CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

oh how i love a good  challenge.

i’m really quite awesome at coming up with an idea, one that seems to be easy but then turns into something very very difficult.  and me, i’m not so great at compromising.  i can’t just say: “well, i don’t think this is going to turn out exactly the way i want it to…maybe i’ll just alter it a little because this will work just fine”.  oh no, not me.  instead i shake my fist and yell “challenge?!?!  you dare to defy me?!  i WILL find [fill in the blank] and it will be RAD!!!  just you wait!!”

watch out buddy!

currently, i have several challenges going on.  and i will win.  oh yes, i will totally win.  even if it takes me all year.  but it won’t.  because both of them have due dates.  so i must complete them in a timely fashion.

CHALLENGE NUMERO UNO:  finding a love-seat.

i am desperately seeking a love seat.  not for my house, for a photo shoot that i want to do.  and i don’t want just any couch.  i have a specific style that i’m thinking of.  one that has a vintage vibe, but with sleek lines.  one with a cool pattern, but isn’t overbearing and too loud.  i want it to be big enough that it isn’t too dainty, but small enough that it’s easily portable.

a little something like this...only maybe in a more muted green

oh, and i want to pay less than $100 for it.

 

see?  doesn’t that sound like it would be super easy to find??

ok, so maybe not that easy…it is incredibly specific.  i’ll admit that.  but you’d think someone out there would have one just waiting for a meredith to purchase an awesome, vintage-vibe couch with clean lines and an interesting but not overpowering pattern for under $100!  so far craigslist is only offering up frumpy, beat up nasty couches and the antique stores are only dealing in over priced ugly (and not in a cool way) sofas.

 

but i haven’t given up yet.  i will find the love seat of my dreams.  and all will be well in the world.

 

 

CHALLENGE NUMBER 2:  project “hats”

oh, project “hats”.  you make my heart sing.  and are also the biggest thorn in my holiday side.

 

i’m doing this photo project, which will be AMAZING when it is completed.  it involves some of my grandmother & grandfather’s vintage hats.  and it involves my family members wearing said hats.  and it involves me photographing said family members wearing said hats.

and i have 2 of the pieces available…the hats and the photographer (me).  only problem is hunting down my family members.

 

they are all totally all about helping.  and posing for the pictures (don’t want you to think they’re being meanie pants, because they definitely are not meanie pants.  my family is awesome pants).  however, we all have crazy hectic schedules.  and trying to align them has been as difficult as trying to align the stars with my bare hands (i did this once in ’72…i’ll do it again in ‘010!…ok, so i didn’t really.  but only because i didn’t exist in ’72.  but if i was alive, i totes would have.)

 

for this challenge, i have exactly 10 days.  10 days to find Lil M, Ashmatash, Coop, Hayden, and my uncle.  can i do this?  you better believe it!  i will totes camp out on their doorstep until they come home. 

maybe i'll buy this to help while i camp out..it's a tent AND a rain coat! GENIUS!!

 

so i’m ready for the challenges.  i think i can totally win.  i am dedicated, persistent, and willing to be obnoxious in my pursuit of sofa & pics.

 

but if you hear of a cool sofa, lemme know.  and if you run into one of my family members, let them know that they need to come home soon…i’m camped out on their doorstep & it’s starting to get very cold & mr bix misses me (and i miss him).  unfortunately, there’s no rain so my tent/rain coat is just kind of pointless.

DATE NIGHT

yep, that’s right everyone…i had a date last night. 

 

 

he was funny, he was polite (knows how to say please and thank you), super cute, he shared well, was a great dancer, has the best laugh, is a snazzy dresser, and (best of all!) he slept through the night!

 

umm…wait a minute…did i mention that it was a “date” with Cohcoh?  one of my favoritest 3 yr olds in the whole wide world and pretend nephew extraordinaire? 

 

hangin out in the kitchen, wearing a fancy hat...because Cohcoh is fancy like that!

did you really think i had a hot date?  c’mon now, you know better than that! 

 

although, it was a fantastic date.  and i loved the chance to just kick it, me & cohcoh style.  we had a delish dinner at the olive garden, where he played with his “men” and did puzzles (which he is a master at the puzzles…such a smart guy!).  then it was movie time, Happy Feet…which turned into us having a happy feet dance party.  after the movie, we had to get some reading time in there.  i can’t just let the kid watch movies & eat ice cream trucks (ice cream in cohcoh speak) all night!  so we read a few books(where the wild things are, goodnight moon, and barnyard dance), and then read them each a few more times for good measure.  Finally that little guy just had too much partying and fell asleep.  he only woke up once, kinda grumbled that he wanted his mom.  to which i replied “we’ll see her in the morning, go back to sleep buddy”.  and he did.  which was awesome because i totes didn’t think that would work.

