Summer DON'TS

Oh, summer. The season where the layers come off, the temps go up and everyone is just working for the weekend and pool/beach/lawn chair time. Can it be here already? The temps in Atlanta have been spiking towards 100 for days and weeks now, and somewhere in there I think we might have hit springtime since that last snowfall.

As I took off my sweater to expose my pasty skin to the strong rays of the Atlanta sun this week, I couldn't help but think about Mama Kat's writing prompt this week. What better way to prepare for the summer of love ahead than by thinking about all the things NOT to do?

Top Ten Summer DON'TS

As you prepare for this hot weather ahead, DO NOT ...

#1 ... Forget your anti-humidity hair products. As a resident of one of the most humid cities around (even though we aren't somehow on the Top 101 Cities list, oddly enough. TX and FL win!), I still can't figure out the right combination of products to straight hair. I think they all work fine in perfect conditions, but as soon as you start to sweat (aka about two minutes after stepping outdoors here), the "anti-humidity" part goes right out the window! One can try, though.

#2 ... Overlook the majestic power of ice cream from the local drive-up shop. Savor the moment and eat your favorite flavor on the hood or back of your car.

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#3 ... Forget the fun part of summer. The days are longer, so take advantage of them! Think like a kid, and order pizza by the pool for dinner, sleep with the windows open and the fans on high, or go camping in your backyard. Tip: remember that you are an adult, and air mattresses will probably be needed in those tents in order to move the next day. 

#4 ... Think that since you are so busy, you have no time for a vacation. Consider a weekend at a local cabin, a trip to a lake or nearby river, or an early Friday drive to the beach.

#5 ... Expect to (stylishly) wear the latest summer fashion trends like the maxi dress or a romper. Wear whatever "trend" is most comfortable (and age-appropriate) for you!

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#6 ... Leave home without throwing a spare bathing suit in your car or (oversized) purse. Live life this way, and you are bound to run into more fun times!

#7 ... Underestimate the fun that you can have if you actually do get caught in a freak summer rain shower. Don't run for cover - get soaked and laugh :)

#8 ... Stay indoors if it's sunny outside. Get out there for at least 30 minutes (to justify the sweating and heat, think about all that Vitamin D!) and go for a bike ride, a swim or an early morning stroll. If you waste away the opportunity nature is giving you now, I don't want to hear you complain about how gloomy winter gets with less than 12 hours of sun a day!

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#9 ... Weigh down your days with heavy meals. Keep things light at lunch with salads full of fresh ingredients from your local markets, and go Mediterranean at dinner with fish and vegetables!

#10 ... Forget to keep some beers chilled in the fridge and cooler ice packs in the freezer at all times. You just never know. 

What would you add to this list of Summer Don'ts?

Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone

Truth: I wasn't always as outgoing and as social as I have grown to be in my adult life. 

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While every person is born with a certain level of demonstrative personality, it's obvious some are born with more of that boisterousness than others. Yes, I was that little girl in class raising my hand in the front row with the answer. You could find me in any number of after-school activities, and I'd be right in the middle of the action at the weekly soccer game or the Girl Scouts meeting.

But yet, I was never that someone that everyone knew. I ran with my own little crowd, and didn't often reach out beyond it to make friends. By middle school, I clearly remember being that girl that not a lot of people talked to. I was the new girl in town, fresh from the Richmond suburbs to a land where everyone wore Abercrombie tank tops and Soffe shorts and knee-high socks (thank goodness that trend died quickly thereafter). When I timidly made friends that year, it was with girls that I was certain were going to be my life-long pals. Certain that they would be people with whom I would go off to High School, then College, and with whom I'd always stay in touch.

Gosh, how naive we all were at that age.

By high school, somewhere between my classes and extracurricular activities, I slowly made some actual friends, many of whom I keep in touch with today. I had kids that I'd sit with in class, and girls I would gossip with as we procrastinated diving into the 5:30AM chilly water. Another few saved me a seat at orchestra rehearsals, and I met new ones from other schools through church. It wasn't everyone around me, but I began to know people here, there and everywhere. I felt more and more comfortable walking into a room and meeting someone new.

I won't bore you with the details, but this whole story replayed itself for me in college, when I headed off to Tech without a single pal in tow. While former classmates lived it up in Athens or headed to other states, I ventured downtown and started fresh as the new girl alone in the room again.

And you know what? It was fun. It was a personal challenge to me, to seek out and befriend girls (and guys) that would be around for the long haul. It created in me a drive that sticks with me today, one that nudges me to step outside my comfort zone.

As uncomfortable as those few experiences might have been, I am thankful for them; they got me to where I am today. This Katherine, the one that likes to spill all sorts of thoughts out here on the interwebs to you, has been formed by all the mean pre-teen girls, awkward public speaking moments in front of my peers, guys that ignored me when I was bright-red crushing on them and ice breakers that made me cringe.

Today, as a late 20's something adult, I can venture more easily into the unknown and all those blundering moments when you feel alone in a room, because I know that I might meet a new, fabulous person along the way. It's helped me move along in my career, in my personal life and in my own head. Goodness, it even helped me create this very blog, when in reality I was just hoping (read: praying) that people might want to click through and read it.

So thanks, all you people and situations along the way that got me here. I owe you one.


This post today is brought to you by Mama Kat's Writing Prompts. I love these when I am looking for a jolt of creativity, or when I am just looking to write about something totally new and different than my usual posts here. I hope you enjoyed my little look into my past, of a time(s) that I "stepped outside my comfort zone" :)

Top Ten {Tuesday}: Happy Thoughts

Our world is way too negative. Remember when I posted about turning off the negativity, and focusing on the positive instead? I think we are in need of a reminder, myself included. While as much as this silly cup of Starbucks in front of me cheers me up in the short-term, happiness itself can be free. Whether you are feeling sad or stressed or lonely or just blah, thinking happy thoughts can help bring some sunshine back into your step without having to splurge on those new shoes or that getaway vacation.

Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Happy Thoughts! 
This also goes along with Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop -- she is genius with the ideas. I love checking out her list when I need a boost, or when my other posts aren't ready for publishing just yet. Today, it's a little bit of both :)

When I am unhappy or feeling blue, I think about ...

1. Holding hands with or hugging the people that I love. You can't beat a good bear hug :)

2. Silly nights with my girlfriends spent laughing over games, memories, and random things.

3. The way the sun looks when it first bursts over the horizon in the mornings. Even better, when I am already up and done with a workout when I catch those first rays on the skyscrapers around me.

4. And of course, those last rays of daylight that linger in pink and orange and purple streaks in the sky. I wish I had a camera to truly capture those fleeting minutes on film.

5. Getting something done on my To-Do list way ahead of when it needed to be complete.

6. My baby cousin's laughter -- she is always so happy, it's almost contagious!

7. String lights. Can I still put these up year-round still as a late 20-something? Or is that restricted to college-aged kids only? Because really, they are just so gosh darn cheery, even if it's summertime. Maybe they'd look good in my office ....

8. Sending e-invitations. I am thinking about sending some soon just for a random weeknight get-together at the condo with friends. Why not?

9. Grabbing an ice-cold Diet Coke (or Coke, or cup of coffee, or whatever your vice). Those first few sips = JOY.

10. Kicking back with warm soup on a chilly day. In fact, I may do this one right now too, since it's about time for lunch! Bonus points for all of us that turn away from the computers for 10 minutes to really enjoy it, too :)

What do you think about when you want to give yourself a little boost? I don't know about you, but even just listing those things out definitely made me feel a little more "up," hooray! Spread the love, friends!