Basics, Baby

I'm privileged to say I'm great at what I do because I love what I do.  Without passion fueling something I put so much time, effort and energy towards - I simply wouldn't be any good at it.

I tell candidates to sit down and physically write what they're good at and enjoy so they can target their career focus toward what they want to spend the extra hours working on, understand why they push through the more difficult times, and inevitably go to bed every night loving what they do.

After a couple glasses of wine and a pity party featuring the "Seriously, God??" conversation I seem to have more often than not these days, I realized I'm a total failure at applying this same outlook to my personal relationships.  When I take out all the things that'd be nice to have in a guy or simply just want at this point in my life, I'm left with the basics that shouldn't be compromised.

I have three.

Basics are for the people you want to be a part of your life in a meaningful way, not some girl on your Waka team and have to hook up with before every game for good luck or the guy that has missed you so much every time you see him at Concrete Cowboy yet never calls you during the week.

If you're looking for a job, a job is a job, who cares what it is?  If you're looking for a career, put some thought, consideration and investment into it.

Most importantly, know what you're looking for before you ever walk in for an interview.  Trust me, it will save everyone time, energy and one hell of a headache.

snAPPs - Songza

I am a true advocate of dance parties. - any and every song reminds me of a certain time, person or period in my life.  Music sets the tone of how you’re feeling and there is nothing worse (okay, there is – but stay with me) than when a syrupy love song comes on in the middle of your Wobble session.  When I’m prepping to go paint the town red with my girlfriends, the last thing I want to hear is Bruno Mars belting it out over his harlot of an ex-girlfriend.

Songza has been one of my favs the past few months because it allows you to pick your poison based on the day, time, event, style, genre plus more.  Not only does it play what you want to hear, but it also introduces you to new music you will more than likely add to your regular playlist immediately. 

I love the “Working Out – Drop The Bass” station (awesome awesome awesome for cardio!) and I challenge anyone to not get up and dance to the “Sweaty Dance Party” playlist…it’s epic.

Love Snacks - Squash the Squabble

Healthy and successful relationships need disagreements in order to grow.  It’s normal to have tiffs over the ins and outs of the everyday shuffle, but fighting intelligently is the key difference in a successful vs. failing relationship. 

Be aware of you and your significant others stupidity.

 

You arrive at your boyfriend’s house to make him dinner and quickly find that he, in fact, didn’t have milk as he assured you he did.  You’ve both been at work all day and this is the last thing you wanted to deal with, right?

 

Wrong.  

The last thing you want to deal with is having a knock-down-drag-out about something as stupid as not having milk.  He genuinely thought he had it, no he doesn’t always do this, and it doesn’t prove he doesn’t care, it proves he’s getting you take-out. 

Things like this will come up and more than likely, they will come up at the most inconvenient time possible.  There will be fights, there will be arguments and there will be times that push you to your limit… these are not those times.  If you want a fight, just wait, it will come, and when it does, make sure it’s over a substantial issue so something good can come out of it once resolved.



Stupid fights are like a 10:00pm Saturday night, good buzz going and all that’s left in the fridge are wine coolers.  What is the point?  

Absolutely nothing.  It’s going to make your stomach hurt, give you a horrible headache and ask yourself repeatedly the next morning why on earth you did that? 

Let it go.  Walk up to your significant other before anything can escalate, put your hands on their face and say, “Baby, I’m sorry about the milk.”  You can’t cry over spilled milk if there isn’t any milk to spill.

 

Knowing what’s important vs. unimportant when it comes to fighting will do nothing but benefit your relationship.  It allows you to spend less energy on draining each other and more energy enjoying the man or woman across from you that makes the milk worth drinking in the first place.



RLS

Happiness'Is - Exhaustion

It can be rather difficult for me to find the baby in this cake whenever my bed feels better than payday and snooze is more tempting than a ‘N Sync reunion tour.  Finding the essence in the lack of hours spent sleeping can be harder than accepting Taylor Swift will never, ever get back together with Jake Gyllenhaal.

However, when all my energy is spent and Kidd Kraddick can’t even keep me awake, I deliriously smile and appreciate the exhausting birthday dance party with my BF's, the four hour phone conversation with a high school partner in crime and the undeserving men and women that have hurt my friends because without them, there wouldn’t be the long, late nights of bonding, crying and healing over someone that gets us one step closer to finding our person. 

Last but not least, I cherish the countless hours I could be resting but instead I’m simply with someone that is worth staying awake for.

 

Happiness'Is - Best Friends & Bud Light

Dear Baby Jesus, I cannot express in words how happy this video makes me!  How is it that I haven’t stumbled upon this before?  This cutie tootie could literally put a smile on even McKayla Maroney’s face!  I know Spaghetti-O and Kappy Dog would get along so well with him!

Also, this would be just about the most PERFECT Bud Light commercial of all time.  #perfection

Happiness'Is - Picturesque Pups

Everyone has their own Happiness'Is that make their life a little more colorful.  If you've ever met me, you know one of mine is undoubtedly dogs.

My two angels, Kappy Dog and Spaghettio (pictured to the right), live in Center with my parents because I simply don't have the heart to keep them in an apartment.  Kudos to me, because giving them the freedom to jump in our pond and pounce around aimlessly has been one of the most selfless acts I've ever done.  To say I miss them would be an incredible understatement.

A friend who is well aware with my obsession, Richard, must have known it was a long Monday in the office and sent me Life Advice from 18 bundles of utter joy. (I love Number 9!)  LionessFeather couldn't have posted a more perfect post.

I dare you to not fall in love.

Happiness'Is - Terrific Traffic

Growing up in Center (Population: 5,678), I never truly realized what the word "traffic" meant unless you count a herd of cows blocking the FM roads.


Now that I currently live in Uptown and work in North Dallas, I fully grasp the definition, frustration and context that the term is associated with. When a drive that should take around fifteen minutes takes an hour and twenty, it’s fair to say I can get a little perturbed, throw out a couple of explicative phrases and start my day off on a less than positive note.


The first few months I lived here I allowed this traffic (I don't understand why the person at the very front just doesn’t drive?!) to really irritate me, but I had a revelation. 


Cursing the red Saturn with the broken tail light isn’t going to get me to my desk, bagel or coffee any sooner, therefore there is absolutely no point in causing (even more) wrinkles on my precious twenty-four year old face.  If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  I love the fact that I get to listen to my favorite song on repeat one more time or I get to hear the next bit on Kid Kraddick in the morning (sorry about your break-up, Big Al). Letting something you have no control over affect how the rest of your day is going to be is about as stupid as watching infomercials after a night at the bar.  I might in fact be the only one that’s happy about those few extra minutes, singing my heart out, but hey, I'm happy.