 

this morning i woke up to him patting my cheek saying “meremere!  wake up!  bix licked me in the face!  watch penguin movie?”

 

so, yup… a perfect evening with one of my favoritest people in the world.  and we didn’t accidentally burn the house down, no broken bones or blood, no tears of any sort.  just 100% awesomeness.  which is just the way i like it!

THANKFULNESS

tis the holiday season, my friends.  the time when turkey day happens and then *BOOM* before you know it, christmas (or your respective decembertime holiday) and then *BAM* a new year comes ringing in. 

and, well, with a holiday that has the word “thank” in it just recently completed, what better time to post a blog about being “thankful”.

  

  

i’ve been thinking about what being “thankful” means a lot recently.  with my world in such a whirlwind of crazy busy, i hate to admit it, but…well…honesty is key here…  i’ve been feeling a lot of things that are mostly uncharacteristic for me.  i’ve been feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and just this overbearing pressure to get everything done at the level of quality i expect from myself.  as a result of this, i have become so tunnel visioned that i have forgotten something very important…to be thankful for the things, opportunities, and, most importantly, the people i have in my life.

whew.

well, good news folks, i have pulled my head out of my metaphorical you-know-what.  i had a good cry on KKs shoulder, took a hermit-crab day where i did nothing but catch up on sleep and tv, and then took a giant step back to look at my life.

  

  

and you know what?  i have a mountain load of things to be thankful for.  seriously.  a freakin mountain load.  luckily for you, dear reader, i’m not going to list every single thing.  the post would take me way way way too long to write and it would be way way way too long to read.  so i’m going to abbreviate myself.  ok, so it’ll still be lengthy no matter what.  but i’m going to have it only be a “top 15” of thankfulness.

  

in no particular order…

1.  my parental units.

oh my wonderful parental units.  or mom & dad.  or sometimes i like to call them by their first names, Julia & Chris.  while at times they can be the most polar opposites i’ve ever seen, they do have several key things in common.  they are both honest, hard-working, devoted, compassionate, and uplifting people. 

you cannot hang out with my mom and not laugh your butt off.  or feel how much she genuinely cares about her job and the students she works with, and me (of course).  it is impossible.  she’s hip.  she’s cool.  she’s super tall.  and i love her to pieces.

me & my mama llama.

 

my dad…well, my dad is quite the character.  he has a way of making any day better…be it with random pic messages of “king olef” (cohcoh’s toy soldier that he left behind has been on many trips). or dropping off 10 bags of my favorite granola at my store.  he is wise and full of great life lessons.  he seriously needs his own catchy theme song.

me & my dad. he's even nice enough to let me pretend that i'm tall too

 

so, my parents.  i am thankful for them.  they are my biggest cheerleaders, helping me to strive for the giant goals.  and, on the times that i do fall, they are always there to help pick me back up and help mend the pieces.  thank you both for that.

 

2.  the grand parental units.

i only was able to meet 2 of them, my Neena and G-bob.  and golly gee, they are the bestest grand parents a gal could ask for.  my Neena is the coolest lady i know.   and G-bob, he was just phenomenal.

 

3.  my family

they are the wackiest bunch of individuals.  each person is uniquely amazing.  and throw them all together, well, it’s always a fiesta of some sort.  some saying somewhere goes “you don’t choose your family”.  and this is true.  but, if given the choice, i would choose them in a heart beat.  a million times over.  my parents, my brothers, my grandparents, my aunts & uncles, my cousins, my step family, my extended family…i’d pick each and every one of them.  you better believe it.

 

4.  my friends

my friends are an extension of family.  somehow, our paths have delightfully crossed and they become apart of my life.  i’m lucky to have such amazing people in my life.  i’m lucky to have them share their lives with me.  it’d take me forever to list each and every one of them & why they are so special.  so just know, my wonderful friends, that i am so very very thankful to have you in my life.

 

5.  mr bix

he’s my monster puppenstein and i’ll love him forever. 

 

mr bix, my handsome puppenstein

6.  stuff

i am thankful for the things i have…like my condo, my car, the things in my condo, and whatnot.  while i don’t consider myself materialistic, i am very thankful for the things i have.

 

7.  music

it makes the world go round

 

8.  photography

it makes my heart sing.

