And.

There is something to be said about a man who will encourage you to workout (in a positive way!) even if it means waiting to eat dinner with you until 7pm, who will go down to the car to get your makeup bag at midnight because said workout left your legs dead and you need it for work the next day, will wordlessly take out the trash and bring you his purple jacket because you wanted to wear it the day before, will wake you up in the morning, will fix your parents’ car for a cross-country journey, and will still love you without viewing you as the irresponsible flailing human being you feel you are.

she-works:

smal, Portland, OR

We want to hear from women: What’s your note to self – a piece of advice that’s helped you at work? Share your advice at http://she-works.tumblr.com

Getting me through the work day. I want to give all these women a hug.

Early Morning Baking

Sunday, I stepped off the plane from NYC and excitedly embraced theboy - only an achin’, wheezin’, snifflin’, coughin’ up a storm version of theboy. Oh boy.

Our nights since have been discussions over dinner, cough syrup for dessert and a non-sexytime bed crash by 9. I know; you’re jealous.

Because of the early nights, my suitcase has yet to be unpacked, the dishes are piling up, and the to-dos are being neglected - in particular, the cupcakes that need baked for my cousin’s birthday.

All of which is a roundabout way of saying that I, ladies and gents, have discovered the joys of early morning baking. It was therapeutic, got the day started on a great note and I love the rush from being so productive so early.

I could use a food-loving, non-athletic but tries to be, slightly awkward, geographically local buddy.

Why are these hard to find?

3 Reasons to Travel While You're Young →

In your youth, you will make choices that will define you. The disciplines you begin now will be with you for the rest of your life.

Traveling will change you like little else can. It will put you in places that will force you to care for issues that are bigger than you.

Things I am Struggling to Learn.

• My life = my timeline. And, within that definition, I am never a failure.
• How to share my well-balanced, loving relationship with others. I’m well aware of the myriad, not-so-healthy relationship out there (I have most certainly had my fair share) which makes me all the more mindful when I talk about my current one with theboy. I think that after 3.5 years, I am allowed to gush about how well we communicate, how I love waking up with a hand on his butt (cutest.tush.ever), and how he will most likely be putting a ring on it soon. But I don’t because I can’t without feeling like I am rubbing someone’s face in it. Why is it so much easier to share pain than happiness?
• How to listen to and love my body. It will never grace a magazine cover and will never fit all the trends (short legs and hate heels, ftw) but it is my own. My body could be failing me in so many ways but instead supports me, despite the way I treat it. It deserves so much more love than it receives. Thus, I run not to lose weight but for the endorphins; I eat lighter not to fit into my clothes better but for the smoother digestion.
• How to document my life without social media. I’ve limited facebook to school-related activities, I tumblr sporadically, I instagram every-so-often, I only take pictures with my phone, and I rarely use my laptop at home (unless I am studying). This leaves me with very little to look back on and I don’t like it. Is this why people pick up scrapbooking?
• How to make and keep friendships. In the last few years, I have cut out or limited many toxic friendships in my life. Moreover, as most of my friendships are long-distance (limiting face-to-face time) and I am not the best at sharing details of my life (as previously mentioned) - it’s a strange social environment. I love the friends that I have but I hate that I am turning into thatgirl whose life revolves around her boyfriend, especially with my deteriorating social abilities and limited free time (full time secretary, part time assistant, full time student).
• How to not do. I’ve noticed that the handful of nights where I have had nothing to do (no studying, no cleaning, no errands, no social events), I am at a complete loss on what to do. I can workout, I can cook, I can organize or make something - but you know what? Once in a while, vegging on the sofa while working my way through my DVR list and going to bed early is a perfectly acceptable way to spend an evening. 

A Spring Weekend.

• What started off horribly turned out splendidly. Drove 45 mins on a Saturday morning to the wrong hospital, another 15 mins to get to the correct one, and spent 10 mins to get my security badge as a Student Observer. I then witnessed the 4 most beautiful interactions with 4 beautiful stories that will forever define my passion and future endeavors into the world of Speech Therapy. 
• Went to a beautifully decorated paradise for theboy’s friends’ Wedding Shower. I met a charming array of wedding industry people — who all apparently know my coworker. Small world!
• Wandered from the pretty into the gritty of PB and relived our beginnings. Some days, those sticky floors really get to me…but last night, they were endearing.
• On a whim, put on my grandmother’s watch as an accessory for my outfit. The watch stopped working shortly after she died but I haven’t had the heart to do anything about it. By some miracle, it started working again today. Her deathiversary is one week away.
• Had a heart to heart with my mother about the watch and theboy just helped me cook dinner.

I got very little studying done, the apartment is a mess, and I still need to run by Target for conditioner - but this weekend was an uplifting reminder that I am forever grateful for everything in my life.

Hello, Spring.

Today, I took my first real adulting step and applied for a Roth IRA.

You guys.

YOU GUYS.

I don’t even know what’s going on anymore.

Explorin’ Shoes

When it comes to weekends, theboy and I end up spending very little time together. He works Saturdays and we attend separate churches on Sundays to get in some family time. That on top of laundry, cleaning the apartment, and studying…well, you get the idea.

Which is why my favorite weekends are always the ones he has off <3

This past weekend, we put our explorin’ shoes on to continue our love serenade to our new neighborhood. And I’m happy to report that it was a lovely outing because in one morning, we:

• Conversed with a police officer
• Learned 700 cement trucks were coming in that day and the area was surrounded with both undercover and uniform officers to prevent a contract worker vs. union worker riot (In 2006, a union worker opened the cement truck in the middle of the street, causing millions of dollars of damage)
• Played Undercover Cop or Real Homeless Man
• Helped a homeless man (undercover cop?) with his belongings
• Paid homage to the still-under-construction Central Library (also known as, my new home as of July 2013)
• Visited Petco Park in preparation for baseball season (we have Opening Day tickets! Yay for work perks)
• Learned the meaning of the numbers pictured above
• Brunched and made a waitress’ day

And while a large part of me does wish that every weekend were like this, I know it just makes every moment that much sweeter.

Now, more than ever.

Ignore the materialistic, the obligations, the trends, the competition, the superficial, the comparisons, the Shoulds, the Should Nots.

Just focus.