All Kinds of Enthralling Excitement

I keep dreaming of opportunities to do exciting things lately, but don’t get me wrong, there is a wide range of things I find exciting; some would say I’m easily pleased. I’m not shooting for lofty, unattainable excitement—well, maybe with a couple of things. Here’s a list detailing all the enthralling excitement in my life:


• Concerts: Next month I’m going to an Ingrid Michelson concert with Erin and Elizabeth and I’m really excited about that. I’m not even that familiar with her music, but I know the sweater song and I like her voice. Also, Guggenheim Grotto is opening for her, which again, is another group I’m not that familiar with, but they opened up for They Might Be Giants when we went last year and I remember liking them. Going to concerts during the cold wintry months is a perfect escape. Ingrid Michaelson

• New T-shirt: Over the weekend I found an orange, $5 Jack-O-Lantern T-shirt that I want to pretty much live in from now until Halloween. For some reason I’ve always loved Halloween décor—not the gory, bloody kind, but the cute, kitschy pumpkin & candy corn kind. If anyone comes across some black & orange striped tights on sale, if you could toss that information my way, I’d be all over it.

• Black Cat Fun Run: On October 23rd Point Defiance is hosting a night run on their 5 mile drive that is supposed to be decked-out with spooky lights, family activities, etc. People are encouraged to dress-up. I will be wearing pumpkin (I found a small pumpkin stem headband & pumpkin socks when I bought the T-shirt). J  Black Cat Fun Run

• New Haircut: Over the weekend I got a new, low-maintenance haircut that I absolutely LOVE. It’s kind of a pixie-do. I told my stylist that I wanted low maintenance and she went pretty short. At first I was a little afraid because my face is still pretty full, but in the end I decided that I just don’t care. It’s short, it’s fun, and I like it (plus I think it makes me look a little more like a grown up and less like an overgrown teen). J

(Looks kind of like this—I don’t look like Katie Holmes, but my haircut makes me feel that way, ha,ha.)  J

• Size 14: I can wear this size now and I haven’t worn a size 14 since 1996.

• Holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas—I’m living in anticipation. I might even try and milk the holidays a little longer with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Maybe my kids and I could make up MLK carols or something. Just kidding.

• Trips: I always have trips to fantasize and plan. This is where my mind often parts ways with reality; I like to plan trips I’ll never get to take. I know most people are asking what I’m talking about because I’ve been on lots of trips, but if people only knew how many trips I mentally plan, versus how many I actually go on, they’d see my point. My next fantasy trip will be to Turkey. But next summer I have to find a way to celebrate 140 pounds lost with an actual walking tour of Ireland.

• Free Apples: I never used to love apples but since I stopped eating sugar I have developed a taste for them. And, it’s that time of the year again, when kids bring all kinds of free apples to me. I’m all over anything free.

• New Magazines:  I just got my new copy of Everyday Food for the month of October, and even though half of the recipes are off limits to me, the artist in me can’t avoid ogling all of the fun shaped/colored Halloween treats.  Also, I just bought a year’s subscription to two runner's magazines (my niece was selling them for school and it was a two for one deal—so Elizabeth you will be getting extras since I really don’t need two runner's magazines—I’m not Flo-Jo for cryin’ out loud).  J  

• 99 Pounds: One pound to go until I hit 3-digits. People are probably wondering how I can get so excited about this when I’ve been close for a few weeks now and could basically round this accomplishment up, but I’m a nerd and I still find it thrilling. As a celebration I’m going to make lunch for some colleagues that I do my midday dining with. Hopefully that will be next week. J