Re-Defined Life

The Best Year

During our rodeo weekend my uncle asked us all a question, one that was hard to answer and said so much about each person. "If you could relive one year of your life and couldn't change anything, which year would it be?" Essentially, what's been the best year of your life?

I said from last Aug 1st to the end of this July. This past year has been the best of the best.

I asked A the same question and he asked me why I would choose this past year. I said that, even though there were a few magnificently large blunders, the things I want are finally falling into place and my life has been changed more than once.

I landed an advertising job. With a company that represents places. I don't think it could be more tailor-made to my passions. And I have learned a lot, done a lot, there. And, now, I'm writing for them. Some. And, hopefully, only getting steadily greater in amount and quality.

Additionally, within and outside of my company, my writing/publication has increased steadily throughout the past year. Travel writing in Europe, search engine optimization for Northeast Indiana, Flash content re-writing for Omaha, language software reviews, brochures, full websites, newsletters, etc. It's the beginning of a journey down the path that I have always wanted and always been a little afraid of.

My life also changed locations. I picked up, packed up, sold and shipped and signed away my little Brooklyn apartment. And I went to Europe. I traveled by myself. I carried only a single backpack. I met people along the way that I am grateful for. And I fell in love with Italy. Then Denver.

It was also the year when I finally felt that I had put TEW behind me. I learned that I was lovable. By others. By myself. And I fell in love again. This time better. This time returned. And I learned what it was to be in a relationship where both parties were putting each other first. No more settling for less than that kind of care.

In that time I made decisions about my life. About who I wanted to be. How I want to feel about myself. And I stopped apologizing for things that aren't my fault. I started telling people when they hurt me. And walking away when I need to. Actually pursuing my dreams, instead of pursuing everything on their perimeter. No longer mistrusting God. I was made aware of my own weakness and began what I am sure will be a long journey of change.

And, so, yes, if I had to relive a year of my life it would be this one.

Painted Lips -or- Painted-On Lips

I get more attractive every day.

It looks like someone painted my lips on.

More, Men, Mutton

1) A client that I did the web copy for has now given us more work and stipulated that I write it. Always a good day when the client is happy enough to return. And, validates my choice of writing as my career path. I mean, if it needs more validation after this blogging loveliness has gone out into the world...

2) I decided to give E-Harmony a second chance. I tried it in NYC and was sorely disappointed in the quality of men who were on it. And in the long time frame it took to get to know any of them. However, perhaps Colorado will fare better...and I like answering questionnaires, so, you know, I couldn't resist the three hour one they make you wade through.

3) Mutton Busting. In case you didn't feel the awesomeness through the power of my previous entry:

The FaceMaker

This is how I feel today.

Bust Some Mutton

After driving for two hours, halfway convinced that I was lost, I ended up at the White Water Bar & Grill where, according to my uncle, all the cute rafter boys hang out on the back porch. I am all for that, but only agree that 2 of the 15 were attractive. And I could only stare briefly, as they were on their way out. Mostly I just gave full attention to a dog that someone had tied to their table.

It wasn't long before the fam arrived. The extended fam, that is. As my immediate family is all still on the east coast, preaching, spending time on a beach or hanging out with other college kids. It was the first time I had seen this part of the extended fam in years, almost seven years. Two kids I had only seen as, essentially, infants.

The next day, after food and catching up, we went to my very first rodeo. Intoxicatingly western and small town, it was held in Buena Vista. I felt like a kid--standing against the fence, white knuckled, as the bulls threw handsome young men, like ragdolls into the air. They stomped the scarecrow set up on the field, tried to stomp the clown and the cowboys, and were eventually roped by the two handsome horseback riders who oversaw each bull ride.

But, before all that, before wild broncos shook the fence and the overweight inhabitants in their "God was showing off when he made me" T-shirts got rowdy, there was something that I had never heard of before: Mutton Busting.

Apparently, Mutton Busting is a rodeo tradition, prepping the very young for their someday-careers as bronco riding champions. And this preparation happens on the back of a sheep. Children under 50 lbs can sign up and hang on for dear life as the sheep goes running as fast as it can through the rodeo arena. Tiny cowboy boots wrap partway around the wooly side and children go flying out behind the fuzzy bottom in a display of admirable awkwardness.

