4/19/11- A day to reflect

Today is packing day.  I call it a day of reflection because a year has passed and here I am, no worse for wear, boxing up my belongings again and setting off on yet another chapter.  It's increasingly evident that there's no knowing your future, there's time wasted in lamenting your past, but if you focus on the present you'll watch yourself grow.  

And now, your Tuesday:

Text #1:  "Well some mornings he is very happy to see me.  I don't call him 5 legs for nothin'.  But that's up to you.  You know just after I took that I passed a dead deer.  I could have sent you that instead.

I think we'll all thank Leslie for choosing this beast over the dead deer.  Although I bet good old "5 legs" (I'm afraid to ask) has some stories of his own!

Text #2:  "Getting serious!  I'm under par with this tab which means I can add a glorious snack!"

Getting serious is right Kaeleen.  It looks like the love child of my grocery list and a quadratic equation.

Text #3:  "Thanks to his horrible mother that missed his past 2 check ups, the poor little guy had to get 4 ginormous shots...needless to say I let him have his first lollypop."

Don't be too hard on yourself Luann...by the look on his face, the lollypop is doing the trick.  On the other hand, he may have just pooped.  Hard to tell!

Text #4:  "Yeah that's right.  I am finishing the hubs birthday cake for lunch today."

Mmmmm!!  Personally, I'm a Carvel ice cream cake fan for my birthday (just a heads up for 8/14) but Erin has sure captured a thing of beauty here!

Text #5:  "Back in Orlando at my favorite hair salon fixing the damage that ship life did to my hair!"

Ahoy Stef!  Back to yer landlubbing ways.  Be sure to rinse well and condition.

Text #6:  "Yippee the flowerz iz here"

I can't poke too much fun at Faithie this week.  She's been pulling for some nice weather and some booming nature to welcome us to Connecticut next week.  Incidentally, pictured above is Forsythia which is a genus of flowering plant in the Oleaceae family.

Text # 7:  "My Tuesday was receiving fabulous school pics of my son who's also in the mafia!  And getting kicked out of my kitchen for the very first time!!!  Woo hoo"

Some of you may have already enjoyed this picture of Jackson, future member of the Rat Pack, as his mom Regina accidentally copied everyone on my Tuesday text.  Go easy on her!  It's her first week!

Text #8:  "Watching Ken Burn's "Baseball" and celebrating David Price's 9 strike out shut out yesterday which I attended.  Peralta threw 2 additional strike outs for a total of 11.  I'll be getting my pizza later tonight"

To clarify, if you attend a Ray's game and they pitch for 10 or more strikeouts, you can take your ticket stub to a furniture store called "Kane's" and get a voucher for a free Papa John's pizza.  It's pretty much the only reason Nick and I root for the Rays!

Text #9:  "Chicago weather officially blows"

I'm not sure about the weather but Colte's form could use some work.  Try not to drop the right shoulder.  It'll help deliver your balls just right of center.

Text #10:  "Read Eat, Pray Love on the way to Love Loss and what I Wore"

Yvette, I'm proud to say that everything you said could have just as easily been in Japanese.

Text #11:  "I had my first fitting for La Traviata today.  This is my dress for act one!  It's beautiful, too bad it's nearly impossible to breathe in it.  I just won't eat for the next week.

I'm not one to spread secrets but I hear that Danielle may be a "friend" of Ernie from Sesame Street at Busch Gardens.  If that's the case I think the hot weather will take care of any unwanted dress fitting deterrents.  I layman's terms... she'll be sweating her ass off!

Text #12:  "Sorry delayed picture...my Tuesday."

I hope all this pampering was after you cleaned your apartment top to bottom in anticipation of my arrival Kathleen.  FYI, I like bananas in my cereal in the morning and I'll only drink coffee from a french press. I prefer my pillows fluffed on both sides and if you could heat my towels while I'm in the shower, that'd be just great.

Text #13:  "Hangin' with my favorite 5 yr old!"

Love the new hair Emma.  Really frames your face well!  Jess, was she still this adorable after you had to watch "Tangled" 12 times back to back?"

Final Thoughts

This was my last Tuesday in Tampa for a while.  For my Florida peeps: you've been wonderful and welcoming.  I'll miss you, but I'll see you soon.  I'm sure of it.  For my Northern peeps:  I'm just about on my way, so get ready.  For my International peeps:  keep on reading and tell a friend.  I'll be making my way to your neck of the woods too!

I have to get back to packing so I'll make this short and sweet.  Live your life.  It's up to you to find adventures, create opportunities, and enjoy everyday.  Don't get caught up on the idea of "rules".  They were all made to be broken time and time again!

Till next time...

Jonny

ps.  Did you all complete last week's assignment?  Take a second to drop me a line and tell me about it!

2/15/11- The Day after a great Valentine's Day

I've never been to Perkins before today so it seemed appropriate to stay there for 2.5 hours, kick back, eat some down home grub, have a great chat with my bff, and throw down the gauntlet with the claw machine.  Needless to say I walked away with a full belly, completely content... but with no stuffed, furry prize.  That damn claw doesn't have the strength to pick up a tissue!

Text #1: "This is my Tuesday.  In Chicago with Jen!!!!"

This week Kathleen is in the windy city fulfilling her duty as #1 Les Mis groupie and catching up with an old friend.  The ladies seem very excited, if not a bit crazed to be posing for their iPhone self portrait.

Text #2: "ginormous surprise!!!  this is my Tuesday!!!! (followed by 3 smiley faces)"

Well Jess, it looks like someone thinks you're pretty darn special.  A nice tribute on  that "Hallmark" holiday of holidays we all hate to love!

Text #3: "This is my Tuesday! Au natural, baby!"

Kelly seems to be saying "Yeah, there's red gunk in my hair and I'm wearing a vinyl frock.  What's it to you?"  You're a trend setter Kel!  Expect to see this look around town very soon.

Text #4 (a two parter)..part one: "It's not snowing"

Mom, did you break into the bowling alley again?  There's nobody in the picture and from the looks of that chord, there's a janitor on the other end buffing the lanes.  I know you have cabin fever but...

part two: "This is more like it"

... and now you're drinking?  You're grounded young lady.  It's for your own good!

Text #5:  "I have been asked to take over the roll of music director for the Junior version of Alice in Wonderland.  My evening will be full of score marking accompanied by homemade guacamole.  I'm already dreaming about these songs."

I'm at a loss for words.  I love guacamole!!

Text #6:  "Ending this sunny day with homemade 3 bean chili and baked sweet potato fries."

Very fancy Miss Schmidt.  I ordered delivery from Pita Pit so we'll just leave it to my readers to judge who had the better culinary delight this evening.  All I know is that if there's a knock at the door, there had better be a falafel wrap and a Cherry Coke Zero on the other side!

Text #7:  "My one year anniversary in the city and this is at my bus stop in the morning : )"

Nothing says inspiration like a scribbled sentiment taped to the glass shelter at a New York City bus stop.  Still, I think it's pretty cool that Yvette took a moment and found some meaning.

Text #8:  "Five course dinner followed by drinks at the Trump in Chicago.  Nice company outing!  Happy first day of work to me : )"

Small world Heidi!  My first day of work at new jobs generally culminate with drinking too... of course from a paper a bag, out behind a 7-11.  You say potato... 

Final Thoughts

This Tuesday was accented with good company, food and drink, work, recreation and even some pampering.  Whether you're waiting for the m60 bus or taking your second misinformed ferry ride around the mouse's house, you're always pointed in some direction.  See it out!  It may be a predetermined path or a happy mistake.  Either way, trusting that you're right where you should be can only add to your journey!

Till next time...

Jonny