I Scream 08 – delayed post

I know – I’ve been so bad about updating things lately.

I feel like I’m still catching up from vacation two weeks ago!

But let me share with you one of my favorite things about Cape Cod.  I love this place so much that I will drive 30 minutes just for the experience:

I was so excited about getting my ice cream that I couldn't keep the camera still!

Four Seas Ice Cream in Centerville, MA.  They’ve been in the biz for a few generations now.  My uncle remembers going there as a kid. (although, he’s really not that much older than me.)  I found out about this place on Food Network’s Unwrapped program.  When I was staying in nearby Mashpee a few summers back, I drove around Centerville until I found this place.  True to television, the line was out the door and around the building.  (Just look at the pic above for glimpse of the crowd.) But the summer staff kids are PROS!  The line moves at a wicked fast pace, and you never have to wait too long for some great, HOMEMADE ice cream.

The house specialty is their frozen pudding.  But that has raisins in it – so I passed.  I can’t remember what I had the first few summers I stopped by, but I remember that it was good enough to bring me back for more.  My first trip there was to de-stress.  I was on the verge of a vacation management meltdown, and the only thing that could save me was some frozen goodness.  Last year, I took my niece for her first visit.

This year, I met up with my auntie Alicia, uncle Matt, and wicked cool cousins: Ken, Emily, & Stephen.  It was a 1/2 way meeting point between us (perfect!).  It was HIGHLY recommended that I try the Coconut Ice Cream.  And it was worth the drive, let me tell you.  Cool, creamy, with just enough “roughness” in the ice cream to get some of the shredded coconut texture.  Wow.  Thank you, Mercer gang for recommending what is a new favorite.

If you’re ever in Centerville, MA – you simply must make the detour on your way to or from Craigshead beach to check out the place locals go for the best ice cream around.

Piece #10

10.) I went to Michigan State University.

 

And I am PROUD to be a Spartan!  Growing up in Michigan, I was vaguely aware of the rivalry between University of Michigan (UofM) and Michigan State University (MSU).  I really didn’t pick sides on the matter until I was a student at MSU. 

The deciding factors for me were the amount of “green” space and the specialty programs.  I graduated from what was Lyman Briggs School in the College of Natural Science.  LBS is now LBC – it’s been reinstated to college status in the last year.    What LBS meant to me was a uniquely challenging curriculum that integrated the sciences with art/philosophy/politics/pop culture.  You didn’t just learn about science, you also learned how it interracted with society as a whole.

LBS was also a residential college – which meant that I got to live in a huge dorm that largely consisted of other science-minded kids like me.  This was great because it gave me the freedom to fully be my “nerdy, tree-hugging, lab geek” self while I lived there.  It was also a safe place to do class/dinner/game-room time in my own little corner of a huge campus.  It really was the best of both worlds: Small college with lots of personal attention in the midst of a Large, Big Ten University.

As for the green space: My dorm window overlooked a large woodland, and there are lots of parks and natural woods distributed throughout campus.  I still love to walk in the Rose Garden, or the 4-H Children’s Garden – or Beale natural area. 

MSU was a place where I could breathe. 

I definitely made the right choice for me, and I haven’t once looked back with regret.  I made great friends, had lots of good & bad life experiences, learned to live on my own, grew up a WHOLE lot, and enjoyed some awesome Big Ten sports along the way.

#1 Mascot in the US!

Go Green!

Go White!

The fabulous Prezioso sisters, Sparty and me

Recovering from Vacation…

So – yeah! It’s summer!  It took its sweet time, but it finally feels like the warmth is starting to penetrate Michigan.

Of course, I didn’t realize this until I escaped to Cape Cod for a few days.  I loved it – and have so much to share about my great family and friends.  I got to take in some great views, eat some fabulous lobster rolls, and hit one of my favorite ice cream shops.

Oh yeah – and injure myself three ways in the process.  Some people like to relax and rejuvinate themselves while taking time off.  Not me – I like to bring the hurt.    Truthfully, I don’t really like it – it just kind of happens.  I’m pretty unlucky that way.

