allisonpotter
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Updates galore.
November 19, 2011
Let’s admit it. I am not good at having a healthy balance of “stuff going on” in my life. It’s either boring (for me… which is still pretty active by normal standards) or I’m busy busy busy. I actually prefer the “busy busy busy,” but am not sure why I can’t just keep a SLIGHTLY less hectic schedule. Some updates, and then some updates on my “thankfuls”… I’m still keeping up with this, but on Facebook, so apologies to the (likely zero) blog readers who aren’t my Facebook friends. 
Life update:
- I applied to volunteer at Rady’s Children’s Hospital. I sent in my paperwork a couple weeks ago, and this week received an email that I had progressed to the next step of the process– references! To my knowledge, everyone completed theirs (although I should check), and hopefully I’ll know more soon. I’m looking forward to an evening a week of volunteering at the hospital. Will be fun, and we all know that I love a little (or a lotta) philanthropy in my life.
- Pilates is my new boyfriend. Oh, pilates, where have you been all my life? Who knew that I could be so “into” something so quickly…. but I am. Although we’re only one week into our relatisnhip, I know it’s going to be a healthy, long term kinda thing. Plus, it’s gotten me back into my old, active ways that I had sort of forgotten since moving out to CA. Sounds kind of backwards, right? Well, whatevs… I’m back, and looking forward to being fit, active and trim.
- I’ve also been venturing outside of my apartment! Giving this whole California thing a chance… yoga in North Park, mani/pedis in Pacific Beach, dinner in Encinitas. I’ve been all over San Diego county this week.
Thankful update:
- Day 12: Thankful that the holidays are just around the corner, because I’m REALLY impatient, and not sure I can wait much longer to see all of my family at Thanksgiving, send holiday cards, bake a BAGILLION cookies, or act like a small child the night before Christmas. My FAVORITE time of the year (even if I’m struggling with this whole holiday season in California thing…)
- Day 13: Steelers football. Really. I love it.
- Day 14: Working from home, so that my poor, sick puppy can sit on my lap all day while I work and I don’t have to worry about her.
- Day 15: This amazing, and blessed, life that I get to live day in and day out.
- Day 16: Outdoor dinner dates in mid-November… and probably December, and January, and February, too.
- Day 17: You!!!!! (and you, and you, and you, too.) I wouldn’t be me without you. Thank you!
Catch Up.
November 11, 2011
Just for the record, I HAVE been keeping up with my thankfuls, because there really IS so much to be thankful for. I just haven’t been really good at keeping up with them on my blog. Rather, I’ve been posting them straight to Facebook. So, to catch up…
Day 8: Facebook (that’s right. I said it)…
Because without it, how else would I know that Conrad Murray was found guilty, that I should vote today, or that MW3 just came out? (Seriously though, clearly I do love Facebook.)
Day 9: I’m thankful for somehow remembering that I put my debit card in a grocery bag at the store, and threw the grocery bag away… And have no shame, so was OK with digging through the trash to get it back. Money is a good thing.
Day 10: The power of positivity, because I’m pretty sure it can get you through just about anything.
Have a fantastic day, loves. xo
Day 11: Genuinely good people. Today, our veterans, of course. But every day, those who work to make the work a better, happier, safer place by serving the country, volunteering, or simply passing a smile.
Now that we’re all caught up, and headed into the weekend, I must admit that I’m QUITE excited for a weekend in San Diego, with nothing planned. It’s supposed to rain, I have a Netflix movie, and might even go watch a matinee by myself. I’m just looking forward to hanging out. It’s going to be really really really fantastic.
Happy weekend, loves! xoxo AP
Day 7: Dori’s stinky face, and other things.
November 7, 2011 — 1 Comment
Just got home. Well, actually, no I didn’t. I got home a few hours ago, but have been busy catching up with some work. The second I walked in the door, I was greeted by an overly excited Dori. LOVE that.
So today… I am thankful for Dori.
- Her greetings.
- Her company in my bed (even if she takes up an unreasonable amount of space).
- Her stinky faced kisses.
- How she will go anywhere I want her to go with me, even if she hates the ocean, and the sea lions.
- How she’s good at tricking me into thinking that she’s trying to get onto my lap, but is really just trying to be taller, so that she can get closer to a toy that has been put out of her reach.
Also, just as a disclaimer, Evi does all of this, too… I miss him, he’s awesome. I wish he were here. 
Day 6: Sundays
November 6, 2011 — 1 Comment
I like Sunday’s.
I like Sunday Funday’s.
I like that Sunday starts a fresh week.
Thankful.
xo AP
Day 5: Music (and some rambling)
November 5, 2011 — 1 Comment
Greetings from Washington Dulles International Airport– United Airlines buffer between San Diego and Pittsburgh making it IMPOSSIBLE for me to ever get a direct flight. It is 6:22am… Eastern Time. I love the red eye and I love layovers that require me to be awake at unreasonably early hours.
With that said, I’m in a surprisingly chipper mood (yes, I know I generally am). I’ve been up for over half an hour, and I see no reason not to be nice to the flight attendants when you’re walking out, so gave them a nice little ”have a great day” when I left. Even if I could immediately see my breath.
As I walked to my gate for my layover to Pittsburgh (there is absolutely NO reason for me to be in town this weekend, but I decided not to cancel the already booked trip and just take advantage of seeing friends this weekend) I walked, zombie like, to my gate. About halfway on my walk from the westernmost edge of the District of Columbia to the easternmost edge, I decided to listen to some music. Songs, shuffle, PLAY. Within seconds, I knew the guy behind be likely thought I was nuts (typical) because I was bopping my head a bit, and at least *I* knew that I was walking to the beat of the song “Now Playing”.