And the winner of the mutton busters was a little girl, 7 or so years old, wearing pink boots and a pink button up top that was tied around her waist and I remembered seeing her before the competition, when she turned to her mother and said,

"I'm gonna bust some mutton, mama."

And so she did.

2008 Goals: Physical, Spiritual and Otherwise

It's been a long day of my laptop being in the shop (so I am working from the Mac) and of the house being overly warm and of the frustration of not having all the materials I need (due to said laptop malfunction issue).

Thus, am I not feeling particularly witty or good humored at the moment.

Instead of a story or a real entry, then, I will share with you a list that I've been making. In progress, but almost there.

Gigi's 2008 Goals:

- Bike to work once a week, all summer.
- Yoga once a week, or more, all year.
- Find an anti-trafficking organization to support.
- Find a church that I love.
- Spend time being quiet and reading something spiritual in the mornings five days a week.
- Refresh the website Information Architecture.
- Re-do my portfolio for freelance clients.
- Brand me.
- Increase in the number of writing projects I do steadily throughout this year.
- Tell people how I feel: stand up for myself.
- Let go.

Love,

Gigi

This is Why I'm Hott (Part II)

Time for some extremely flattering pictures.

I know I am boring and haven't been writing. I promise I will soon.

The Hott One

I'm too tired to write, so I'll offer you sex appeal instead.

See? I never tell a lie.

Thursday: They Sure Need a Lot of Napkins

7:00 Alarm.
7:30 Actually leave bed.
7:53 Resume working type behavior.
9:09 Actually leave for office.
10:30 Rushed scrub of copy.
11:00 CRISES. Many many of them. For clients who resemble high-maintenance relationship minus perks.
12:00 Do not understand why everyone uses red exclamation point for all emails...not everything you say is urgent. Love, Gigi
5:19 Holy crap. Am now leaving.
5:45 Home and rice and company and poking fun at all boys that I have recently dated.
7:40 "Inappropriate and overwhelming optimism."
8:00 Marshmallows and realization that forgot corkscrew. Attempts to open wine with knife or by shaking vigorously fail.
8:21 Ask limo driver standing outside wedding reception if he has corkscrew. He does not, but is stoked that we need rescuing. "I don't know this car very well..." (opens glove compartment and hundreds of napkins fall out) "but they sure need a lot of napkins..." He shoves cork down into bottle in many display of strength and skill. We are impressed and allow him to touch our hands while we thank him and leave.
9:01 Argue about who is the boss.
11:12 After relaxing drive down mountain, kissing stories and dogs that want to cuddle with Roommate #1, we are home and tired and packing for trip to mountains tomorrow and then posting blog and then...zzzz

Wednesday: Workaholic Slug

6:00 Cheep. Cheep. Cheep. CHEEP. Roommate #1 imitates birds.
7:00 "We played a game in grade school, where we would run around and knock over boys. Once, my friend Hillary knocked one over and then kissed him. We were all like, gross Hillary!...of course, now that makes perfect sense." -Roommate #1
7:53 swallow cereal whole and assuage bad hypoglycemic feelings.
8:07 Blue Like Jazzness.
9:07 Drinking chai and feeling way tired. Glad I was active, but holy crap.
9:50 Best Friend Client takes possession of day.
11:00 Yoga! "I like any pose that involves us laying on our backs." -Gigi
12:08 Walk ten blocks to Chipotle. Realize that I feel better than I have all week. Mon and Tue was gross workaholic slug. But no more!
4:55 Buy sneakers that will inevitably give me blisters this weekend. Hoorah.
6:47 Talk about how our hott date made roommate #1 miss going on dates. Aww, tell roommate #1 I will continue taking her on hott dates and she can pretend that myself and/or our cardboard cutout are actually Beau.
7:01 receive card from LL and feel awesome.
7:39 "If we walk to the grocery store, we would burn off the fat before we even consumed the ice cream..."
7:43 leave for grocery
9:00 Back and ice-creaming and watching Akeela and the Bee. Am proud to know some of these words that the eleven-year-old knows.
9:23 Resume nasty workaholic behavior.
9:24 post blog, second to last day of minute-by-minute awesomeness.