Day One at the beach:  This happens:

This is not what I meant when I said I wanted lobster....

Just like it does every stinkin year.  You would think I would know better by now.  The front of me wasn’t too bad.  I remembered sunblock on my chest, face and arms.  What I completely forgot (Hello, Captain Obvious,) was my back.  Which is also why I look like I’m molting right now.

 

Next to go was the feet.  I bought some running shoes a few months ago, and went with a slightly different style since I started getting some injuries last year.  I like the shoes, but I have been getting a lot of blisters in them.  I had to walk the last mile of my 6 mile run on Day Two since my arches were in so. much. pain.   Huge blister on each instep.  Which then popped and filled with beach sand on Day Three. 

So now I’m back home and recouperating. 🙂  Took a few days off of running, and am now getting back into the swing of things. 

Although I do miss taking my morning conference calls in this place:

room with a view

I also spent three marathon days of intensive training for my company – hence the hiatus on this site recently.  But I have lots to share, and will be playing catch up over the next few days.

Number Nine

9.  I have an unnatural fear of raccoons.

evil!

It’s one of the few things that really, really scare me.   (That, and dying an old, lonely spinster with 27 cats.  But that’s a whole other post…)

Have you ever heard raccoons fighting?  They used to make these ungodly, demonic noises in the woods behind my house growing up.  Just out of control, and screaming like banshees.  Ever since the first time I heard them fight like that – I have been deathly afraid.

Growing up, one of my favorite stuffed animals was a raccoon named Rocky (SO original, I know…)  It wasn’t until we moved to Michigan that I developed this fear.

Once, while on a camping trip, I refused to sleep in my tent because I saw a lot of raccoons wandering near our campsite on my way back from the bathroom.  I slept in my Pontiac Sunbird instead.  My boyfriend insisted that we get up at the crack of dawn and go back to the tent then so noone would think he was a coward too.

Seaside

cool, salty breezes

stir the dune grasses to sway

and dance in sunlight

The Scenic Route

I was reading a post today on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. (If you haven’t read her – go. Now. I’ll wait patiently until you get back. Just to warn you, her posts documenting how she met and fell in love with her husband, the Marlboro Man are addictive. It’s outright blogging crack, I tell ya!)

Okay – you back now? So the post was about retrospection. Looking back, how is your life now different from where you thought it would be? What dreams of yours have changed? Been discarded? What do you still secretly (or not so secretly) pine for?

My response to her post went like this:

I am nowhere near where I thought I would be 10 years ago. But I think I’m better off for the most part.
10 yrs ago I was engaged to my college boyfriend who was the youngest of 7 kids from a very Catholic family. I was a staunch, stubborn agnostic who was looking forward to moving to Chicago.

Flash forward 10 yrs and now I live in the burbs outside of Detroit – and would love to find a place more out in the country. Still single, but now I am loving being a child of God. I go on an annual medical mission trip to Kenya, and work in the middle school ministry at church. I love life, love my friends, love my job.

Was expecting to be married and a mother by now – but not sure when (if) that’s going to happen. Trying to be content with that, although it can be a struggle at times – especially when my sister and girlfriends are all in that stage of life. But I’m trying to work on my patience! The best things come to those who wait, right?

Things certainly have changed in the last 10 years. Sometimes I long for the careless independence of my youth, and other times I shudder to think of how I lived my life back then.

What about you? In what surprising ways has your life story unfolded over the years?

I scream for Fried!

Beth and I decided to go South-of-the-Border for our latest I Scream 08 sampling. We split a fried ice cream at Grand Azteca after New Community last Wednesday. (yes, I am a posting slacker, thankyouverymuch).

Yum! I am a huge fan of the stuff. Not only is there Ice cream! But there is cinnamon, and fudge, and whipped topping, and sprinkles, and-And-AND: all wrapped in a crispy fried shell. Definitely a plus over waffle cones!!

I took a picture with my cell phone, but I don’t think it really does justice to the “Muy Bueno” ice cream!

