There will be beer, shameless off-key singing (from me) and maybe even live blogging. Also a bit of self-pity. Going to a concert alone is kind of sad.
Related: I think I am 28 going on 48. I love Elton John and Billy Joel.
“Jake tries to make the whole thing more suspenseful by first giving the promise ring back to Vienna, making her think that he isn’t going to propose, but then pulling a 180 and proposing, because it’s a common dream amongst women to be proposed to via the old switcheroo.”
—
The best recap of The Bachelor. Ever.
I wish I could explain to all of you why I watched this horrible season in its entirety, but there really isn’t a good excuse.
The dude singing “On the Wings of Love” was a high point. Kind of the only high point.
I can no longer make fun of Aaron for watching Cops, can I?
Me: Honey, when do you think we’ll get married?
Aaron: I think we have to be engaged first.
Me: Are you tired of me asking you about weddings and honeymoons and babies?
Aaron: Yes.
(This from the man who, while recently listening to an 80’s power ballad, said “I want this to be our song when we get married.”)
FACT: Mixed messages don’t go away just because you’re in a committed relationship.
ANOTHER FACT: I am especially obsessed with weddings! honeymoons! babies! at the moment. It comes in waves. Really annoying waves.
Written on a stall in the ladies’ room at The Anchor in Wichita, Kansas:
Q: What is the difference between Tiger Woods and Santa Claus?
A: Santa stops at three hos.
(this made me laugh)

In December, four of my favorite people on earth and I decided to make each other mix CDs and swap them, leaving everyone with four new compilations of music to enjoy.
Somehow we didn’t actually get together to do the exchanging until last night…
As some of you already know, I have questionable taste in music, so expanding my music education is a good thing. And now I have five new CDs (Ashley made us each a two-disc set!) to bring me up to speed on what all of the kids are listening to these days.
I also made myself a copy of my own CD because any opportunity to listen to Fleetwood Mac, Hanson, The Cure and Taylor Swift in rapid succession is always a good time.
(Note: you may recall that I once offered to make everyone copies of my Summer CD… yeah, that was last year. I failed. Technically, the CD burner on my old computer died. BUT to make up for it, you can download a copy of the very same playlist used for the CDs I made my friends. Merry belated Christmas!)
I’ve been thinking a lot about negativity and how easily it can overtake one’s life. Specifically mine.
Case in point: I had a few phone calls early in the week about various opportunities (yes, I know this is vague). I don’t feel particularly good about the calls. They didn’t go as well as I’d hoped and I’ve spent the past day or two over-analyzing them.
I tend to get down on myself when I don’t think I’ve done well at something. I don’t look at my successes as all that successful. I want more. A long chat with one of my college best friends once confirmed that this will forever be my battle. Sky-high expectations and little satisfaction. I always think it could have been better. It’s my crutch.
I want to be positive. And so it takes a lot of pep talks. There’s a lot of “Everything will end up exactly as it’s supposed to.” And “Take any lesson you can from this experience.”
But sometimes the negativity creeps back in. And it’s like a cancer. It spreads quickly. My dissatisfaction with something at work turns into dissatisfaction with something at verb [ICT] or with another side project and then I decide I hate Wichita and before I know it, the negativity reaches my home life and I become hypercritical of Aaron for the most insignificant things. And then I’m having a tantrum because the housecleaner I hired to alleviate some of the stress in my life didn’t clean the floors as well as I would have if only I’d had the time…
Control. I want control. I want it all to work out exactly as I think it should. How I expected life would be by the time I reached thirty.
But it’s not.
So I am doing my best to look at things differently. Stop comparing myself to others. Focus on pushing ahead without getting caught up in the should’ves/would’ves/could’ves. Realize that not everyone thinks and operates the way I do. Appreciate my boyfriend for putting away the dishes and not get irritated that he didn’t do it “right.” Thank him. Hug him. Love him.
Breathe. Enjoy the now. Be mindful. Appreciate what I have.
Just let go.
_______
Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. - John Lennon
» Ditch Cable and Watch TV Shows and Movies Online
(via soupsoup)
Dear Boyfriend,
We are going to do this very soon. As in, the second college basketball ends. I know better than to deprive you of KU basketball.
XOXO,
Shea
After cooking on live TV last month and not really screwing up (other than some minor behind the scenes scrambling when I realized I failed to bring a mixing bowl with me), the Kansas CW has invited me back yet again to whip up a lil’ something during the morning show on March 30th.
In related news, it appears I may be cooking on another local program earlier in the month.
I know… This is all a little crazy.
I’m beginning to think I need to add Can cook on live television with moderately successful results to my resume.
But what on earth should I make?