Be IN! Coffee = INspiration. Books = INformation. Beer = INtentional Enjoyment.
“Don’t stop.”
“Just keep moving.”
“One foot in front of the other”
“Everything is fine.”
“Don’t complain, just keep doing.”
“Keep calm and carry on.”
Sound familiar?
Sound dangerous?
That’s what we do right? We push through.
“When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.”
That is me.
I’m working towards this amazing goal. This bright shining bacon of accomplishment. Everyone is excited and anticipatory for the end.
But what of the time and distance inbetween. What toll does that take?
You want to hear something funny? This was supposed to be a travel blog. Like so much of life, it hasn’t progressed quite as originally intentioned.
Enter my trip to my second Tredecem.
I really didn’t ever plan to do another 13.1. I decided after the first that running wasn’t really my thing and would concentrate instead on biking and gym-rattedness. Oh Life, you are funny with your lessons to never say never.
A need for a post-double century “what’s next?” combined with a Delta volunteer bump credit burning a hole in my pocket crashed into my desire just to get away for a while. I have had the driving urge to shake up my routine. Go. Do. See.
So I built up my running miles over the last 6 weeks and off I went to the exotic locale of Madison, WI.
What? I’d never been to the badger state before…
I like to observe bar behavior. I find endless amusement from the corner of whatever local I find myself. I’ve witnessed much in the way of the mating dance both towards and apart from me.
We need to stop trying to throw game, start enjoying more and be our own best selves.
My new puttypeep friend The Gutsy Geek and I have had some exchanges of late on dating advice and tips. The “neg” is a post in and of itself – I hate that behavior and will expound another time on the greater whys.
Suffice for now, “the neg” is indicative of what is wrong with having a dating or pickup agenda: it is a blatant tactic.
Tactics to connive your way into accomplishing an arbitrary agenda have no place in dating. Tactics have no place anywhere interpersonal relationships are concerned.
What is the difference then between tips and tactics? I’m glad you asked my dear reader.
My two little– well, younger– brothers came up this weekend so I’ve been sidetracked by games of scrabble and talk of life and adventures. It seems entirely crazy to go out and have a beer with them. They are no longer the little boys that I remember but charming, handsome men, one of which just starting to get a touch of grey at the temples. Little Miss is incredibly taken with her uncles and the visit was all too short.
As much as we are connected by various technologies, nothing replaces being in the same room and sharing a meal together.
That is all to say, links are late. I know I was doing what I ought and would choose to do again but I’m sorry to best the deadline. I am trying to get better at the scheduling thing. Hope you had a pleasant Saturday and are enjoying your Sunday.
Here is what I enjoyed this week when not hangin wit my bros…
I don’t know how I missed including this last week but it is so good it can lead us off this week: A rant on loving photography – all kinds.
“Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy.” – attributed to Ben Franklin but apparently mistakenly.
In the supposed source for the quotation he is actually talking about wine (his drink of choice). Now, this is Internet research so who knows, maybe at some point he did say something similar about beer.
If he didn’t say it, he should have.
I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment. Let us not quarrel over history and merchandizing, let us instead appreciate our cups.
Since launching this blog I’ve second-guessed my choice of “beer” many, many times.
In Be In I described the additional meaning of “beer” – symbolic of life lived with intentional joie de vivre – whatever joy means to you.
For me the enjoyment – often but not exclusively – is beer.
I am not a lush. I can go a week or 3 without having a beer and usually I hold myself to 1 or 2 when I do imbibe. It is a social and almost culinary passion for me – ditto for coffee. I don’t have many other vices (see: coffee).
Beer is my invitation to myself to have fun.
As I wrote in my intro to “tales from my local” – I don’t like beer because boys like beer (though definite side benefit and yes, I am judging you by what you order). I don’t drink beer to get drunk (bourbon is much more efficient for that). It isn’t the idea of doing something naughty or verboten (tons of better options for that) but alcohol does have its effects and so, of course, ordering a beer is a conscious choice to relax and relish.
a·bout /əˈbout
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Attribution: Joanna June, CoffeeBooksAndBeer.com
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