Home for the Holidays

My trips home have been short-lived Atlanta-teasers. But quickly approaching is a 12-day reunion and I am fantasizing a to-do list so I can be sure to relive all the best pieces of my old stomping grounds. The best part is that it is also going to be CHRISTMAS TIME!!! With these things, time will fly, my holiday fulfilled, and am sure to return to MIA kicking and screaming.

The list begins with:

• Drink Mom's coffee
• Watch Christmas movies with the tree lights on and a fire in fireplace
• Watch Elf with Jennifer
• Visit Papa
• Go on a date -preferably holiday themed
• Drinks with the Fabs in the Highlands
• Visit old friends: Blake, Amp, Natalie, Amanda, Grant
• Spend at least one night at the lake
• Drink hot chocolate
• eat out of a fully stocked refrigerator
• Wear socks
• Wear boots!
• Play with Dixie and her new toys
• Just sit....

and then, of course, Kel's New Year's Wedding!!!

December 22nd thru January 2nd... My twelve days of Christmas, perfectly clever and appropriate

12.08.11

Welcome to Miami

guilty, again, of titling my blog before actually writing the post but, alas, I do what I WANT! I want to write about the things that make Miami different than Atlanta before I get too acclimated, and this title was the first thing that came to mind and I think its appropriate. What can I say, I like to reference songs whenever possible! You know... Welcome to miami, somethin somethin -ami -ami!

... Ok THIS one

This unoriginal blog title is actually making me think about the well-known "HOT-Lanta" phrase, which, according to The BertShow and Q100, is totally unacceptable post 1980. I bet Miamians feel the same way about this 20th century rap lyric. It's been helplessly overused in referencing the city and the locals are SICK OF IT!

So here are my observations:

Miami from the Southern girl perspective:

Glass Half Full:

• Duh - the BEACH. It is beautiful and relaxing and its close enough that you can go for an hour if your short on time.
• the WEATHER- in the winter, its perfection at 70 degrees and in the summer, it's hot but with a consistent ocean breeze. Ah, yes.
• The MENUS- Miami offers a selection of restaurants that is so unique. People say that the US is a melting pot but MIAMI is so melted together that you can find Pizza, Cuban, Italian, Venezuelan, fast food, sushi, and fried seafood all within a 1-mile radius. It's here that Id like to give my shout out to CVI CHE 105 for introducing me to the wide range of delectably intriguing ceviche courtesy of Peru. Yum!
• Hooray for flat roads! My running routine is a breeze compared to the foothills of GA!
• Beautiful! Everything and everyone in Miami is beautiful. The weather, the cars, the foliage, the crystal clear water, the spanglish, and the people, who are all tanned with attractive dark features and curiously physically fit to perfection! Not quite what I'm used to in the home of Waffle House and the Varsity!

The glass half empty:

• RUDE!!! Ugh, I was apparently spoiled in Atlanta with southern hospitality because each day, I encounter a sassy attitude most associates with Latinos, quick tempers, and road rage like you've never seen!!! It's obvious that Miami Drivers Ed curriculum has omitted the lesson on turn signals and right-of-ways.
• SPANGLISH! I just can't follow.
• SHORTIES! I am tall and many Miamians have some sort of Spanish-speaking country's heritage which pretty much means they are all about half my height. As a blonde and being tall, I very literally stick out!!
• "Miami Time" - no question that over the decades, the lure of the ocean has impacted the overall outlook on life. People here enjoy the social aspect of life over all else! Why is this glass half empty? Because that includes work ethic. Miami time is a county-wide phenomenon that gives people the illusion that when a meeting is scheduled for 6PM, that actually means 6:45. It also also means that when your hours are until 5pm, you leave around 4:30.
• EXPENSIVE! The cars, the condos, the meals, the gas prices, the drinks- the cost of living is so over priced, I'm already debating a roommate next year. While Miami makes for pretty things to see, its not pretty on the bank account.

Miami is not home but I like it for what it is. I'm goin to explore again this weekend! Maybe even party all night on the beach til the break of dawn.

11.12.11

Living By Yourself: Lesson Four

Busy is good.

One - being busy means you're are getting things done

Two - being busy means you have a purpose

Three - being busy gives you something ELSE to complain about at 7:24pm as I am getting off a conference call and still have minutes to send, emails to create, and reports to submit.

It's nights like these when I just want to instantly be home, showered, fed, and finishing up the remainder of my wine.

Ok positive thoughts to distract me from spiraling out of control and filling out my two weeks notice:

- when I leave, it will be after rush hour

- I don't have too many social obligations that pull me away from work anyway

- its dark and lonely at the office but at least there's security that patrols the area

-working late is an excuse to order takeout for dinner!

- work hard = play hard so this weekend I can get real crunk!

Long hours are actually a lot working out. It takes a lot to get yourself pumped up for it, it's torture as you're doing, Pandora helps get you through the tough times, you speed through the very end so you can finally just be done, but then when it's done, you are so glad it's done and you don't have to stress about the negative repercussions for having been lazy if you didn't do it...

Ok this has turned into a self pep talk so now I'm off to fight diabetes!!!

11.08.11