The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

It's SUNDAY!!!! A day of relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation!! I enjoy my lazy Sunday afternoons so much more than most people because (bragging rights again) I don't work Mondays anymore: ) :) :)

To me, Sunday serves as that frequent reminder to us all that we have completed another week. The time certainly flies in the life of a busy worker bee---as you hustle and bustle to complete all necessary tasks before the week's end. But, before you know it, there is Sunday again allowing you to kick up your feet, clip coupons, watch movies, and do whatever it is that makes you happy.



For me, my Sunday activity of choice has become writing again. Now, trust me, I'm not all:



"And as imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown, the poet's pen turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothings a local habitation and a name" (Shakespeare).

I'm more like:




"Wow! Glad I wrote that down...now I remember what I did ten months ago!" (Chapo).


Written word is a memory. Operating as a literary scrapbook, the words remind you of where you've been and what you've accomplished. One such memory occurred to me this morning as I looked over my writing from an English course at Tallahassee Community College during my Freshmen year of schooling.

Holding what I thought my life would be. Haha

In the assignment, I discussed with the teacher where it was I saw myself in ten years. Re-reading it, at about the five year mark, I hate to tell my Freshmen self most of the crap I thought I'd have accomplished by then probably aint gonna happen. Sorry self!

Within my essay, I wanted to be married (check), have money stowed away (....mmm debatable), stay friends with all my hometown buddies (people changed...so did I), travel to Europe (I'd love to but we'll see), and live in my hometown close to my family for the rest of my life(probably can't/won't happen for several reasons).

I had almost forgotten about all the goals I had at that age. My essay brought back the recollection so vividly--it was like I was that 18 year old kid all over again---naivete and all.

I love my life now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. If I could go back and have a discussion with Freshmen Eliz it would probably go a little something like this: "Eliz...you think you have it figured out. You don't. In reality...you have nothing figured out. But I promise you this...you could never, in your most imaginative day, dream of the adventures you will encounter moving forward. What you will encounter in growing up will far exceed the silly goals you have now. The failures you incur will beat the buns off, in experience, the victories you think you need now. So go with it, enjoy life, and don't forget to write everything down!"

Living my own, personal fairy tale life

And so another weekend has come to an (almost) close. As a working professional,working forty hours per week, your work week can feel a little something like this.





Since I don't work Monday's (insert your jealousy here), Tuesday through Thursday serve in my imagination as an incredibly annoying person you simply can't avoid. Tuesday is that horrible lady at the grocery store who knows (to the exact penny) how much produce prices have escalated in the last year and feels the dire need to share with you this worrisome phenomena. Wednesday is the rambling gentlemen at the doctors office that discusses with you, at length, his upcoming foot surgery. Thursday is the only slightly tolerable child of a fellow patron who screams from the time you arrive to get your "relaxing" pedicure at the salon until two hours later when you finally (mercifully) depart. Just like the inevitable and frequent run-ins we ALL have with tediously vexing individuals, Tuesday through Thursday continue to make their unwelcome appearances in a working professional's life---exasperating us all (even if just a little) each and every time.



Just when you think you can't take the the monotony of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, a new character arrives with a valiant rescue for your tired soul. In my imagination, Friday serves as the white knight in shining armor. Riding on their trusty steed, the knight finally rescues you from the sure desperation you are beginning to feel with a promise of a new start. And a new start you get! From the time you leave your workplace at (hopefully) 5:00 PM, the time is YOURS to enjoy. You dress however you like, go wherever you'd like to go, and do whatever you'd enjoy to do.



HOORAY!!!



I have been fortunate enough, at certain points in my lifetime, to not be required to working a forty hour work week. It was glorious at first.....amazing even. However, over time, you begin to miss those frustrating characters. Without horrible Tuesday sharing her produce facts, how do you know which fruits and vegetable to buy? Minus Wednesday, you may miss an entertaining story to share with your friends. And, lets face it, if you plan on having children, Thursday is probably just a small glimmer of our own embarrassing, momentarily needling careers as parents. Furthermore, without Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ever so slightly trying your patience---how do you even begin to appreciate Friday for the greatness it bestows to those tolerantly awaiting it's arrival?

I'm fortunate enough to work a job I enjoy most of the time. I like the company I work for, I have co-workers who make me laugh throughout most of the work-week and that makes a professional atmosphere a little (or A LOT) more fun, and I'm even lucky enough to have my own spacious work-space. However,even in these (the truly best of) circumstances,you can often catch me staring out the window, dreamily, near my cubicle. Be certain that I am waiting to hear the hoof-prints of that trusty steed---that hero Friday on his way to deliver the weekend as I patiently work away :)

I would like to begin by saying....HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!! I hope that you all enjoyed the much-needed break from the work-week as much as I did! My July 4th memories are listed below!! July 4th, 2012 basically consisted of myself and my husband (yes it is going to take a while to get used to that word) attending a backyard BBQ with his co-workers. Did I mention there were delicious bratwursts involved? Because there were....and let's just say his co-workers really know how to show a gal an amazing fourth of July feast. We all had such a great time just talking about life in general. Then, we retired to there pool where we all swam (or in my case lazily floated) around. Later that evening, we were still being incredibly lazy. We had really planned to get up at some point and attend a fireworks show in the area. But....in accordance with us being slugs...that didn't really happen. So instead, we ended up settling for bringing some cold beers out to our yard and sitting on some dirty towels---hoping for some type of a show. And y'all....a SHOW WE GOT!!!!!! It started slowly around our neighborhood at first---one firework, then two, then the next neighbor and so on and so forth. The fireworks looked INCREDIBLE reflecting around the lake. We watched in amazement as mosquitos tore us apart (and we both have the bites to prove it). The festivities didn't stop until about 1:00 in the morning. I'm guessing the citizens of our neighborhood had better luck getting vacation days from work the following day. And that was my 4th of July....just a regular day that comes each year and reminds us what a great country we live in.