 

shot by me & KK, edited by KK

9.  KK’s kitchen

it is where many a delish meal is made (like last night’s soup).  and it saves me from eating microwave meals or take out every single night.  not to mention it is a great place to kick it.  and it includes KK, which is a very cool thing.

 

10.  my job

i love my team, i love the company i work for, and i get paid to be there.  thankfulness for that.

 

11.  fall & early winter

it hasn’t yet turned into ice-storms or snow-storms or crazy winter storm palooza weather yet.  crisp fall air.  beautiful colors of red, browns, oranges, and where the grass turns a lovely wheat color.  soup.  awesome fall boots.  holidays.  scarves.  snuggly sweaters.  perfect movie watching days.  having the room be an iceberg while i’m cozy under my giant down comforter.  what’s not to love about fall & early winter?  and therefore i am thankful for it.

 

friends, disc golf, and fall weather...nothin could be better

12.  soups

currently i am on a huge soup kick.  Neena made a yummy chicken enchilada soup the day before thanksgiving that was divine.  and KK made a delish soup the other night (with enough for leftovers!!).  so i have decided that this winter shall be the Winter of Soup.  i can’t cook to save my life, but i am strongly encouraging all the people that cook & let me dine at their house to make soups.  i’ll bring the wine.

 

13.  laughter

there is nothing more catchy than the sound of a genuine laugh.  the kind that rumbles from your toes and comes bursting out.  Cohcoh has the most infectious laugh ever.  he starts to giggle and i can’t help but add my obnoxiously loud cackle to it. 

  

14.  my blog

i haven’t been posting as much.  and i have forgotten how lovely it is.  even if i was the only person in the world to read it, i would still blog.  theraputic?  you betcha. 

15.  everything else

i could go on forever.  but i’m not going to.  i’m just going to add a general “everything else”.  i am thankful for all of the good things, all of the “life lessons” that are disguised as not-so-good things, and everything in between. 

 

 

 

i am a lucky duck.  and i am going to be mindful of taking the time to remember this. 

 

i am thankful.

CRAZYPANTS AND COSTUMES

seriously.  things have been crazypants.  i know that i’ve talked about it before, saying i’m “oh yeah, super busy bee” and all.  but life has just been going so freaking fast.

like, dude, it’s november.  really.  did you know that?  because i just looked at the date and it is seriously, legitimately november.  what the crap, time?  why ya gotta move so fast?  why can’t ya take a little, tiny bit of a “zack morris” time out and let a lovely lady like myself catch up?

and, just for the record, lemme break down what i’ve been up to…

work, work, more work…both real life job work, then enjoyment photography work. real life job work is, well…ya know…real work.  it’s the awesomeness that is “i love my job” and also the stress of being short staffed & training new associates.  it’s fun, it’s busy, i wouldn’t trade it for anything…but i will say that i’m ready for life to slow down a bit so i can enjoy this wonderful fall weather we’ve been having in oklahoma.

so crazypants, yes indeed. 

but, like a bright shining ray of awesomeness in the midst of crazypants town, there was halloween.

me?  i love halloween.  not for the candy (it rots your teeth), nor for the tricking (i’m a nice person, don’t wanna trick anyone).  no, i love it for one reason…costumes.

i love making costumes.  i love dressing up.  and i go all out for my halloween costume.  i break out the ole sewing machine and macgyver up some sort of awesomeness.  this year, i did a two part halloween costume.  i mean, if one costume is good…then two costumes must be excellent, right?

right.

first party i went to was 1920s theme…i went as a flapper.  ‘course, i did mix it up a bit.  had to have a little twist of whimsy in there.  i did more of a 1920s meets 1980s flapper style. 

i was particularly proud of my headpiece that i made.  it was giant and glittery and feathery and i heart it so much that i wish i could wear it every single day.  too bad i can’t…doesn’t really look all that great with jeans.

gotta love feathery glitter-tasticness

the party was very swanky.  there were champagne cocktails, everyone was dressed to the nines, and the birthday girl was amazing (happy birthday emsy!!)

the next costume i made was “high school meredith”.  i used part of the earlier costume, dressed up in something random (hey, that was my style back then…i literally wore a prom skirt, tshirt, and my dad’s giant ’70s lambskin coat to school most days.  how i got away with wearing a tshirt was beyond me , but they rarely said anything.)  i found some old school books…all the pretty horses, a farewell to arms, and economy if you’re wondering…there were even a few quizzes and notes from friends still in there to give that authentic touch.  my eye makeup was heavy, and the only thing worse than my posture was my attitude.  gotta love being an angsty teen.

