Growth Spurts

As you get older it's strange that you become "okay" to things you absolutely hated as a child.

Like naps for instance. I know that when I was knee-high to a grasshopper the thought of a nap was like the worst form of physical torture. I never wanted to stop in my daily adventures or put anything on pause, so when it was announced that it was time for me to take a nap, it suddenly became a game of "hide and seek" between me an my parents. Now I see naps as glorious little "me time"s, where I can just relax, forget about any responsibilities I have, and succumb to a pleasant state of not caring about anything for 15 minutes.... Or maybe an hour. Two if you're really pushing it.

Veggies were refused at the table, I'm not going to lie. They were the furthest thing from delicious and were not deemed as acceptable in my book, or any child's book for that matter. I loathed asparagus, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Now I find that they are very flavorful and add that extra "oomph" to a dish. Though, I still hate asparagus....

Weird.

I mean come on, it looks suspicious, like it's up to no good.

Mozart and Beethoven were not my BFF's when I was a little sprite, despite my playing the violin for 10+ years. I always fell asleep at concerts and found it to be "too" soothing, to the point I found it boring. Then I gained an appreciation for it when I listened to Vanessa Mae and how she transformed classical to modern and full of life and energy and pizzaz. I also began listening to Josh Groban and Andrea Bocceli as well as Chris Botti and I dare say...they WILL change your life. I don't care who you are, you will melt from overexposure to pure awesomeness.

So tell me guys, before your black friday deals begin and everyone gives thanks to a good year, what has changed from your childhood to your now?

Almost there! Keep smiling! Over-indulgence is on it's way! Promise!

~Piper

An ending and a beginning

“Just think of it as you're being let go, that your life's going in a different direction, that your body's part of a permanent outplacement.”

You know…it really sucks when a door that you’ve been walking through every single week for a good number of years suddenly locks and you can’t come back in. It’s like someone put a big fat sign on the door that says “No girls allowed”. And even if you try the door, it’s locked. Looking for the key is pointless, because they have it and they’re huddled together inside giggling. Boo.

Well, that’s either the moment where you pull a Robin Hood and climb the nearest tree and swing in on a vine, or make like Humphrey Bogart and tuck your hands in your trench coat pockets and simply walk away from the plane and take it like a man.

“Here’s looking at you, kid….”

Despite my undying love for Robin Hood and his tights, I find that given this situation, it is better to just leave quietly and enjoy all the good memories.

Have you ever had that happen? You walk into work one day and suddenly your boss approached you, saying that budgets are being cut and they can’t afford to keep you. Suddenly, whatever spark you had in your heart that day is completely snuffed.

Experience doesn’t matter. How much time and hard work you’ve put in doesn’t matter.

You’re just…being let go.

Well shucks.

Now I know how Genie felt at the end of Aladdin. When he’s told he’s free and he’s staring at the empty bangles in his hands and he has that moment where he doesn’t know what to do with himself anymore. I haven’t quite gotten to the next part where he’s bouncing everywhere exclaiming excitedly that he’s free and packing his suitcase to see the world. I’m still wondering what will come next.

Well, we shall figure that out now, won’t we?

I guess this is the part in the story where I cue the Indiana Jones music and ride off into the sunset, leaving the viewers’ imaginations to figure out what happens next.

“Junior!”

Keep smiling, adventure is out there

~Piper

Crazy Random Happenstance

So guys, got a question for you.

Have you ever been walking down the street or sitting in a coffee shop or shopping at the grocery store--basically doing any everyday task--where you encounter your look-alike? I have never run into anyone else who looks like me per se, but I have run into several people who look like people I know. It’s crazy. As a matter of fact, this morning I’m walking across campus after getting off the bus, and the first thing I see are several students who look amazingly like very close friends of mine who attend school several hours away from here. I was horribly confused as well as momentarily shocked. It was one of those times where you wonder if you should call out their names to see if they will turn around. But you know that if you do you will be THAT PERSON who is awkwardly calling out a random name that no one is going to respond to, or that someone will respond to, it just won’t be who you thought it was.

Weird.

Anyway, that is pretty much a typical morning for me. Until I have finished my coffee/chai tea, my brain is not up to par with anything above singing a Disney song. After my caffeine fix, I can give you an in-depth close reading and analysis of “War and Peace” and recite the prologue of the “Canterbury Tales” in middle-english.

So ha.

I am definitely awake now, and I can tell you that today is going to put my mad skills to the test. There is an 80% chance of rain and I looked high and low for my umbrella today, but to no avail. Thus, I am going to have to make like a very fast person and sprint to my last class of the day should it start to downpour after work. Cross your fingers!

I offer you this challenge in the meantime: Take a look around you today and see how many look-alikes you can find. Whether they look like friends or family members or even celebrities. (We have a guy here on campus who looks exactly like Robert Pattinson, his secret codename is “The Edward Cullen guy!”)

It’s fun, amusing, and might provide you with a chuckle or two. Just don’t shout out their names, you will feel quite silly. I promise you.

Bottle up that sunshine in your heart and be sure and laugh today. Laughter is the best medicine!