15 Years

It hit me like a plot twist from a J.J. Abrams show: it has been 15 years since I graduated High School. That's time enough to have raised a car-driving teenager. Time enough to send our troops to three different countries for fighting. Time enough for love.

This realization caused me to become painfully introspective, and linger on what has been, what is, and what will be. Pretty heavy stuff, right. The truth is that I have always had a hard time with long-term planning. Not that I don't know what direction to go, it's that there are too many directions that I would like to take.Too many opportunities.

I need some time to figure some big questions out here. What's next? I'm not sure. I know that I'm not alone in this, and that two heads are really better than one! Becky has done a great job keeping me grounded with no matter what crazy dream/idea I think of. I know in the end it will be great, and the best adventure ever.

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Mr. Universe vs. Mr. Little Mountain

The picture above, as you have already guessed, is my twin. You can only tell us apart because I had dental work done to fix the gap in my front teeth. 

Becky and I got the gumption to head for the gym this evening and pump some iron. What happened though was anything but pumping. It was more like a fierce negotiation. It really hit me today that I am getting old, and out of shape. I personally haven't been to the gym in almost 10 weeks. Sure, there were many days where we were just too busy for fitness, and some of those days were in fact legitimately busy. I think that I became complacent with not going, and always having the excuse of "There's STUFF that I want to get done tonight." 

Usually that STUFF ended up being endless distractions on the interwebs, or a show I had to watch. When my legs hobbled their way off of the treadmill, destroying a distance of 1.4 miles, it hit me hard. The nearly pulled muscle in my leg screamed to me of what has happened to my body. I'm weak. I'm flabby. And sadly, it's all my fault. 

Growing up can be a challenge. The world doesn't care if you eat your vegetables, or brush your teeth at night. We need to be the change that we want to see in this world (thank you Gandhi) so that tomorrow can be better than today. Let's try to improve ourselves each day, so that today we can say that we are better than yesterday. That's what I learned today.

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Resolutions for a New Year

By now, most people have stopped going to the gym, trying to eat more veggies, or waking up a bit earlier to jog in the morning. This is the time where most are falling off of their wagon on New Year's Resolutions, and settle back into their old habits. I'm a little behind the curve in coming up with any resolutions for the year 2012, because I want them to be something that was more meaningful, reachable, and specific than "lose weight" or "save money." So I took time to pen down my list. I call it, "12 Things to do in 2012." Witty, I know. So here's the list in my own shorthand form:

1. Actually write a book.
2. Little Mountain Climbs.
3. Surviving Rochester.
4. Become an Expert.
5. Log Running 300 miles this year.
6. Read the Bible all the way through.
7. Build my personal brand.
8. Build over the bed shelves.
9. Build Kitchen Block Island.
10. Make People Count.
11. Learn 12 Awesome Songs on Guitar.
12. 1K a month.

They might sound weird when you first read them, but there was a lot of thought around these. Some are easy to get to, like building some shelves. So here's where I need you, the reader. I need you to help keep me accountable. Bug me. Pester me. You are the ones who can give me the kick in the behind that I need. I will flesh some of these out in later posts, and you will see what is going on in my attempt to make all of these happen. Ask away if you have any questions!

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IKEA is a Four-Letter Word

IKEA, my arch-nemesis. We met again this last Saturday. Walking through their maze of contemporary furnishings that create a sense of euphoria for the masses reminded me how Jonah felt in the belly of a great fish. I am swallowed, and digested through mind-numbing patterns and indecipherable Swedish names that call to me like sirens. I toyed with the idea of tying myself the the shopping cart and stuffing wool in my ears to avoid their call, but I couldn't find rope that was strong enough for the task.

IKEA is not my enemy, though. I realize that now. The enemy had been well-hidden underfoot, and very nefarious indeed. My true enemy is housed within the bright blue building, bidding me to war. The enemy? Area Rugs.

It started out as an innocent conversation between Becky and I, musing one day on how we could cover these bare floors in our home, making it feel warm and inviting. Little did I know that this would result in multiple trips to IKEA, hunting and exploring with skills akin to Dr. Livingston (I presume) to find the perfect rug.

This was surely my first realization that nothing comes easy, with marriage it requires a constant state of diplomacy, love and compromise. My armament of diplomacy was extremely low during these first few month of matrimonial bliss, and the love covered up my shortcomings. Through pain, tears, and temper-tantrums (all on my part), we have found the area rugs to adorn our living room, bedroom and kitchen. There is still one more that remains. One rug to rule my life. But this battle will not bow to an area rug as the victor. I will become master of all rugs, and never let them rule again...

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The Delicate Balance

I (AJ) can be very stubborn. Take a moment to recover from the shock of that statement. Ok, moving on. I can be very stubborn, and I have always thought that I was the captain of my worldview in all respects. Nature vs. Nurture. I always sided with the fact I could choose my nature. And all that changed when Becky and I were wed.

