, when we're living with eight of our best friends, and the rest of them live just around the block. We don't know life without social media, and that adds pressure beyond what anyone deserves. We feel guilty for feeling miserable, because in the grand scheme of things, life right now isn't that bad. I still consider myself a kid, but maybe that's because I'm frequently confused as one. I've been reminded by those who have come before me that I'm only 23, and that I have time to figure it all out. To stop worrying so much and to enjoy it. Because there's absolutely no way to know what's coming next. But so far, I've found it to be a pretty good age, even if nobody likes you when you're 23.

And I've got another busy day ahead of me. Here's to sunshine and very little rain!

Challenge Nation Urban Adventure Race

Happy Saturday, everyone! It is an absolutely picture perfect day here in Austin, Texas, which almost makes me feel bad about not attending the UT game tonight. Almost, but not quite bad enough to guilt me into going to the game. But hook 'em, right?

Anyway, I believe we left off with my cousin's art show in downtown Austin. I made my way over to Congress Avenue and found parking easily (and surprisingly), before meeting up with my uncle, my cousin, and his friend. You will have to excuse me if any of my terminology i wrong, as I know next to nothing about art, especially contemporary art. Anyway, we went inside The Contemporary Austin, which is quite the swanky art gallery. My cousin led us upstairs so we could see the piece he had been working on, alongside a woman named Marianne Vitale, for the past few months. It is a sculpture, very similar to her 2012 piece, "Burned Bridge," 

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but this one is a "large-scale sculptural structure of two intersecting bridges." Though I was a bit unimpressed with the actual piece of art upon first seeing it, I quickly became more impressed upon looking through the photo album of the making of the sculpture. There was a lot of burning and welding involved, and it was really cool to see all that went into the creation of the sculpture. Like I said, I am the farthest thing from knowing anything about art, but it was cool to see so many people react in such a positive way to it. And, of course, it was great to see my cousin, tattoos and all.

My art show debut

After the opening, I made an appearance at my friend Alex's 22nd birthday celebration. I didn't stay very long, mainly because I was feeling exhausted from all the events of the day, but I got to catch up with two of my good high school friends, as well as chat with a girl who is currently in her student teaching semester at Westwood (what I will be doing next semester), and it was so reassuring to talk to someone who literally knows exactly what I am going through, and telling me that I will survive this year, and that I will even have fun doing it.

Sam, me, Alex

Sarah and I stayed up late talking, so when I woke up this morning, I was not especially feeling like crossing a run off of my list, but I knew I would feel so much more productive if I got it done early in the day. The temperature and weather were so perfect this morning, but because I didn't want to run through the mud from last night's downpour, so I settled with six miles on the treadmill, promising myself that next week is the week I will run nine miles. Hold me to it!

Challenge Nation Urban Adventure Race

And now I have some exciting news to report. Megan from Challenge Nation reached out to me about promoting an urban adventure race that is coming to Austin next month. Though I will not be able to participate due to the fact that I will be exploring San Francisco, I thought it sounded like an awesome race, so I was more than happy to promote it.

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The Challenge is an "Amazing Race" style team competition that has you running all over the city using your brain to solve tricky clues, exploring and discovering new parts of Austin, and getting a little bit of exercise along the way. This race requires a blend of speed and smarts in order to have a shot at winning any of the cash prizes. But don't worry, even if you don't win the race, you will be met with fun food and drink specials at the finish line, and there is even a costume contest. I am all about dressing up in fun and ridiculous costumes, so that alone would entice me to sign up!

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Though I don't watch the Amazing Race, I have friends that do, and I think it would be really cool to participate in the actual Amazing Race. So, for all of you who have dreams of being on a reality television show, this race is great practice for it. Sign up here before September 25th to receive earlybird registration prices!

And now I'm off to get started on that essay that I have been putting off. Have a great Saturday!