Gulf Shores Day 1

For B's 29th birthday, we went down to Gulf Shores.  We hadn't been to the gulf in about three years, and it was just time.

B just looks like a little kid while he is in the water.  I will be the first to admit that sometimes big waves scare me, and jelly fish, but B never seems to mind it.  I'm pretty sure the only way to keep him out of the water is the dreaded double red flags.  

And even then I'm not so sure.  

So our first day down at the gulf, we spent the afternoon drinking rum and watching the waves.  We then went to a place that we went to the last time we were down there; the people who owned it were so afraid that they wouldn't survive.  They had just opened up right after the BP oil spill, and were afraid that they weren't going to do any business.

We weren't even sure that the place was still going to be open. 

But it was!  We went there and it was packed!  We were like proud little parents!  Like for some reason we were responsible for their success.

But we weren't.  Their amazing sushi and oysters are what made them awesome.  

Some pictures from our first day..

                                       

              

 I put these pictures in here even though I look like absolute crap, it was our time at the beach.  I'm really feeling that it's time to get rid of the red hair and go back to blonde again.  Or something.  The more I look at them, the more I feel like they need to go away.

I know I'm my hardest critic, but oh well.  I need a change.  Maybe the hair is the right place to start.

Quiet - Susan Cain

Once upon a time, there was this person that I just happened to meet.  She was friends with one of my friends.  We hung out for a good portion of the night, and then B and I ended up staying the night at her house.  Because we couldn't drive.

Because we're responsible people.

Anyway, I had only known this girl for a few hours, and she gets up, walks to her bedroom and hands me this book.

Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain.

I was really surprised that someone who knew me for a very small amount of time could peg me for the introvert I believe myself to be, and while reading the book, proved to be true even further.

I took psychology in college; I tested on the introversion side in the 5 Big Personality Traits, but never really knew what that meant until this book, and how to handle situations that are normally incredibly stressful to an introvert.

The book explains that an introvert doesn't necessarily not like people, it doesn't mean that they're necessarily quiet, unlikeable, or any of the other negative connotations that normally come with the word "introvert."  Being an introvert solely means that maybe you like to hang out with a group of one or two people instead of ten, or that maybe you would prefer to stay at home and read one night instead of jumping out of your comfort zone and going to party all night long. 

It goes into talking about how introverts will sometimes practice extroversion, even while it is uncomfortable, because that is the social norm.  It talks about students at Harvard Business School, and how students are expected to participate endlessly in class, join every social group known to man, and then go out at nights with their fellow classmates.  It goes into the differences between Western and Eastern cultures.  It talks about successful introverts, and why the world would not be the same without them.  It speaks about how to raise children that are on the opposite side of the introversion-extroversion scale than you, and even how to disintegrate arguments in couples that are on opposite sides.

Mainly it talks about how being an introvert doesn't make you weird or unwanted or any other negative term, but that in fact, being an introvert can put you in a very highly desired position above others.

It was an incredibly good book, and I highly recommend it to anyone; especially if you are an introvert, or an extrovert trying to understand one.

Three Great Things

Last week at work was kind of a whirl wind.

I lost my work husband theFriday before, and last week was my first real week without him.  I honestly didn't know how hard it was going to be without him there.  And I know that sounds weird, like, hey Laura, he was just a co-worker.  But it was more than that.  We'd spent every weekday together, and some weekend days together; talking about our families, learning about each other, bitching about our jobs.  And then that abruptly ends, so yeah a girl is going to cry at work.  Maybe more than once.  Maybe like three times.

Don't judge.

I'm an emotional human being.  I've accepted it.  

So there were a few things last week I needed to make sure I survived last week.

One was dinner with my girlfriend, Caitlin, at Cocina Superior where we gorged on El Chango's, guac, and enchiladas.

Last week, I also won an award at work:  The Extra Mile Award.  Which was pretty nice, especially when they handed me $100 cash in my hand!

It's a little blurry ---sorry, I was trying not to be too obvious when I was snapping the picture.  Hey, I'm allowed to be a little proud of my award.

Or bribe...either way, I still got $100.

Then, since the blog hasn't seen enough of my sweet sweet Stell-dog, I mean just look at this face!!!  How can you hate?!

This is pretty much the look I get when I take too many pictures of her.  It's like, "Mom, please leave me alone and let me lay on Daddy in peace, please!!"

She never gets it though.

I don't give in to dog demands.  

Well, sometimes.

Atlanta Love

Going back home to Atlanta is always bittersweet for me.  That is truly the one place I allow myself to call home.

Yes, I was born in Wisconsin, and yes, I've lived in Alabama for longer than I lived in Atlanta, but I just can't bring myself to say that I'm from anywhere else but the great Peach State.  That's where I went to elementary, middle and high school.  That's where I met the two friends that I still talk to, and that you'll see in this picture.

Robin -- one of my best friends since 1998.  I love that sweet girl possibly more than anything in the world.  She's got two precious kids (seriously!  We went to lunch with them on Sunday...pretty well-behaved kids!), and a really sweet husband.

