Sorry I’ve Been Absent: 6 things I learned this weekend

Why hello my lovely readers! First and foremost, I am sincerely sorry I have been absent for two days. However, the reason was valid (and worth it). I was out of town since Friday morning on a trip to Hoboken, NJ to visit my college friends. Some of them I haven’t seen in A YEAR, so you can image my excitement and reasoning for lack of blogging (I swear I tried to on the bus but the WiFi wasn’t working-boo!). 

Anyway, I’m back and at it so welcome back to all my loyal readers! So, I’ve realized lately that as I grow older I learn more about life and most importantly myself. Seriously, the learning never stops. And being the observant, nosy, free-spirit kind of girl that I am, I experience and learn a heck of a lot each  and every second, minute and hour of every day. 

So since I’ve been missing since Thursday’s blog post on realizing there is more to life than weight and calories, I decided I’ll fill ya in on what I’ve learned this weekend while I was away. I know, I know, it’s only been a few days but I swear I’m picking up new things all of the time. 

1. Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard: I realized this Friday morning when I thought I could handle a 3 mile run even though I was still sore from last Sunday’s 10 K.  Usually I’m pretty good about listening to my body, but what can I say: I missed running and wanted to give it a shot.  Boy oh boy was that a huge mistake. Not only was I still getting over a cold, but my legs were achy and cramped up like no other. After a mile or so, I decided to run-walk the rest of the distance, which helped a little. Looking back, it’s definitely one of those mornings I should have gone for a long, easy walk or done some soothing yoga. Not a running morning, and now I know not to push my body to run when it’s not ready! Really, it’s so not worth it. 

2. Sit By the Aisle on Long Trips: If you have the option, just sit on the aisle seat on long trips, even if it means you have to sit neck and neck with a stranger. But no, Friday afternoon when I was boarding the bus, I did not do this. I had tons of options to snag a seat by the aisle next to friendly, normal-looking people but I got selfish and thought I could snag a row to myself so I sat by the window and put my luggage next to me. Man was that a mistake. A minute later a big, loud, smoke-scented man snagged the seat next to me. Even worse: he fell asleep on me mid-trip and starting snoring…loudly. There I sat, crammed into the window with nothing but my iPod to drown him out. When my iPod died after an hour, I knew this was going to be a long trip. Never again!

3. Coffee+Water+ Big Breakfast = Hangover Cure: I know some people who don’t eat the entire day after drinking, which is a huge mistake. Really, your body needs food and water STAT. My friends, however, like to lounge so I didn’t get any food in my system Saturday morning until noon. For a girl who eats breakfast religiously every morning within the first hour of waking, noon was pushing it (especially considering we woke up at 7 a.m.) Thank goodness for a Dunkin Donuts next door because I was able to snag myself a medium black iced coffee and large bottle of water first thing upon waking. Without the coffee or water, I don’t know if I would have made it. Next time: packing a few healthy snacks on trips away from home. Because of my awkward eating schedule, I felt shitty, cranky and sick all day long. 

4. Make an Effort to Stay in Touch With Old Friends: It was soooo wonderful to see my best friends from college this weekend! While it was lovely catching up, many of them I felt like it hadn’t been as long as it’s really been because we are experts in communication. We actually have a “Newsletter” through Google Groups where we write to each other daily. Every time someone gets a new job/boyfriend/life update/idea they send an email to the group so we can all stay up-to-date with one another’s lives. I for one hate losing touch with people who mean so much to me, so making an effort to stay close is the magic answer. I know many people who complain about losing touch with old friends, but it’s a two way street and if both people are making an effort then things will seem live they’ve never changed. I love you girls! 

5. Men are weird…in every state: Seriously men really are from Mars. I thought traveling to NYC/Jersey for the weekend I’d run into some interesting, different men along the way. But no, men just seem not to get it every where I go. Maybe that’s because it’s enforcing my point that bars aren’t the best place to meet men. Anyway, I had the strangest encounter with this one guy on Friday night at the bar. He was tall, blonde and handsome (I guess). Not really my type at all but he was a pretty decent looking guy. Well, his “pick up line” was, “So what do you rate me 1 to 10?” “Um, looks wise or drunk wise?” I asked him. “Just an entire package…what am I?” “Er…an 8 I guess?” (even though he was definitely more like a 6 in my books). “NO! I’m a 7. I’m a solid 7. I always have been,” he retaliated back to me. He then told me that I was a “10” (of course he did) and tried to get me to make out with him to make some girl jealous. Apparently a girl he asked out told him she had the flu and then showed up at the bar we were at. Ouch. While that does suck, I am in no way being used to make another girl jealous. Goodbye, 7! 

6. I Get Home Sick (Even at 23): Ha, it’s embarrassing to admit, but while I did have a wonderful time with my friends this weekend, I can’t deny the fact that I missed Boston…and my apartment…and my own shower…and my own kitchen…and my Mac…and writing. OK, you get the point. I’ve realized that as much as I love mini getaways, I always enjoy going back to my home, which is a good thing I suppose because it shows I really love where I am in life right now.