Going Outside.

So, I didn't do as well on the second part (practical) portion of my exam as I wanted to. Like at all.

Winter - Me and my girl, Rachel, tubing... 

Long Island in the fall

Spring graduation/whole family vacay - dancing the night away. That trip will forever be the greatest! SOO MUCH FUN.

Summer snorkling with the boo.

And so when Mike picked me up... I literally mopped for a while. His suggestion: eat and movies.

But I couldn't go to the movies: I was down. I was in workout (blah) sweats. No makeup. Hair a HOT MESS. Attitude and overall MORAL at a 1.2 on the richter scale. NOT A GOOD LOOK.

As, I told him, I needed to be outside. Yes, it was rainy. Yes, it's kinda chilly. But I needed to be outside. I needed to breath.

I have a connection to the outdoors. But not in a nature-y granola-y way. I don't like animals close to me. I don't  know the difference between poison ivy and poison oak. I don't know the different tree types. I hate bugs.

But since being a small baby, my parents tell me that all I ever wanted to do was to be outside. My dad would take me outdoors for hours pointing at everything saying "see-see-see" and I loved it.

Throughout elementary, my mother couldn't keep me and my brother from being outside - hanging with friends, playing every outdoor sport known to man, and just sitting out there (winter snow men to summer pool)

In high school, I hung at the pool EVERY day (as a lifeguard and after hours), ran outside daily, and was a personal trainer to a few young girls (year round) this meant we hung out for hours outside. Even when I started dating Mike, our favorite place to go, Sharon Woods. We could literally sit by the water for hours just talking (and who am I kidding enjoying major private make out sessions).

In college, same story. You could always find me at an outside eatery, the park across from Starbucks/Cold Stone, or just walking uptown. Or in Philly, bbqing EVERY NIGHT with the Yanceys (such great memories).

Y'all know that New York filled my outside fantasy - so we don't even need to go there. Let's just say I literally hung out outside EVERY day.

I mean there is no better places for me as a vineyard, a local picking farm, a park, a trail, an urban city, a FRIGGIN' pool, or just my porch (A.Yancey, can attest, we are a family of all-year round BBQers - but summers... yeah we'll leave it there! )

All this to say, through this situation and my recent notes about my dislikes/likes (lol...trying to figure out my best work situation - we'll talk that later) I've realized that being in doors creates anxiety and stifles me. I literally have to be outside at least once every day.  And although I don't like bugs, animals, or know tree-names - I am an outdoors girl and proud to admit it.