On Marriage: Being Slippers

I’ve come to the conclusion that the thing I fear most about getting married is the slippers.

Let me explain.

In the beginning my relationship with The Lieutenant, I was a pair of high heels. In comparing myself to a pair of footwear, I don’t mean to say that I always wore high heels (in fact for a person of such meager stature, I rarely do). What I mean is that the “me” that I most often portrayed was put-together. Heels are almost always slipped on when you are just about ready to walk out the door- after your hair has been fixed and your makeup is pristine. Heels never see you just out of bed, or sick with the flu, or covered in flour in the kitchen. You wear your heels when you are at your best. And so I was a pair of high heels.

Within the first year, I began to find that although being a pair of high heels is nice, there are times when it becomes very impractical. It is impossible, for instance, to be a pair of high heels when you are frolicking in the snow or playing tennis. As our relationship has progressed it has become more and more frequent for The Lieutenant to see a "me" that is still fun, but in a more practical way. And I am ok with being a pair of tennis shoes or a set of ski boots because these also have their use.


What I fear most about getting married is becoming a pair of slippers. Slippers are not glamorous or sexy. They are not even useful or practical. They are comfortable. This is not always a bad thing. Slippers keep your feet warm. Sometimes, when you’ve been walking around as a pair of high heels all day long, you can’t wait to get home and just be a pair of slippers.

The Lieutenant doesn’t mind my being a pair of slippers sometimes. In fact, I think he would be a little put off if I was always a pair of high heels. He says that it doesn't matter.

He says that I’m beautiful. Period.

But I still fear becoming a pair of slippers. More than that, I fear losing what it feels like to be a pair of high heels in the dirty dishes and baby poo of the years to come. I fear that even when I leave the slipper-me at home, I’ll look out of place as a pair of high heels.

On Smart Snacks

I like snacks.

I'm not the kind of person who can be content with eating "3 square meals a day"
I like variety and I like snacks.

I used to do traditional, random snacking but I have recently found this method to cause a problem. I work at a educational housing complex home to 900 students. Our clubhouse offers students a free tanning bed, fully equipt fitness center, and lots and lots of snacks. Although we have tried offering alternatives, the most appreciated and requested foods always turn out to be Cheez-Its and the like. The oatmeal goes untouched (relatively speaking, of course, these ARE still starving college students we're talking about here). Unfortunately for me, this means that a random craving at the office will inadvertantly lead to my eating something with the nutritional value of dyed cardboard.

My new snacking methog is smart snacking. The thing with smart snacking is that you have to plan for it. Buy snack-able things that will satisfy the need for variety and also offer some kind of nutritional value. And pack stuff you LIKE (otherwise you may end up eating the Cheez-its anyway!). It's not about weight and calories, it's about nutrition.

Think about it!

Disaster View

I can't get over these pictures. 

Earthquake, tsunami, nuclear explosion... The devastation in Japan is so total. It's hard to remember that what I'm looking at is an photograph of real events and not just a screenshot from a movie. The scariest thing to me is how unbelievable it is. It's easy to go about my day and assume that the things I own or the life I live is permanent. I guess that's why it's hard to look at these pictures. It's a reminder that everything I think is just a given- food, shelter, clean water... life- can really all disappear in an instant. 

I'm praying for those affected in Japan but I'm also praying that those of us who have never experienced loss like this remember that there is nothing we can do in our own power to avoid it. And that's really humbling.

Red Camaro

I saw a red Camaro today and I thought of you.
Some days I don't, but today I did.
It wasn't the anniversary or your birthday.
It was just a normal Thursday in a normal work week.
But I saw a red Camaro and I thought of you.
I wondered where you'd be and what you'd be doing.
What kind of job you'd have.
Then I thought you'd probably be in our wedding.
If you were still here.
I saw a red Camaro today and I thought of you.
And I missed you.

Title Shop

I'm trying on new blog titles. The old one was ok. Sometimes, though, just getting out there and trying on new things can give you a whole new perspective. And like buying a new outfit, comfort is only half of the equation. I also need something that fits and matches my style and personality. Yeah, a pair of Crocs may be comfortable, but who's going to take you seriously when wearing them? Nobody. That's who.

Snow Over Girds

This is one of my favorite pictures from this past winter. I took it in the early morning, before I left my house for work. I love how everything is kind of quiet at that time of the morning. To me, it's a perfect time for reflection and for appreciating beautiful moments that I might overlook during the rest of my busy day. Like this picture. Who ever thought The Girds could be so beautiful?