Brett -- I've known him since 1998, but didn't really get to know him until later in high school, stayed friends through college, had a fling after college, and still talk to each other.

Seeing these people makes me realize how much I miss being home.  Even the thought of going to see my old theater where I worked brought a strong wave of nostalgia.

So going to a Braves game made it even worse.  I did that so many times while I lived there, it's impossible to not feel just a little bit sad.  Warning* Picture heavy post.

Me and Brett.

What's a baseball tailgate without some beer pong??

Brett!!

Me, Robin and Brett.  My high school reunion.

        

        

        

      

Even though I look like a complete damn nerd in this last picture, it is definitely my favorite of the night.

15 innings of fun with these folks makes for a definite homesick feeling.

Birmingham Race Track

A couple weeks ago, us girls at work had a pretty bad day.  I know, what else is new right?  One of the girls at work has a second job at the race track, and guess what Tuesday night is?  

Just in case you don't know, it's two-fer Tuesdays!!  Every beer costs $1!

This is no joke.

A bucket of beers....costs $3.

If that's not heaven after a hard day of work, I'm not really sure what is.

Plus I've never seen greyhounds race, so I was kind of excited to see them!

I have to tell you that I really had a great time!  I even placed a few bets on the dogs; none that I won, but it was still pretty awesome.  I really didn't think that I would have a good time, but it was kind of dead, and it was pretty damn great.

   

 Coworker's boyfriend owns one of the kennels of dogs that races, and says that on the weekends when the place is pretty crowded, you can get a box and watch the dogs run.

I think my favorite part about the place was that you could actually place a penny bet!!  And watching them chase the motorized bunny! 

I can't wait to go back!

Have You Ever..

met three girls who just can't seem to get a picture right?

Well, I'm about to introduce you to them.

It's me, Robin and Rachel,

And for some reason at the Braves game on Saturday night, we couldn't seem to get a decent picture.

I'm not going to say it was the million beers we had at the Chop House, but more likely the million beers that our photographer had.

I don't remember who took the pictures, but it is kind of amazing that a single one did not turn out ok.  

Want proof?

Here ya go.

Did I mention how nasty rainy it was?  Hence the horribly gross curly hair.  I think it needs cut; it's sort of making me angry.

I'm not really sure what we were laughing at so hard that we just couldn't pull it together.

So there ya have it; three girls that couldn't get it together to take one single photo.

Good job girls; I love you guys.

Happy Things

This has been one of the worst weeks at work that I can remember.  I feel so overwhelmed that ti's impossible for me to even feel successful.  

I feel like I'm so far away from where I should be in my life, and it's really starting to bother me.   So I've been trying to think of the little things that make me happy; the things that get me through the day.

Transportation friends; people who truly understand what I do every single day.  Without these guys to bitch to, I would have no idea how to handle what I do.

My Stell-dog.  She is so amazingly sweet and just knows when you're sad.  She'll come and nuzzle and just be sweet.  And sometimes sweet doggy cuddles are all you really need.  I mean when you come out of the shower to this, how in the world can you not love it?

And then you have a random ass Yoshi just hanging from somebody's rear view mirror...I really don't know how you can get much better than this.  I'm pretty sure I laughed for ten minutes straight.

 

And then there's food.  I've been low-carbing it for a while, so these hot wings were exactly what I needed.  They were so hot, but they were so good.  I'm pretty convinced that wings are the best thing in the world.  Also bruschetta done right with fresh mozarella, tomatoes and basil grown in the backyard?  Pretty hard to beat.

           

Anyway, these are a few of the things that are helping me keep my sanity this week.  Also the promise of a Braves game and seeing one of my oldest friends from high school is keeping a smile on my face.

Only one more day.  I think I can, I think I can.

Our Days in Key West

Our days in Key West were scattered with many many key lime drinks and half price appetizers.  Get ready for picture heavy post, because it's coming.

The first night, we hit the boardwalk thing for some half price drinks and food.  Plus, hello there, oysters. The first place we went to was Alonzo's Oyster Bar.  We got some calamari, and some buffalo oysters.  I love raw oysters, but if you put some yummy buffalo seasoning on them, it seems that they can only get better.  Add a key lime mojito and a tequila sunrise for B, and we're all set.

Next stop was on to Kelley's for their own brews and some key lime margaritas. 

The next night we went to a few more bars (can't remember the names....happy hour does that to you sometimes), but we ran into an Ernest Hemingway impersonator.  As it was Hermingway Days on the island, and they have a look-alike contest.  He was a little hammered, and I wish I had videos of him, but I don't, so the solo picture will have to suffice.

         

        

        

            

            

Next we went onto Cap'n Tony's to have a few drinks.  I was absolutely in love with this place.  They had dollar bills and bras hanging from every nook and cranny in the joint, plus the bartenders were super friendly.  We drank one of their specialty drinks, and it was strong and delicious. While listening to the band/singer man harass pretty much every pretty girl that walked into the place.

If you're in Key West, definitely go for the half price everything on the boardwalk.  You can get a dozen oysters for $4.  Plus try everything key lime on the key, because if you don't, you'll regret it.