Ole!

Numero Ocho

8.) I visit Cape Cod just about every year.

beautiful cape cod beach shot

I love vacations! But I guess that’s not too special about me. Everyone loves vacations, right? I just rolled up to my cottage in Cape Cod this morning. This is my third summer in a row here and I. LOVE. IT.

It’s not just the beach (great). Or the sand (yay) or the Sunshine, and the smell of salt water in the air (yummm). It’s also that my parents are here, My aunt & uncle are 4 cottages down, and my great-aunt and great-uncle are right across the street from them. Lots of other family & friends will be invading over the upcoming weeks and crashing at one pad or another.

The Doherty’s are the new Kennedy’s. We have our own flippin’ compound here. 🙂 And I have a feeling that it’s only going to grow in the coming years.

And then there’s the seafood. (Can I get a w00t w00t! for Lobster Rolls?). And the unique architecture. The grassy dunes, and a Dunkin Donuts on every corner. sigh. It really is a piece of heaven….

This is the first year in a long time that I haven’t had a least one girlfriend come out with me. I love traveling with my girls. And it’s not just because I’m chronically single. I really do have great girlfriends.

p.s.: does the title of this post remind anyone else of the movie Dodgeball? ESPN-8, “The Ocho!”

Embracing the crazy

I know that I’ve mentioned my busy schedule here on this blog before. 

It’s a problem I have.  It really is.  I have finally learned to admit it in this last year or so – and isn’t that ½ the solution?

 

I’m not sure if it’s a pride thing. (aka – The world needs me.  These groups need me.  I’m so very important.) Or if it’s a “I’m too scared to figure out who I really am so I’ll just keep myself preoccupied” thing.  I’m leaning towards the latter. Either way, it’s not healthy.  I’ve watched it affect relationships, friendships, my health.  Lately, it’s been a real barricade to my dating life (or lack thereof)  I’m really just too. dang. busy.

 

Instead of spring cleaning my house. (Which, frankly, did NOT happen this year).  I am summer-cleaning my life.  Purging out a lot of extra commitments and allowing myself room to breathe.  As of this last Monday night, I am down to 2 commitments per week. 

 

TWO.

 

Of course, there are other things that are optional, and I certainly don’t plan on staying home 5 nights a week.  But this is monumental for me.  I haven’t had this kind of free space in my life in years.

 

Until recently I was juggling 5-6 scheduled committments each week.  They are all good things, which is what makes it hard to say “NO”.  But they are cluttering up my calendar and stealing just a little bit of my joy at the same time.  I was thisclose to burning out and having a nervous breakdown just a few short months ago.  Fortunately I could see the light at the end of the tunnel: July!!

 

I’m using my newfound free time to de-clutter other areas – namely my closet and my under bed storage.  Also, I’m just plain relaxing a lot.  Reading, watching movies, eating junk food.  And spending some more quiet time in prayer.  I am trying to embrace this slower pace wholeheartedly. But it’s gonna take some time, friends.  I’ve got a lot of unwinding to do before I get to the core of things.

 

I watched the movie “Definitely, Maybe” the other night and one scene has stuck with me.  I’ve been chewing on it for a few days now.

 

April: Why couldn’t you tell me this when you had your sh*t together?

Will: My sh*t is together.

April: Your sh*t is a mess.

 

That’s it – my sh*t is a mess.  And I’ve been keeping my life too busy to clean it up.

 

 

 

I’m not yet used to the lack of noise in my life and in my head.  And it doesn’t help that there’s a lot of very painful and confusing drama going on in my life right now – both personal and professional.  All of this “free time” creates more space in my head to replay different scenarios.  Of course, the PMS only adds to the fun and gives me reason to believe that “this too, shall pass”. 

 

But at some point I’ve got to just “embrace the crazy” and work through it rather than push it to the periphery and ignore it until I think it’s gone away.  Because, unfortunately,  it never really goes away on it’s own. 

Feeling like vacation….

Lazy summer days,

time spent doing nothing that’s

productive. Relax!