Marriage has a peculiar way of reminding you just how little you know. Very quickly every hole in my armor was quickly exposed, and I realized that I am more of a product of my upbringing and environment than I ever felt comfortable to admit.

When two people begin communicating on the level of marriage, it is surprising how you can both say the same word, or phrase, or sentence, word-for-word, and be two worlds apart. So the delicate balance began, almost like a dance, of learning our marriage language.

It's funny, because we have learned to have inside jokes and phrases that leave eyebrows raised in question, and we can communicate without saying a word at times. Still, we find each other locked in bewildered gaze trying to decode what was just uttered. Some days we succeed. Some days we need Enigma to sort out what was said.

In the end, it's the best place to be.

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Paper

You might be expecting a post about area rugs...sorry to say that isn't happening today.  Although area rugs and the conversation surrounding how they would add warmth and style to our house was a hefty percentage of our home decor related conversation in the first part of our marriage, that's not what I want to talk about today.

I'm also breaking another another promise to look back and recap the last year. Instead, I'm going to look at the present. That's just how I'm feeling right now.  You dig?

Last Friday was our 1 year anniversary.  As in one year since we said "I do," danced our faces off and schmoozed with our friends and family and ate enough candy and popcorn and ice-cream for the next century to come.  Good day!

A few months ago AJ and started discussing our anniversary and what we'd like to do to celebrate.  We thought it might be fun to try and put a non-traditional twist on a traditional gift. If you're interested in learning more about traditional/modern anniversary gifts, read about it here.  (Go on, it's actually really interesting...I also want to know if there has been a couple blessed enough to make it to their 100th anniversary.  Lucky gir!)

Anyway, in an effort to turn a traditional paper gift into a non-traditional paper gift we decided to buy each other the Barnes and Noble Nook (simple E-Reader version.) Get it?  E-book=modern twist on traditional paper?  We thought we were pretty clever.  AJ (in true techie fashion) has visited about every conceivable forum and blog and website that has to do with the Nook and how it functions and secret tips, etc, etc.  Me?  I prefer to ease into technology.  Baby steps, I guess.

However, we both got each other other 'paper' gifts unbeknownst to the other.  AJ bought me "Q&A a Day: A 5 Year Journal".  Basically, the journal asks one simple question a day that solicits a short answer: for example yesterday's question was, "Can people change?"  I write down my answer for 2012 and then come back to it in a year and answer the same question all over again.  And this goes on every day for 5 years.  So cool!  I think it will be fascinating to look back and see how my answers change.

 I bought him "My Future Listography: All I Hope to Do in Lists".  This book is just that: lists.  AJ and I are both a little obsessed with lists.  I love lamp lists.  I know it is the satisfaction of writing something down on paper and then scratching it off when it's completed.  Whatever the case, this book is a list-lovers nirvana.  For example: List the places you want to travel in the future.  List the books you want to read.  List mistakes you hope to not repeat.  List things you'd love to learn how to make with your own two hands--this is good stuff folks!

In all honesty, I think I like these two traditional paper gifts more than our clever, modern Nooks--ironic!  These gifts allow us to sit and chat with one another.  Discussing stuff.  Sometimes dumb stuff, sometimes cool stuff, sometimes important stuff.  And so timely too.  Discussing stuff together at the beginning of the year!  I've never been into resolutions for New Year's but I used to be really great at creating a year-long motto. Mottoes like: Make it Happen in 2008!  Sadly, I fell out of the habit of keeping mottoes (but dear friend Jenna has been super great at keeping mottoes since we started in what...2005??).  I may not be into resolutions and mottoes, but I'm into lists!  So this year, I will be creating a list of 12 things I'd like to accomplish in 2012.  And also reviewing last year's list (that we created on our mini-honeymoon in MSP).

So there you have it.  I'll be writing my list of 12 things I'd like to accomplish in 2012.  On paper.  Stay tuned!

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The First Steps of our Journey

Nearly one year (Dec 30) has passed since we uttered "I Do" and entered into the loveliness, craziness, madness, awesomeness, and beautiful mess we call "Marriage."

In reality, nothing can prepare you 100% before entering into a lifelong commitment with the person you love. All we knew is that we loved each other, and wanted to spend each day together as long as we both shall live. A decision that stacks up there in our Top 3 Best Decisions Ever Made.  Right behind Peanut Butter with Chocolate Ice Cream for breakfast that one time. And naming my childhood cat, "Kitty."

The crux of it all right there is love. Love, as we both assumed, would make everyday together better than the last, and we would find ourselves in perfect accord with every decision, opinion, and perception we faced. Love has not let us down, and we have outnumbered the bad days with good days at least 10 to 1. It has been a great adventure shared between us, and one with many opportunities to grow personally as well as together.

We want this blog to be a way to share with you our lessons learned, and adventures that we embark upon in the most amazing trail to be blazed: marriage.  Check back soon for more installments in our first year of marriage.  Next up, picking out area rugs!  Okay, we won't bore you, but you should ask AJ about it sometime. 

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