"dude, this party is so lame...maybe you're friend who's 21 will buy us some beer"

yeah, that’s my teenager snarl…i’m pretty much a badass, ya know?  ok, so maybe not…

now that costume palooza is over, it’s time to start thinking up next year’s outfit…

COLD, KEYS, KITCHEN, AND ‘QUAKE

how ya like that for alliteration?!  hello, my lovely blog…it has been some time since we’ve hung out.  and i do apologize…things have, well, been crazy pants to say the least.  so here’s all the new stuff that’s going on…

 

 

currently, i am waging a war with a very stubborn cold.  in the top 1o things that Meredith is Bad At, i’d say being sick is definitely up there.  i know that no one is really “good” at being sick…but i am horrible at it.  absolutely horrible.  first of all, i am not one of those people who looks cute in that “awe, you’re feeling bad?  here…let me take care of you” way.  i do not inspire anyone’s nurturing instinct to kick in.   you know what i mean?  like when you see someone who looks like a little wounded bird when they’re sick and makes you want to perhaps make them a pallet on the sofa or make them home-made potato soup or go to the video store and rent them their favorite childhood movies like The Princess Bride or the Labyrinth (which are my favoritest childhood movies btw…just sayin). 

awe, aren't they just perfect looking?

nope, not me.  when i’m sick, i’m a freakin snot monster.  i make a horrible face when i sneeze or cough.  and i lie on the sofa (watching really really horrible tv…like all the CW shows style…yes, even the new hit series Hellcats with the Tisdale and some other ex disney girl) and moan to myself about how sick i am.  it’s very pathetic, i know.

and to make matters worse, i refuse to slow down.  other than the 2 days that i was really horribly sick and felt like i was 100% snot monster and 0% human.  or take cold medicine (makes me even more loopy than i already am naturally).  or even go to the doctor.  the last bit is because i don’t have a doctor, my favorite clinic place stopped taking blue cross/blue shield (who does that?!), and when i went to a new place last time i was sick it was the worst experience i’ve ever had.  so really, i just like to drag out my illness in a most childlike manner to where everyone gets the privilege of hearing me sniff up all the snot that is compacted in my sinus cavity and cough like an old lady for days upon days.  you’re welcome, world.  not only for the mental image of that, but also the real life demonstration.  you are welcome.

 

 

2nd little tidbit of joy was The Black Keys concert…it was fan.tas.tic.  a rockin good time indeed.

they were amazing. amazing indeed.

i went with my favorite concert couple, The Ax and The Pied Piper, which just sets the stage for awesomeness.  unfortunately KK couldn’t join as planned (dang you, photo editing & album creatin palooza!!) but the lovely Gertie Gert stepped up to the plate and filled in for her.  it was an evening of friends, beers, and high quality jams.  i danced my ass off at the show, much to the annoyance of people around me.  but did i care one bit?  nope.  i just danced.  and sang along.  and perhaps harrassed a dude that was standing next to me.  hey, he looked super mad about being there…he wasn’t even tapping his toe!  i had to make sure that he appreciated the amazingness that was happening right in front of his face and ears! 

 

 

 

3rd on the list is the Great Kitchen Remodel ‘010.  no, not my kitchen…i spend so little time in there that it’s not even worth it.  for all i know, it’s like the 2nd entrance into Narnia or something.

i’m talkin about KK’s Great Kitchen Remodel.  and that is a kitchen that i care about and need on a daily basis.  where else would i get my home cooked meals?

KK’s friend (and my friend too!) Arf is in town from Nashville.  and he is a world-class magician when it comes to the remodel.  he’s stripped that room down to the bare bones, lifted the foundation, torn down walls, and is now in the process of putting it back together in a clean, updated, new-and-improved way.  i first met Arf about a year ago.  and at first, i was kind of intimidated…he’s kind of an intimidating dude.  but there is no need to be scared.  he’s awesome.  and his wife is awesome.  and their tiny baby is awesome (just don’t try to mess with her while she’s sleeping or you will indeed be scared of Arf).  and they have an awesome house, in case you were wondering.

seeing the transformation of the kitchen has been really interesting.  i’m totally fascinated by the process of tearing out everything to completely rebuild it.  and, i’ve determined, that i kinda want to be Arf.  well, not literally be Arf, but i would like to be Arf-esque.  he know’s stuff about stuff.  and he knows how to do all of this really rad stuff.  and he has kick ass tools, that he actually knows how to use to do the rad stuff.  and he has a cool tool belt, that holds all of the kick ass tools that he uses to do the rad stuff. 

it's like the freakin batman belt...only with handyman stuff.

maybe i’ll start watching This Old House and become a tool wielding Arfette.

ok, so maybe not really….