So today, Day Five, I am thankful for music. Thankful for it, in general, but also for its mood affecting (correct spelling? yes, I Googled it to be sure) ways. I listen to ALL SORTS of music, but when you need that pick me up, it’s definitely always there. Sometimes, all you need is a tried-and-true song to listen to that you ALWAYS love. It can also be as simple as that. Life is gooooooood.
In other news:
* I’m really bad at getting off at the right terminal on the train at IAD. Today I did it. Frequent flyer win.
* I hate sleeping on planes. I really like my bed. Really really. Dori is the only thing besides me in that bed… ever… and I love it. The moderately creepy man in the middle seat next to me was definitely invading my personal space.
* The airport is at least seven degrees too cold. Go ahead and judge me.
* Crazy, Stupid Love is a fantastic movie. Seriously. I don’t always say that, but I watched it this week and absolutely loved it. Go watch it peoples. I want to buy it!
* I think I need coffee… Perhaps after reading this, you disagree.
xoxo AP
Day 4: Free Wine and Therapy
November 4, 2011 — 1 Comment
That’s actually quite a silly title, but it’ll do for today. It’s also a silly picture, but whatever. Don’t judge me.
After yesterday’s post, Georgette texted me, saying “can’t you be thankful for vodka and wine?” Of course, she was kidding, but I am thankful for the free wine that we got at the hotel Georgette as staying at while she was visiting San Diego (we had a client meeting yesterday). While free is fabulous, it was coupled with a nice day in the city with Georgette, and really good (and much needed) conversation.
That’s important for people to have, and sometimes you just need it. It’s like free therapy, when you can talk to someone as openly as I can with Georgette (and others, but it was good to have her there this week to talk to). So today, I am thankful for that.
The end.
xoxo AP
Day 3: Rides
November 3, 2011 — 1 Comment
This really IS a plane flying over San Diego. The airport is right in the city. Unreal. (Yet super convenient!)
Short and sweet and to the point, I am thankful for rides from my roommates to the airport, especially when I’ve been taking as many trips since my move to San Diego. I’m even thankful for these rides if it means that I occasionally need to wake up at 4:30am to return the favor. 
Enjoy Chicago, Jen and Nathan!
oh, p.s. I’m also thankful for Grace (and Jen when she can) who watches Dori when I’m out of town. Roommates were a great idea.
xoxo AP
Day 2: FaceTime
November 2, 2011 — 2 Comments
I started a list of “My People”… but started to stress myself out, because I realized there are SO MANY people in my life that mean SO much to me… especially a shocking amount of people who, for seemingly no reason, are always there for me when others (who I might expect to be there) are not. The list got long, and I knew it was nowhere near close to complete, and I didn’t want to leave anyone out (although no matter how long the list, I will) so decided not to post a thankful post for my people… yet, at least.
Day 2, I’m thankful for FaceTime. Weekly chats with my parents (I know it makes your day), Monday night FaceTime with Kizzle (my person), FaceTime with Nick and Mike and Meghann and Curtis, and trying to teach Kate how to FaceTime, too. Although I’m 2500 miles away, constantly home, and feel really connected to a lot of people in PA (thank you for the 4am text messages, completely forgetting that I am three timezones behind y’all) it makes SUCH a difference to see people and talk about our lives face-to-face. Oh, and I’m also a HUGE fan of text message and email flattery… that makes me smile, too.
xoxo AP
Day 1: Audrey Hepburn
November 1, 2011 — 1 Comment
…okay, so I’m not necessarily choosing Audrey Hepburn as the first thing to be thankful for. Don’t get me wrong, she’s pretty fantastic, and if I didn’t want to be me, I might want to be her (or Natalie Portman). However, after three years of doing ’30 Days of Thakful’, I have to get creative. Of course, the #1 thing I’m most thankful for, always, is friends and family (along with health, you know)… but I’ll get to them, and make it a bit better than just “I am thankful for my friends and family”.
So, for today, I am thankful for Audrey Hepburn, and Sex and the City, and Dr. Seuss, and The Beatles, and Shel Silverstein, and Marilyn Monroe, and all of the fantastic people, bands, and shows, etc. that have provided a wealth of quotes to hold onto when you need them. Last night I was looking up a particular quote… something about smiling when everything seems to be going wrong, all of the pieces coming together, happy people are the prettiest people (apparently it was a complete mish mash of quotes that weren’t really ONE quote) and came across a page of Audrey Hepburn quotes… SO MANY that were true, on a number of levels… probably her most famous quote being:
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”
But a few others that I came across and really liked, including:
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.”
“Your heart just breaks, that’s all. But you can’t judge or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough to find someone who appreciates you.”
and
“Pick the day. Enjoy it – to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come… The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present, and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.”
I could continue on forever, and list a million other quotes by a million other people… but the important part of this is that I’m thankful for these quotes. Whether I’m having a good day, a bad day, want to reminded of a memory from my childhood, or want to share one with someone… they’re amazing reminders for life, and I am thankful.
Not a quote from Audrey Hepburn, but another fabulous one, found at the Hard Rock hotel in Orlando, FL.
In other news… Dori really needs to get a job. She is the laziest dog ever.
xoxo AP
3rd Annual 30 Days of Thankful
November 1, 2011
It’s that time of the year again– 30 days of thankful. Everyone has a LOT to be thankful for, and it’s important to recognize and appreciate it all. Not that you shouldn’t do this throughout the entire year (life is good, people) but my family and I have made sort of a tradition of listing off something that we’re thankful for each day in the month of November.
As a bonus, today I’m thankful for the Salvation Army… who will take anything off of my hands that I do not want in my apartment… like the four bags of candy that NO ONE came to get tonight. I was SO excited for trick-or-treaters (but did have a nice candy-filled dinner).
xoxo AP
