Summer Plans

This week I have been finalizing some of my summer plans and I am super excited.

 Roanoke Star

Springfield Park Central Square

L.A. 

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Thunder Over Louisville

Last weekend I went with some friends to Thunder Over Louisville (known by Kentuckians as “Thunder”). This is the kick-off of the Kentucky Derby Festival and is supposedly one of the best fireworks show in the United States; I, however, still have no clue. The weather in Kentucky recently has been stormy and this was the case over my trip to Louisville for Thunder.

Louisville's Riverfront

We still had fun, we went downtown for the festivities but the weather was prohibitive so we went back to the hotel and then out on the town for some drinks later. I had a blast, even though we didn’t see what we went for.

Thunder Fireworks 2010

Source: Derby Festival

Since last weekend, the weather here has been pretty stormy. We have had a storm about every other day and this weekend we’ve had one about every 5-6 hours with threats of tornadoes too. It has been interesting for me because I have a huge fear of tornadoes. I am ready for some springtime sun to say the least.

Dutch Dreaming

About this time last year I was in the Netherlands enjoying the springtime. While I returned this past year in February, I am longing to be back this spring. My mind is filled with thoughts of what my life would be like there.

(Spuiplein, Amsterdam)

 

(Tulip fields in Lisse)

Expectations

As I have grown up, I realized I carry a lot of anxiety with me about a lot of things ranging from my financial budget to relationships and vacations to workload. I'm in my mid-twenties and have realized that this is a ridiculous way to live my life. My struggle, however, is how to cope with it.

Let me elaborate. 

In my early years of adolescence or being a teenager, somewhere along the way I was completely sold on the idea that life should be perfect. And I mean picture perfect. Not necessarily in terms of getting married, buying a house, having the standard American 2.5 kids, etc, but even down to the minut details of folding my clothes, never getting in arguments with friends or family, and even overdrawing my bank account. As I am a little older and hopefully wiser, I realize that this sort of thinking is very toxic to my well-being.

How do I change this?

The reality of it all lies deep in my expectations. It has nothing to do with actually overdrawing my account or my friends and/or family doing something wrong. It has to do with my thinking of how things will happen or the end result. The reality is that when I expect something or someone to change or do something differently and they do not, I become frustrated, anxious, and disappointed. Realizing that my expectations are what creates this anxiety and frustration is huge. It allows me to change my mentality and remain a little more positive about things. For example, when I (repeatedly) expect someone to be on time when meeting for drinks, when they have never been on time before puts me in a place of anxiety and frustration. Changing my mentality and expecting them to be running behind eliminates this anxiety and frustration and can help immensely. 

I am not perfect, however, and slip back into my old pattern of thinking. I was reminded of this recently when a very good friend of mine came to me extremely frustrated with a few situations in her life. In our conversation about her issues, I found myself explaining this approach to her, realizing that my own mentality has slipped in terms of my expectations. My mood and well-being has suffered a little bit by allowing me to be anxious and frustrated in a few situations.

It's nice to have those revelations every now and then. They keep us in check and really help us realize our growth (or sometimes lack thereof) and put us in check. 

A Night Out in San Diego

As I mentioned previously, I met a handful of people while on my “work-cation” in San Diego. I kept in contact with most of them while I was still in San Diego but one of the guys I met was a tremendous host, venturing out during a week of work, midterms, and preparation for Spring Break to show us some of San Diego’s nightlife.

We ventured out on the town starting in Midtown/Little Italy, at a trendy little bar called Starlite. This place was close I-5, so it was surprising that it was so cool inside. Having eaten already I did not get anything to eat, but was told the food was excellent. I did, however, try the Starlite Mule, which was their signature drink and frankly, one of the best cocktails I have had in my life.

Next, we headed back down to the heart of Little Italy and stopped for a beer at Craft & Commerce. This place was newer (I still can’t find it on Google Maps) and a small space, but it definitely made up for it with the atmosphere. The décor was designed around literature “craft” and they even played Books on Tape in the bathroom.

Lastly, we went to Syrah Wine Parlor down in the Gaslamp Quarter. This place was probably my favorites. The entire place is decorated in an Alice and Wonderland theme, with the steps down to the door giving you the feeling of falling down the rabbit hole; complete with a trick door and all.

Not only did we go to really cool places that were something different from the norm here in Lexington, but I had some of the best conversation I had in awhile. He was an inspiring individual that has moved around a bit, just making it work. We had a lot in common in terms of the expectations for life and it was really refreshing to meet someone who has felt what I am feeling in terms of wanting more out of life. I have only met one other person that truly understood or had insight into what I am feeling.

Our conversation that evening has left me asking myself “Why on earth am I in Kentucky if I’d rather be elsewhere?” – A question that I am trying to answer, but is so much more complex than simple geography.

Sunshine

The sun is starting to shine again and it just makes everything seem better.

This winter has been brutal and I just can't wait for warm sunny days.