 

 

 

lastly, have you heard about oklahoma’s latest seismic activity?  that’s right.  an earthquake rippled throughout central oklahoma. 

me, i was tryin to get my sleep-in zzz’s when mr bix started to go ballistic and the walls started to rattle.  at first i thought maybe it was the construction that’s been going on around the condo lately.  but when it started to shake the whole house, i freaked out.  could it be an earthquake?  in oklahoma?  what the crap?  so i checked the FB status updates on my phone.  and whuddya know…a 4.5 earthquake rocked all the way from norman up to edmond and beyond.  well, crap.  what do i do?  i don’t know earthquake safety!  tornados…got that one down…but earthquakes?!?!

i just told mr bix to dial it down and went back to sleep.  now, this is not the best earthquake safety.  in an effort to educate myself for a future earthquake event, i took to the world wide web to see what you’re supposed to do.  well, that has just confused me more…there’s lots of conflicting info out there, my friends.

some say get under a door frame, others say don’t.

some say get near an external corner, others say internal.

one website wanted to sell me an “earthquake kit” for $99.  complete with water, duct tape, a tent, and a snap-on toilet seat.   which, you know, is really vital when an earthquake hits…toilet seats apparently  sky-rocket off of all toilets.

oh well.  in the event of a future earthquake, maybe i’ll be lucky enough to sorta-sleep through the next one too.

 

 

 

final thought…check out my photoblog (http://meredithblackphotoblog.wordpress.com) …i put some new stuff up.  still not 100% the way i want the new blog to look, but it’s gettin there.

A BUSY BEE INDEED

is it really almost october?  like, october is really going to happen next week?  because i feel like september just started a day ago.  how can i blink and a whole month be gone?  did someone kick on a time accelerator or something and forget to tell me?  and why do i never get these memos…first gravity was increased and now time is sped up…i need to get on that mailing list stat.

 

things have just been insanity lately.  in a good way.  in a “busy bee” way.  and goodness knows i love to stay busy…there is nothing more boring than being bored.  between work, bicycle riding, work, photography, friends, family, working out, and work the days have melted into weeks and now almost into a month.  did you know that i have like 2 weeks worth of stuff on my DVR that hasn’t even been viewed?!  i have ben a busy bee indeed.

ok, so i did take the time to make a picture of a busy bee...guess i wasnt' all that busy today

take this weekend, for example.  friday, i was off of work but i shot a wedding with KK.  then yesterday i had to open the booth at the fair, left the state fair and headed up to the northside to be apart of Megan’s Wedding Dress Shopping support team (her dress is disgustingly beautiful, btw…she is going to look gorgeois!), seconds away from my destination i realized that i forgot to pick up the deposit from the state fair so i had to turn around, then scramble back up to the northside, then pick up mr bix from mom’s, shower & change, then go out for the Ax’s Farewell party at mcnellies. 

 

whew.  it was a great day though.  just packed full of events.  few side comments about the state fair…

 

the state fair.  oh me, oh my.  it was excellent mullet hunting this year.  i saw a skullet, a femme mullet, a child mullet, and a whole freakin family of mullets complete with dirty overalls.  here’s an example of a fabulous mullet…

it's a "silver fox" mullet

 i also talked with a travelling carnival worker who told me that he travelled all of the 52 states.  hmm…interesting…did we add 2 states?  did i miss this too?

it was also kinda sad…i did not get to enjoy my favorite fair-time treat of corn on the cob drenched in butter.  i simply did not have time to find the right booth.  but oh well.  i did have a delish cup of Dippin Dots: ice cream of the future.  but one of my fellow fair-ites did bring up a good point: they’ve been “ice cream of the future” for a while now.  how futuristic are the really?  i told him not to speak such profanity…Dippin Dots were so far ahead of the future that we’re just now catching up.  i mean, c’mon!!  they are tiny little dots of ice cream in different flavors that meld together to create a “banana split”.  that is future enough for me.

 

ok, enough of the fair talk. 

 

in other news, miss emmaline jelly bean has a flat tire. 

it was very very sad.  Gordy and I had biked up to mcnellies for a frosty bev and a burger.  it was nice to take a leisurely ride on my favoritest of bicycles.  but when we got done with mcnellies time, and unlocked the bikes from the rail i noticed an odd noise.  i looked down.  and her tire was flat.  flat flat flat.  no chance of temporary revival for the ride home.  i almost cried. 

kid, i know exaclty how ya feel.

the ride back is the best part!  it’s pretty much all down hill (and there is one hill in particular that is straight up awesome), it’s nice and breezy and moonlighty, and i’m just sliiiiightly tipsy so everything seems crisp and new and extra fun.  but alas.  i had to miss this part.  i had to call KK to see if she’d come back and pick me and emmaline jelly bean up.  luckily, she is a fantastic Knight in Shining Armor.  Thanks, KK for saving us.  now i just gotta take my leisurely lady into the bicycle dr to get her patched up.  poor emmaline jelly bean.

 

i also think i might get a 2nd bicycle.  like an older men’s 10 speed road bike.  not to replace miss emmaline jelly bean…never that.  just to give me a speedier option for those longer rides (especially ones with lots of hills!).  i borrowed an awesome one from Ldawg when i was down in dallas.  i felt pretty b’dass while riding.  see…i neeed two bikes.  i really do.  emmaline jelly bean for when i’m feeling dainty and leisurely.  then the other one for when i’m feelin like being speedy and b’dass and havin lots of ‘tude.  only problem is that all the awesome ones i find are for people who are 6’ or taller.  and, well, those don’t really work for someone who’s 5’6″.  so i’ll keep perusing craigslist…and if ya know of any rad men’s 10 speed that’s looking for a good owner, lemme know.

SWISS FAMILY MERRYSON

ok, seriously…how cool would it be to live in a treehouse?  i don’t mean like the kind that you had as a kid.  i’m talkin about a tricked out treehouse.  one with indoor plumbing and spectacular tree top views.

the answer: very.

 

i know i’m the queen of random.  but there really was a train of thought that got me to this new fascination with arboreal dwellings.

 

here’s how it went…the other night i stayed at the Colcord with KK.  she had booked a suite for a photo shoot and had the hotel room for the night.  so of course we had to have a fancy pants evening at the Colcord.  Gordy and even the Unicorn (that’s you SC-W!  you’re elusive like a unicorn.  and pretty too.  when you’re not being a pain in my ass!  haha, love ya chicky) joined for a decadent dinner at La Baguette (the one in the Colcord). 

 

good golly miss molly, that dinner was f to the d.  freakin delish.  it’s been a while since i’ve thrown my food budget to the wind and ponied up the big bucks for a filet mignon.  but i did.  and it was so worth it.  oh!  and we had oysters too…i’ve never in my life had them before.  must say, i am a fan. 

not the best pic, but ya get the idea.

 

ok, back on track…

so brimsy and i were talking about the nicer hotels that we’ve stayed in.  which made me bring up Hotel Zaza in Dallas TX and how i liked how they had “themes” that were executed exquisitely.  which brimsy then brought up his friend’s hotel im Mississippi (man, i love spelling Mississippi!).  which then made me think of when i stayed at Biras Creek with the fam.  which then made me think of costa rica.  which then made me think of how they had a hotel that had treehouse suites.  which then made me google ‘treehouse hotels’. 

 

so, there you have it.  i am now obsessed with the idea of staying in a treehouse.  here are a few super cool hotels i found…

first up, Tsala Treetop Lodge, which is in South Africa just between Plettenberg Bay and Knysna.

this is the Tsala Treetop Lodge

check out the freakin bathtub…and yes, this is all in the treetop.  insanity.

are you kidding me? seriously?!

 

the next place i found is also ridic.  it’s in South China.  i couldn’t find any pics of the rooms, but just look at this treehouse?  it looks awesome.

Sanya Nanshan Treehouse

 

unfortunately, i will not be traveling to South Africa or southern China anytime soon.  but, i’m still in a world of fascination with the whole treehouse thing.  so i looked up some pics of crazy awesome tree houses.  i am a slacker of a researcher though, and have zero clue where these magnificent tree houses reside.  but oh well…here they are anyway…

not only is it a treehouse, but it's ALSO a sphere. uber cool.

and a little more traditional…

i love love love the interior of this. so rad.

 

 

now i have to find a big tree that can hold up my treehouse.  and someone to build it for me, cuz if i was left to build it that shit would fall apart in 2 seconds.  oh, not to mention the money to pay for it.  and, let’s be honest, i have to get over my little-more-than-slight discomfort with heights. 

but hey, it could happen…right?  party at the treehouse!  i’ll send out the invitations in, like, well, hmm….

OH GRAVITY

apparently gravity has it out for me today.

 

last night, my bedside chandelier came crashing down.  it scared the crap outta Mr Bix, which of course made me wake up in fright…arms a flailin and my heart racing.  is there a burglar?  is there a ghost?  what is it, Mr Bix?  did timmy fall into a whale?

nope, just my chandelier.  RIP, 7 little glass teardrops and a quarter-sized chunk of the ceiling.

 

then, while i was taking a shower this morning, my shower curtain came crashing down.  Mr Bix wasn’t so scared this time, he was still fast asleep in the bed.  but I was startled…once again the arms were a flailin and water was a splashin while i tried to put the shower curtain back into place.

 

THEN, while i was walking down the stairs, i somehow slip and I came crashing down.  well, more like i slid my way down the stairs.  luckily, i’m totally fine.  i’m always worried that one time (yes, i’ve slid down the stairs multiple times), i’m going to break my leg or something.  fingers crossed this never happens.

 do did someone turn up gravity today? is it no longer 9.81 m/s²?  why do i never get these memos?

me, on a more regular basis than i care to admit

THE YMCA IS RAININ DOWN LIFE LESSONS

as i previously posted, i have decided to start working out at the conveniently located YMCA before i go in to work.  i’ve been pretty good about this…not stellar…but for a first week (and one that was banana-crazy pants), my attendance was acceptable.  i made it there 2 times.  ok, so that’s really kinda horrible attendance…but it was more times than i’ve been in the past 2 months so i’ll let it slide.

   

in those 2 work outs, i have learned and observed quite a bit.  and i thought i’d share.  here we go…. 

   

1) shower shoes 

it’s been a long while since i’ve used a community shower…since my sophomore year of college and the *gasp!* sorority house to be exact.  i had packed my shower kit…travel size shampoo and conditioner, check.  travel size soap (from the hotel zaza in dallas, tre chic!), check.  travel size face wash, check.  cute travel case to transport all the travel sized stuff, check.  after my work out, i went to the shower room, claimed my little stall and got ready to rinse off the sweat.  i was shampooing my hair and was looking down at my feet.  then i glanced to the left and i could see the person in the stall next to me’s feet under the stall divider.   

cue up the song: “one of these things is not like the other…” 

i was missing my flip flops!  ack!  i’m going to get athlete’s foot!  or feet!  or something!  and then i felt nervous that people would notice that i didn’t have on shower shoes and would think that i was spreading athlete’s foot!  ack.  dangit.  how could i have forgotten about them?!? 

they actually have shower shoes you can buy...but i don't think i'll be rockin this particular style

 

   

i remembered to pack my older pair of flip flops for the next gym visit.  i felt much better about the shower situation. 

   

2)  slow lane is the right lane 

there is a walking/running track that goes around all the exercise equipment.  the edmond Y is set up a little different from the one i’m used to, you actually go up stairs and then *BAM!* there’s the walking/running track that you have to cross to get to the island of torture…er…i mean exercise equipment.   

so first day, i’m walking up…still pretty groggy due to the early hour, and not expecting this track thing.  i almost collided with a fast walkin 80 yr old.  he was clad in a track suit and zooming around the track like a wrinkled blur.  i just barely stepped back off the track before he slammed into me. 

ok, ok…so that’s a total lie.  he was a few feet away, and i saw him approaching.  i did the whole “do i cross or don’t i cross” dance, then took 2 quick, determined strides across.  there was no chance of really running into him.  but it woulda been funny if it did.  but he was indeed wearing a track suit.  it was red, in case you were wondering. 

i spent the next 40 minutes watching the old man and another lady walk around the track.  when the old man would approach the lady (she was going at a leisurely pace and this old dude was bookin it), he’d yell out “on your left!”.  it helped pass the time. 

   

3)  closed captioning is not always accurate 

i really feel for the people that have to rely on closed captioning.  i really really do.  in the 40 minutes i was there, i counted 17 mistakes.  17.  it drove me crazy.  i can’t stand grammatical errors and people using the wrong word (like the “there, their and they’re”).  on the plus side, it did distract me from actually having to watch the Today Show.  that show is horrible.  seriously, it’s just awful.   

woopsie!

 

 sidenote: i do acknowledge that i do not properly capitalize my words on this blog, and that i use both incomplete sentences as well as run-on sentences.  however, i’m not trying to accurately depict what is being said on the tv.  so there!  

4)  8am is the “golden oldies” hour 

wowza.  i think there were maybe, maybe 3 people at the gym that were around my age.  mostly, it was way older ladies and gents.  my guess is that the median age was around 67, with a few soccer moms sprinkled here and there. 

 

which is totally fine with me…i don’t really want to be sweatin away at the über (embarrassingly slow because i’m so out of shape) speed of 3.7 on the treadmill next to some divinely handsome eligible man.  or next to one of the obnoxiously perfect gym princesses (who are looking to catch the eye of the divinely handsome eligible man) in her head-to-toe matching spandex and full makeup. 

when i go to the gym, i’m there to work out.  i’m in a well aged t-shirt (good thing i saved all of those *gasp!* sorority tshirts…they’re finally good for something) and sweatpants or yoga pants.  and it’s nice to know that i don’t have to feel self concious…the golden oldies don’t care.  not one bit. 

5)  water aerobics seems like it’s kick ass 

speaking of the golden oldies, at 8am there is a water aerobics class.  they’re done when i’m finished working out too, so there’s this group of older ladies who are all good friends just chatting away when i get to the locker room.  i must say, i thought it was really awesome.  i mean, these ladies were really great friends and you can tell that they’re just having a blast.   

it made me think of the far far far future, when i’m a golden oldie with all of my friends.  and how we should all go to a water aerobics class too.  i think that would be great…so, who’s with me?  who wants to join a water aerobics class with me in the year ‘050?   

i call dibs on the bright old-lady-flowery swimsuit!!

 

oh, and one other thing…those ladies are not shy at all.  they need to work on their “deck changing” skill.  i think i’m a little scarred for life.   

   

   

    

so there ya go.  the YMCA is a very entertaining.  very entertaining indeed.

THE EARLY BIRD GETS TO WORKOUT

yes, my friends, it’s that time again.  the time where i assess the fat bank and determine what it is i’ve done well, and what it is i haven’t done so well.

 

let’s start with the good part first…

ladies and gentleman, i will have you know that i’ve been eating at home 90% of the time since i braved the grocery store.  it’s totally true.  i’m not lyin at all.  i’ve been good about drinking a breakfast shake of some sorts, bringing a lunch to work, and eating dinner at home (hey, it counts if it’s at KKs house too).  aren’t you so proud of me?  i feel like an almost grown up!

and “fast food” restaurants?  a thing of the past!  i’ve only been to one…it was chick-fil-a and i got a salad, so that’s not very bad at all. 

finally, i have been coca-cola classic free for 13 days.  a big improvement over the 2-a-day habit i had to kick.  seriously.  it was that bad!  instead, it’s unsweet iced tea (i like it straight up, no sugar or sugar-like substance in my tea…i’m intense like that), la croixs, and good ole fashioned H20. 

not gonna lie, looking at all that makes me very happy.  i feel very accomplished.

i definitely think i deserve one of these.

so….the not so good part.

working out…say what?

  

so, i have 2 gym memberships.  seriously.  i do…hey, one’s only $25 a month and the other is like $30, so it’s kinda like 2 for the price of 1 fancy pants gym..right?

after much discussion and debate with Ldawg about why i just can’t seem to get my ass to the gym, i think i have found the reason.  i don’t have enough willpower…specifically to go to the gym instead of hanging out with friends after work.  i can’t help it!  i’m just a social person!  and if given the option to hang out and play cards vs. sweating my ass off on the treadmill and potentially falling off, i will choose my friends.  hands down.  is it even a question?  the treadmill scares me!  and rightly so, i am very accident prone.

not gonna lie, i'm genuinely scared this'll be me one day

but i have a plan.  oh yes sirree i have a plan.  to avoid having to make the decision between working out and chillaxin with my friends, i’m goin to work out BEFORE i go to work.  see, if i wake up at 7:30 i can get to the gym that’s right down the street from work by 8.  then cardio, pump some iron for an hour or so.  get my shower on.  then head to work.  sounds like a pretty good plan, huh?  the only forseeable issue is that i hate mornings.  but 7:30 isn’t that early…i guess.  and who knows, maybe i’ll get super ripped and join the American Gladiators.  but i wanna be like the old school ones, not the new version.  i’ll get some super rad name like “Blaze”.  oh, wait, there was a Blaze.  whatever, i’ll take over her name.

and i DEF need those socks and shoes, not to mention the killer outfit and bleached out hair

ok, odds are i won’t look like that.  but ya never know…i just might.

 

 

oh, and i created a blog for my photos that i be snappin.  figured it’d be a better way for people i don’t know to see my work than on this blog.  check it out if ya wanna… http://meredithblackphotoblog.wordpress.com